A sloping green roof hung over the balcony. Guests occupied the tables and chairs on the porch, sipping hot chocolate and coffee and taking advantage of the majestic view of the hills bathed in sunshine. The lodge had yet to emerge from the mountain’s morning shadow.
Shelby saw a full-size, black SUV with the Bear Creek Hotel insignia parked near the front entrance. Her grin earned her a sharp look from Xan.
He pulled his car into a parking space, half cleared of snow, stopping on a crazy angle with one side of the vehicle a foot higher than the other. They were forced to reach across the seat to grab their coats and then struggle to climb out of the vehicle.
Shelby usually laughed at the games he played with his SUV, but this time, his fooling around just annoyed her. With careful steps, she started across the lot toward the lodge.
The driver of the black SUV stepped out and opened the back door of the vehicle.
Nasir unfolded his enormous bulk from the back seat and then stepped aside, allowing Hakim to climb out.
Now that Hakim wasn’t wearing a hat, Shelby saw his hair was thick, dark, and short, combed forward in a Caesar-style. He wore the black designer ski coat, ski pants, and thick winter boots. Again, the image of him as a ski catalog model entered her mind.
Shelby felt her heartbeat quicken when she saw his white smile. As she approached, she returned his wave. “I’d like you to meet my boss, Xander Donovan. Xan, these are my friends, Hakim and Nasir.”
“I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Donovan. Thank you for allowing us to join you, today.” Hakim extended his hand.
“Sure, no problem.” Xan responded in a gruff voice as he shook Hakim’s hand.
“And of course, I am pleased to see you again, Shelby Jo Walker.” Hakim took her hand in both of his.
Xan pulled back and grimaced when Nasir offered his hand.
“Thank you so much for the flowers. They’re beautiful.” Shelby ignored Xan’s discomfort and focused on Hakim.
“You are very welcome.” Hakim continued to hold her hand in both of his.
She loved his elegant manners. She lifted her gaze to meet his dark eyes, and her stomach fluttered.
“You must be Shelby from Wintersports,” a voice boomed from behind her.
Startled, Shelby whirled.
A middle-aged man, wearing a dark blue parka with the Canyon Rim logo embroidered on his sleeve strode toward the group. Roy Barker looked almost exactly as she’d pictured him from his voice on the phone. He wore his hair in an army-style crew cut, and his nose and cheeks were a ruddy red from hours in the sun and cold.
“Hi, Roy. Nice to meet you in person.” Shelby lifted her hand to indicate the other men. “These are my friends, Hakim and Nasir, and my boss, Xander Donovan.” From Xan’s stony expression, Shelby got the feeling he was annoyed she had referred to him again as her “boss” instead of her “friend.”
“It’s a real pleasure.” Roy shook each of the men’s hands. “I’m glad Shelby listened to my advice and brought along her friends. But enough of this chit-chat, I think you’re all here to do some riding, right? So, come on inside, and let’s getcha suited up!”
Shelby walked with the group up the stairs into the lodge, admiring the wide open space of the main room. A large stone fireplace with a pair of antique snowshoes hanging over the mantel dominated the main room. Comfortable couches and chairs were placed throughout. Huge picture windows took up the entire back wall, framing a view of the porch and the mountain beyond. A rustic wooden staircase led to the second story. Shelby assumed the doors upstairs belonged to the guest rooms.
Roy led them to a smaller meeting room. He indicated the upholstered chairs that faced a wooden table. On top of the table, he placed a duffle bag.
Shelby chose a seat next to Hakim.
Xan sat on the other side of her, draping his arm across the back of her chair.
Ignoring him, Shelby scooted forward to the edge of her seat.
Nasir leaned back in his chair, causing it to creak beneath his weight.
Roy stood behind the table. “Company policy requires me to review safety procedures.” He removed some equipment from the bag. “Okay, first off, we just need to go over your gear. Strapped on each vehicle is a pack identical to this. Inside’s a shovel, a probe, a first aid kit, and water.” As he spoke, he held up the items. “And each rider will need one of these.” He counted out five long straps from a hook on the wall. A small, red box with a digital display hung from each strap. He passed them out, holding up the last one. “This is an avalanche transceiver. Any of you ever used a locator beacon?”
