by Stacy Finz
Foster pressed against the rope. Without the proper credentials, he couldn’t get in the VIP section. “I brought you these.” He passed them coffees.
Deb cupped hers and held it to her nose, enjoying the steamy warmth. “You’re a king among men.”
A voice came over the PA system, announcing the first skier, a name Deb vaguely recognized. The truth was, she hadn’t kept up with the sport for a while. Not since TJ and Win had left the circuit. Josh raised his binoculars, while Deb watched on the judge’s screen. The skier had an impressive ride until midway down the mountain, when he accelerated off a cliff and wiped out in the snow.
“That’s gonna leave a mark,” Colt said. Deb didn’t think he’d score.
The second competitor had a better run, performing a 360 off a sharp peak that had the crowd roaring.
“Whoa, that’s some nice freestyling.” Josh handed her the binoculars.
Matt Adache was up next. Deb had known him for ages and, unlike the young guns, he was in his thirties.
“Holy hell, you see that?” Colt watched the screen as Matt hucked a crazy backflip, then ate it, losing one of his skis in the process. “Ouch. That’s gotta hurt.”
Hannah and Delaney joined them just as Angel Gonzalez—another old friend of Deb’s—executed a perfect no-fall cliff drop that left everyone’s mouth hanging open.
“She’s the one to beat so far.” Colt helped Delaney under the rope.
“Anyone hear from TJ?” Hannah reached around Josh and stuck her hands in his jacket pockets. Watching it made Deb’s heart ache. She shook her head, and Hannah pursed her lips in disappointment.
“There’s plenty of media here,” Delaney said, trying to be optimistic. “CNN scheduled an interview with me. I’ll be plugging the adventure line. Hopefully, that’ll help.”
Deb crossed her fingers. A big fashion icon like Delaney. . . well, it certainly couldn’t hurt. But the audience they were trying to reach were more outdoorsy and sporty than couture. While Delaney appealed to the trend conscious, Deb didn’t know how seriously she was taken as an adventure wear designer. She was still unproven to this crowd, who were hard-core about their gear and equipment.
They continued to watch as each participant performed two minutes of heart-stopping tricks down the mountain, including midair spins, massive 360s, and big cliff drops.
“Bam!” Josh cringed as one of the competitors kneed himself in the face, dripping blood from his nose and mouth.
As they neared the end of the list, Deb got antsy. In her opinion, Angel had had by far the best run to this point. Colt and Josh, on the other hand, liked a guy Deb had never heard of. Kel Jarvis. But the judges would wait until the end, when they could compare video side by side.
Gray Garner ducked under the rope and held it up for Mary “There’s some tough competition.” They both joined the huddle. “I’m liking that Kel fellow.”
“Angel was wonderful,” Mary said.
“Don’t count Win out.” Gray draped his arm around Mary, and Deb’s chest squeezed. Two generations of Garner couples in her face.
The MC announced TJ’s name and Deb held her breath. “Teddy must’ve forgotten to scratch him and add Win.” She’d rectify the mistake as soon as Win made it to base.
They all focused on the top of the mountain, but it was hard to see from the rotor wash of the helicopter. Then boom, Win emerged from the fog, bombing down a death-defying line, including crushing three cliff drops in a row, then hucking a mind-blowing backflip.
Whoa; not Win’s usual style. He was definitely showy but typically a little sloppy. But today, pure precision on a grand scale. They watched him do a few more aerials, including a full twist on the first flip of a double somersault that boggled the mind it was so beautiful.
“He’s in rare form,” Josh said while the others shielded their eyes to block out the glare of the sun.
Gray kept his gaze pinned on the big screen as Win performed a Randy—a flip with two and a half twists.
Colt squinted. “Let me see those binoculars.” Josh handed him the glasses, and Colt peered up at the slope. “Holy crap, that’s TJ.”
“No way,” Josh said and examined the judges’ video screen. “You’re right. When the hell did he get here?”
Deb practically strangled Colt, trying to get the straps of the field glasses off his neck and watched TJ shred the rest of the line. He faltered two-thirds of the way, taking a jump wrong, but quickly recovered. It would definitely cost him some points but . . . Oh my God !
“I always knew he was the man.” Josh pounded Colt on the back. “We’re gonna win this mother!”
“We’re?” Colt hitched a brow. “From where I’m standing, it looks like TJ’s doing all the work.”
Mary gripped Gray’s arm and watched the live video feed intently. Every time TJ performed a trick, Gray pumped his fist in the air.
Hannah scanned the crowd. “Where’s Win, then?”
Deb couldn’t take her eyes off TJ. He was amazing to watch, pure litheness. No matter where he placed, he’d made her so proud. But why hadn’t he told her that he planned to compete?
As he made it to the bottom of the mountain, the crowd roared with approval. Colt and Josh ducked under the rope and shouldered their way through the horde to get to TJ. Deb started to follow, but self-doubt stopped her. If he’d wanted to see her, he would’ve called. In all the excitement, Hannah and Delaney gathered her up in a hug.
