Hearts on Fire: Romance Multi-Author Box Set Anthology

by Violet Vaughn

  Lori is a petite girl with the beautiful, flawless skin I envy. She came from New Hampshire, and I can tell she’s nervous. Her gear looks to be on the recreational side, and I wonder how good a skier she is. Matt hired her for a reason, and I’m behind her no matter what.

  At the top, we group together. Heather talks about the dos and don’ts of lifts with students. She tells us the first week will be plenty of on-snow training.

  “This morning we’re going to work on each other’s skiing. It’s a great way for me to teach you how to spot problems and what to do to fix them. Let’s go.” Heather leads us over to a groomed, smooth trail. There’s a steep pitch that levels out at the bottom. “I’ll ski down a bit and stop. One at a time, come down and stop below me.”

  I watch her make a series of perfect turns and stop where it levels out. Lori calls out, “I’m not going first.” Because I hate to wait and know it will just make me more nervous, I offer, “I will,” and take off. Blaine’s voice is in my head, and I remember his tips as my skis scrape over the snow.

  “Nice, Casey. Those were controlled and well balanced. Blaine did good work with you.” I send Blaine a thank you from my heart.

  Jason and Rob come down after me. When it’s Lori’s turn to make her way down, Heather asks Rob what he sees. He says, “She’s scared.”

  Her turns are far from pretty, but I don’t see scared. Lori has a look of determination.

  “Maybe,” says Heather. “But I think she’s okay. This trail is too hard for her. You never want to put a student in this situation. They should always be comfortable with the terrain so they can try new things.”

  Lori has reached us, and Heather speaks in a kind voice. “Lori, I know that was hard for you. But you’ve got what it takes to be a great skier. Stick with us, and you’ll be crushing that in March.” Lori smiles, and I give her a fist bump.

  Alex and Mark come down, leaving only Bill. I know Jason is as curious as I am to see what he can do. Bill takes off and makes two turns total down the whole pitch. He’s going fast and stops below us with a big smile. Heather shakes her head. “Bill, I don’t know what they teach in Virginia, but here we teach turns and not testosterone moments.” Ouch. Speed isn’t his only problem. From the two turns I saw, he’s about to spend the day being schooled.

  * * *

  The next day is with a full staff. The locker room bustles with excited energy. I persuaded Lori to take the locker next to me, and she’s braiding her shiny black hair. She’s full of determination and super nice. We’ll have fun together.

  Nick and Megan are the next row over, and I can hear their voices, so I say, “Lori, come meet Nick and Megan.” The chill of concrete below carpet is cold under my stocking feet as we stride over.

  I say, “Hey, guys, this is Lori. She wasn’t at the party, and I wanted her to meet you.” They both say hello, and I notice Kaleb at the far end of the row, staring at us.

  Megan says, “How was training?” There’s silence, and I glance at Lori to discover she’s staring down the aisle at Kaleb as if she didn’t hear us.

  I ask, “Do you know him?” She breaks eye contact, glances at me, and says, “No,” before she wanders back to our row.

  I look at Nick and Megan and mouth, “What was that?”

  Seconds later, we hear Kaleb yell, “Son of a bitch!”

  There’s laughter and someone says, “Dude, there’s a door on the men’s room.”

  Megan whispers, “I think we just witnessed love at first sight.”

  I walk back to my locker as I chuckle. A few minutes later, I’m ready for my first day of work. A low rumble of ski boots begins as people grab equipment from the racks and exit the back door. A long set of metal steps leads up to the base of Peak 8. Ski boots squeak over snow as we walk toward the lesson meeting area. It’s cold, but without wind. The sun shining adds to the atmosphere of the group, which is all about fun. The kids’ instructors have their own system and keep walking to the castle, which is a separate building.

  Adult ski school has a lineup. We literally line up shoulder to shoulder. The supervisor pulls instructors out of the line and assigns them to classes. The upper levels meet up at the mid station, where the tougher terrain is located. Today, we’re all at the base because most of the mountain doesn’t have enough snow. Laughter and shouts mark the low roar of talk; it’s a rowdy bunch.

