"Have you called Colleen yet?"
Derek shook his head in disbelief. "No, and I'm not going to call her."
"Derek."
"Ellen, you have got to understand that I don't want a relationship with her."
"I thought maybe that mountain air might clear your head, but obviously it hasn't."
"I've got to go, Ellen. Wes is waiting for me on the slopes. Tell John and the boys I said hello and I'll be back next weekend."
"Derek, where are you and Wes staying out there?"
"Why do you need to know that?"
"What if you don't show up next week? I'll need to know where to start looking. So, which hotel are you staying at?"
"We're not at a hotel. We're at a chalet that belongs to a friend of Wes' and that's all I'm going to tell you. Goodbye, Ellen." Before she could say anything else, he disconnected the call.
Just as quickly, he called the next number. After several rings someone finally answered. "Hello."
He hesitated.
"Derek, is that you?"
"Yes, yes, it's me. Merry Christmas, Jenny."
"Merry Christmas to you too. Are you back in town?"
"No, I'm still in Aspen, but wanted to make sure I called you today. How are you?"
"I'm fine. I bet it's pretty out there with the snow on the mountains."
"Yes, it's beautiful. I wish you could see them."
"Me too."
Derek heard some voices in the background. "Is someone there with you?"
"That's my family. I'm at my parents' house helping with Christmas dinner. Oh, and Stefano is here too. He doesn't have any family close by, so I asked him to join us today."
"That's nice."
"What have you been doing out there?"
"Wes and I have been skiing almost every day. We did some snowmobiling one day, and I'm thinking about trying to snowboard later this week."
"Wow, sounds like fun, but you be careful on the snowboard."
He laughed. "I will."
"When are you coming back to River Bluff?"
"Probably not until after New Years."
"I see."
Derek heard someone speaking to Jenny, but couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Okay. Derek, I need to go. Stefano says the cheesecake may be burning."
"You'd better go check on that."
"Thanks for calling and Merry Christmas."
"You too." She had already hung up.
Derek left the chalet and took a cab finding Wes at the top of the ski slope talking to Janice and Barbara.
"Where's your skis?" Wes asked.
"I'm feeling a little daring today and thought I'd give snowboarding a try. What do you think?"
"No shit? You really want to try it?"
"Why not?"
"Ladies, do you snowboard?" Wes asked.
"Not on your life," Janice said.
"We'll stick to skis and watch you guys," Barbara added.
The men headed to the rental shop and soon returned, both with a board.
"Do you guys know what you're doing?" Janice asked.
"I've snowboarded before, but Derek hasn't."
They moved to a beginner slope and Wes showed Derek how to attach the board and what to do as the ladies watched.
Wes went down first with Janice following on her skis. They stopped about halfway down and waited for Derek.
"You go ahead and I'll follow behind you," Barbara told him.
Derek did as Wes had instructed and slowly started down the hill. It took a while, but he finally made it down to where Wes and Janice waited. "How was that?"
"Not bad for your first time. Let's go the rest of the way down." Wes took off and Janice skied with him.
After going down the hill easily several times, Derek announced that he was ready for a steeper slope.
"Are you sure you don't want to go down this one a few more times first?" Wes asked.
"No, I'm ready."
The group moved over to the next slope and Derek made it down several times with only a little difficulty. "I think I'm doing pretty good, wouldn't you say?"
"Not bad for a beginner, but I think you're better on skis," Wes pointed out.
"It's getting a little late and we have to leave for home early in the morning," Janice said. "We probably should make one more run and then head back to the hotel."
"That sounds like a good idea. I could use a hot shower and then dinner," Wes agreed.
"Okay, one more run then," Derek insisted.
They took the lift back to the top of the hill. Wes and Janice headed down the hill first, then Derek, with Barbara going last.
Derek tried following Wes' track in the snow, but found himself going a little too fast. He tried to slow down by taking wider turns, but it wasn't working. Suddenly, he realized he was going down the hill out of control.
"Derek!" Barbara shouted.
At that moment, his board went out from under him and he started falling. His body rolled on the steep slope several times before he finally came to a stop.
Barbara reached him first. "Derek, don't move."
He felt a little numb, but slowly moved each limb until he got to his left leg. Pain shot out when he tried to move it. "Damn."
The Ski Patrol soon came to his aid. "Sir, how do you feel?"
"It's my left leg."
"Just lay still. We'll have a stretcher here soon," the officer said, checking his other limbs.
By now, Wes and Janice had made their way up the hill to them. "Derek, what happened?" Wes asked.
"I started going too fast and couldn't slow myself down."
"You went head over heel."
"Luckily, it's not my head. It's my leg. I think I've done a pretty good job of messing it up."
The stretcher arrived being pulled by a snowmobile and he was carefully loaded.
"We'll be taking him to Aspen Valley Hospital, if you want to meet us there," one of the ski patrolmen said.
"Thanks." Wes replied. He and the ladies skied ahead down the hill in order to take the lift back up.
