by Casey Diam
“This doesn’t change anything. I’m leaving in a few days.”
“Okay. Well . . . I’m just going to go. I just wanted to tell you that, and I did so—” She hurried back to her car.
Once she was inside and the engine started, I thought of something.
She used to have low self-esteem when it came to guys, and I didn’t want her to think my brushing her off was because I didn’t like her. I mean Gabriella Taylor was fucking gorgeous, so I did the one thing I could think of, I stopped her before she could leave, knocking on her passenger window.
As it slid down, I leaned forward.
“It isn’t because I don’t like you,” I said. “I’m not the same guy you remember from eighth grade, Gabby.”
“I know.” She swallowed and forced a smile.
“I’m glad you told me.”
She nodded, and with that, she pulled out onto Meadow Creek.
Chapter 11
Gabby
“What else did he say?” Averie asked.
I changed position on my bed and adjusted the headphone in my ear so I could hear her better.
“Nothing.”
“I bet he doesn’t know what he wants,” she said.
“I’m pretty sure Ryker knows what he wants, but thanks for trying to cheer me up.”
She sighed. “Honestly, I don’t buy it. He wouldn’t just walk away from a sexy, badass Gabby Taylor for no reason. It doesn’t make sense.”
Except he did. “I’m fine with it. I’m just glad I was finally able to get it off my chest.”
“What are you doing tomorrow night? I work in the morning, but after that, Eddie, Nicky, Brody, Ryker, Ash, and I will be leaving for an overnighter at Bon Bons. You should come.”
“I don’t know, Averie. Now that I’ve told him how I feel, I don’t want it to seem as if I’m trying too hard or trying to push my way into his life or something.”
“You’ll be coming for me. Besides, you two used to be friends, and it’s going to be fun. We’re all going to be in one tent so all you’ll need is a sleeping bag, and I would love if you were there.”
I chewed on my lip.
The outdoors was literally my playground, and that mixed with good company, the hot spring, bonfire, and . . . Ryker. I would be an idiot to say no. In fact, my toes were already wiggling in my socks, but I closed my eyes, trying to temper my eagerness.
“It’s just one night?” I asked.
“Yes, you’re saying yes, right?”
“Yes,” I said, a huge grin on my face. “But you, um, you should tell Ryker that I’ll be there. This is his last few days here, and I’m sure he just wants to hang out with his friends, so I don’t want to intrude if he isn’t okay with my being there.”
“Done! Texting him right now,” she said, dragging out the right in a long breath.
“No, no, no, no. Not now. It’s too soon. I just talked to him today. Averie, he’s going to think—”
“He said okay.”
“What? He already answered?”
“Yup.”
Really?
I released a breath. Wait, was that good?
“Gabby.” Averie chuckled. “I can hear your thoughts from my house. You’re overthinking this way too much.”
The next morning after an hour-long drive with my dad to Breckenridge Resort, I smacked Hunter on his arm and then kept hitting and hitting and hitting until he woke up.
“What?” he asked groggily while batting a hand, trying to brush me off.
I yawned. “We’re here.”
“Leave me alone.”
I didn’t leave him alone. “That’s what you get for staying out late.”
At twenty-two and twenty-one years old, both my brothers still lived at home, and both acted as my unofficial bodyguards, camera men, and chauffeurs sometimes, but most times, Dad took me to my tour stops, especially the ones that were international.
I directed the camera on my helmet to my face. “Twenty-three days until the Winter X Games, thirty-two days until the first qualifying event. Let’s do this! But first, coffee.”
“Shut up,” Hunter mumbled.
I stopped the recording and would start it again on my way to the lifts. I never edit out Hunter or Sean’s remarks in the background. If they wanted to appear as a grump or goof to the rest of the world via my vlog then that was their problem, but people actually loved it.
I only had about three hundred subscribers so far, and I still posted pics and short videos of me snowboarding from time to time on my other social media platforms, but I wanted to do something cool and more personal that could better document my journey to the Olympics, and today was my third video doing that.
The first vlog I posted was of the Grand Prix snowboarding event that I got first place in last month. An event that I would be required to do again at the end of this year, except that this time, it would count as a qualifier, which was one of the five events that I had to take part in to qualify for the Olympics Slopestyle and Big Air events.
The first qualifying event was the one I would take part in after the Winter X Games, and the next two wouldn’t be until the end of the year in December. The final two were next January, two months prior to the actual Olympics.
There were only four female spots available for Team USA, and one of them needed to be mine.
Three years ago, I qualified for the Olympics when I participated in the five qualifying events that all top competitors did every year, but I was too young to get selected to be in the actual Olympics.
Now, there was so much more female competitors, which meant more training, more style, and more risks, which was why after years of snowboarding, I still trained five hours a day, five days a week. And in addition, there were the less exciting things like weight lifting, yoga, and cardio, but it was all a part of the process.
I placed my helmet at my feet as Dad passed the thermos of coffee back to me.
Thirty minutes later, I eased off the seat of the SuperChair lift at the top of the slope, refitting my helmet on my head and fastening it under my chin as I slid off to the side to strap in my boot.
