by Sylvia Blake
“Say what!? Is it about me? Spit it out, you can’t back out now!” Debbie’s heart started to beat faster, and she had no idea what this rumor was. I step out of town for a few days, and people are already talking about me? The thought depressed her and made her anxious.
“Well, word on the street is that things aren’t going so well for Jake and…her,” April began. None of Debbie’s friends dared mention her name directly, and she was always referred to as “her”.
Debbie took a deep breath and her eyes widened. She sat straight up in bed. This came totally out of left field and she had no idea how to respond or even how to feel. That day may have been the first day she managed not to think of Jake at all, and suddenly her streak was gone. Now, she wasn’t sure whether it would be a better idea to get more details, or to just let sleeping dogs lie.
“Hmm, I see.”
There was silence on the other end, then April said, “Well, don’t you wonder what’s going on? I don’t mean to be nosy, but I’m so curious! Do you think there’s a chance you’ll get back together with him?”
“April! He cheated on me! Do you really think I’d ever give him another chance? Not in a million years! In my opinion, once you break that trust, it’s gone, and there’s no more trust and there’s no more love. Once those are gone, they’re gone forever.” She paused because she was out of breath. “So, to answer your question, there is no chance whatsoever. At all. Never!”
April heaved a deep breath. “Ok, got it. Don’t get upset at me, I just wanted to know how you were feeling. I hope you’re ok with everything. It must be hard to handle.”
“Yeah, it is. And I’m not mad. I just wanted to make sure we’re clear on this. When you talk to Mary or whoever, and if this comes up, make sure to tell them what I told you, ok? I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”
“Ok, sure hon. Sorry again if I upset you.”
“No problem, sweetie.”
“We’ll talk again before I come up, promise?”
“Yeah, promise.”
Debbie hung up the phone and lay back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She wondered if the rumor was true. Were Jake and she really about to break up? And why? Did it have anything to do with her? Maybe Jake realized she was the one and was out this very minute shopping for an engagement ring. Then she made a face to herself and shook her head. There was no way she would ever get back together with him. Trust was of the utmost importance to her in a relationship. Without it, there was nothing. And in her opinion, once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
She looked at her phone, tempted to pull up his profile on Facebook and see whether there was anything new there. She swiped and started entering her password to unlock it, but stopped and put it back down. That was not going to help her get over him. The best thing to do was to keep busy, or try a new hobby – like learning how to ski, for example! She reached over and picked up a new book she had brought with her from home and tried to put Jake out of her mind for good.
Chapter 9
The scent of fresh coffee hit Debbie as she swung open the door of the Starbucks where she’d agreed to meet Luke. It was fully decorated for Christmas, and the notes from “White Christmas” played over the speakers.
It was Tuesday, the day of their first ski lesson, and she was wondering why she had ever agreed to it. Her heart was already racing as she remembered barreling down the hill at full speed – or as fast as one could ski down the bunny hill.
Her cheeks flushed pink – she still couldn’t believe that she had almost run over all those kids. Maybe Luke can get her one of those harness things that she saw the kids wearing during their lessons, and if she went out of control, he can just pull her back. She chuckled just thinking about it.
She looked around, but didn’t see him. She knew she was a bit on the early side, so she didn’t mind that he wasn’t there yet. The aroma of coffee was too much to resist; she ordered a mocha with whipped cream and stood in line to wait for her order.
“Hey, Debbie?”
It was a familiar voice, and she smiled as she turned towards it. Luke stood before her, looking even handsomer than she remembered. He was also very tall, which she hadn’t really noticed before. The corners of his lips curled up in a subtle smile.
“Hi Luke! I just ordered a coffee. Sorry I didn’t wait for you, I just needed my fix right now.”
“That’s ok. You’ve gotta have what you’ve gotta have, isn’t that the saying?”
“Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that one,” Debbie said, chuckling. “Are you going to get something, too?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll go get in line. See you in a bit.”