At the hospital, they brought Wes into the exam room where Derek laid in bed with a brace on his leg. "What's the prognosis? Are they going to cut it off?"
"Very funny. I had an MRI and it showed a partial tear of the ACL in my knee."
"Does that mean surgery?"
"Since it's only a partial tear, hopefully not. The doctor said I should have it evaluated once I'm home and decide then."
"When can you get out of here?"
"As soon as they bring the paperwork for me to sign."
A few minutes later, the nurse brought in his discharge paperwork. "Here's a bottle of Acetaminophen with Codeine for pain," she said. "Take it as needed, but no more than three times a day. Try not to put much weight on your knee and use the crutches to walk." She pointed to the crutches leaning against the wall. Wear the brace, except when sleeping and showering." Derek signed the form and the nurse opened the door and brought in a wheelchair.
"I'll bring the truck up to the door," Wes said, leaving the room.
Once back at the chalet, Wes helped Derek inside and to the couch.
"I'm sorry I ruined your last evening with Janice, but you still could have gone to dinner with them," Derek said.
"Nonsense. I wouldn't feel right going out and leaving you here."
"Thanks. It looks like this is where I'm going to have to sleep. I don't think I can navigate the stairs too well. Would you mind getting my sweatpants and a t-shirt for me later?"
"Sure, whatever you need. I guess we'll be heading home early now."
"Actually, I think I'd like to stay and do my initial recuperating here, if you don't mind."
"That's okay with me." Wes sat down in the chair next to the couch. "Hell of a way to celebrate Christmas."
"It sure is."
It was late the next morning when Wes' phone rang while he and Derek watched a little television.
"Great,
it's Cynthia." Sarcasm.
"It's the first time she's called, right?"
"Yeah. I guess I should answer it, huh?"
"Probably."
"Hello." He pushed the speaker button and placed the phone on the table.
"Hello, Wes. I didn't think you were going to answer," she said.
"How was your Christmas, Cynthia?"
"Very nice, and yours?"
"Derek and I skied all day."
"That's nice. What I actually called you about is a little surprise for you."
"What's the surprise?"
"Colleen and I are in Aspen. Surprise!"
Derek and Wes looked at each other. "You're in Aspen?" Wes asked.
"Didn't I just say that? We're staying at the Mountain View Hotel and we thought we could all get together for lunch."
Derek immediately shook his head no.
"Lunch would be a little difficult. Derek and I already have plans for today."
"Oh darn. What about dinner tonight then?"
Derek rolled his eyes, but reluctantly nodded yes.
"Okay, I think we can do that. We'll meet you at the restaurant at your hotel around seven tonight."
"That would be perfect. See you then."
Wes ended the call.
"They came to Aspen? What the hell?" Derek exclaimed.
"I was afraid of this after I told her she couldn't come with us."
"She certainly listened to you, didn't she?"
"Colleen came here to see you too," Wes snapped back.
"Wait, let's not let this get to us. We'll have dinner with them tonight and tell them we have something going on tomorrow that we can't get out of."
"Like what? Your injury is limiting what we can tell them."
"What if we say we're taking a helicopter to Denver to see the Broncos play football and we only have two tickets. After that last football game, I doubt they'll want to sit through another."
"That's pretty good. Are the Broncos in town tomorrow?"
"I have no idea, but they hate football and wouldn't know anyway." Derek picked up his prescription bottle and poured several pills out into his hand.
"What are you doing?"
"Just making sure I have enough pain killers to get me through dinner tonight with Colleen." He and Wes both laughed.
At seven o'clock, the men entered the restaurant and Wes gave the hostess his name.
"Welcome, Mr. Forbes. Your dinner companions have already arrived and are waiting for you at the table." She led the way.
When they reached the table, Colleen gasped when she saw Derek on crutches. "Derek, what happened? Are you okay?"
Wes leaned down and gave Cynthia a kiss on the cheek and Colleen stood and Derek reluctantly did the same.
"I'm fine. It was a little accident on the slopes yesterday. Nothing a little rest won't take care of." He and Wes sat down.
The waitress came to take their drink orders.
"Scotch on the rocks," Wes said.
"Cola for me, please," Derek added.
"Cola?" Cynthia questioned after the waitress left.
"Alcohol and pain killers don't mix," he replied.
"I was a little surprised when you called and said you were in Aspen," Wes commented to Cynthia.
"It was so lonely back home without you boys around," Cynthia answered.
"So, we decided to fly out for the weekend," Colleen quipped.
"You're going back tomorrow?" Derek inquired.
"We wanted to spend the whole weekend with you," Cynthia said.
"We're flying back first thing Monday morning," Colleen added.
The waitress brought their drinks and took everyone's food orders.
"You should have checked with us first," Wes uttered. "We have football tickets for the game in Denver tomorrow."
"We'll be gone all day," Derek echoed.
"Football?" Cynthia almost looked ill.
"How are you going to a football game on crutches?" Colleen asked.
"I called ahead and made arrangements for an usher to meet us with a golf cart to take us to our seats," Wes jumped in before Derek could answer.