While I was on the lift, I’d recorded a silly five-second introduction to the warm-up run I was about to do, so as I began to slide down Angel’s Rest, I started recording again as “Two Weeks” by FKA twigs played through the Bluetooth headphones in my helmet.
Only three inches of snow had fallen overnight, but fresh powder—no matter how little—always got me excited in the mornings.
Directing my board toward the tree line, I slid between two pine trees, going horizontal, then downhill between a few more trees, jumping over a stump, and navigating through until I cut out onto Monte Cristo, the neighboring blue run.
Out here was my favorite place to be, in the fresh, cool mountain air without a single care in the world, which was why this was also my safe place. It was where I came to think and reflect, usually when I was sitting at the top, staring out at the picturesque beauty of everything below. Other times, it wasn’t even the thinking, it was the journey of being. Being able to feel the ultimate freedom of gliding across the mountain on a board, exploring the terrain before hopping on rails and sliding off boxes, only to head down to an enormous forty-eight-foot jump, flying through the air in double-back flips and three-sixties.
It was intimidating to a lot of people, to say the least, but I loved it and it was just another day in my life, the easy part. Dating and guys, on the other hand, were a whole other story, especially when Sean and Hunter acted as my damn shadows, but they weren’t so bad. To be honest, most guys were more intimidated by what I did than they were of my laid-back brothers.
Chapter 12
Ryker
Since hiking was the only way to get to the Bon Bons Hot Springs, we’d been trudging through the woods in the snow for the past hour, dragging the items we had with us on three different sleds.
“It’s three forty-five,” Brody said as we reached a flat area in
the woods with enough space to fit our tent. The hot springs was only a minute walk from here, and I could already glimpse the steam rising from the natural pool that we’d be soaking in later.
“And we’re here,” Eddie added. “So, forty minutes to set up camp before we lose daylight, an hour less than we had last time.”
“But it doesn’t get dark until about four forty-five,” Averie said. “We should have at least an hour.”
“It gets darker in the woods much faster than out in the town,” Ash explained as he came to a stop.
Winter camping had become somewhat of a tradition that we did at least once before winter break was over, but this was the first time we’d had girls come along.
Close to an hour later, the tent was set up and Ash and I stacked the wood outside of it. We also had a smaller pile inside for the wood-burning stove that we ignited right away. Even though it was for keeping us warm tonight, we’d learned our lesson the first time we came out here a few years ago when we nearly froze our balls off after soaking in the hot spring.
“What’s for dinner?” Nicky asked as I placed a few more wood shavings into the fire.
“Averie, you and Eddie took care of the grocery shopping, what did you guys pick up?” I asked her.
“Steak, strawberries, marshmallows, hot chocolate packets, water, and whiskey, courtesy of Brody. For breakfast we have instant coffee, eggs, bread, and cinnamon buns, which we’re going to bake on a stick, apparently.”
My mouth watered. “Hell yes.”
“Why did you say apparently? You’ve never had it before?” Gabby asked Averie, and it took all my willpower not to look up. I’d been trying not to think about Gabby, but she’d been at the center of my thoughts since her declaration yesterday.
She hadn’t said much all day, and I’d thought it was only me, but things were strange between us. We hadn’t hung out like this in years, and I was out of my element. I hadn’t felt this off-balance since I was fourteen.
“I’m going to go get the fire started at the hot spring,” Ash said.
“I’ll help,” Eddie responded. “And I’ll check the spring temp too.”
The conversation kicked off after that, the girls forming a little group while we went about our business as usual, flattening a quick path to the hot spring and then getting the fire where it needed to be for the grill that Ash slapped the T-bones on.
Once we’d inhaled all the food, we passed around the bottle of whiskey, laughing and talking about random crap as the orange flames flickered before us in the middle of the blackened forest.
“So, when are you leaving exactly?” Averie asked me.
“Monday.”
My gaze shifted to Gabby, who held my gaze for a second before her attention dropped to the fire. Mine did the same, but as I looked up, her eyes were on me again.
This crazy interaction kept happening for the rest of the night. It was as if neither of us knew how to deal with this new development.
Friendship was easy between us.
Indifference had become natural as well, but beyond those two scenarios, I didn’t know how to act, especially since she hadn’t been honest with me for years. I couldn’t just forgive her. She’d fucking hurt me, too.
“I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starting to freeze. Can we go in the hot springs now, so I can remember the one reason I agreed to this crazy night?” Nicky asked.
“I’m in favor of that,” Averie said.
“Let’s do it then.” Eddie shivered. “It’s going to be cold as fuck tonight.”
A minute later, we were in the tent stripping down and mentally prepping for the twenty degrees weather we were about to face for the few seconds it would take to get to the hot spring.
I smiled as the girls hugged themselves in their coats and towels with only a bikini underneath. “Ladies first.”
Nicky went out and shrieked as she ran back inside the tent, pointing at the open flap and the cold air whipping through it. “Fuck that!”
“This was a bad idea,” Averie muttered. “Why don’t we get undressed out there?”
