“It’s not bad.”
“Well, hopefully you’ll get it all taken care of quickly. Just keep me posted.”
“I will, Mom.” As he hung up, he felt a twinge of guilt. It wasn’t that he’d lied to his mother, but he hadn’t told her the whole truth. He was usually more honest with his mother than anyone, but he’d held back for a couple of good reasons. First of all, he didn’t want to worry her about not making it to Arizona in time for Christmas. Even more than that, he didn’t want her to get her hopes up. He knew how she wanted him to find just the right girl. She worried that he was becoming a hermit or a lonely “confirmed bachelor” who would never marry and give her more grandchildren.
If his mother realized he’d delayed his travel plans for Emma, she would jump to conclusions. But West’s track record with women wasn’t impressive. For some reason he usually attracted the wrong ones, “gold diggers” as McKenzie liked to call some of them. Unfortunately, West had fallen for a pretty face before . . . and the outcome had been disappointing. Not only to him but his whole family. It was possible that he was wrong again—and he didn’t want to drag everyone down that path one more time.
“It’s too early to go to bed,” Gillian told Emma as they sat around the big rock fireplace where a large log was still burning. “It’s barely ten. Didn’t you get the memo? This is vacation. We stay up late and sleep in. Remember?”
“That’s right,” Harris agreed. “Don’t bail on us, Emma.”
“Yeah,” Grant chimed in. “No party poopers allowed on this vacation.”
Emma smiled patiently as she leaned against the tall log post. “But I heard Gil saying that being on vacation means you get to do whatever you want—isn’t that what you said when your parents turned in?”
“That’s because we wanted them to go to bed,” Gillian told her.
“But you get to stay up late with the grownups.” Grant grinned.
“I appreciate that, but I’m tired, and I have to get up early for a ski lesson in the morning.”
“Seriously?” Gillian blinked. “You already booked a lesson? You work fast, girl.”
Emma just nodded, not eager to confess she’d agreed to let the caretaker give her a lesson. She could just imagine Gillian’s reaction. Especially since she’d already expressed her opinions on the guy.
“Is it a private lesson?” Grant asked with interest. “Or can I come along? I need to brush up on some skills.”
“Oh, I thought Harris was going to help you,” Emma said lightly. Hopefully, Harris would take the hint that she didn’t want a lesson from him.
“Good point. I’m not sure I want anyone besides Harris to witness me flopping in the snow like a fish outta water.” He turned to Harris. “You okay with that?”
“Sure. But I’d like an early start. I want to hit that fresh powder before it’s all torn up by other skiers and riders.”
“What do you consider an early start?” Grant frowned.
“The lifts open at nine. So we should probably head out around eight or even earlier since we’ll need to rent skis for the week. Might be good to beat the rush.”
Grant let out a groan. “So much for sleeping in.”
“Well, anyway, I’m calling it a night,” Emma announced again. “See you all in the morning.”
“You won’t be seeing me in the morning,” Gillian said. “I’m on vacation.”
“Emma’s got the right idea.” Harris stood. “I’m hitting the hay too.”
“Yeah, guess I’ll call it a night.” Grant conceded.
“Killjoys!” Gillian yelled out. “You guys are a bunch of party poopers!”
“Good night, Gillian dear,” Emma called back sweetly. She knew it was pointless to engage with her right now. Hopefully she’d be in better spirits in the morning . . . or afternoon by the time she got up.
Emma hadn’t said much about her sleeping quarters, but she still felt certain she’d scored the best room in the house. It wasn’t fancy in the way that Gillian or her mom would appreciate, and Gil wouldn’t like the lack of closet space. But to Emma, it was perfect. The fabulous view had only gotten better as the sky turned dusky earlier. While alone in the house, Emma had just stared in wonder as the sunset transformed the snowy slope into shades of indigo blue and purple. Meanwhile the lights from the nearby ski lodge had glowed like golden torches. It had been absolutely magical.