She nodded and waited for her mocha. When it arrived, she licked some of the whipped cream off the top and looked around for a table. She spotted one small, lonely table with two seats at the other end of the room. Luke stood right in her path, and as she tried to squeeze by, he inadvertently backed up a bit, and she brushed against him.
She pulled back quickly as he turned around, and she noticed, quite embarrassed, that her cheeks felt warm under his gaze. She was sure she was as red as a lobster.
“Sorry,” he said apologetically, smiling.
“That’s ok. Our table’s right over there,” she said, pointing to the empty table, and she made her way over and sat down beside the window.
She gazed out at the gently falling snow and the skiers and snowboarders making their way to the hills, kids lugging their skis, trying not to fall over, and smiling parents pulling their toddlers on toboggans. She smiled, enjoying the view, thinking that no one seemed to have a care in the world here. This place truly was magical, it seemed.
“Earth to Debbie,” she heard suddenly.
She snapped out of her reverie and looked up at Luke just as he sat down.
“Sorry to interrupt you. You seem very deep in thought.”
“I was just thinking how beautiful this place is. And how happy everyone is.”
“I told you it’s a great place. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world,” he said as he took a sip of his black coffee.
“Really? You never wonder what it would be like in the city?”
He shrugged. “Not really. I’ve got everything I need right here. My job, my family…friends. What else could I want?”
His response took her by surprise.
“I don’t know…what about nightlife? Going out with friends? I mean, what’s there to do here at night?”
He laughed. “Oh, you city girls…”
“Hey! Don’t generalize me like that! It’s not like I’m a party animal, but occasionally I want to put on a nice dress and go out on the town, that’s all.”
“Well, you’re right about that. A lot of people feel that way. I wake up too early to be out too late at night, to tell you the truth.”
“Even on the weekend?”
“Yes. On most Saturdays I give private lessons, and on Sundays I go over to my mom’s house for breakfast and take her to church.”
“I see…” she trailed off, watching his strong profile as he looked at the view outside the window.
“If you’re interested, there is a decent lounge right in the resort village. It’s called ‘Peaks’ and it gets pretty busy on the weekends. Saturday night is their busiest night. So, if you want to get dressed and dance, that’s your spot,” he said with a wink.
The resort village was located at the base of Rose Mountain, and consisted of hotels and various shops and restaurants.
“Thanks for the recommendation. I might check it out this weekend. Do you remember my friend, April? She’ll be coming up again, so we’ll try to pick a few places to go to.”
“Ok, great. You should try it. So,” he said, slapping his knees with his hands. “Are you ready to ski?”
She groaned. “Not really, but I guess I don’t have a choice,” she said as she stood and grabbed her bag.
“No, you don’t. You’ll just have to giv
e me a minute when we get to the hill. I’ll have to make an announcement over the loudspeakers.”
She looked at him questioningly, wondering what he was talking about.
“You know, for everyone under the age of 14 to vacate the hills,” he said with a loud laugh.
She couldn’t help it, she laughed too – but not before play-punching him on the shoulder. It occurred to her that he still didn’t mention that his family owned the resort’s largest hotel, but she didn’t want to bring it up herself.
He took her to rent her gear, and within ten minutes they were at the top of the bunny hill.
“Ok, don’t be scared. We’re not going down the hill just yet. I want to go over some of the basics with you first. And if at any point you want to stop, just let me know. This hill isn’t too steep – we can walk down if you’re uncomfortable at any point.”
She nodded and her eyes blinked behind her goggles. Small kids, no older than maybe three or four, were zig zagging down the hill and she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous and ridiculous. If they could do it, why couldn’t she?
As if reading her mind, he said, “Don’t compare yourself to them. It’s actually a lot easier for kids to learn than it is for adults. In fact, don’t compare yourself to anyone. You’re going to go at your own pace, and you’ll feel great afterwards, right?” He nodded his head as he said that, almost as if willing her to copy him.