“You did it,” Delaney said. “I predict you’ll be slammed with orders on Monday.”
“We don’t know if he won yet,” though Deb didn’t think it would matter. His performance alone might be enough to put their little store on the map.
“Go congratulate him.” Hannah gave her a gentle shove.
“I will. I’m waiting for the spectators to thin out,” she lied. What she wanted to do was get the heck out of Dodge before the entire Garner family witnessed her humiliation. It seemed pretty clear—to her, at least—that she and TJ were over. He’d all but said it after she’d declared her love for him.
What about us?
I don’t know, Deb. I just don’t know.
He may as well have said that he didn’t love her. That she wasn’t worth fighting for.
“TJ freaking crushed it.” Win jogged up, a big grin splitting his face.
“At first, we thought it was you,” Hannah said, and Win went on to tell them how TJ had shown up in the eleventh hour, and how’d they’d switched clothes under the bleachers.
In all the excitement, Deb snuck away and went home. Her work here was done.
* * *
TJ found a parking space in front of the diner, climbed out of his truck, and took the stairs to Deb’s apartment two at a time. She opened the door before he could knock, her ski boots slung over her shoulder.
“Congratulations,” she said. “You killed it today. What you did on that mountain was awe-inspiring. But if you’re here to officially dump me, consider it done. I’ll have my resignation on your desk by Monday. Now, I’m going skiing; kindly move out of my way.”
He took the boots from her, dropped them on the floor, and pulled her hard against his chest. “I’m here to tell you that I’ve loved you since you were a kid. That I never stopped loving you, not the entire time I was away at college, not when I came home to run GA, not ever. And I’ll never stop. You’re in my blood, Deb Bennett.”
She pushed off his chest, looked up at him, her heart in her eyes. “I guess we better go inside.”
“Inside would be good.” He followed her, kicked the door closed, and kissed her with the same intensity and passion he’d felt up on the mountain. All in.
His hands were in her hair, tilting her head back, and his mouth covered hers.... God, she tasted good. Like coming-home good. She was hugging him for all she was worth, and for the first time in a week, he felt right with the world.
“Do you love me?” he asked against her lips, and she broke away and slugged hi
m.
“I already told you I did, but you didn’t believe me.”
“Tell me again,” TJ said and hauled her against him, his arms circling around her. He needed to have her close . . . to hear her say it.
“I love you, TJ. I’ve loved you forever. Long before Win, when we were just kids.”
And with those words, he felt himself relax. He felt the vice squeezing his chest loosen and he let out a breath.
“You were the one I wanted, but I never thought I could have you.” Her eyes filled. “And TJ, I’m really, really mad at you.”
He forced himself not to smile. “What can I do to make it up to you?”
She grabbed his jacket in both her fists and yanked him down for another kiss.
Bang, bang, bang.
“What the—” Someone was pounding on the door.
“Let us in, asshole.”
“Shush,” TJ whispered. “If we’re quiet, they’ll go away.”
The banging continued. It sounded like a herd of elephants running across Deb’s entryway.
“Oh for God’s sake.” She let go of TJ and opened the door. Win, Josh, and Colt stood there, their faces pink from the cold.
“It’s about time,” Josh said, rubbing his hands together. And the three of them muscled their way in. “The judges gave you third place.”
“Third?” Deb grabbed her cell phone off the couch. “That’s bullshit. I’m calling Ted.”
Colt pulled the phone out of her hand and looked them both over. “What were you doing in here?”
TJ grabbed Colt’s arm and started to walk him to the door. “Time for the three of you to leave.”
Win sprawled out on the couch and grabbed the remote control.
“What the hell are you doing?” TJ threw his hands up in the air.
“I want to see if you made the evening news.” Win turned on the TV and channel surfed.
TJ grabbed the remote out of his hand and flicked off the power. “TiVo it at your own house.”
“Don’t you want to know what happened after you left?” Josh asked.
“Not particularly. But you know what would be really great? You leaving.”
“Wait a minute.” Deb looked at Colt, then back at Win and Josh. “What happened?”
The three of them rushed TJ, tackled him to the floor, and in unison shouted, “You won the People’s Choice for first place.” They all began pounding his back at the same time.
“Would you get the hell off me?” TJ shoved at Colt because he was the biggest. “Deb and I have stuff to talk about.”
“Dude, did you hear us?” Win shouted. “The people loved you.”
Every year, White Crush let spectators choose their favorite performance with voting on the event’s website. It wasn’t the Olympics, but, yeah, it was something. TJ got up and Deb threw her arms around him.
“You won, then,” she said and started kissing his face over and over again.
Colt looked at them, then kicked Josh in the butt. “Let’s go. We’ve outworn our welcome.”
“You think?” TJ said and lifted Win off the floor by the collar of his jacket.
