by Krista Lakes
“Thank you.” Holly hurried over and filled a cup with ginger ale. She smiled at the man. “I really appreciate it.”
He shrugged. “No problem. Your first time here?”
Holly nodded. “Yup.”
And probably her last. There was no way she’d be able to afford to come back here. Even though she was enjoying it, she knew it was way out of her price range.
“Be sure to try the waffles at breakfast,” the man advised. “They put just a hint of orange in them. They’re amazing.”
Holly grinned. “Thank you. Waffles are my favorite breakfast food. I’ll be sure to get some.”
The man smiled and gave her a wave before picking up his own drink cup and heading back to the elevators.
Holly watched him go, trying not to stare at his butt. The sweatpants accentuated the muscle underneath and told her that the man did not skip leg day.
“Aliyah would tell me to get his number,” Holly said to herself. She nearly went after the handsome man, but held back. She needed to take care of her friend. Maybe she’d run into the man again tomorrow over waffles.
It was possible.
Chapter 5
Holly
Holly stretched out in the soft bed and sighed with contentment. There was something magical about not waking up to the sound of an alarm clock. She snuggled into the fluffy comforter for a moment, enjoying the dark silence of the hotel room.
Then she remembered that she was going skiing today. With a grin, she threw back the covers and got out of bed. The floors were heated and she nearly moaned with delight. She’d gotten so used to keeping her apartment cold to keep the heating bill down, she’d forgotten how nice it was to wake up and be warm.
In the next bed over, Aliyah slept. She still looked pale, but better than the death-warmed-over look she had last night. The poor thing had spent most of the night in the bathroom dealing with the aftermath of food poisoning.
No more gas station sandwiches for either of them.
Holly tip-toed to the bathroom and enjoyed the heated tile floors in there. If she ever built a house of her own design, heated tile floors in the bathroom were definitely on the list. It felt amazing to have warm feet while she brushed her teeth and put on her ski clothes. She put her hair up in a ponytail and quietly left the bathroom.
“Hey.” Aliyah’s voice was hoarse and sounded painful.
“Hey. Did I wake you up?” Holly asked, pausing by the bathroom door.
“No, I’ve been awake for a few minutes. Believe it or not, I didn’t sleep great last night.”
“I’m sorry,” Holly replied.
“Not your fault.” Aliyah shifted around on the bed. “You going skiing?”
“Yeah. Are you going to come? How are you feeling?”
“I’m going to stay in bed all day. And maybe the tub. I think I can handle a bath,” Aliyah said. “I’m no longer puking my guts out, but I don’t want to move more than the four feet to the bathroom.”
“Can I get you anything?” She hated that her best friend wasn’t feeling well. They were supposed to spend the day out in the snow having fun. Instead, her friend was going to stay inside being sick.
“More of that ginger ale would be great. I’m sorry I can’t ski with you today.”
“Me too.” Holly pouted and shrugged. “But, at least if you’re going to be sick, this is the place. The toilets are all clean and you don’t have to clean up after.”
Aliyah chuckled. “Yeah. And they have cable here. And HBO. I’m watching Game of Thrones all day today.”
“Don’t spoil anything for me,” Holly replied. She crossed the room and put her pajamas in her suitcase.
“They all die,” Aliyah told her. “Even the dragons.”
“LA LA LA, I CAN’T HEAR YOU,” Holly shouted, putting her hands over her ears. She then stuck her tongue out at Aliyah.
Aliyah lay back on her pillows. “You should get going. It’s almost time for the lifts to start. Got to get that fresh powder.”
“Okay. I’m going to go grab some breakfast and hit the slopes. I’ll bring you back some ginger ale. You want any food?”
Aliyah turned a little green at the mention of food. She shook her head. “I’ll order room service if I get hungry.”
Holly nodded and waved before heading downstairs. She followed the scent of waffles to the dining area. The room was comfortably full, with enough open chairs that she didn’t have to wait, but not so empty that she felt strange eating alone.
The waffles were amazing, just as the man had said the night before. Holly ate two and sipped at a large mug of coffee. Outside the big windows snow started to fall. Holly grinned. It would be a good powder day.
She finished her breakfast and hurried a huge cup of ginger ale up to Aliyah. She’d already fallen back asleep with the sounds of a dragon battle raging through the TV. The fact that she was sleeping through the best parts of the show told Holly that Aliyah still didn’t feel well.
Holly left the soda on the nightstand, grabbed the rest of her snow gear, and headed down to the rental shop.
The rental shop was just off the south end of the lobby. Holly stepped inside and filled out her waivers and insurance information.
“Hi. Welcome to the Ski Shoppe,” the woman behind the counter said, taking her paperwork. “Are you skiing or snowboarding?”
“Skiing.” Holly wanted to learn how to snowboard, but she knew she’d need lessons. That was something she wasn’t really able to afford on her teacher’s salary. Especially not at a place like Blue Aspen.