It was still magical. So magical that she didn’t want to close the blinds. She got ready for bed in the bathroom then, snug in the big bed, she looked out the window, happily drifting to sleep with the gorgeous view still imprinted in her mind.
eight
Emma woke early the next morning. Eager to put on the ski clothes she’d gotten last week in Phoenix, she just hoped she’d chosen correctly. According to the sales girl who’d helped her—and who’d vetoed some of Gillian’s less practical suggestions—Emma should have exactly what she’d need for the slopes. Even though Emma had only chosen from the markdown rack, which Gillian had made fun of, it had stretched Emma’s budget. She’d rationalized that a ski vacation in Colorado was worth it. Hopefully, she wasn’t wrong.
“You’re up early,” Mr. Landers said when Emma went into the kitchen. “I just made coffee. Want some?”
“I’d love some.” She ran her hand over the granite countertop.
“Looks like you’re going to hit the slopes.” He handed her a steaming mug, then frowned. “But the boys already took off. Were they supposed to wait?”
“No. That’s okay.” She took a sip. “I’m having a private lesson this morning. I’m such a beginner—it seemed like a good idea.”
“Well, I hope you have fun. And be safe. I want to get up there too, but maybe not today. I promised to stick around with Lisa.” He filled another mug with coffee. “And I promised to bring her coffee in bed too.”
“I hope she slept well.”
“Well, she’ll probably complain,” he said. “But I heard her snoring. I think those pillows and things you found helped. Thanks, Emma.” He grinned. “It’s nice that you could come up here with us. Have a great day.” He held up the two mugs. “I better get back to my lady.”
Emma wasn’t very hungry, but it wasn’t eight yet, and she knew she’d probably need something to give her energy. She ate a yogurt and half a muffin then went out to the mudroom to discover West wasn’t there yet. Hopefully he wasn’t going to stand her up. Well, unless this was something he shouldn’t be doing. She didn’t know what the rules were for caretakers of beautiful homes like this, but he’d seemed pretty laid-back. She waited a bit, then returned to the kitchen for a second cup of coffee.
As she carried it back, she wondered if West might be one of those guys who worked as little as possible in order to ski as much as they could. Hopefully she hadn’t been mistaken to trust him. He seemed nice enough, but who knew? Gillian certainly hadn’t approved of him . . . but then Gillian didn’t approve of a lot of things that Emma liked.
“Good morning.” West popped into the room with a big smile, but he was still wearing jeans and the same flannel shirt from yesterday.
“Good morning.” She stood. “Are we still on for today?”
“You bet.” He looked at the coffee mug. “Any more of that?”
“Sure. Want me to get you some?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
West followed her into the kitchen, and as she filled a mug, he helped himself to one of the muffins sitting on the counter. They’d been left by the homeowner, along with some fruit and a few other staples. Perhaps that was part of the caretaker’s job.
“Where is everyone?” he asked, looking around.
She explained the others’ whereabouts as he doctored his coffee with cream and sugar. He obviously felt comfortable in this house and seemed to know where everything was located. “Nice ski togs,” he said with a crooked grin.
“Really? Or is something wrong?”
“No, I’m serious. They look like good choices.
Especially for a beginner.”
“Meaning?” Why did she feel he was teasing her?
“Meaning nothing, Emma.” He smiled. “You look great. And if you’ll excuse me for a minute, I need to check something in the laundry room.”
Emma wasn’t sure what to make of him, but it was comforting to see his familiarity with this house. She’d actually wondered if he could be an imposter. But he clearly seemed to be the caretaker.
When West came back into the kitchen, he had on a different plaid flannel shirt, but she decided not to mention it. “Ready to get going?” He set his mug in the sink.
“Whenever you are. I heard it’s good to get there early to rent skis.” She put the two mugs in the dishwasher.
“Oh, you’re not renting skis. Come on, I think we can get you set up.” He led her back to the mudroom. “As long as your feet aren’t too big or too small. What size are you anyway?”
“Eight,” she said hesitantly.
