I happily answered each and smiled as she nervously picked the ends of her braids. I loved when she was a little scared. When she was nervous, she clung to me like a spider monkey, and I lived for it. I’d flex my bicep and stroke her hair while she wrapped her small body around me.

Don’t worry, babe. Finn would protect you.

It stroked my ego a little too much, but she never seemed to mind.

Alea caught us in the lobby and offered to show Olive how it was done. She actually said, “Since you probably won’t do it right, I better come along.” So, she hopped on the lift behind us along with Coop, and I could only imagine the torture she was subjecting him to.

Olive kept looking down at the snow and back up to the cables.

“You remember the last time we were up here?” I asked to distract her from the steep drop to the snow, nearly fifty feet below.

She chuckled and looked at me. “Oh, yeah. Here, Olive, let me fix your goggles.” She imitated my deep voice and gestured her hands to my face.

I laughed loudly and threw back my head. “It felt smooth at the time.” I shrugged.

“I guess it worked a little bit.” She leaned into my hold, and I smirked at her.

I had to give it to Coop—his moves worked out pretty well.

“What else could I have done? I had the most beautiful woman in the world on a bench with me, and I wasn’t supposed to not make a move?”

Olive’s cheeks pinkened and chuckled. I loved that I could still make her blush every time I spoke about how beautiful she was to me. My awe-striking Olive. My Grinch. She still hated when I called her that, but I couldn’t help it. Although, I think Olive liked Christmas more than me these days.

I turned around to see Cooper mouthing, “help,” as Alea actively ran her mouth—presumably about how much she knew about skiing. I laughed and turned my attention back to the girl I loved.

We were approaching the peak of where we had to hop off, and Olive tensed next to me.

“Hey,” I said quietly, and she lifted her head and looked up at me. “Just follow me?” I grabbed her hands, and she nodded.

We jumped off the lift and slowly glided down the hill, exactly as I had done thousands of times. Olive looked down at her skis, and I turned so she could see me. “Eyes up, sweetheart.” She raised those perfect green eyes up to me, and I could’ve melted in the snow. “Just relax,” I spoke over the wind.

Olive nodded, and I let go of her as she released the tension in her body.