SpringChute yourself and selling it—to a parachute manufacturer? Sorry, I really have no idea how this kind of thing works.”
“Honestly, I have no idea what I’m going to do because I hadn’t let myself think that far ahead. Dad thinks I should sell the rights, but we’ll see. I had a few of the devices made up for our own use at Extreme Adventures. I never expected it to go any further than that. Ross didn’t even tell me he’d entered it in the contest until after I’d finaled.”
Sophie smiled. “He seems like a good friend.”
“The best. He’s great at running the business too. We turned a profit our first year, which I’m sure you know is pretty hard to do.”
“Wow. You’ll have to give me some tips.”
“It took a lot of work and advertising, I can tell you that. Ross is really regimented about the financial side of things. We have a dozen well-trained guides—they don’t take clients out until I’m satisfied they can handle themselves, and Ross lets me have free rein over all that. I don’t think I could stand working with someone who was always watching over my shoulder.”
“You still enjoy what you do?”
He quirked a brow. “Jumping from planes? What’s not to love?”
Sophie laughed. “Oh, I don’t know . . . concussions, broken bones, death . . .”
He chuckled. “None of those have ever happened to me—or my clients—while jumping. Mountain climbing seems to be my nemesis. Still, worth it every time.”
“You’re a crazy man. I can’t even seem to manage a ladder.”
His smile dimmed. “Aw, that was my fault, not yours.”
“Not true. Besides, you’re not allowed to feel guilty tonight. We’re here to celebrate.”
As if on cue the server brought their drinks. When she left Sophie raised her glass. “To hard work and gratifying payoffs.”
“Hear, hear.” He clinked his glass with hers.
“Sounds like you’ll have some decisions to make when you get home.”
“A lot will depend on how much attention the award garners. I’ll have to wait and see what kind of offers I get, if any.”
“Is it possible one of those offers could pull you away from your business?”
“I doubt it. Like I said, I still love what I do. It’s the thrill I love, of course, but it’s more than that. The people I take up inspire me. Make it really worthwhile.”
“Tell me.”
Aiden studied Sophie’s face as if determining if she really wanted to hear. He must’ve been satisfied with what he saw.
“There’s this one guy who jumps regularly. Not tandem jumping, he’s a proficient skydiver. So, his dad calls me one day and tells me he wants to jump with his son, for no other reason than to share the experience with him. So I set it up. The father tandem jumped with me while his son skydived on his own.”
He laughed heartily. “Guy screamed all the way down. But you know what? He did it again the next month. He’s been up four times, and I think it scares the bejeebers out of him every time. I don’t think he really likes it, but his son does, and he wants to share it with him.”
“What a great story. I guess I always thought skydiving was something people did just for the thrill of it.”
“Mostly it’s that. But there are other reasons. A lot of people have it on their bucket list, and I’m happy to help them cross it off. I took up a paraplegic once. Man, that was amazing. He’d always dreamed of skydiving and decided not to let his disability hold him back.
“He was beaming when we landed. I’m told by a lot of customers that the sense of accomplishment they got from their skydiving experience gave them the courage to try other things they were afraid to do.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. But I know what you mean. Going through everything with my mom—it was something I feared I’d be unable to handle. Despite the terrible sense of loss when she was gone, there was also a sense that God had gotten me through it, and He’d get me through the next thing too.”
“That’s it exactly. And the next thing for you . . . your bookshop.”
“Despite all the obstacles this week, it’s working out. Thanks to you and your willingness to stay.”
He ducked his head.
“It means a lot to me that you were willing to miss your big moment for me. Now that you won the award, I wouldn’t blame you if you regretted it.”
Their eyes