Christmas is You

by Sylvia Blake

  Suddenly, something heavy knocked the wind out of her as she slammed into the snowy ground. The cold on her face and in her mouth shocked her and she instinctively tried to curl into a ball, but she couldn’t, not with her skis stuck in the snow this way and that.

  She heard April’s shrieks get louder as she ran towards Debbie, and within seconds, two sets of hands were trying to turn her around onto her back. She exhaled and opened her eyes.

  Two sets of eyes stared back into hers with concern, but she could only focus on one of them. They were dark brown, the deepest brown she had ever seen, and they were framed by solid and manly eyebrows. She blinked as the rest of his face came into focus.

  She smiled, despite her condition and circumstance – he was handsome, that was a given. He had chiseled jaws, high cheekbones, dark brown hair (to match those eyes!) and full lips, which weren’t smiling back at her for some reason. They were set into a concerned line, but soon enough, they started moving.

  “Are you ok? Not a child lover, I see?” His voice was deep and friendly, and his lips finally curled up into a smile.

  She didn’t appreciate the joke.

  “Debbie, can you hear us? Are you ok? Can you move your legs?”

  Debbie came back to reality and replaced her smile with a frown. She lifted her head, and noticed with mortification that a small group had gathered around them. A few of the children were snickering and pointing at her, and she groaned as she struggled to turn to her side.

  “Wait, don’t try to move on your own. Where does it hurt?” the mystery man asked, placing a warm hand at the back of her neck as she laid her head back down. He gripped her upper arm with the other hand, and she felt this strangely comforting.

  “Everywhere…” she managed to mutter quietly.

  “I’m sorry – I was trying to block the kids over here, and I knocked you over in the process.”

  “That’s ok. I’m glad I didn’t hurt any of them.”

  “So am I. Their parents would have had my head rolling right off this resort. They’re my students.”

  “Oh, I see.” She felt horrible. She had not only failed at the most basic hill in front of everyone, but she almost managed to mow down a group of innocent kids while she was at it. Glancing at them, she thought they looked to be about three to four years old.

  April was shocked and just crouched beside her, unsure what to do next.

  “You must be getting cold lying down there. Here, take this while I get your skis off.”

  He proceeded to remove his warm ski jacket and after folding it up, he lifted her head and laid the jacket down. He gently placed her head back down on top of the jacket, and started fiddling with her ski boots until each of the skis snapped off.

  “Thanks. I’ll be ok. Maybe I should just get up and get off this hill.” She was more embarrassed than ever, and wished the earth would just swallow her whole. Here she was, looking like a complete loser in front a crowd of snickering children and a hot and breathtaking ski instructor. What else could go wrong?

  “No, you shouldn’t try on your own. Your injuries may be worse than you think. Look, the guest services cabin is right over there.” He handed her skis over to April, who was watching in disbelief, and with one swift motion he hoisted Debbie up into his arms. She wanted to protest and get down on her own two feet, but she realized with a wince that her whole body was in pain. At least he’d get her away from that crowd now.

  “Hey, Mike, take care of these kids for a minute, will you? Do a couple of drills with them.”

  “Sure thing, Luke.”

  Debbie intertwined her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life. It felt strange being carried like this. She hadn’t been this physically vulnerable since…well, she couldn’t even recall the last time she had to rely on someone like this.

  She welcomed the warm air as they entered the large guest services cabin. It was packed with people milling about, but Luke motioned for April to open a side door leading to a private room, and once there, he set her down gently on a long wooden bench that spanned the length of one of the walls.

  It felt like she’d been hit by a ton of bricks. She gripped her sides as April sat beside her and gave her a side hug.

  “Ouch,” she jumped at April’s touch. “My shoulder hurts.”

  “Oh, sorry honey.” She looked at Luke as if pleading for help.

  “Could I get you ladies anything while you wait? Coffee? Hot chocolate?”

  “While we wait for what, exactly?” Debbie asked, rubbing her shoulder.

