by Adele Huxley
“I’m gonna pull your truck out with the Jeep. Turn the wheel towards me.” With his head lolling, he tried to pick up a hand but didn’t even make it half way. “Turn the wheel towards me.” I used my dad’s voice, stern, no-nonsense. It seemed to get through the fog of inebriation. Bryan lazily pulled the wheel to the right and I concluded I was correct about the ex-soldier evaluation. “Hold onto it while I tow you out.”
I walked back to the Jeep and moved it around to face the truck. I took a little joy in seeing Bryan blink and shield his eyes from the bright lights. “Serves you right,” I glowered. I jumped out, detached the winch, and got on my knees cursing him the entire time. I hooked it to the frame and climbed back in the driver’s seat. Slowly, I reversed until the line went taut. Keeping the speed steady, the Jeep easily pulled the truck from the ditch.
After putting everything back, I opened the passenger door again. “You can drive home now.”
He scoffed, looking at me with one unfocused eye. “To California? No chance. I’m too wasted…”
“You don’t say.” The neighborhood seemed safe enough and the truck was now parked on the side of the street. He might get a ticket but it’s the least he deserved. His head rolled back onto the seat with a brief snore. “Bryan!”
“Wha…?” he jerked up, blinking repeatedly.
“You’re coming with me. Come on, get out. You can’t sleep here and if you can’t tell me where you live…”
He slid down the bench seat towards me, nearly falling out of the cab. I steadied him against the side of the truck before reaching in and grabbing the keys. I tucked them into his pocket, briefly distracted by how firm his thighs felt under the cold denim. Once secured in the passenger seat of the Jeep, he started to laugh.
“What is it now?” I snapped.
“You’re the Superman now. Superwoman! You saved me.” I smiled despite my annoyance. His head rocked forward, chin resting on his chest. Thankfully, he remained quiet for the short trip back to the cabin.
I pulled the Jeep into the heated garage, parking next to Noah’s green Hummer and red pickup. I’m not sure how, but I managed to get him upstairs and into the house. Everything was quiet and dark, mostly. There were noises coming from the opposite end of the hall near Noah’s room, Kayla probably soothing his wounds. I hadn’t quite thought through what might happen if he found Bryan in the house.
I put my arm around his back and guided him towards the living room. He might’ve been a rude asshole, but he made for a very pliable drunk. He fell backwards into the black leather sofa, sinking in with a groan.
“Stay. I’m gonna see if there’s a First Aid kit around here.”
After searching all the bathrooms, I finally found the red plastic case under the kitchen sink. I wet a paper towel in the sink to clean up his cut. Flipping through the supplies as I returned to the living room, I didn’t notice Bryan had already passed out.
“I don’t think you’re gonna need stitches but I don’t want you bleeding on—oh,” I gasped. He’d taken his shirt off and was fast asleep, snoring softly. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the massive scars running down his left shoulder. They weren’t fresh but obviously not very old, the scar tissue still red and raw. I let my eyes roam across his lean, athletic body. I bit my lip as I noticed the small patch of hair disappearing into the waist of his jeans. That’s how I spotted the other scar.
Checking quickly to make sure he was completely asleep, I crouched beside him. A similar red mark to the one on his shoulder peeked out a few inches above his belt. My fingers reached out to touch it, wanting to trace the red line down until it disappeared beyond the waist of his jeans. He stirred a little before I touched him, causing me to pull back quickly. I wondered what sort of accident he’d been in. Maybe something from the deployment? I glanced at his face and thought, Who are you?
There was a strong jaw beneath that unkempt beard. He had crazy long eyelashes and his full bottom lip begged to be sucked. I pressed my own together, resisting the temptation. After wiping the blood away from his forehead, I could see the cut more clearly. It was small and easily covered by a bandage.
“Definitely not the worst injury you’ve ever had, huh?” I said to his sleeping form. I brushed a curl of brown hair from his forehead and he stirred again.
