by Laura Dower
Aimee raised her eyebrows. “Not bad,” she said. “Now, if only Ben knew what romance was,” she giggled.
“It’s way better than 26 percent,” Madison groaned, recalling the low number she’d received for Hart. Madison typed in a new pair of names.
Hart Jones and Ivy Daly:
81% chance of romance
Madison felt as though she’d been choked. She couldn’t breathe. How could Ivy have such a good number?
Dad walked over, rubbing his hands together. He was finally grinning, after a morning of grouchiness.
“Grab your gear, girls,” Dad said. “Car’s fixed.”
Madison closed her laptop, and she and Aimee headed back to the car.
Stephanie was already inside. Phin had stretched out across her lap, gnawing on a rawhide chew toy.
An hour and a half later, after a few rounds of I Spy and tic-tac-toe, they played a few more games of Love Connection, and Madison discovered that her ideal love connection was a dweeby guy named Philip Ayres, who sat a row away from her in math class. She decided that the website had to be rigged. There was no way that that boy could be her true love. She eventually got the bright idea of typing in Hart’s name and her name with middle names included, which vastly improved their percentages. With middle names included, Hart Jefferson Jones and Madison Francesca Finn had an 81 percent chance of romance—the same percentage Ivy had gotten.
“Here we are!” Stephanie called out as they drove past the sign that welcomed them to ELK LAKE: HOME OF BIG MOUNTAIN SKI AREA.
“I know the entrance is coming up. It’s a private resort, so there’s no big sign,” Dad said. “Keep your eyes open, girls, for Treetops.”
Madison, Aimee, and Stephanie all looked from side to side for their destination. After ten minutes, they still had not found it. Dad decided that they had probably missed it, so he turned the car around.
That was when Madison spotted the small green sign, shaped like an evergreen tree.
TREETOPS. PRIVATE CLUB. MEMBERS ONLY.
Dad made a quick right turn and skidded on the gravel. The Jeep bounded down a bumpy road toward the main lodge. On either side of the road was melted snow, probably left over from a previous snowstorm. They drove along until Dad reached a fork in the road.
“Which way?” Dad asked.
Stephanie laughed as Dad veered off to the left.
“Mr. Finn!” Aimee said, laughing in the backseat.
Madison looked out the car window. There were trees as far as the eye could see. Where was the lodge? Where were all the other guests? Why hadn’t they seen another car in more than ten minutes?
Outside, atop a pile of snow, Madison spotted something moving. It was black. A cat? Her heart filled with dread. The last thing they needed was another bad omen—and a black cat was just about the worst one she could imagine.
Thankfully, it was just a black squirrel. It dashed away into the forest.
“Holy cow!” Dad cried as they pulled into a clearing. “Where did this place come from?”
The Treetops Lodge came into view. It looked like a castle. A great, wide porch encircled the main building. Hanging over the main entryway was a pair of enormous snowshoes. Lights shaped like stars hung from the rafters.
Contrary to the impression the quiet entry road had given, this place wasn’t deserted at all. Off to the side, a couple of men stood with shovels. A couple wearing mirrored sunglasses kissed each other before getting into their car. A group of women in colorful ski parkas and knitted caps waved to an oncoming group of men in just as colorful parkas and caps.
“Welcome to Treetops, sir, may we help you?” a man said to Dad as they pulled up in front.
Since it was valet parking only, Madison, Aimee, Stephanie, Dad, and Phin got out of the car and emptied the trunk. A porter loaded the bags onto a rolling cart and guided it inside.
“This is first class,” Dad whispered to Stephanie. “I can’t believe we’re here.”
Stephanie beamed. She fit right into the crowd at the lodge in her shiny black parka with its white fake-fur trim. She looked up at Dad. “I feel like part of a real family. Thank you,” she said.
Madison and Aimee squeezed each other’s hands but didn’t say much. There was too much to look at. The main lodge was surrounded by small roads and paths, outer buildings that looked like minilodges, and a great atrium that looked like an indoor conservatory or greenhouse.
The large wooden sign in front of the main lodge read: TREETOPS GUIDE. Underneath were sheets of yellow paper that listed the events at the lodge. Madison and Aimee read the postings.
Cross-Country Skiing
Nordic ski trails in the area may be explored alone or with a professional guide for half the day or for a full day. Daily shuttle service is available each hour to Big Mountain, where you may spend the day on numerous cross-country trails.
Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding
Ski and ride a spectacular vertical drop in the east at Big Mountain.
Dogsled Rides
Enjoy a dogsled ride on the ice of Elk Lake surrounded by the Adirondack mountains. Leaves at 11 A.M. daily.
Ice Fishing
Guided ice fishing trips for beginners and advanced leaves at 7 A.M. Breakfast served on the way.
Sleigh Ride Dinners
Take a horse-drawn sleigh ride accompanied with champagne dinner. Make reservations at the front desk.