Seeing Shelby and Xan nod, Roy directed his explanation to Hakim and Nasir. “All right, when we set out, everybody sets their beacon to ‘transmit.’ If somebody were to get buried in the snow, the rest of us would flip our switches to ‘receive’ and we’d pick up the missing person’s signal.”
Hakim quietly translated for Nasir.
“Now, you fasten it around your waist and over one shoulder, like—” Roy snapped his head to the side. “Is something wrong?”
Nasir argued with Hakim. The larger man shook his head while Hakim reassured him, but Nasir was obviously upset by something.
“Is everything okay?” Shelby touched Hakim’s shoulder.
“Yes, please excuse Nasir. He is only concerned for my—I mean, all of our safety.”
Roy held up a hand. “While avalanches are always a danger, we check out the trail every day and keep an eye on the snow pack. The area where we’ll be riding has been cleared as safe. In my twenty-five years of leading snowmobile trips, I’ve never had to use any of the avalanche equipment. The worst things I’ve seen were a few broken bones or occasional dehydration.”
Hakim spoke softly to Nasir.
Nasir eventually nodded, although his folded arms and frustrated expression told a different story.
Shelby leaned forward in her chair as she watched the interaction. Although she could not understand a word of what was being said, she saw them make some sort of a truce, though they didn’t reach an understanding. She chewed on her lip, worried that either of her guests would feel uncomfortable.
Hakim did not look at Nasir. He stood, slipped his transceiver over his head, and put an arm through the strap, then reached behind his back, fumbling for the other end.
“You got it all twisted.” Shelby took the buckle and reached her arms around his waist, straightening the belt to attach the two ends.
Hakim stood still. “Thank you.”
She raised her gaze to respond, only then noticing how close they stood. When she saw his gaze locked onto hers, she sucked in a breath and her heart tripped. She realized she still held onto the belt around his waist and released it. “No problem.” She quickly grabbed her own transceiver and fastened the strap.
When they were all suited up, the group followed Roy out of the meeting room, through the main area of the lodge, and out the door to the back porch.
Shelby walked down the stairs which were much shorter on the back side of the building to the group of snowmobiles Sunlight was spreading across the lodge and the meadow, causing the shadow of the mountain to shrink.
Hakim stepped outside and gazed at the stunning view.
Shelby watched, her throat growing tight as he scanned the splendor of nature. At the realization that he’d turned and she was now looking into his direct gaze, she jumped. Caught.
****
Hakim paid close attention to Roy’s basic instructions: left hand brake, right hand gas.
“Before we head up the trail, we can practice out here in the field until you’re comfortable with the vehicles.” Roy pointed toward the line of machines parked in the shade of the lodge.
Hakim climbed onto a snowmobile and studied the machine, unsure of how to start it.
Shelby approached, smiling as she pointed to the key in the ignition. “Ready to try it out?”
Hakim thanked her. He turned the key, and the engine r
oared to life. It vibrated beneath him, and he experienced a moment of uncertainty, realizing he had no idea what to do.
Shelby climbed on behind him.
His heart leapt, and he tensed a bit. A woman had never touched him so casually before.
She leaned over his shoulder, pointing to the lever on the right handlebar. “There’s the accelerator. Give it some gas.”
Hakim squeezed the lever, and the machine shot forward.
Shelby wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.
They passed Nasir with Roy on the back of his machine, nearly standing in order to see over the larger man’s shoulders.
Before long, Hakim grew comfortable driving the snowmobile. Figuring out every time he accelerated or turned sharply Shelby’s arms tightened around his waist also didn’t take him long. They had a jerky ride as he took advantage of this new-found fact. Hakim tried to concentrate on driving, instead of on the warmth of Shelby’s body as she clung tight.