  Matt, our supervisor, walks over and faces us. Voices fade as he speaks. “Welcome back, everyone. I want to introduce the new adult instructors.” He has the newbies slide forward a bit. “Please make them feel welcome. But not the way Kaleb does. I know the new girls are pretty, but try to focus.” Laughter erupts.

  He explains a few things that have changed this year and pulls a couple of the most experienced instructors out to teach. He then breaks the rest of us up into groups for training. After another ski day spent with Heather and the new teachers, I’m ready to take my boots off when I finally get back to the locker room.

  A shout punches through the rumble of people preparing to leave, and a balled-up sock flies over my head. Because it’s the end of our first official day, there’s a plan to go celebrate. I’ve decided to play cupid and am in Kaleb’s row. “Hey, Kaleb. Lori and I are going to the Gold Pan with everyone. Are you?”

  “I wish, but I have to work at the shop.” He laces up his hiking boots, and I think he might pout.

  The bench is hard under my thighs as I sit. “Hmmm. Well, maybe we need to teach Lori about the benefits of custom boot inserts? She’s never had any, and it’s going to be a long, painful winter for her feet if she doesn’t.” I watch a goofy smile cover his face. “Don’t you think?”

  “Definitely.”

  “Good. I’ll bring her by after the bar.” I stand. “Nice bruise on your forehead.” He touches it and blushes. So cute.

  Lori’s ready when I return to my row, and I watch Bill do his organization thing. “Bill, you going to the Gold Pan?”

  “I’ll be there. Just need to get a few more things done.”

  “See you there.” Lori flashes a toothy smile. I see why Kaleb was so dazed.

  The door on Heather’s office door clicks as we walk by, and she joins us. I ask, “Are you going to the bar?”

  “I am.”

  The cool air and quiet welcomes the three of us as we get out the door.

  I pull up my hood, muffling sound even further. “So tell me how you ended up here from Australia. I hear the accent, but it sounds like you’ve been here a while.”

  Heather pulls on a wool hat. “I came here almost ten years ago. I was searching for Mr. Right.”

  Lori asks, “Did you find him?”

  Heather shakes her head. “Nope, I’m still single. Turns out Mr. Right is the one I left at home. I was so hell-bent on having a family that I never realized there’s no guarantee. Ten years later I have no family, and the love of my life is married to someone else. The kicker? He ended up having kids after all.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Lori has concern in her voice.

  “No worries. I love my life. It’s just not what I thought it would be. Now I just hope to find someone I can love forever. He’s out there.” Heather is upbeat, and it makes me hope I would know how to make the best of things.

  We leave Heather at her Jeep, and a few spots down, Lori moves toward a teal Toyota. “Is that your truck with the New Hampshire plates?” I ask.

  She pulls open the door and steps up on the running board to get in. “Yup. Bet you didn’t know I was a hick.”

  “You had me fooled. I expected something more girly.”

  “Oh, I drive it with heels.” She grins. “Meet you there.” She slams her door with more strength than her tiny body should have.

  At my car, I slide the key in to turn the lock and think about how Heather said there are no guarantees in life. Isn’t that the truth? I open the door and glide onto the cold leather. Imagine knowing you left the love of your life for nothing. The engine r
oars, and I sit for a minute, waiting for it to warm up. Is that what I’ve been doing? I love Jason so much it hurts, and I know he feels the same way. I’m so stuck on my need to have a family I might be missing out on the best thing that will ever happen to me. I think about Blaine and wonder if maybe we were both using each other.

  27

  The Gold Pan is an old wooden building with worn hardwood floors, a rough-looking bar, and tattered pool tables. In other words, it’s a dump. But the beer is cheap, and it’s where seasonal employees like to hang out. Lori waits for me in the lot, and we walk in together. The stench of stale beer hits us as we open the door. Even though the day is still bright, the interior of the bar seems like the middle of the night. Low yellow lighting gives off a vintage glow, making it seem as if we’ve stepped back in time. The goggle-face tans and fleeces set that right.

  Lori says, “I’m going to get a beer. Want one?” She pulls a folded-up bill out of her pocket.