“Right,” she said, nodding. A smile spread across her face. Her cheeks and nose were rosy – she was definitely feeling the effects of the cold air.
He went through the basics of posture, stopping, turning, and asked her if she felt comfortable going down the hill yet.
She looked down the hill and took a deep breath.
“Well, I guess it’s now or never.”
“Ok, great. I’ll go first, and I’ll go backwards in case…well, you know. It’s safer that way.”
She laughed. “Yeah, for everyone else.”
He waved off her joke and turned around, facing her and with his back to the bottom of the hill. He pushed his goggles to the top of his head, and she could see that his eyes were twinkling and smiling.
With her heart racing, she got into position. She bent her knees so she’d fall into a more relaxed pose, leaned forward slightly, and gave herself a push with the ski poles.
Her eyes were looking everywhere at once, trying to make sure that there was nothing and no one in her path. She lifted one leg ever so slightly up, and she managed to turn a bit. She repeated it on the other side, and suddenly she felt something resembling confidence.
“Great job, Debbie! You’re doing awesome!” she heard him yell at her. She looked up right at him, and somehow, she lost her balance and felt herself falling forward.
She saw Luke lunging for her, and two strong arms caught her before she fell over. Her momentum was too much for him, and he fell backwards, with her falling on top of him with a big thump.
She felt a slight pain in her arm, but looked up at him. He had fallen flat on his back and was still holding on to her.
“Are you ok?” he asked, raising his head to look at her.
Their faces were only two inches apart, and Debbie’s belly flip flopped. She could smell his cologne, but it was faint and understated.
“Yes, I’m fine, thanks. And you? I fell on you, didn’t you notice? I should be the one apologizing.”
His eyes searched her face. “You know, you’re really beautiful. I don’t understand how your ex could leave you,” he said.
She froze, and had no idea how to respond, so she went with what was standard in these situations.
“Thanks…” She trailed off as she stared into his eyes. They were such a deep brown, she felt like she’d drown in them if she didn’t look away.
She glanced up and saw a kid who couldn’t have been more than seven or eight staring at them from the magic carpet.
“Umm, we have an audience,” she said, before she reluctantly rolled off him and struggled to her feet. Her skis had come off and were strewn about in the snow. Luke got to work retrieving them, and returned to her once they were collected.
She felt an unmistakable spark as he held her arm to help her walk down the hill, and wondered whether she’d felt it all along and had just been in denial. She looked at him beside her. That strong, resolute jaw, the straight nose, and full lips. She couldn’t deny that he was extremely handsome, and he had just told her he thought she was beautiful.
He was quiet now. She hoped he didn’t regret what he had said to her moments earlier, and wondered what would’ve happened if she hadn’t rolled off him. Would he have kissed her? She’ll never know now, she figured.
Chapter 10
For the first time since she’d arrived, Debbie took a good long look around the guest room that was hers for the duration of her stay. The bed was sturdy and modern looking, with light pink and brown bedding. There was a desk in one corner, a full-sized wardrobe in the other, and a sleek, dark brown dresser along one of the walls. A large window let in plenty of light during daytime hours, but truth be told, she didn’t spend much time there during the day.
Aunt Wendy was in love with flowers, so there was a vase of tulips on the desk, just as there was a vase of freshly cut flowers in every room of the house. It was a nice touch. Debbie always wished that she had more of a flair for home décor, but all the magazines in the world didn’t do enough to motivate her.
She thought about her mom and how she always made their home beautiful and inviting. When she last visited her parents’ home over a week ago, it was already fully decorated for Christmas, the way it always was every year. She suddenly felt a pang; she did miss her family. Even her mom, who could be rather overbearing at times.
On an impulse, she grabbed her phone from her desk and called her mom. It rang a few times, and she was just about to give up, when she heard that familiar voice.