“Excellent choice,” the woman told her. She hopped off a stool behind the counter, and Holly realized that the woman was much shorter than Holly had first thought. She also couldn’t put an age on the woman. Her face said she was early twenties, but there was a wisdom in her lavender eyes that said she was much, much older. Also, her hair was so blonde it was silver. Not gray, but actually silver. “I’m Merryweather.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Merryweather,” Holly replied. “Thank you for helping me.”
“It’s my pleasure.” The woman’s lavender eyes sparkled. She handed Holly a pair of boots to try on. “I love this time of year, don’t you?”
Holly smiled and nodded as she slid on the boots. They fit perfectly. Usually she had to try on a couple of pairs, but these felt like they were made for her. “I love Christmas. There’s something magical about it”
“Yes, there most certainly is.” Merryweather grinned at her and took one of the boots. She fitted it to a ski and hummed while she made some adjustments. “Have you experienced any Christmas magic yet this season?”
“Just this trip,” Holly replied. “I think it used up most of my luck quota for the rest of the year.”
Merryweather looked up at her and smiled with those ageless eyes. “I don’t know. I think you might have more Christmas magic in store.”
Before Holly had a chance to answer, Merryweather handed her the skis, poles, and a helmet.
“These are the same kind of skis the US Olympic team uses, so be sure to wear the helmet,” Merryweather reminded her. “Plus, it’s hotel policy.”
Holly believed this equipment was made for professionals. Everything was top of the line. The boots fit like they were made for her. The poles didn’t feel too long or too short, and she couldn’t wait to take the skis out for a run. They looked like they’d handle the turns like a dream.
“Thank you, Merryweather,” Holly said, trying to balance everything and mostly managing.
“Have a great day. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.” The silver-haired woman waved and Holly left.
Outside, snow flurries danced and dusted the ski resort with a fresh layer of powder. The air was cold and crisp, smelling of snow and pine. Holly put on her snow pants and ski jacket, making sure the key card was in the front pocket. It was the pocket with a small bunny embroidered on it. She put it there so she wouldn’t forget where it was later.
She p
ut on her gloves and her bunny goggles. One of her students had given the goggles to her as a gift several years ago. They had a cute little bunny sticker on the top corner that matched the one on her jacket. She also had a green fleece scarf with cute little cottontail bunnies and Christmas trees wrapped around her neck to keep her face warm. Another gift from her students.
Apparently, they thought she liked bunnies.
With a grin so big it made her face feel like bursting, she snapped on her skis and headed to the lift. The sun peeked out from behind a cloud, making the world explode in color. Tiny ice crystals sparkled in the air. It was like being inside a glitter snow-globe.
Holly was late out to the lifts, which was fine by her. There was hardly any line now and she would probably get to ride up by herself.
That was until she heard a deep voice from behind her.
“Mind if I ride up with you?”
Chapter 6
Merryweather
Things were going well, Merryweather thought to herself. She busied herself behind the Ski Shoppe counter, making sure things were just so. She liked it when things were how they were supposed to be.
She looked out and watched as the man found his way to the lift.
The smile between them told Merryweather she was on the right track, but that they needed more time.
Well, that just meant that Merryweather had to use some magic. She'd start small.
Something to keep them talking. Something to give them the time they needed to find the love within them.
Chapter 7
Holly
Holly turned to see the man from last night. Or at least, she was pretty sure it was him. It was hard to be sure with the dark sunglasses over his eyes.
Either way her stomach did an excited flip-flop. The guy was cute.
“Sure!” she said, sounding maybe a little more excited than she should have. Together they glided out after a ski chair and waited for the next one to pick them up. Holly was grateful she managed to sit down on the chairlift seat gracefully. She only clattered her poles a little.
Once seated, she glanced over at her companion. He wore a black expensive looking ski-jacket with matching snow pants, gloves, and helmet. Everything looked brand new. He wore skis and had traces of snow already covering his tips.
He hadn’t been late to the lifts.
“How’s the snow?” Holly asked as the lift chugged forward.
“Amazing,” the man replied. “But then, it always is here. I’m fairly sure they have a magic super power to make the best snow here. I’ve never had a bad day.”
“So you come here often?” He certainly looked wealthy enough to afford skiing here.
“As often as I can. It’s usually only once or twice a year, though. You?”
“This is my first time,” Holly replied honestly. “I’m loving it so far.”
“Did you try the waffles?” the man asked.
So it was him. Holly grinned and felt a little flutter in her stomach. He remembered her. Somehow, that made her feel important.
“I did. They were just as good as you said they would be. Thank you for the recommendation. Anything else I should try?”
The man pursed his lips thoughtfully for a moment and Holly immediately thought of kissing him. She shook herself, surprised at how easily the thought had come.
“If you stay for dinner, the prime rib is spectacular,” he said after a moment. He smiled at her. “How long are you staying?”
The giddy flutter in her stomach returned and she was glad her scarf covered her face so he wouldn’t see the blush.
“I’m just here for the weekend. We leave on Sunday.”
“We?”
Holly wondered if the hint of unhappiness she heard in his voice was all in her head. It had been a while since she’d flirted with someone. At least here on the chairlift, she had a captive audience if her flirting was rusty.