  “I’d love one.” I hand her a five.

  She heads to the bar, and I plan my attack. I need to talk to Jason. I find him right away and watch as he nods at an animated Ben, who is not the slouch I expected when I met the hungover version of him our first day. A serious guy with a keen desire to learn, he’ll be an awesome skier and instructor. I walk up to them, and laughter erupts as I get close.

  “Hey, guys.”

  It takes a minute for them to recover, and I wonder if they’ll share. They don’t, and I guess I wouldn’t appreciate the humor. Ben says, “Hey. Great day, huh?”

  “It was. It’s supposed to snow tonight too.”

  “Pow-dah! Tomorrow should rock,” says Bill. He has just walked up to us and heard what I said. He’s coming around, but it’s been a tough couple of days for Bill. His ego is bruised.

  I feel the need to make sure Jason doesn’t give him a hard time. “Have you skied powder yet, Bill?”

  “Not really. I’m pretty excited for it.” His eyes glisten, and I wonder how he got drunk so quickly.

  “You’re in for a treat,” I say. “Expect to fall, a lot. It’s a whole new world when you ski more than the bottom of your skis.”

  Bill leans in close to me and puts his arm around my shoulders. “So how did you learn to ski so well?”

  His alcohol breath is strong, and I wince. I’m no longer feeling the need to protect Bill from Jason. I also think now is not the time to tell Jason I want to talk. I say, “Skiing every day I could for the last few years. Plus, skiing with skiers that are better than me helped.” I glance at Jason as I step out from Bill’s embrace. Yeah, so not a good time for this. “I’m going to find Lori. See you guys later.”

  I pull out my phone and text Jason. “Hey, can we talk tonight?” When I glance up, Lori is on her way to me.

  The beer she hands me is ice cold in my hand, and I say, “I don’t know how long you want to stay here, but I’m not going to last long. I need to go to The Bike Shop and see about getting a season tune for my skis. We can talk to them about inserts, too.”

  “Do I need a season tune?”

  “I would suggest it. Remember that guy you were staring at today? The cute one, with blue eyes and dark hair? He’s working tonight.” I give her a sly smile.

  She blushes. “You noticed? He is cute.”

  “Ah, Lori. He walked into a door because of you. Everyone noticed.” I chuckle.

  “Can we go after this beer?”

  “Do you want to wait that long?”

  She giggles. “No, but I don’t want to waste your money.” She tilts her head. “So drink fast.”

  I take a couple of gulps and notice Bill close by. “Hey,” I say to him. He moves toward us, and I hand him my beer. “Here, we need to go.”

  Lori hands hers over, too. His face lights up. “Cool.”

  I push open the door into the daylight. “It’s about a block down. We can walk.”

  The familiar jingle of the bell when Lori opens The Bike Shop door tugs at my heart. There’s a strong, musty ski-boot smell now, and it feels like a ski shop. I see Kaleb behind the counter, and Nick is in the back tuning skis. “Hey, Kaleb. Have you met Lori yet? She needs to look into custom foot-beds for her boots.”

  Kaleb gives a quiet “hey,” and I’m not sure Lori speaks. They both just stare at each other as if they’re in a trance. My work here is done. I pull out my phone and pretend I got a text. Holding it up, I say, “Lori, I’m going to bail on you. See you tomorrow.” I don’t think she heard me, and I chuckle as I walk out.

  Walking back to my car, I do get a text—from Jason.

  “Sure, where did you go?”

  “I’ll be in my car in 2, back lot. Meet me there?”

  He texts back almost immediately. “OK.”

  Nightfall is approaching, and moisture is in the air as if a storm is brewing, and I’m cold. Lori and Kaleb together make my heart sing, and the way I feel right now, I want everyone to be in love. I jog to my car. Turning the key, I crank the heat. Jason has spotted me and is on his way over. I jiggle my leg in excitement. He opens the door and slides in. “What’s up?”

  Oh boy, here it goes. “Here’s the thing. I love you. I mean really love you, as in I don’t want to be without you. I’ve been an idiot, and I’m so sorry. I don’t need you to want to have a family.” I take a breath. “I just need you.” Once it’s come out of my mouth, I’m not sure this was such a good idea. Especially because of the look on his face.