"I suppose we can find something to do around here." Colleen looked at Cynthia. "Shopping comes to mind."
Cynthia looked at Wes. "We can at least have dinner with you again tomorrow evening, can't we?"
"I suppose it will depend on how long the game lasts and when we get back. Wouldn't you agree, Derek?"
"Oh, yes. We can call you when we get back in town."
The girls looked disappointed, but as far as Derek was concerned, he didn't really care.
"With you being injured, I suppose you'll be coming home sooner than planed?" Colleen questioned.
"Not really. It's not that bad, so we'll probably still be staying through New Year's.
"I see." Colleen took a sip of her wine.
After dinner, the men said their goodbyes at the front of the restaurant, as Derek needed to get home to elevate his leg. "I'm glad that's over," he said. "If you want to have dinner with them tomorrow night, that's fine with me, but I'm staying at the chalet."
"I'll think about it."
It turned out that the Broncos were playing in Denver on Sunday and Wes and Derek watched the game on television. A little after it ended, Wes called Cynthia.
"We're on our way to the airport to take the helicopter back to Aspen. Derek is pretty tired, so it looks like it'll just be me for dinner tonight."
"Hold on a minute." He could hear Cynthia tell Colleen. "Colleen said she could bring Derek his dinner, if you tell us where you two are staying."
"I think Derek wants to rest tonight, alone."
Derek shook his head yes.
"Very well. What time do you want to meet for dinner?"
"Give me a couple of hours and why don't you reserve us a table at the hotel restaurant again."
"I'll do that. Call me when you're on the way."
"Great. See you then." Wes hung up his phone.
"You lie so well, it's scary," Derek observed.
"Lawyer, remember." Wes laughed.
Two hours later, Wes had showered, shaved, and was dressed. "You sure you don't want to go?"
"No. I'm going to have a pizza delivered and take a couple pain pills and then go to sleep, but you have a good time."
"I intend to." Wes looked in the mirror as he straightened his tie. "Don't wait up."
"I never do."
Wes picked up the keys to the Escalade and left. Derek turned the Sunday night football on and called in his pizza order. By halftime, he was bored with the game. His thoughts drifted to Jenny. He picked up his cell phone and pulled up the picture someone had taken of them at the football game weeks ago. He wondered what she was doing right now.
"What the hell?" He pushed the speed dial button for her number.
"Hello."
“Hi, I hope I'm not calling too late."
"Hi, Derek. No, it's not too late. How are you?"
He looked at the brace on his knee. "I'm great. How's everything back home?"
"Now that Christmas is over, things at the bakery will slow down a little. They'll pick back up again right before Valentine's Day though. Oh, I found a recipe for an unbelievable chocolate cheesecake that I want to make for your Valentine's dinner party. I tried it out last night and it was great. Stefano even liked it and he normally doesn't eat sweets."
That was a direct hit to the heart. She had been with him last night. "That sounds great."
"If you'd like to sample it before your dinner, I can make one for you when you get back."
"Thanks, but I think I'll wait for the dinner party."
"Okay. If you change your mind, let me know."
"I should let you go. You probably have to be at work early in the morning."
"Derek, what did you call for?"
"Nothing really. I wanted to see how things were back home. Have a nice evening. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Derek."
Around ten o'clock Monday morning, Derek sat at the kitchen table and was reading the newspaper online when Wes walked in from outside, still wearing his suit from the night before, but with his tie loosed around his neck.
"Well, well, well. It looks like the walk of shame is happening right here in our very own kitchen."
"My good fellow, a man never has a walk of shame," Wes joked.
"Obviously, you had a nice night with Cynthia."
"What else could I do? She came all the way out here to see me." He poured himself a cup of coffee. "When I left the hotel this morning, the girls left at the same time for the airport. Colleen told me to tell you to call her when you get home. Message delivered." He raised his coffee cup in the air as if in a toast.
"Oh, shit!" Derek stared at the email he'd just received.
"What's wrong?"
"I just received an email from Tom Erickson at work. He said we lost every contract bid we submitted last week and the same company out-bid us on each of them."
"That's not good, is it?"
"No. In fact, it's the worst thing that could happen. This could mean layoffs at the plant and I have worked so hard to keep that from happening."
"You were out bid on every contract by the same company?" Wes sat down at the table.
"Yes."
"You've got a spy inside your company."
"What? Not a spy."
"Think about it. What are the odds of losing every single one of those bids to the same company? Industrial espionage is big business."
"I don't even know what to do about something like that."
"When we get back home, I'll put you in touch with someone I've worked with before. He's had some experience with things like this."
"Thanks, and if you don't mind, I think we should go home tomorrow. This is something I don't want to delay."
Peppermint Patty Cocktail
1 shot of Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 of a shot of Creme de Cacao
Mix together into a cup of hot chocolate.
Garnish with whipped cream and any type of candied sprinkles as desired.
Chapter Ten
Wednesday afternoon, Derek, using his cane, limped through Ellen's office on the way to his. "Derek, you're back," she exclaimed.
A Kitchen Affair Page 13