Win grabbed TJ around the waist. “You did it, man! Group hug.”
The next thing TJ knew, he and Deb were sandwiched between his crazy-ass brothers.
“Let’s not get carried away,” TJ said. “I came in third.”
“No,” Colt said. “You came in first! The people are always right.” He grabbed Win and Josh. “We’re out of here. Carry on with whatever you were doing.” And the three of them walked out the door, leaving them to celebrate in private.
“Where were we?” TJ backed Deb against the wall.
“Here.” Deb molded herself against him, and they made out for a good long time before she dragged him to the couch, where they made out some more.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going to compete?” she asked.
TJ rubbed his chin. “It was sort of a last-minute decision. The truth: I was scared shitless, but I didn’t want to disappoint you.”
“I’m sorry, TJ. I never meant to put you in an uncomfortable situation. I had no idea that—”
“Shush.” He kissed her. “Back to you loving me.”
“Forever.” She brushed his still-warm lips with her finger. “But I’m serious about leaving Garner Adventure. I don’t want you to lose money because you were trying to help me. You don’t need the pressure, TJ. I want you to be happy.”
He looked into her brown eyes and saw so much love there that it slayed him. “Deb, I was never going to let you go, not from the company . . . not from my life. Ever.”
“TJ—”
“Shush.” He rested his forehead against hers. “The job’s yours, Bennett. And you’re mine. Let’s start the next adventure together.”
Epilogue
One year later
Nature had accommodated them with freshly fallen snow, giving Deb the wedding she’d always dreamed of. She wore a white Colt and Delaney ski outfit and TJ wore black. A hundred of their best friends and family were gathered at the bottom of Royal Slope, where Rita Tucker was set up to officiate.
“You ready?” TJ gave her a quick kiss, then flipped his goggles over his eyes. “Let’s do it, baby.”
“Wait a sec.” She grabbed his arm. “Before we say our vows in front of everyone, I want to tell you something in private.”
“What’s that?” He grinned like a loon.
“That I love you and that you make me so happy I don’t know what to do with myself. Thank you for being my dream man.”
He winked. “Right back at you.” This time he kissed her long and slow. “I love you, Deb. Always have, always will.”
If they didn’t have everyone waiting, she would’ve liked to have stayed in his arms for a while longer. She never tired of their marathon make-out sessions. “We have to go, don’t we?”
“Yep. But tomorrow, honeymoon.”
Mmm. Honeymoon. They were going to Aspen for a week of R&R and skiing. The last year, they’d both worked hard. TJ to find more balance in his life and she’d turned herself into a hard-core businesswoman.
The online store was now responsible for 30 percent of GA’s profits. No one, not even TJ, had projected that kind of volume. She’d used a combination of social media, word of mouth, and targeted marketing to grow the venture. And, of course, it helped that their merchandise was phenomenal and that they had Delaney’s star power pushing it. But in the end, it had been TJ’s People’s Choice award in White Crush and her tent jacket that had fueled the turnaround.
Not only had she made a success of GA’s retail division, but she’d helped pick up the slack so TJ could conduct more tours and have more leisure time to do the things he loved, including her.
“Ready?” TJ nudged her ahead.
Unlike normal, when they would’ve torn down the run at breakneck speed, she and TJ took their time, traversing the trail and commemorating this perfect moment. This had been the wedding she used to joke about with Foster. Funny, how just when you thought life had ripped you off, it threw you the greatest gift of all.
When they finally reached the bottom to a crowd of cheers, Win moved into the best man slot and Hannah took her place as maid of honor. Rita shushed the attendees as she prepared to lead the ceremony. With the mountains covered in snow, it truly was a white wedding day. Even the sun cooperated, peeking through the clouds and shining its blessing on the ceremony. Colt, Josh, and Foster ushered everyone to their seats. Unlike TJ, they’d worn suits. The bridesmaids—Darcy and Delaney—shimmered like icicles in their silver dresses. Later, for the party at the Four Seasons, Deb planned to change into the wedding gown Delaney had specially designed for her.
Before reciting their vows, Deb took a minute to peer at the guests. Mary Garner and Deb’s mom were already dabbing their eyes with tissue. Boden was flanked by a stunning blonde Deb had never seen before. Rachel, who’d been put in charge of the hot toddy and hot cocoa bar, was
rushing to grab a seat. Carrie Jo and Jack waved from the second row, while Morris Finkelstein tried to untangle himself from a bright plaid blanket. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Felix, who, in a rare moment, smiled.
Rita stumbled through her prepared remarks. A public speaker she was not. But Deb wouldn’t have anyone else. Here in these mountains she called home, surrounded by the most important people in her life, she loved and felt loved.
When it came time for the Do you take . . . exchange, Deb slipped her hand into TJ’s, gently squeezed, and mouthed the words, I want you.
His blue eyes swam with amusement—and pure adoration. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “I want you, right back.”