Page 31 of Just Curious

“That would be marvelous,” said his mom with a smile.

“I love you guys. How many other parents would be as accepting, I wonder?”

“We love you too and hope it works out,” said his dad.

Chapter 19

The next few days saw the triad finishing up last-minute business negotiations and getting ready to leave. They rushed around with lists to check off and made calls to everyone who needed to be alerted that they’d be out of the country for a while.

Finally, early on a Thursday morning, the limo driver pulled up to Jackson’s house. Considering all of the bulky ski clothes and cumbersome equipment they needed for the Canadian part of the trip, they had an awful lot of baggage. But—they managed. Willa wanted to double-check every last thing she’d packed, but Casey told her, “Don’t worry. They have stores where we’re going. If you’ve forgotten something or need something different, you can pick it up there.”

Jackson leaned in close so the driver who was loading the car couldn’t hear him and said, “Ididn’tpack any condoms.” He gave them both a cheeky wink as Willa tried to not blush.

And finally, they were on their way.

The private plane Willa booked for them just had one attendant—a handsome young man who introduced himself as Spencer. He showed them around the exquisite interior of the plane and went through the safety spiel. Soon they were cruising through the sky, sipping mimosas and eating eggs Benedict.

By having their own charter, they were able to avoid the hassle of changing planes in Vancouver, and it made the trip go by quickly. They began swapping ski stories about their favorite places and heroic feats of skiing brilliance as well as some other stories from past trips.

“We were at Heavenly Valley when we were about nineteen,” began Casey. “During winter break. Jackson and I decided to go off the beaten path a bit and ski some trees.”

“You’renottelling Willa that story,” chided Jackson with a grimace.

Casey smirked and continued, not stopping for a second. “Have you ever noticed that small scar on Jackson’s thigh?”

“Oh, I have, now that you mention it.” Turning to Jackson, she asked, “Did you hurt yourself skiing?”

Jackson glowered and didn’t answer, so Casey filled in the blanks. “He got too close to a tree stump and snagged his pantleg on it. He was going so fast, he couldn’t stop, but the pants gave way, and he scraped his leg. Once he picked himself up out of the pile of snow he fell into, he had to ski down to the bottom of the mountain with his tighty whities hanging out for all to see and enjoy.”

“I’ve never worn tighty whities in my life,” grumbled Jackson, but then he shook his head, and his eyes twinkled with humor. “My butt was so cold by the time we got back I couldn’t even feel anything. I now have a new appreciation for the phrase ‘freezing your ass off.’ The worst part was I had my ski lift pass attached to the pants—which were the only snow pants I owned—and I couldn’t afford to go buy another ticket for the rest of the day after I got bandaged up and changed into jeans. It was a sad, lost opportunity because the next day we had to leave.” Looking at Casey he added, “The rest of the trip was great, though.”

Casey gazed into Jackson’s eyes and smiled fondly.

“What’s been your favorite place to ski, Willa?” asked Jackson.

Without even stopping to think about it, Willa answered, “Taos, New Mexico.”

“Huh,” said Jackson. “I thought you stuck mostly to Colorado with your friend from Boulder. Taos… so you like it steep?”

With a mischievous grin, Willa responded, “I do. I also loved the food and probably gained five pounds that week after going out to dinner every night and eating about a thousand sopapillas. You know how hungry you get after skiing all day? I had to go on a diet when I got home.” She sighed. “We decided to try New Mexico on a lark that one time and were delighted we’d done it. What a blast. And yes, it’s definitely meant for those who like steep slopes.”

The plane landed smoothly at a private airstrip in the Cariboo Mountains, and a luxury SUV limo waited for them on the tarmac. Looking around at the scenery, Willa smiled broadly, “It’s fantastic up here.” They had all donned jackets, hats, and winter gloves before exiting the plane, but she still exclaimed, “Whew! It’s cold!” She stomped her booted feet a couple of times and zipped her jacket up higher. The sky had that gray look to it that seemed to warn that more snow was coming.

They were all happy with the heated seats in the limo. Their jeans weren’t doing much to beat the cold.

A couple of hours later, after driving through spectacular mountain passes, they arrived at their lodge, a charming alpine establishment that looked homey and opulent at the same time.

The proprietor welcomed them and offered keys to what he called their “newest and most luxurious suite.” It turned out to be a separate house that was basically its own mini estate. “You are most welcome to have dinner either by yourselves or in the dining room with the other guests,” the manager said. “Just let us know about thirty minutes before you want your meal if you want it delivered. Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style in the dining room where our guests typically meet up with their guides for the day and plan their itinerary.” He gave them the hours for the dining room and then handed them pamphlets explaining the ski terrain and safety precautions for the helicopter rides. “The guide who has been assigned to you is named Lorne. He’s young and enthusiastic with a great sense of humor, but he knows his stuff. He grew up near here, so you won’t go wrong with him, I assure you. Oh, and your unit has its own sauna and private outdoor hot tub. Our guests definitely enjoy those amenities after a long day on the slopes. We also have several licensed masseuses on staff for those tired muscles.”

Their bags were already in their suite by the time they got there, so they quickly unpacked and sat down to enjoy some of the delicious snacks and fresh fruit left by the management. After that, they decided to bundle up and take a walk into the nearby town to explore before dinner.

As they walked through the snow to town, Casey asked, “So, how do you both feel about eating at the house instead of in the dining room tonight? I think it’s likely people will gawk at us.”

“Screw that,” answered Jackson immediately. “Let them gawk. More likely than not, they’ll just think we’re three people who like to ski together. But even if they figure out we’re together, I don’t care. Besides, we’ll be here all week, and we won’t be able to hide from them.”

“How do you feel about it, Willa? Do you worry you’ll be recognized from your book covers?”

Willa looked at Casey and then at Jackson. She had a pensive expression. After a moment she said, “If someone recognizes me, they already have an open mind, so that doesn’t worry me at all. If anyone else thinks we’re up to no good, it’s their problem, not ours. I say we eat with everyone in the dining room tonight and act friendly to the other guests. They can make up their own stories about what they think, and I don’t give a darn. Are you okay with it, Casey?”

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