Daddy Lessons

by Carolyne Aarsen

  She sounded so rational and it became harder to argue with her.

  “We’ll be on the learner’s hill. What could happen there?”

  Dan realized he was being overdramatic. And Hailey’s reasonable arguments made him look as though he was being stubborn for the sake of proving his point.

  “Okay,” he said, turning away from her. “We’ll start with one day. And if Dad is feeling okay, I’m coming out to see how things go.”

  Hailey almost bounced, she was so pleased. “You got ’er. One day.”

  “So when does this start?”

  Hailey bit her lip. “Tomorrow.”

  “Already?”

  “I was hoping to ask you sooner, but then we went to the ranch and I thought I’d see how that went.” She stopped and her blush grew.

  They both knew how that had gone.

  “Dan, I’ve got a customer who wants your help,” Mrs. Morrow’s voice called out, one aisle over.

  Hailey took a quick step back, then flashed him another smile, spun around and almost skipped back to Natasha.

  Her mission was obviously accomplished, Dan thought with a wry grin as he set the box down and went to help his mother.

  “Make sure you dig in with one ski more than the other,” Hailey said to Natasha. “Remember, like I told you, you have to make a wedge with your skis, right? Like a piece of pizza.”

  Natasha bit her lip, concentrating on her skis.

  While she got ready, Hailey glanced up the hill. The top ridge was a white jagged edge against a hard, blue sky.

  Overnight, ten inches of fresh powder had fallen up on the high runs. Hailey could see tiny, antlike figures zipping back and forth across the runs, or hurtling down others. She yearned to be there for a moment.

  Hailey pulled her attention back to Natasha and the other children she was working with, Adam and Deanna. The rest of the grade one class was divided among the other four instructors. Though they’d been on the hill for almost two hours, the first half of their time had been taken up with showing the kids how to handle the equipment, taking skis on and off and the importance of safety. It was only in the past half hour that Hailey had been able to do hands-on instruction.

  “Remember to keep your hands on your knees, like I showed you in the scooter drills,” Hailey reminded the group. “Make your pizza with your skis as you’re going down the hill. If you push harder with one ski than the other, you’ll make a turn.”

  “Is this how I’m ’posed to do it, Miss Deacon?” Deanna called out as she slid down the hill and came to a stop in front of Hailey.

  “Yes, exactly like that. Good job.” Hailey clapped her gloved hands together.

  Adam followed suit, also earning Hailey’s praise. Finally, as if afraid of being outdone, Natasha took the plunge.

  She wobbled a bit but regained control and then also came to a stop beside Adam. She shot Hailey a triumphant look and Hailey praised her loudly and effusively.

  Then Natasha looked past Hailey. “Hey, Daddy. I’m skiing.”

  “I see that, munchkin.”

  Dan’s voice calling out across the hill sent a light shiver dancing down Hailey’s spine. She turned in time to see Dan, wearing his old snowboarding jacket, blue jeans and winter boots, trudging across the snow-covered hill to join them. His head was bare and his cheeks ruddy.

  Time wheeled back and Hailey experienced the familiar surge of expectation she felt whenever they’d gone boarding together.

  Where were they going today? What new jumps would they try? Would they dare to duck out of bounds?

  “Miss Deacon, can we do that again?” Deanna called.

  Hailey spun her head around, pulling herself back to the present. “Of course we can, Deanna. I’ll go a bit farther down and you, Adam and Natasha can come ski down to me.”

  She ignored Dan as she demonstrated a snowplow turn to the children.

  Dan stood to one side, watching as Natasha made the first attempt. She seemed far more confident. And when she came to a stop by Hailey she turned and waved to Dan. “I’m skiing lots, Daddy,” she said again.

  “Yes, you are,” Dan said.

  “Can we try the hill with the T-bar?” Adam asked.

  Hailey glanced at her watch. “Sorry, Adam, I have to get you guys back to the bus in a few minutes.”

  “Can I stay and practice some more?” Natasha asked. “My dad can help me.”

