Page 32 of Crashing into Love

“Drew, you’re a guest on vacation here.”

“So?” she replied. “I don’t mind. She’s a cool kid. I mean, she’s confidently running around here in a unicorn onesie and is probably smarter than me.”

Selma laughed and said, “She’s her own person, which I love about her. Even when they pick on her, she doesn’t let it get to her. She just keeps learning more and doing better in class. Of course, this picking-on-them-as-revenge thing, that’s a recent development, needs to stop.”

“I can take her up, if you want.”

“On the mountain?”

“There’s not a ton of space here,” Drew reasoned.

“Drew, I can’t leave her alone up there.”

“I’d be with her.”

“Yeah, but if you go down the mountain on a slope, she’s still up at the top.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t leave her. Selma, I’m not an idiot. She’s an energetic nine-year-old who’s learning to board and loves the snow – she would take off in a heartbeat if I don’t keep an eye on her. In fact, if you have one of those kid leash things, I can attach her to me to be extra cautious.”

Selma laughed again and said, “I do not have one of those. But she’s good about listening. If you tell her to stay put, she will, even if she really wants to do something.”

“So, I can take her?”

“Drew, I don’t know… You’re supposed to be rehabbing your knee.”

“My knee is fine. I told you that last night.”

“She’s a handful. You haven’t even seen the worst of it yet.”

“If she misbehaves, we’ll come back.” Drew shrugged a shoulder. “I can take her for the morning, we can grab lunch up there, and I’ll bring her back after, if you want. Or, if she’s okay, we can stay up there until you’re off.”

“I’m never off,” Selma replied, looking over toward the desk. “But I’m technically not off-shift until five. There’s no way she’ll last out there that long.”

“If she doesn’t, she’s probably not meant to be a boarder.”

“She’s nine; she doesn’t even last that long at an amusement park with rides, games, fried food, and prizes.”

“If she’s tired, I’ll bring her back. What do you say?” Drew asked just as Gia jogged over to them, carrying a box of what looked like crayons and markers and a pad of paper.

“Hey, honey?”

“Yeah?”

“If Drew were nice enough to take you up to the mountain, would you promise me that you’d listen to everything she says?”

Gia looked over at Drew with a wide smile on her face that only made Drew smile, too.

“Really?”

Selma took her daughter by the hips then and said, “You have to listen to everything she says and do what she says, or you come right back. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mom.”

“And if Drew says that it’s time for a break or time to come home, that’s it.”

“Okay,” Gia replied, her little foot tapping fast in excitement.

“I’m going to ask her how you did when you come back.”

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