  “Well, I’ve called one of our on-call doctors to take a quick look at you and tell you whether you need urgent care.”

  “Oh, that’s not necessary, I’ll be fine.” As if to make a point, she tried to push herself off the bench and onto her feet, but fell back down with a thud. “Umm, never mind, I guess.”

  Luke raised an eyebrow. “So, what will it be ladies?”

  “Coffee,” said April.

  “Hot chocolate, please,” said Debbie, leaning back against the wall. Her first full day at Rose Mountain had turned out to be a disaster. Could it get any worse?

  Chapter 5

  “Don’t worry, Ms. Kennedy, you’ll be perfectly fine. You had the wind knocked out of you, and your ankle is a little bruised, but it’s nothing that a day or two of rest can’t fix,” said the doctor Luke had called to check on Debbie. He carefully wrapped her ankle with some tape and helped her put her boots back on.

  Debbie smiled up at Luke, who had stayed with them while the doctor attended to Debbie.

  “Thanks so much, Luke. And I’m really sorry that I almost mowed the kids down.” She blushed, remembering the shrieks of witnesses and then the kids’ snickers.

  Luke chuckled. “Don’t worry, it happens all the time.”

  She was sure that it didn’t, but it was nice of him to say that regardless. Watching him, she wondered why he was still sticking around. Surely, he had somewhere more important to be.

  “Thanks again for all your help, but you can get back to your class. I’m sure the kids are waiting for you.”

  He took a sip of his hot chocolate, and there was something warm in his eyes.

  “Nah, don’t worry. The classes are over for today. I was thinking of giving you ladies a ride home. I don’t want you to risk falling over on the snow or ice and hurting yourself even more.”

  Debbie’s heart fluttered slightly, and when Luke turned around to get something from the desk, April elbowed her with a wink. Debbie’s eyes widened, and she shook her head no at April.

  “So, what do you think?” he asked, turning back to them.

  “Yes,” started April.

  “No, thanks, we’ll just take a cab,” said Debbie at the same time.

  Luke looked from Debbie to April and pointed at April. “You’re the winner! I won’t take no for an answer.” He winked and continued, “if you get hurt, you might sue us, and we wouldn’t want that. So, let’s go, my car’s not too far. April and I can help you.”

  Debbie sighed, but had zero energy left to argue. She shrugged, and when Luke and April each offered an arm, she gratefully hooked hers through theirs and stood up.

  She didn’t expect a perfect stranger to be this friendly and helpful, but there was something very gallant and gentlemanly about Luke.

  During the drive back to Aunt Wendy’s chalet, she learned that he’d grown up in the area and refused to leave, except for the few years he spent at a college a few hours away.

  “I love this place,” he said. His eyes shone as he talked about the town, so Debbie knew that he meant it. “In the winter, I teach skiing lessons here at the resort, and during the summer, I manage the Mirage Spa at Rose Mountain Hotel. It’s the largest hotel at the resort, so that keeps me busy.”

  Mention of a spa caught Debbie’s attention.

  “Spa? Really? That’s what I did back in the city, I managed a spa! Unfortunately, I was laid off just before I decided to take this trip
,” she said wistfully. She would normally have been embarrassed about this tidbit of information. After all, who gets laid off from a spa of all places? But for some reason, she felt comfortable sharing personal information with him.

  April sat in the back, pretending to be engrossed with her phone, but Debbie saw her look up from time to time and glance from Luke to Debbie and back again. She knew exactly what April was thinking, and thought her friend was jumping to conclusions, as usual. April had always been a hopeless romantic, and it appeared that she hasn’t changed. Debbie made a mental note to emphasize to April that she planned to stay single for now – and maybe forever.

  Her eyes focused on the snow-covered road that twisted and turned through the forest. She wasn’t sure where they were, but Luke reassured her they’d be home in five minutes, and that was good enough for her. She was getting hot in her coat and snow pants, which she hadn’t had a chance to change out of, so she opened the window a crack to let in a cool, fresh breeze. She took a deep breath and smiled.