“Eight is great.” He picked up a pair of boots from the ones lined up on a high shelf. “These should work just fine.”
“But don’t they belong to the homeowners? I don’t think we should just—”
“It’s okay.” He handed them to her.
“But I don’t want you to get into trouble, West. I don’t mind renting something at the lodge and—”
“You won’t find anything as good as these for rent.”
“But the homeowners might not—”
“Don’t worry, it’s okay.” He grabbed a good-looking pair of boots for himself, setting them by the door, and then selected skis and poles, as well as goggles and a few other items that he put into a small duffel bag. “You take this and your boots and we’ll start loading up.” After a couple of trips, the skis were snapped onto the roof rack on top of the Jeep and everything else was stowed in the back. “Let’s go,” he said.
Emma felt uneasy as she got into the Jeep. It seemed West was a little too comfortable in his employer’s house. “Are you sure it’s okay to use all this stuff?” she asked as he drove down the snowy street. “I don’t want you to get into trouble or—”
“Trust me, it’s fine. My boss and I are like this.” He crossed his fingers with a mischievous grin.
“Okay.” She still wasn’t convinced, but she decided to take in the scenery instead. “This place is so beautiful,” she said as he drove through the quaint little town. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to live here.”
“It’s pretty great.”
“Was it the skiing that brought you here?”
“Pretty much. It’s nice to drive just a few minutes then hit the slopes.”
“Have you lived here for long?”
“Well, I’ve lived in Colorado for most of my life, except for a few years in Nashville, but I couldn’t wait to get out of there and back here. It was my dream to live in Breckenridge.”
“And to be a caretaker?” she asked.
He chuckled. “Now that’s a funny dream.”
“Well, if it allows you to ski as much as you like . . .”
“Good point. And I do get to ski almost as much as I like. But I have to work sometimes.” He parked. “Here we are.” He got out, and after helping Emma into her boots and borrowed goggles and gloves, he showed her how to carry her skis and poles. They walked toward the lodge. Rather, he walked, she sort of bumbled.
“Oh, wow.” She paused to gape at the slope. “That’s so high, West. Are you sure I’ll be able to do this?”
“Sure, this place has some of the best beginner slopes around. Lots of people come here to learn.”
“Really?” She started to walk and then stumbled, dropping her skis. “I can barely walk.”
“Don’t worry, skiing is easier than walking with this stuff.” He grinned. “Why don’t you wait out here while I get your pass.”
“I’ll give you some money.” She fumbled with a glove, ready to retrieve the cash she’d stashed in a pocket, but he stopped her.
“My, uh, boss, he has a special deal with the lodge. Your pass is free this week.”
“Oh?” She blinked. “Okay, then great. Thanks.” As she waited outside, she studied the slopes and wondered about West’s generous boss. Was the pass actually free? Had Harris and Grant gotten free passes too? But then West came back, and after attaching the pass to her parka, he began to lead her out into a less busy area.
“We’ll get you set up here and you can practice a little before we head for the beginner chair.” He showed her how to hold her poles, then knelt down to help guide her boots into the skis. “My best advice to you right now is just relax.”
“Okay.” She squinted up at the gleaming slope. “It’s bright.”
“Let me help you with your goggles.” He slipped them into place. “Now let’s move a little. Try to feel how the skis move on the snow with just your body weight. Try to relax and just naturally follow the motion. Sort of go with the flow.”
“Uh-huh.” She tried to do what he said, but she barely moved. “Go with the flow.”
“Yeah. That’s it.”
“This is fun,” she said as she continued to slide through the snow, increasing speed with him right next to her. “But if I get going too fast, how do I slow down? Or stop?”
“You want the beginner’s brakes?”
“Of course, I’m a beginner,” she declared.
“Just remember to relax. If you get all tense, it will be harder.”
“Okay. But tell me how to stop.”
“Watch me.” He moved ahead of her then pulled the tips of his skis together. “This is snowplowing and a beginner’s easiest way to stop. You just dig in your heels and push outward. Not too much.”