“Debbie! Honey, it’s so nice to hear from you.”
Debbie could hear the tv in the background, and her dad trying to yell into the phone.
“Hi, sweetie!”
“Hi, mom, hi dad!” She laughed at her dad, who was always trying to butt into her conversations with her mom.
“How are you? I hope you’ve gotten sufficiently bored there – are you coming home anytime soon? We miss you, and your father is getting bored without you.”
It was probably true; Debbie loved visiting, especially when her dad was home. They’d have long talks, laugh a lot, and just generally hang out together.
She smiled now, thinking about them both, and about Cathy.
“Mom, I don’t think I’m coming home just yet.” She took a deep breath. “Actually, Aunt Wendy gave me a job at her café, so I’ll be staying for a while.” She waited for her mom’s reaction.
“Oh, be serious, please.”
“I am, mom…”
“But, honey, what about looking for a job? And it’s the holidays, don’t you want to be with family, especially after what happened?”
She knew her mom was referring to Jake.
“I am with family, mom. Aunt Wendy’s being wonderful to me.”
“I’m sure she is, but I was talking about spending Christmas with us.”
Debbie sighed. “Mom, I promise I’ll visit. But for now, I want to stay away from anything that reminds me of…you know…”
“Ok, well, if I can’t change your mind, I won’t keep harping about it.” Her mother sounded a little put out.
“Give me that phone, Margaret, I want to speak to her.”
Her mom didn’t have a chance to protest, because her father grabbed the phone right out of her hand and was already talking to Debbie at a mile a minute.
“So, tell me, are you enjoying yourself, hon? Practicing skiing, or maybe just sitting in front of a fireplace, watching the snow from indoors?”
She laughed. “Yes, dad, I actually went skiing, can you believe it? I’m taking private lessons!”
She blushed, thinking about how she had ended up falling on top of Luke.
“Skiing? Margaret, did you hear that? She’s learning how to ski!” he called out to her mom.
“Yeah. Everything’s going fine here, dad. How about you guys? How’s Cathy?”
“She’s the same as usual, just a bit upset because her phone is broken and it’s taking some time to replace. Maybe that’s why you haven’t heard from her. She’s actually not home right now, otherwise I’d hand her the phone.”
She had been wondering what was going on with Cathy. She was a social media junkie, but hadn’t messaged her online for a few days. She made a mental note to call her sometime soon.
“When are you coming to visit us, dear?” he asked.
“I told mom just now that I’ll come closer to Christmas, and I guess I might spend Christmas there. We’ll see. I do want to see you, that’s for sure.”
“Well, no pressure, but it wouldn’t be the same without you.”
“I know, dad, I feel the same way. We’ll talk later, ok? And we’ll confirm everything.”
“Alright, hon. Take care of yourself. Bye,” he said.
“Bye, dad. Tell mom I said bye too.”
“Will do.”
She sighed as she hung up. The evenings were harder than the days, because it was a lot easier for her mind to wander all over the place when it was quiet and she was alone. Aunt Wendy had had to go out and speak to some suppliers, and she wasn’t back yet. It was almost 6pm, and Debbie started to wonder if she should just eat dinner alone.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Aunt Wendy.
“Hi hon, are you home?” asked Wendy with her characteristic enthusiasm.
“Yes, I am. Are you coming home for dinner?”
“Forget about dinner at home! Get in your car and come down to the resort village. Didn’t I tell you? It’s the opening of the Christmas market!”
If she listened real hard, Debbie could make out the sounds of Christmas music, and a small smile formed on her face. Suddenly, she felt a rush of energy and couldn’t wait to get out of the chalet and join the crowds down at the village. She changed into jeans and a pretty, pink turtleneck and headed downstairs. It was already dark outside and the Christmas lights that Wendy had put up reflected off her car. The chilly air hit her as she stepped outside, and she pulled her coat’s hoodie up over her head and jumped into her car.