“My friend and I,” Holly quickly explained. “She’s like a sister to me. We work together.”
The man’s smile returned. “Ah. What do you do?”
“I’m a teacher. What about you?”
“I run a business,” the man replied with a shrug.
“That sounds interesting,” Holly said, shifting the ski poles to rest under her leg a little more comfortably.
“Depends on the day.” He glanced around at the beautiful snow covered landscape around them. “I think today’s a good day.”
Holly giggled. She had to agree. The sun shimmered down through a cascade of icy glitter. White snow frosted the dark green evergreens and coursed like frozen streams down the mountain sides. One mountain rose up before them, the lift carrying them up to the highest reaches, while others stood proud and snow-capped as far as the eye could see.
Suddenly, the lift came to a halt. Holly and the man hung suspended in midair for a moment, rocking gently. They hung at least fifty feet from the ground, suspended over firs and pines.
“Someone must have fallen off the lift trying to get on,” Holly said, trying to peer up the mountain to see the top. They appeared to be in the middle of the ride.
“I did see some private lessons getting on before us,” the man agreed. It was common for the lifts to stop whenever people fell getting on or off the lifts, and the newbies in lessons were usually the culprits. It took practice to ride a ski lift.
They both sat there for a moment, waiting for the lift to start back up again. Stops and starts were common, but they were usually short.
This one lasted longer than usual. The sun disappeared behind a bank of clouds, casting the world into gray shadows.
“Think they’ll bring us hot chocolate if they can’t get it started again?” Holly asked.
He chuckled and took off his sunglasses. The warmth of his brown eyes made the loss of sun bearable. “I hope so. Maybe a good book, too.”
“Nonfiction or fiction?”
He turned and faced her. “On vacation? Fiction. Before bed, non-fiction.”
“Why non-fiction before bed?”
“I like the fiction books too much. I won’t sleep. I have to know what the next chapter is. Does the dragon devour the town? Do the aliens win? How does the pauper become a prince? What about you?” the man asked. “Fiction or non-fiction?”
“Fiction. I am a sucker for a good romance. And Dr. Seuss, of course, but that’s more on a professional level.”
The man laughed, the rich sound echoing off the snowy mountain tops. Holly found her heart speeding up and she was glad to be stuck on this chairlift with him. At this point, she didn’t really care if they stayed up here forever.
The lift stayed still. Holly scraped her skis together, brushing off the little snow that rested on them.
“What are you reading right now?” Holly asked. “Anything good?”
“I’m between books at the moment. Have any recommendations?”
“Other than Dr. Seuss?” Holly grinned at him.
The man chuckled again, flashing her that great smile. “I can always have more rhymes in my life.”
“There’s so many good ones,” Holly said thoughtfully. “At my dad’s bookstore, I’m always scoping out new books.”
“I hope you get a family discount,” the man replied.
“If I did, he’d go broke.” She smiled, but inside she felt her chest tighten. Her dad’s bookstore wasn’t doing so well. Another casualty of everyone leaving town. Even without her discount, he really was going broke.
Unfortunately, it was then that the chairlift started to move. Their time was up. The man put his glasses back down, covering his eyes.
“No mountain-side hot chocolate for us,” Holly teased him, hoping to make him laugh again.
“Maybe next time. You can give me your book recommendations then.”
The lift sped up and the wind blew cold on Holly’s face. She tucked her chin into her Christmas bunny scarf. The top of the mountain loomed into view along with the end of the lift. Part of her was
sad because she’d enjoyed the company, but another part was excited. It was time to ski.
“Have a good run, Snow-bunny,” the man said as the lift came to the end. At her confused look, he pointed to her scarf.
She chuckled and together they both stood and exited the chair. He went to the left, she went to the right. She was sad to see him go. It had been wonderful to talk about books with him. Plus, it totally counted as flirting. Aliyah would be proud of her.
She took a deep breath of mountain air. She was determined to have fun, just like Aliyah recommended. She would use this ski day and party to take her mind off things at home. It would be just the break she needed.
With a deep breath and a grin hidden by her scarf, Holly started down the mountain.
Icy wind with fat flakes rushed past her as she picked up speed. She swooshed and slid down the hillside. The skis were amazing. She truly did feel like an Olympic skier with this equipment. For the first time in her life, she thought that she might have a chance at a gold medal.
That was until a woman in a racing suit blew past her on a straight-away.
Still, Holly enjoyed the sensation of being a good skier, even if she wasn’t quite ready for the time-trials just yet.
Once back at the bottom of the mountain, Holly slid back into the line for the lift. Maybe on the next run she’d go across the mountain and take the lift to the north side. The runs were harder over there, so she wanted to make sure that she felt comfortable on her skis before hitting the black diamonds.
“Well, hello again, Snow-bunny.”
Holly turned to see the man standing beside her ready to go on the lift.
“We’re going to have to stop running into one another like this,” she teased as the chair swung around and they once again followed it out.
“What if I like running into you, Snow-bunny?” He flashed her a grin as they waited for the chair to come up behind them.