  He crosses his arms. “So you think we should get back together?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if we do that, you’ll be happy?”

  “Yes.” Crap, I thought he would… well, I don’t know what I thought, but his coldness wasn’t it.

  He shakes his head. Running his hands through his hair, he says, “You’re a piece of work. You think you can just change your mind, and we can do what? Go back to where we were before?” He glares at me. “Sorry, but I don’t believe it. I think you’re lonely now that Blaine is gone. I’m not up for a booty call.”

  “Jason, I’ve never stopped loving you. I never will. I’ve realized my stupid need to have a family doesn’t make me happy. You do.” I reach out and touch his arm.

  He shakes it off and reaches for the door handle. “It doesn’t work that way. It just doesn’t.” He gets out of the car, and I watch him walk back to the bar with his head down and hands shoved in his pockets.

  Crap. I put my car in reverse and back up. He doesn’t believe me? Shifting into first, I drive out of the parking lot. The engine whines before I shift to second. I don’t get it. I know he loves me. The memory of kissing in his loft floods my mind, and tears of disappointment sting my eyes.

  By the time I’m home, dismay is tinged with a touch of anger. The teapot clatters on the stove, and I turn it on before I grab my phone to call Gretchen.

  “Dr. Gretchen, I need you. Jason turned me down.”

  “What do you mean he turned you down?”

  “I told him I can’t live without him, that I want to be with him forever, and he said he doesn’t believe me.” The light of the fridge streams out. Nothing looks good, and I shut the door.

  “Well, you’ve been dicking him around for more than a year now. What did you expect?”

  “But it doesn’t make sense. I know he loves me.” I pull the kettle off the stove before it boils, and steam rises as I pour it over my tea bag. “What do I do?” I hear desperation in my voice.

  “Casey, his pride’s been hurt. Think about it. You moved away, looking for something better than him. He comes out there to find you with a new guy. And now that Blaine is gone, you finally want him back? You need to prove your love. He needs more than your words. Woo him a little and give him time.”

  “Woo him?” Nervous energy makes me pace.

  “Like a guy does when he wants a girl who doesn’t trust what he says. Flowers, champagne, public professions of love, things like that. Only make them what a guy would want.”

  “
I can do that. But what should I do?”

  “A lap dance comes to mind.” She laughs.

  “Cute. But he knows he can have sex. That isn’t the problem, is it?”

  “Nope, he needs to know you really mean it. He doesn’t know what’s been going through your head this last year.”

  “Got it. You’re the best.” I change the subject. “Still in lust?”

  “No, we broke up. You know the drill. He said he loved me.” Gretchen sighs. “I do have news for you. What would you say to me crashing on your couch for a while?”

  “What? Of course you can. Heck, you can be my roommate. I have two extra bedrooms.”

  “Sweet. I’m following John. He’s the best coach I’ve ever had, and I miss him. I think this might be my year.” Gretchen is a competitive snowboarder and has Olympic dreams.

  “When are you coming?” I’m already planning on how to adapt Jenny’s room.

  “Just after Christmas. I’ll go home to my family with my stuff and get out there with just a carful. Thanks.”

  “No worries. I can’t wait to see you. I’m doing a little happy dance right now.”

  Gretchen chuckles. “Awesome. Talk to you soon. Love ya.”

  “I love you too, Gretch.”

  28

  Sunbeams wake me, but I’m not annoyed by the intrusion. It’s a powder day, and I intend to make fresh tracks. Because lineup is at nine, we can get a good hour of skiing in before work. I have no doubt Jason will be there too.

  Nervous excitement has me jittery when I peer out the kitchen window to see a world of snow. We got at least three feet, if not more. I’m not hungry this morning, but I know I need the protein. As I crack eggs into a bowl, an idea comes to me. I get more eggs, cheese, bacon, and a bagel to make a breakfast sandwich for Jason. I wrap the savory breakfast in tinfoil and put it in an inside fleece pocket next to my heart. It won’t stay hot, but it will be warm when he finally gets it.