  “You must really love the outdoors,” she said to Luke.

  “I do. There’s nothing better than getting up early in the morning and heading out into the wilderness for a hike. You get to really think, or maybe not think at all, depending on what you want. There are no distractions; it’s just you and mother nature.”

  “That sounds really beautiful in theory, but I don’t know if I’d ever get used to it,” she said, looking into the dense forest. “I’m used to the city – the traffic, people, noise. I love it there.”

  “Well, it’s not for everyone… but I bet that anyone could find a reason to stay out here. How long will you be here?” he asked, and glanced over at her. She didn’t know why, but his gaze made her self-conscious and she started fidgeting with her hair.

  “Um, I’m not sure exactly.”

  “Oh, so you’re not just here for a vacation? What brought you out here?”

  There was a long silence, because Debbie didn’t know how to answer. It felt like overkill to get into her personal problems with this virtual stranger, and she didn’t want to get into the details because she might break down crying.

  “Her ex was a jerk,” April blurted out from the back.

  Debbie felt her cheeks flush warm. “April!” she called out in an annoyed voice. It really vexed her that April felt the need to butt in and spill her personal business like that.

  “Sorry… but that’s the truth,” April grumbled, and went back to looking at her phone.

  Debbie glanced at Luke to gauge his reaction.

  “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said. He turned to look at her and noticing her blushing, he turned his attention back to the road. “I hope he didn’t hurt you too much. Some people don’t know how to appreciate what they’ve got.”

  She didn’t know it was possible, but her cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, and she chuckled to break the tension, but it came out as a nervous laugh.

  “Well, I couldn’t agree with you more,” she said.

  To her relief, Aunt Wendy’s chalet came into view.

  “Here we are, it’s right here,” she said to him, and he slowly pulled up to the front of the chalet and got out.

  She struggled with her seatbelt, and by the time she unclicked it, he was already opening her door. He offered a hand to her and she grabbed it as she tried to maneuver herself out of his car. His hand was big, warm, and steady, and she couldn’t help but smile up at him.

  “Hey, guys, don’t forget about me!” April called from the back of the car.

  Debbie laughed, and Luke cracked a smile. He reached back and opened her door, and she popped out, reaching back in the car to pull out their bags. She took the chalet’s keys from Debbie and walked ahead of them, lugging the bags and ignoring Luke’s offers to carry them.

  “Thanks, but I’ll be fine. Just make sure she doesn’t fall on her way in, please,” she said, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, making Luke chuckle and blush.

  Debbie shot her a look, but she stayed quiet and concentrated on taking solid steps. Luke took the arm closest to him to steady her, and together, they made it to the front door. She stood in the doorway, unsure of what to do. He had been so nice; she should probably invite him in, she figured.

  “Would you like a coffee? Or a snack, maybe?”

  He gave her a warm smile, obviously appreciative of the offer.

  “Thanks, but I’ve got to run. My mom’s waiting on me for some groceries, so I’ve got to get those before dropping them off at her place,” he said apologetically. “But, maybe I’ll take you up on that offer sometime soon?”

  She shrugged her shoulders and tried to look everywhere except his eyes, because she knew she’d start blushing again.

  “Sure, anytime,” she said, and immediately regretted her words. She was not here for male company, and she didn’t want to lead him on. “I’m sure we’ll run into each other sometime soon. I’m definitely not skiing again,” she said with a grin, “but I may try tobogganing and I love mochas on cold days.”

  “Great, so I’ll see you around,” he said, looking at her eyes as if searching for something there.

  “Yeah, I’ll see you,” she said. “And thanks again.” She gave him a little wave with her hand, and as he turned around and headed down the front steps, she went in, closed the door, and leaned against it.

  No, you must not see him again, she told herself.

  Chapter 6

  April and Debbie spent the rest of the afternoon curled up on the couch, watching cheesy Christmas romance movies and having cookies with hot chocolate. Debbie tried to convince April that there was no spark between her and Luke, but April was having none of that.