  “Don’t you have to go back with the other kids?” Dan asked.

  “Me and Hailey came in her car,” Natasha replied. “I don’t have to take the bus.”

  “Okay, then. I’ll help you.”

  Hailey shot Dan a thankful look, happy to see the interaction between daughter and father. Especially on the ski hill.

  She took Adam and Deanna back to the rental chalet to turn in their equipment, then stayed with Megan to get the class onto the bus. When the bus had left, Hailey returned to the learner slope, pleased to see Dan and Natasha still working together.

  “This is so much fun,” Natasha called out to Hailey as she negotiated another turn. But in her enthusiasm, she overestimated, caught her edge too deep and fell over in a cloud of snow.

  Dan immediately ran to her side, and Natasha managed to get her skis under her, only to end up sliding farther down the hill. “Stop, Natasha,” Dan called, going after her. But as soon as Natasha regained control, she made another turn and scooted off in the opposite direction.

  “I’m skiing, I’m skiing,” she called out, her voice full of pride.

  “Your dad told you to stop now,” Hailey called out. The hill had such a gentle slope that if Natasha didn’t stop on her own, the terrain would slow her down soon enough.

  “I don’t want to stop,” Natasha said, keeping her hands on her knees as Hailey had showed her.

  But topography worked against Natasha’s wishes and a few seconds later she glided to a halt right in front of Hailey. Dan caught up to them and the scowl on his face spoke volumes.

  “You skied really good, Natasha,” Hailey said before Dan could speak. “But when your dad or I tell you to stop, you have to listen.”

  Natasha grinned, glancing from Dan to Hailey. But when she didn’t see an answering smile on either Hailey or Dan’s face, her own joy seemed to fade away.

  “But I wanted to ski.” Natasha lowered her head.

  “I know that. But in order to learn to ski properly and safely you have to learn to listen,” Hailey continued, crouching down to maintain eye contact. “If you don’t, we can’t ski anymore.”

  Natasha’s gaze flew from Hailey to Dan. “I don’t want to stop skiing. I want to go again. Can I?”

  To her surprise, a smile crept across his lips. “You can go again,” he said. “But you have to listen to Miss Deacon.”

  “I will. I will.” Natasha clapped her mittened hands together, then skied over to the Magic Carpet, the moving sidewalk that relayed her up the beginner run. As she stepped onto the plastic matting that moved up the hill, Dan walked alongside her, then watched as she got off at the top by herself.

  Hailey’s heart swelled at the sight. Dan, on the ski hill. Sure, it wasn’t even the bunny run, but his presence showed a small acceptance of the slope.

  From time to time, their eyes would meet and each time his gaze lingered a little longer. Hailey wasn’t sure what was happening and right now she didn’t care. They were having fun.

  Just like a little family.

  An hour later, Natasha’s cheeks were flaming-red from exertion, Dan was slowing down and the sunlight was waning. The lifts at the top of the hill weren’t running, the vacant seats swung gently up in the ever-present breeze.

  The day was winding down. The liftee at the top of the hi
ll waved to Hailey. “I’m shutting the Magic Carpet down,” she announced. Hailey waved back to show her she had heard.

  When Natasha made her final turn at the bottom of the hill, Hailey delivered the bad news. “It’s time to go, sweetie.”

  To her surprise Natasha only nodded. “We had fun, didn’t we?” she said, tugging her helmet off.

  “We sure did.” Dan brushed some snow off his knees from when he had fallen down after Natasha had run into him.

  “I’m so, so hungry,” Natasha said, looking from Dan to Hailey, as if expecting that they would immediately produce hamburgers or fries.

  “Then we better do something about that,” Dan replied. “But first we have to get you back to the rentals so you can return your skis.”

  “Can you please pull me, Miss Deacon?” Natasha held out a mittened hand. Hailey caught it and towed her along, snow squeaking under the hard soles of her ski boots. Natasha squealed with pleasure, Dan trailing along behind.