“How many changes of clothes did you bring?” Brody asked.
“One.”
“Exactly,” Brody said. “You don’t want to get all your stuff cold and wet, and the last thing you want to do is stand out there in the cold getting dressed after being in the water. Trust me, we’ve tried it all.”
“It’s really not that bad. Come on,” Eddie encouraged. “It’s supposed to snow tonight, let’s get out before it starts.”
“I have an idea, you wonderful men should walk on either side of us delicate ladies who only have like half your body heat,” Averie grinned. “It’s only fair.”
“Now that is a great idea,” Nicky said.
I looked at the guys and smiled. We were on the same page, messages sent and received. I walked to the tent door. “Fine, let’s go.”
We shuffled out of the tent with the girls in the middle. The cold stung my exposed legs and as my organs shuddered, I cursed under my breath. “It’s as cold as the devil’s soul out here.”
“For real. I bet my dick is the size of my pinky right now,” Brody remarked.
“Really, dude? This is why you don’t get laid,” I quipped.
“Now,” Eddie said when we were halfway to the hot springs.
The guys and I spread out and ran, flashlights lighting the path to the fire at the edge of the pool. The girls squealed and yelled.
“You assholes!”
“This sucks!”
“Oh my God!”
Laughing, we dropped our coats, flashlights, and water bottles on the waterproof bag we’d laid out close to the bank before climbing over the boulder. I sighed as my feet sank into the hot pool.
After helping the girls in so they wouldn’t slip on the rock, I dipped down until only my head was above the water.
“Do you remember the time we almost died because of Tyler?” Eddie brought up a few minutes later.
“That must be in the hundreds now, you’ll have to be more specific,” Brody said.
Brody’s older brother was a twenty-three-year-old college dropout, a drug addict, and a menace to society. In fact, the first time I got in trouble, Tyler was there. The first time Brody broke his ankle, Tyler was there. The first time Brody and I smoked pot, Tyler was there. The day I lost my virginity, Tyler was—not in the bedroom there, but he might as well have been—you see where this is going . . .
“The avalanche,” Eddie replied.
“What?” Nicky asked. “What happened?”
“Dude, I’m still traumatized from that shit.” Brody responded. “And these asshats actually saved my life.”
When Eddie mentioned us almost dying, if we were being technical, it was Brody who almost kicked the bucket at only ten years old.
“How? What happened?” Averie asked.
“We took a snow mobile out to meet Tyler on the east side of Lu Mountain Resort, and when we were hiking up with our boards, we triggered an avalanche,” Eddie explained. “Tyler and his friends were hiding, watching the whole thing go down. It covered us, but it was less than a foot deep. Ryker and I were able to get up, but Brody’s head smashed into a rock when he went down, and if it weren’t for his board sticking out of the snow, we never would have found him.”
“Holy shit,” Averie and Nicky said.
We lost track of time as we soaked, hydrated, and reminisced, the flames from the fire lessening as the snow flurries began. That was when the girls headed back to change.
The only thought in my head after that was: Gabby is naked in there right now. This thought might have crossed my mind to a certain degree when we were younger and hanging out, but it was never as attention-stealing or enticing back then.
“They’re all naked in there right now,” Brody said, basically voicing my thoughts.
“You know, for a virgin, your thoughts are pretty fucking dirty,” Eddie said to Brody, causing us to laugh.
“Serious question, are you planning to lose it anytime soon?” Ash asked Brody.
“I don’t know, is that something someone plans?” Brody asked.
“It wasn’t for me,” I admitted.
“Me neither,” Ash said.
“It kinda was for me, but say the word, and we’ll throw you a fucking party, interview candidates. Who’d you like to lose it to? Blonde, brunette, both?”
As we chuckled, I asked, “What about redheads? Seriously, why do people always forget about us?”
“Look at that, even Ryker is offering himself,” Eddie teased.
“Ooooh!” the guys said in unison.
“Now that I think about it, I might like me a redhead. Ryker, dude”—Brody grinned—“are you going to hit me up later or . . .”
“I fucking hate all of you,” I said as all three of them cackled.
Chapter 13
Gabby
The snow started dumping down while Nicky, Averie, and I were settling into our sleeping bags and listening to the guys, howling at the moon outside. In fact, it almost sounded as if they were having some kind of howling contest.
“So, Ryker’s been checking you out all night,” Averie whispered.
“No, he hasn’t.”
“Yes, he has,” Nicky agreed. “He keeps looking at you.”
I considered the few times our gazes had locked and the butterflies that had flopped around my belly, but deep down, I knew my feelings were one-sided, so it didn’t really count.
“He made you a strawberry s’more,” Averie added.
I stared at the top of the canvas tent, warmth moving across my stomach at the memory of Ryker bringing me a strawberry s’more on a stick.
“Well, Brody brought you one,” I reminded Nicky.
“Yeah, that isn’t the same,” she replied. “We’re friends now.”
Averie looked at Nicky. “Oh, really?”
“He kissed me on my cheek when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s while Ryker was punching your ex in the face, it was sweet.”