“Thank you, Superwoman,” he mumbled. He rolled over, facing the back of the sofa. I wanted to lie down beside him, nuzzle into the valley of his spine, and go to sleep. Instead, I grabbed a blanket and tossed it over him, thoroughly confused by my first day in Tellure Hollow.
____________
In my exhausted state, I’d forgotten to draw the curtains over before I’d gone to sleep. The early morning sun reflected off the snow, throwing bright light into my room. Even with the heavy covers pulled over my head, I still couldn’t get to sleep. I gave up and laid there, staring out the windows at the serene forest.
I thought about Bryan in the other room. What was I going to say to him? Was I still even angry with him? I held onto grudges like it was a hobby but really, how was he to know my implants were a sore subject? It wasn’t that I wanted a boyfriend or even a fling. I just hated that I kept fucking things up with him at every turn. It didn’t bode well for any future relationships if I couldn’t remain at least civil with someone new.
Throwing my arms above my head, I stretched and let out a long yawn. I quickly threw on some clothes and went to check the living room and sure enough, he was gone. The blanket was nicely folded. There was an indent from his hand on the top where he must’ve patted it. Tentatively, I put my hand in the spot, spreading my fingers wide to fit. I noticed a note scrawled on a torn piece of paper beside the pillows and blanket.
Didn’t want to wake you. Sorry about last night…I can explain if you want…or not.
Thanks for taking care of me.
B
Living in the cabin was actually great. I could feel the tension and stress from the previous few months just slipping away. Everything that’d happened with Rick, the life I’d fallen into when I was in Ashville…it all started to feel like a terrible dream. Everyone in the cabin, including Noah, worked during the day. I spent the days exercising, watching movies, playing around with my photos in Photoshop. With every passing day, I felt like I was closer to finding myself. There’d been a little tension when Noah had come home early one day, but with everyone around he didn’t make a scene. It was obvious he wasn’t too pleased with me living under the same roof, though. Kayla tried playing peacemaker but the chances of us acting nice were slim.
Kayla hadn’t actually gotten around to taking me to the lodge until a week after I’d arrived. Early one morning, she came running into my room and jumped on my bed.
“Wake up! You’re coming to work with me today,” she said bouncing on her knees. “We got over a foot of snow last night, so it’s a perfect time to make a video.”
As much fun as I was having enjoying time to myself, I was beginning to understand the term “cabin fever.” I was ready to get out for a little while, get a change of scenery. I sat up on my elbows, wiping my face with one hand. “Okay, okay. Coffee on the way please?”
“Already brewing.” She skipped off the bed and stopped short at the door. “Dress warm. We’re gonna be outside today and you’re my camera woman.”
I was really starting to feel at home in Colorado. A few days before, Kayla and I had driven over an hour to shop at the smallest mall I’d ever seen. The trip was pretty much all for me. In typical Kayla style, she’d bought all her winter gear from designer stores before she arrived. She looked every inch the snow bunny; furry collared hoods, matching hat and scarf sets. She even had a pair of knee-high winter boots with three-inch heels she was currently wearing.
“Are you seriously going out in those?” I giggled as she went clicking out of my room.
“What?” she’d replied, kicking her heel up behind her like a cheerleader. “I figure I can spear the snow like an ice climber.” I h
ad to hand it to her, she rocked the hell out of them. Even though I had the money for all that stuff, I was happy with my more practical choices. With a groan, I rolled out of bed and got dressed.
____________
“It’s too high,” I said, shaking my head. I backed away from the window of the gondola, rocking it as I sat. “It’s just way too high.”
“It’s a mountain,” Kayla laughed. “I didn’t know you’re afraid of heights.”
I looked out the side window, the angle of the car roughly the same as the steep hill we were climbing. My ears popped as we rose in elevation. Skiers and snowboarders dotted the trails in the distance, barely more than ants on a hill. “I’m not afraid of heights. This just doesn’t feel right.” I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to calm my breathing. “Just talk to me about something. Distract me.”