She did as he said, and to her amazement, she slowed down and eventually came to a complete stop. “Wow, that does work.”
“You’re a fast learner.” He grinned.
“Or you’re a good teacher.” She smiled back. “Thanks.”
He helped her practice going and slowing and stopping then explained how to catch a chairlift. “Again, the important thing is to relax. But be ready.” And just like that they were going up the hill.
“This is so great,” she told him. “I think I’m going to love skiing.”
“Well, it’s a little early to say for sure, but I have a feeling you’re going to be a natural. I can tell you’re athletic.”
“And I’ve always liked a challenge.”
“Well, hopefully, you won’t mind taking a tumble or two. That’s just par for the course.”
“I figured as much.”
“But if you stay relaxed, falling’s a lot less painful. Kind of like life.”
“That makes sense.” She looked up the mountain. “It’s so beautiful here—I can hardly believe this place is for real. You’re so fortunate to live here, West. I’d happily become a caretaker to live here.”
He laughed. “Well, who knows, maybe we can find you a position. And speaking of position, let’s get you ready to get off this thing.” He told her to slide to the edge of the chair and how to hold her poles. “When your skis come in contact with the snow, you will stand up and let the chair gently push you. Then just keep going.”
“Okay.” She took in a deep breath then did as he said, and once again it worked. “This is easier than I expected.”
He adjusted his goggles. “Well, it’s about to get a little harder, but I have a feeling you’ll manage just fine.”
She looked down the hill and slowly nodded. “Okay. Remind me what to do next.”
“Stay relaxed. Keep your skis parallel—until you need to slow down. Then just snowplow like we practiced. In fact, you should probably start out with a little snowplowing. Just to give you a feel for the slope. It’s surprising how a slight incline can really get you going. You want to control it.”
“Yes . . . control it.” Like she hadn’t been trying. “I think I’m ready.”
“I’ll just ski behind you. That way I won’t di
stract you.”
“Okay, if you think that’s best.”
“Yep. Take off when you’re ready.”
Following his instructions, Emma started out with the snowplow position and then slowly let herself go faster . . . and then faster. It was incredibly fun—and exciting. Until she saw a couple of kids straight ahead of her. “How do I turn?” she yelled as she tried to slow down by snowplowing. She heard him yell something, but it was too late—she splatted onto the snow with skis and poles all over the place.
“Are you okay?” He stopped fast right next to her, leaning down.
“Other than my hurt pride, I’m fine.” She chuckled. “That was fun. Not the falling part. The skiing part.”
He helped her up and back into her skis, then explained a bit about turning. “It’s all about the weight of your body and your leg strength.” Standing in place, he demonstrated how to lean right and left. “Follow me over to this gentle slope and we’ll practice it together.”
She followed him, and after a few runs and one small tumble, she thought she was getting the hang of it. By the time they got down the hill, she was ready to go up again. “Do you mind hanging with me on the beginner slope?” she asked as they rode the lift again.
“Not at all.”
“But I know you must want to do some more challenging runs. I mean, that’s why you’re here, right?”
“Sure, but I can do that anytime. I promised you a lesson, and you’re going to get it. You don’t think you’ve graduated West’s Beginner Ski School, do you?”
She laughed. “Not hardly.”
For the next couple of hours they went down the beginners’ slopes, and when West insisted it was lunchtime, Emma felt like she’d gotten the hang of it. “That is the coolest thing I’ve ever done,” she said as they walked over to the lodge. “Seriously, I love skiing.”
“I was right. You’re a natural. I’m guessing before it’s time to go home to Arizona, you’ll be taking on some of the challenging runs.”
“And then I won’t want to go home.”
“Aren’t there ski areas there?”
“I guess so. I think Harris or Grant mentioned a ski area. I just never thought much about it before.” She pointed ahead to an outdoor dining area. “Speaking of Grant and Harris, I think I see them over there.”
The Christmas Swap Page 5