After twenty minutes of practice, Hakim followed Nasir and Roy to where Xan waited by the rest of the snowmobiles. Hakim was disappointed to feel the cool winter air on his back after Shelby dismounted. He missed her touch already. Does Shelby feel the cold, too?
Shelby and Roy climbed onto their own machines.
Roy checked everyone’s transceivers one more time, making sure they were all set to ‘transmit.’ He indicated for them to put on their helmets, and the group set off.
The beautiful scenery in the back-country mountains amazed Hakim. Once he left the meadow behind the lodge, he saw the pristine snow was only blemished by the pressed snowmobile trail and lines of various animal tracks crossing between the scattered trees. The sun glittered on the snow, and he was glad his goggles protected his eyes from the glare.
Xan led the way, followed by Shelby, Hakim, and Nasir. Roy brought up the rear. Xan showed obvious skill as an experienced snowmobiler. Any time the trail opened up, he gunned his engine and circled back around in the powder.
A tinge of jealousy roiled in Hakim’s stomach. Do Xan’s skills impress Shelby?
After observing Xan a few times, Shelby signaled for Hakim to follow her off the trail. She flew through the powder.
With a cautious move, he turned his vehicle to join her. Too late, Hakim realized snowmobiling in powder required constant speed to stay on top of the light snow. By the time he figured it out, his snowmobile had already begun to sink. He pushed on the accelerator, but snow covered the runners.
Nasir followed, and when he stopped, his snowmobile immediately sank in the snow behind Hakim’s.
Shelby circled back to the trail and onto the packed snow.
Hakim drummed his fingers against his legs. The snow was too deep to do anything but wait as Shelby hiked toward them with Xan and Roy to help dig out the two vehicles. Hakim and Nasir both dismounted, sinking in three feet of powder. Since he had no idea how to dig out their machines, Hakim watched as Xan and Roy pointed the snowmobiles in the right direction.
Then Nasir helped lift the backs of the runners to knock snow off the track.
Once they had enough traction, they powered the machines back to the others.
Nasir walked with Roy and Xan to the trail.
Hakim and Shelby waded back slowly, pushing through powder that rose past their knees. He followed her lead and removed his helmet, enjoying the cold air on his face.
“Having fun?” Shelby brushed away wavy strands of hair that escaped her ponytail. Her cheeks were flushed.
“Yes. However, I may need more practice before venturing into the deep snow. I apologize for sinking the vehicle.” Hakim was captivated by her bright eyes.
“It’s definitely not the last time we’ll be digging out a machine. It’s all part of the experience,” Shelby said with a playful laugh. “That’s why snowmobilers are so tired by the end of the day. It’s a lot of work. You’ll probably sleep like a baby all the way to Kentucky tomorrow.”
At the reminder, Hakim’s spirits fell. “I will be sorry to leave. This vacation has been quite an adventure. And I will especially be sorry to say goodbye to you, Shelby Jo Walker.”
Shelby looked away.
He thought he could see the color on her face deepen as she chewed her bottom lip.
The two of them hiked through the thick powder, each lost in their own thoughts. A white rabbit scampered across the snow in front of them.
“Do you have rabbits in Khali-dar?” Shelby asked.
“Yes. Hares. Not small like this. My father and I see them often when we hunt.”
“You sound like my brother, Chet. He sees any sort of wildlife and immediately thinks about hunting it down and slaughtering it.” Shelby shook her head and smiled.
He studied her expression. Her face had softened as she spoke about her family. “And you are not a hunter?”
“I guess—I’ve gone out on the deer hunt with my dad and Chet, but I’m not much of a cold-blooded killer.” Shelby paused. “Unless it comes to snowball fights.”
An explosion of white powder hit his chest, causing Hakim to startle. He froze. How dare she strike a prince! He heard Shelby giggle and scurry away through the deep snow. His incensed attitude dissipated as a smile grew on his face.
Nasir immediately started toward him.
Hakim held up a hand to stop him, then picked up a small handful of snow and lobbed it in Shelby’s direction. The ball missed. Pathetic. He grimaced.