“Okay…how did you get your parole officer to agree to you coming out here?”
My eyes popped open. “Anything but that!”
Kayla shrugged. “I’m just curious, that’s all. I guess after everything you told them about Rick it’s the least they—”
“Seriously, stop. I’ll fling myself out of here if you keep talking about it.” Not that I’d actually do it, but even the threat made my stomach clench. I gripped the edge of the seat with my gloved hands, my eyes pleading with Kayla.
“Alright.” She rolled her eyes. “We should go over what I’m looking for then. Your job is really simple. Make me look gorgeous and keep everything in focus.”
“Won’t be a problem.” I locked onto her, my eyes wanting to pull to the windows as if they had a mind of their own. “I saw a few of your videos online. You do a good job, they’re hilarious actually.”
“Ugh, it’s such a pain in the ass to do it by myself, though. I have to use a tripod and record like, triple the amount of footage because for sure some of it will suck.” A little twinkle popped into her eye. “I want this video to really catch Mr. Richards’ attention. If this internship is gonna be worth anything, he needs to know my name.”
“That’s Noah’s dad, right?”
She nodded. “He’s some kind of trillionaire or something. Bought this mountain as a little pet project for Noah, I think. But he owns businesses all over the world. If I can get his attention, maybe I’ll be running a social media department for a big multi-national after I graduate.”
You wouldn’t know it to look at her, but Kayla Yu was as ruthless and cutthroat as they come. She used her physical appearance to fly under the radar. No one suspects the cutesy Asian girl with the bubbly personality would be much trouble. Usually, it was a lesson people only learned once.
I jumped every time the gondola rolled through the support poles, the entire box shaking like it was going to detach from the cable and go flying. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, it started to level out. We slowed as it entered an open structure, gliding onto a track that we could step out on. A cute guy in a jacket that looked two sizes too big slid the door open with thunk.
“Hey Kayla. Roughing it outside the lodge today?”
“Oh, you know. I’d rather hang out with manly men who don’t need to work in heated offices,” she said taking his offered hand. I stood, the car still wobbling beneath my feet. I tightened my grip on the camera bag and stepped out, thankful for solid ground.
“I’m always happy to be in one of your videos if you want,” he said too eagerly.
She patted him on the arm and smiled, turning to me. “Alright, let’s get started.”
It was easily ten degrees colder on the top of the mountain. I’d worn a thick, puffy jacket that came below my ass. Any warmth it gave me was nullified by my thin pants. We hiked a little way down the flat bit by a trail, stopping at the edge as it dropped away. I chanced a peek over the impossibly steep run and took a few dizzying steps back. How could anyone in their right mind strap a couple sticks to their feet and go down that? All I could imagine was taking a nasty fall, my lifeless body sliding all the way down to the front of the lodge a million feet below.
“Cool! This is perfect. If I interview people here, you can see the mountains in the background, right?”
I crouched down to look through the camera, adjusting the focus slightly, and gave her a thumbs up. “Looks good.” Kayla took out a mirror to fix her hair and makeup. She had a tight white knit cap pulled down, her hair framing her face perfectly. The cold had given her cheeks and nose a pink flush.
As she got ready, I took a minute to take in the scenery. The view was absolutely incredible. We were standing on one of the tallest mountains around, the entire snow-capped range stretching out in front of me. The brilliant blue sky made the whites and greens look even brighter. Taking a deep breath, I understood how this area could get under your skin. What I couldn’t understand was how people could just fling themselves over the edge of the trail like it was nothing.
I actually screamed when a skier just casually zoomed past us and disappeared. It was like watching someone jump off a building.
Kayla laughed at me, my eyes filled with terror. “It’s okay. No one accidentally goes down a double diamond run.”
“Do you?” I asked, my eyes still wide. How could even tell which run was which?
“God no, not yet. I’m only up to intermediate. Oh wait! Excuse me? Can I ask you a couple questions for Angel Vista TV?”
Kayla didn’t really need my help. She called people over as they exited the lifts, thrusting a microphone in their faces.