“Did you read that?” Aimee exclaimed. “Dog-sleds? Ice fishing? I thought that only happened in Alaska or the North Pole! How cool would a sleigh-ride dinner be? Did your dad say if we’d be doing that?”
“Aim, get real. A sleigh ride is for couples,” Madison said, frowning. “Not for kids like you and me.”
“Fine. But do you think Phin would like the dogsled ride?” Aimee asked.
They giggled.
Off to the side were smaller signposts pointing out the way to all of the other buildings and sights on the Treetops property. Madison could see the names: Iroquois, Kiwasa, and Mohawk. Somewhere, nestled in these woods, was their own private lodge. Madison couldn’t wait to see it.
Dad and Stephanie finally exited the main lodge with the keys to their rooms. Their reservation was for Eagle’s Nest, a much smaller lodge right down by the shores of one of the lakes on the property. It was only a short walk away. Dad said that when it snowed, the lodge sent over skimobiles for transportation.
By then, the air had gotten chillier. Night was on its way. Madison and Aimee walked arm in arm toward Eagle’s Nest, sticking close together to stay warm.
The interior of the lodge was even more beautiful than Madison could have imagined. The ceiling was at least fifteen feet high, with skylights and windows all around, looking onto a quiet, dark lake lit by the white moon. A giant stone fireplace rose up from the center of the room. Off to the side was the main bedroom, where a huge bed stood with legs that looked like tree roots growing right out of the floor. A smaller room contained twin beds for Madison and Aimee and even a little doggy bed.
Dad had not been kidding when he’d said the lodge catered to people with pets, Madison thought. Phin was going to love this place.
Madison threw herself across a plush sofa in front of the fireplace. The smell and sound of the wood burning in the fireplace gave her a warm feeling all over. Despite its rocky beginning, the day was ending well.
“I have to call home,” Aimee said, taking a seat next to Madison. “My mom will not believe it when I tell her about this place. It’s amazing.”
“I’m sure Stephanie will let you use her cell phone,” Madison said.
“Sure thing. Here you go,” Stephanie said, handing the phone to Aimee.
While Aimee talked to her parents, Madison stretched out on the couch. She was feeling luckier than lucky to be in such a great place. But when Aimee got off the phone she looked a little sad.
Madison grabbed her friend by the arm. “Are you okay?” she asked.
Aim
ee smiled. “I’m fine,” she said. “Just missing home for some weird reason. Not a lot, but a little. Is that dumb?”
“No,” Madison said. She gave her friend a big hug.
Then the two dragged their suitcases into the room, unpacked, washed up, and crawled under the covers.
“I know we’re tired. But do you want to see if Fiona’s online?” Madison asked.
“What a great idea!” Aimee said.
Madison booted up her laptop. Fiona was online.
They said their good-byes, and Madison logged off. She gave Aimee another poke in the arm.
“I can’t believe you said that stuff about Hart!” Madison said.
“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” Aimee replied.
Madison leaned back against the down comforter. She wasn’t sure what was true about her feelings anymore.
But she was hoping a little snow and skiing might help her figure it out.
Chapter 5
The Lodge
SNOOOOOOW! Woke up this morning and looked outside. During the night everything got covered in snow and it reminded me of when I was a little kid and Mom used to tell me that Frosty came during the night when I slept. There were icicles like spiderwebs in all the trees.
Aimee is asleep right now in the next bed. Phin is curled up by her head. They’re both snoring a little. I’m staying under the blankets as long as I possibly can and then we get to go SKIING! Yeah! Could this be more perfect? And I was afraid of a little bad omen.
“Oh, my goodness!” Stephanie screamed from the other room. “Oh, no!”
Madison jumped, clutching her computer. Phin and Aimee woke up, startled.
“Jeff, come and look! It snowed!” Stephanie said.
Well, of course it had snowed, Madison thought, glancing out the window in their room. What was Stephanie making such a big fuss about?
Dad screamed, too. “I don’t believe this! How on earth did this happen?”
Phin leaped off the bed and scampered into the other room when he heard Dad’s booming voice. Madison and Aimee shot each other a look and then jumped out of their beds, curious. They raced into the living room.
It was quite a sight to behold.
There, in the center of the living-room carpet, was a big, white snowdrift. High above them, one of the skylights had opened, allowing snow to come in during the night.
“This will be our own personal ski trail, I guess,” Stephanie joked.
King of the bad jokes, Dad chimed in: “Maybe we should call it Little Mountain.”
Madison and Aimee looked straight at the two of them with their eyes bulging. How could they joke at a time like that?
“If we light a fire in the fireplace, will it melt faster?” Dad asked.
The four of them burst into laughter.
Stephanie dialed the main lodge, and immediately they were sent a cleaning crew, a technician, and a house manager. The manager insisted that the resort would reimburse them for one night’s stay. He also said they’d pay for the Finn family’s lift tickets and lunch that day at Big Mountain.