  Fifteen minutes later the skis and boots had been returned and Dan, Hailey and Natasha walked out into the cooling air.

  “So can I take Natasha here tomorrow again?” Hailey asked.

  Dan looked her way and, again, a faint frisson of attraction hummed between them. Just like old times.

  Even as that thought entered her head, she knew things between them had changed. Newer emotions had become part of the mix, shifting her perceptions.

  “I think so,” Dan said.

  Hailey shoved her hands in the pockets of her jacket, releasing a smile. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said, taking a step back, removing herself from the two of them.

  “Can we go there and get something to eat?” Natasha asked, pointing to the flashing neon sign of the restaurant beside the main chalet. “I’m so, so hungry.”

  “I guess we could,” Dan said. “I think I have my wallet with me.”

  “Can Miss Deacon come with us?” Natasha said, looking from Hailey to her father. “Can she, Daddy? Can she have supper with us?”

  Hailey shook her head, giving Dan an out. “I should go. You just enjoy your time together.”

  “No, you come with us,” Natasha insisted. “You have to eat too.”

  “Why don’t you join us?” Dan asked.

  She knew she shouldn’t, but the thought of returning to an empty apartment after spending such a wonderful afternoon with Natasha and Dan didn’t appeal to her.

  And the tender smile Dan gave her was all the encouragement she needed.

  “Okay. I’ll come. But I’m paying for myself,” she insisted.

  Dan’s smile grew. “What else is new?”

  She knew he referred to the fact that she had always paid her share of the bill when they were dating. “It’s how I roll,” she said with a casual shrug.

  “I’m really hungry,” Natasha repeated, in case anyone might have missed it the first time. She grabbed Hailey’s hand and, leaning forward, pulled the two adults across the brick square toward the restaurant. To their left loomed the log chalet, lights streaming from inside, music pouring out the large door whenever it opened. Then a voice with a drawling New Zealand accent called Hailey’s name.

  “Hailey, you’re finally back,” a tall, lanky man exclaimed. His bright purple jacket and black snow pants made a swishing sound as he loped toward them. He stopped and swept his hair out of eyes. “Where you been? I haven’t seen you in yonks.”

  “Erik. Wow. You’re still coming here,” Hailey replied, grinning at her old snowboarding friend. “I thought you would have quit years ago.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it. It’s beaut. Oh Hailey, I missed your goofy grin!” He grabbed Hailey in a tight hug and lifted her off the ground.

  Erik dropped Hailey, then slapped Dan on the back. “And Dan, so good to see you too. Wow, this is brilliant. The gang is back.”

  “Good to see you, Erik.” Dan’s greeting sounded more restrained than Erik’s.

  Erik had shown up for the first time at Misty Ridge when Hailey was in grade ten. He had just graduated college in New Zealand and was traveling the world on his parents’ dime. He came to Hartley Creek in November and stayed the entire winter, working just enough to pay for his snowboarding.

  The population of Hartley Creek swelled in the winter with people like Erik. People who came to Hartley Creek from all over the world to snowboard the epic runs at Misty Ridge and work at any available job to support their passion.

  Erik had connected with Dan and Hailey and had snowboarded with them whenever he could. And flirted with Hailey whenever he could. It had been a small source of tension between Dan and Hailey. She had tried to tell Dan that it meant nothing, but Dan wasn’t always so sure.

  Erik dropped his hands on his hips, grinning. “So, Dan and Hailey. Still together. Some things never change.”

  “What is he saying?” Natasha asked, before Hailey could correct Erik. “Why does he call you Den and Highly?”

  Erik grinned at Natasha, then crouched down to her level. “It’s me Kiwi accent, darlin’. And what’s your name?”

  “Nime?” Natasha asked, looking puzzled.

  Hailey laughed. “Your name, honey. He’s asking you what your name is.”

  “It’s Natasha,” she said, pulling a bit closer to Dan. Obviously Erik’s charm was as ineffective on the daughter as it was on the father.