“What’s your favorite dirty ski joke?” she asked, flashing her brilliant smile. I couldn’t believe some of the jokes people delivered. I had to cover my mouth to keep from ruining the audio with my laughter.
“What’s the difference between a ski instructor and God? God doesn’t think he’s a ski instructor.”
“What do snowboarders use as birth control? Their personalities.”
Just as we were about to finish up, she snagged an older woman who looked to be about my grandmother’s age. After a brief chat back and forth, Kayla asked for her favorite ski-related joke, not even a raunchy one. After a moment’s consideration, a wicked smile spread across the old woman’s face.
“How many ski instructors does it take to screw in a light bulb?”
“I don’t know, how many?” Kayla replied.
“Ski instructors don’t screw in light bulbs, dear. They screw in hot tubs.” After delivering the punchline, the woman skied off without a word, leaving Kayla laughing appreciatively. She turned back to the camera with a chuckle.
“Well there you have it! Proof that life is not only better, but funnier, on the slopes. I’m Kayla Yu coming to you from beautiful Angel Vista.” She smiled for a few more seconds before collapsing in a fit of giggles. I finally let mine loose too. “God, that last woman was perfect! I want to go find her and buy her a drink.”
I closed the view on the camera and started to close the tripod. “Honestly, you got some really great stuff. I take it everyone hates ski instructors, ski patrol, and snowboarders.”
“It’s all in good fun.” She blew into her hands, jumping up and down a little. “Let’s get inside. It’s freezing up here!”
The ride down in the gondola was much better. I’d lived at sea level my whole life. The mountains were a little overwhelming at first but they were starting to grow on me. Their height was beginning to feel safe, protective.
After dropping off the equipment in her office, Kayla gave me a quick tour of the lodge. High, vaulted ceilings with exposed wooden beams soared over large stone fireplaces and cozy seating areas. The ambiance was warm and inviting, not too different from the cabin I called home for the winter.
As she led me through the main hall, it became obvious the owners were intent on modernizing the lodge. The architecture changed abruptly as we walked through the dining hall. The kitchen surfaces gleamed with shiny stainless steel and dark marble. The walls were no longer a warm brown but an ashy white. It looked modern, like what a
millionaire might imagine a cabin should look like.
Kayla suddenly burst to life mid-sentence, beaming at a middle-aged man holding a cup of coffee. “Mr. Richards! Just the person I was hoping to see.” A man with salt and pepper hair turned toward her bubbly voice and I could tell straight away, this was Noah’s father.
“Ms. Yu,” he replied coolly, his eyes traveling up and down my body without shame. I can see where Noah gets it from, I thought. “And miss…”
“This is my friend Liz. She actually lives at the cabin with us—”
“Ah, Elizabeth Croyden,” he said with a knowing nod. I met his cold eyes, trying not to reveal how weirded out I was that he knew my full name. He extended his hand, unnaturally warm from holding the coffee. “After you get settled, I assume you’ll be applying for a position here?”
I pulled my hand away and shook my head, forcing a friendly face. “Probably not, no. I’m focusing on my photography this winter.”
He smiled at Kayla. “It’s a shame. I’d much rather hire from out of state. These locals are an ungrateful bunch.” I glanced around, shocked that he didn’t even bother lowering his voice but he still continued. “You’d think bringing in millions in additional revenue would come with a little thanks but apparently not.” A vein in his temple pulsed slightly but he shook his head. “Anyway.”
“I’m just about to upload another video to the website, Mr. Richards. I’d be happy to stop by your office and show it to you when it’s ready,” Kayla chimed in.
I stopped short of cringing when he looked at her, nearly licking his lips like a hungry predator. “I look forward to it, Ms. Yu. And I expect you’ll both be enjoying the powder day?”
“Oh, I don’t ski,” I blurted. The innuendo-laced conversation had me on edge and wanting to run for the hills. I would’ve said anything to break up the way he was looking at her.