“Is that all you’ve got?” she teased, her voice muffled by the tree she hid behind. She hit him with another shot.
Hakim crept to the other side of the tree and tugged on a heavily-laden branch, releasing its load of snow.
Powder showered down on her, and Shelby squealed. She pulled her ponytail from her hood and shook the snow out of her hair. “You’re in serious trouble now, Mister.”
Fighting to hold in his laughter, Hakim raised his eyebrows. “Oh yes? I think I have held my own quite admirably in my first snowball fight.”
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but I’m pretty competitive.” She wagged her finger in his direction. “And now I’ve got revenge on my mind.”
“Hel-lo? Are we riding today or playing in the snow?”
They looked toward the group waiting by the snowmobiles.
“I’d almost forgotten about those guys.” Shelby rolled her eyes at Xan’s exasperated tone and winked.
“I wish I could spend more time alone with you, Shelby Jo,” Hakim replied in a low voice.
Shelby met his gaze and opened and closed her mouth. Then, she bit her lip again and walked back to the trail.
He followed, irritated with himself for making such a bold statement. He had only a few hours left with Shelby as “Regular-guy-Hakim” and he mustn’t make their time together strained, or allow his inner struggles to cause either of them discomfort. Soon enough, he’d resume his responsibilities as Prince of Kahli-dar. If only the time would not end so soon.
****
Xan held up his fist as a signal to stop, pointing up the mountain to a group of pine trees.
Looking closer, Shelby saw a large bull-moose camouflaged in the shade. His early-spring antlers were only about half the size of what they’d be in a few months, but they were still impressive. She twisted in her seat to check if Hakim had spotted it and was rewarded with a “thumbs-up” and a heart-melting smile.
Shelby turned back and tried to concentrate on the trail. Did Hakim really mean what he said about wanting to spend more time with her? Why was she letting her feelings for him deepen when she knew he would be leaving tomorrow? Come on, I need to just enjoy myself and stop with the day-dreaming already. But no matter how she tried, she couldn’t get the image of those dark eyes out of her head.
After a few more miles, Roy pulled ahead and signaled for a stop. He switched off his engine and motioned for the others to do the same. They were on the edge of a huge bowl carved out of the mountainside. The rounded depression appeared as if it had
been scooped out with a giant melon-baller. The far rim cast a shadow that bent with the curve of the mountain, splitting it vertically.
“Here’s a good place to take a break and make sure you get some fluids,” Roy instructed. “What do you all think so far?”
“You’ve got great equipment.” Xan smacked his hand on one of the snowmobiles. “I’m loving these Arctic Tigers. You got 800 C.C.’s under the hood?”
“You better believe it. Just wait until we crest that hill. There’s a huge meadow on the other side. Then you can really open these cats up and see what they’re made of.” Roy pushed his hand forward with his palm down to illustrate his point. “Cruising across all that open powder on one of these babies makes you feel like you’re floating on air.”
Shelby left Xan and Roy to their snowmobile talk. She removed her helmet and walked back to where Hakim and Nasir leaned against their machines, drinking from their water bottles. Stretching her legs and getting sensation back into her rear end felt good.
Hakim looked up and smiled. He joined her, and they strolled a little closer to the edge, admiring the spectacular scenery.
Nasir remained near the snowmobiles.
Shelby looked across the bowl. “It’s an amazing view, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is,” Hakim said, his gaze never leaving her face.
Shelby’s breath caught, and her heartbeat sped. But any response she might have made was interrupted by Roy calling them all over.
“I need to give a little instruction.” He held his helmet under his arm and used both hands as he talked. “Going across this bowl is the most dangerous part of our route. Fresh snow on top of packed snow is never great. Also, the shape of the mountain and the direction it faces causes the snow to melt and re-freeze more often, making it less stable than other places. To minimize the weight on the snow, our safest course is to cross one at a time.” Roy turned toward Nasir while he spoke. “I’ll tell you right now I’ve crossed this bowl hundreds of times with no incidents. But our policy is to be as safe as possible in the back country.”
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