“These things just don’t happen at Treetops,” the manager said, apologizing again and again. “I give you my personal assurance that the rest of your stay will be problem free.”
The manager stuck to his word. Within a half hour, the lodge was in perfect shape again, except for the chill resulting from the window’s having been open most of the night. Shortly after the manager left, a Treetops chef (French, of course) personally delivered a cart with breakfast for all of them. Madison and Aimee oohed and aahed as they picked out their favorite treats.
“This place is like something out of the movies,” Aimee said, pouring homemade granola into a bowl of berry yogurt. “My mom and dad would even eat here—and you know how picky they are.”
Madison bit into a strawberry and then a warm chocolate croissant. “Dad, did I say thank you for taking us here?” she asked. “Thank you times a zillion.”
“No thanks necessary, Maddie,” Dad said. “Now that our chalet snowstorm has been cleared away, let’s eat, get ready, and get over to Big Mountain for some real powder. I’m dying to hit those trails.”
The four sat down to eat the rest of their breakfast. While Stephanie read the newspaper, Dad buttered his toast and peppered his eggs.
Everything was going great until Dad picked up a salt shaker and dumped the contents onto his breakfast plate. The pile of salt looked like a miniversion of the snowdrift that had just been cleared away in their living room.
“Wait! Spilled salt!” Madison cried. She leaned down to grab a pinch and threw it over her shoulder.
“Rwowwoowowowowowow!” Phin yelped.
“What are you doing, Madison?” Dad asked.
“Spilled salt is bad luck, Dad!” Madison exclaimed.
“Blinding your dog is pretty bad, too,” Aimee said sarcastically.
Madison shot Aimee a look. She wanted to say something clever, but she didn’t. Dad was getting impatient. He clapped his hands together and pushed the girls into the other room.
“Enough chaos!” Dad declared. “Let’s get ready.”
“Actually, Jeff, I think the girls should probably call home, right?” Stephanie suggested. “Aimee, why don’t you check in with your mom? You, too, Maddie.”
Aimee used Stephanie’s cell phone first. Madison called home, too, but her mom was out. Then she dragged herself into the other room, having no idea what she would wear.
Aimee unzipped her suitcase and took out a perfectly matched outfit—a pair of purple ski pants and an orange fleece pullover. Underneath, she would wear a little shirt with flowers embroidered across the neckline.
“You have ski pants?” Madison asked. “But you hardly ever go skiing.”
Aimee nodded. “I know, but these were on sale last winter.”
Madison opened her suitcase and took a deep breath. First, she pulled out a pair of jeans, but Aimee tut-tutted her (“They’re not waterproof, Maddie. You’ll be soaked!”) and made Madison put the jeans back into her bag.
“Jeans are for après-ski,” Aimee said, trying to sound important and oh-so-French.
So Madison pulled out her lo
ne pair of red snow pants. She hardly ever wore them, and they weren’t exactly super fashionable, but they were warm and waterproof, and that was the main thing. Then, she pulled on a white turtleneck and a blue cardigan sweater.
“Maddie,” Aimee said when she saw the outfit. “What is that? You’ll look like the American flag.”
“I will?” said Madison dumbly.
“Let me help you choose your outfit,” Aimee insisted.
Madison and Aimee picked through both of their suitcases until they came up with a combination of clothes that worked. Aimee matched Madison’s red pants with her own black, long-sleeved T-shirt and turtleneck sweater. She also lent Madison a fun pink knitted hat. Aimee wore a skullcap decorated with flowers. After dressing, they rushed to meet Dad and Stephanie and get shuttle service to Big Mountain. The family dropped Phin off at the pet-sitting area in the main lodge; there he was joined by a fat Maltese, a yipping Yorkshire terrier, and a nervous-looking cat named Trix.
After the snowstorm the night before, the day was crisp and bright. The air smelled like wood smoke and pine trees. The foursome piled into the shuttle bus along with another family. One of the boys was kind of cute, Madison noticed. Aimee apparently thought so, too. She flirted with him all the way to the mountain.
They arrived and disembarked in front of the Big Mountain chalet. Inside the doors was the biggest fireplace Madison or Aimee had ever seen. People rushed around with hot drinks, ice skates, and skis. The line for lift tickets for one side of the mountain was halfway out the door.
Stephanie grabbed Madison by the shoulders and whispered in her ear. “I’m so glad we’re here in one piece. I wasn’t sure we’d make it.”
Madison chuckled. “Me, neither.”
Aimee seemed in awe of the outfits people were wearing. “Maddie, you were so right,” she said. “This is a major fashion scene. I am so glad we rethought your outfit.”
Madison nodded. “Me, too,” she said. But, what Madison was really thinking was, What am I doing here?
Dad learned where they could rent skis, ski boots, and other equipment. They headed for another building attached to the chalet. The line there was even longer than the one for lift tickets. Over the loudspeakers, announcements were being made about ski lessons and other events at the mountain.