  “Don’t be silly, Debbie, as much as you hate to admit it, there’s definitely something there. I saw the way he looked at you. And you couldn’t stop blushing and twirling your hair. It was so cliché and obvious.” She laughed, prompting Debbie to jokingly reach over and punch her in the shoulder.

  “You were hallucinating. I wasn’t blushing – it was freezing outside, and my cheeks turn pink when I’m cold. I’m not interested in him, or anybody for that matter. He was just being nice because he knocked me down, and you know it. So, stop trying to invent something that doesn’t exist, please.”

  Debbie’s serious expression only made April laugh harder. She let out a little shriek as a splash of hot chocolate spilled down the front of her sweater.

  “See what you made me do?” she laughed even harder. “You’re so funny when you deny that you’re interested in a guy. You totally have the hots for him, but you’re too much of a goody-two-shoes to admit it!” She got up and headed to the kitchen. Using a wet paper towel, she dabbed the stain on her sweater, but it wasn’t really helping. She shrugged and sat back down, still grinning at Debbie.

  Debbie decided to let it go; the best way to handle this was to ignore it. Sure enough, April changed the subject to how they would spend the rest of the weekend. Debbie planned to start work at the café on Monday, so she really needed to rest her ankle. They decided they’d binge watch Christmas movies and bake cookies and cakes.

  When Aunt Wendy arrived home from the café, it was already past 6pm. To Debbie’s delight, she had brought some fresh lasagna from the restaurant next to the café, and they all sat down to eat. Wendy was very concerned about her ankle and wouldn’t stop asking about it. That is, until April told her that a handsome stranger had been the one to rescue her (well, he was also the one that knocked her over, but that was for a great good) and drive them home.

  Wendy ran her hand through her silver curls and raised an eyebrow at Debbie. “Oh la la, you don’t waste any time, do you, Debbie?”

  Debbie rolled her eyes. “Oh please, he was just doing his job. He works there, and he can’t very well body check a customer and shrug his shoulders and walk away. I’m sure they have rules and policies about this sort of thing, dictated to them by lawyers.”

  April nudged Aunt Wendy.
“Don’t listen to her. They were like two teenagers. I might as well have not existed. They were oblivious to everything except each other, trust me.”

  Aunt Wendy nodded, encouraging April to continue, but Debbie cut her off.

  “I’m never seeing him again, so even if what you said was true, which it isn’t, it doesn’t make a difference. I’m not here to meet anyone, so don’t even think of meddling in my personal business unless you’re invited, ok?” She looked April dead in the eyes as if daring her to continue the discussion about Luke.

  “All I’m saying is, a little flirtation might bring some excitement into your life when you most need it,” she said in self-defence.

  “I don’t need excitement and I definitely don’t need flirtation. I just want guys to leave me alone, and I want to be single. For a long, long time, I might add.”

  To a stranger, their verbal volleys might seem confrontational, and even hostile, but they knew each other best, and nothing was ever taken personally. Debbie loved this about their friendship.

  “Alright, if you say so,” said April, with raised eyebrows.

  They changed the subject and the rest of the dinner went smoothly. Still, Debbie couldn’t help but think about Luke. He had been so kind and sweet – more so than any man she had ever known. He was definitely nicer than her ex, who would have helped her but would probably have made her wait in the guest services cabin while he finished skiing rather than take her home right away.

  In any case, she’d probably never see him again, so the point was moot. She didn’t want a new relationship so soon after a breakup. In fact, sometimes she felt like she didn’t want another relationship ever. Not after she’d been burned so badly.

  Debbie and April stayed true to their plan and baked several batches of cookies over the course of Saturday and Sunday morning: double chocolate chip, which was soft and aromatic, raisin-oatmeal, which was their healthy offering, and gingerbread men, a Christmas staple in both of their families.

  Debbie was happy that April was there to keep her company – she couldn’t imagine being cooped up all alone in the chalet with her bad ankle.