  Erik shot his dark gaze from Dan to Hailey, then straightened, his grin growing. “So you two finally tied the knot and got a little nipper out of the deal.” Before anyone could correct him, Erik clapped Dan on the shoulder. “I guess the best man did win, mate.”

  “We’re not…not together,” Dan said, slipping his arm around Natasha’s shoulder.

  “And what are you doing now?” Hailey asked, before Erik could make the awkward situation even more awkward. “You had an accounting degree, didn’t you?”

  Erik turned back to Hailey and she could see his smile shifting. “I work for myself. Just enough to pay for coming here every year. It’s flash.” Then he put his hand on Hailey’s shoulder. “We have to go boarding again. Duck under the ropes. Take a ride on the wild side.” He angled his head toward her as he gave her a slow-release smile and added a wink. Erik could turn the charm on like a tap.

  “I think I’ll give that a pass,” Hailey returned.

  “You gonna pike out on me? Too bad.”

  “What bed?” Natasha chimed in.

  Hailey couldn’t help a laugh. “You have a good evening,” she said to Erik. “And enjoy the fresh powder.”

  “Yeah. It’s gnarly.” He sighed, then patted Hailey on the shoulder. “You change your mind, darlin’, you know where to find me. And if you ever need company for supper, I’d be chuffed.”

  After sending another wink Hailey’s way, Erik joined a group of people leaving the chalet, heading down the hill toward town.

  “Why does that man talk so funny?” Natasha asked as they turned and walked toward the restaurant directly ahead of them.

  “He’s from New Zealand,” Hailey explained. “They talk with a different accent. Maybe they think we talk funny too.”

  “I think he likes Miss Deacon. Don’t you think so, Daddy?”

  Dan pulled on the ski pole welded to the restaurant door as a handle. “I’m sure he does.”

  The edge of anger in Dan’s voice puzzled Hailey. Where had that come from?

  “Do you like him, Miss Deacon?” Natasha asked as the door fell shut behind them, the warmth from the stone fireplace by the door washing over them.

  “He’s an old friend,” was all Hailey would say.

  Dan shot her a frown. “So will you be going out boarding with him?”

  Why was he asking?

  As their
eyes met, a tingle of awareness flickered down her spine.

  Why did Dan care?

  And this was followed by a more tentative question.

  Was Dan jealous?

  Chapter Nine

  “Try it again,” Dan called out as he double-checked the connection of the booster cables and then stood back as Hailey tried to start her car.

  Dan’s truck and Hailey’s car were the only vehicles left on the parking lot of the ski hill. Everyone else had long gone.

  Exhaust from his truck and light snow swirled around him, lit up from the beams of his truck’s lights. Darkness surrounded them, broken only by a few overhead lights on the parking lot.

  If he looked over his shoulder, Dan could see the lights of Hartley Creek, nestled in the valley. Home was down there. A nice warm home.

  He shivered and pushed his hands deeper in his pockets. He glanced back at his truck, where Natasha still sat, making sure she was okay. For the past twenty minutes they had been trying to start Hailey’s car. But now all he heard from Hailey’s engine was a faint clicking sound each time she turned the key in the ignition.

  She finally stuck her head out the door of her car. “I’m not getting anything.”

  Dan stared at the engine, as if it would give up some secret.

  “Do you know what’s wrong?” Hailey asked, getting out of her car.

  “My guess is you need a new battery,” Dan said, giving a shrug. “It should have fired up right away, hooked up to my truck.”

  Hailey hunched her shoulders against the gathering cold, her eyes reflecting the light from his truck. “So what do I do now?”

  “I can give you a ride into town,” Dan said. “We can deal with this tomorrow.” If he were completely honest, the idea of spending a little more time with Hailey didn’t bother him either.

  They’d had a lovely dinner. Casual. Relaxed.

  And thankfully Erik had stayed away.

  Dan had surprised himself with the flash of jealousy he’d experienced when he’d seen Erik grab Hailey. And when he winked at her. And when he invited her to come boarding with him.