Page 21 of Finding Love on the Slopes

“No, it’s best we call it a day and resume tomorrow. There are still a couple of harder blues for you to try before we start adding black levels into the mix,” she explained. Overconfidence had killed more than one person in this sport. Wasn’t it just like the arrogant jerk to think that just because he had made a handful of successful trips down a blue slope, he could handle a black diamond.

“I’m not ready to pack it in for today. I want to give that harder slope a try first.”

Leigh could hear the resolve in his voice and knew that if she didn’t agree to go with him, he would head to the slope and do it alone.

“Fine, on one condition,” she proposed, turning to him, hands on her hips.

Facing her, arms crossed over his chest in an uncompromising position, he replied, “I’m listening.”

“When we get to the top, I pick the slope. That one is way too hard for your current level of experience. You will listenattentivelywhen I go over the dangers to look for on the map, and you will follow me down so I can point out the tricky areas or show you how to maneuver the terrain safely. Agreed?”

Enrique stuck out his hand, “Agreed.Ifyou agree that I follow the first time and you follow the second.”

“Ugh, fine. Two trips down, and then we head in for the day.” Leigh shook his hand, and they prepared to head back up the mountain.

The slope she chose was labeled a blue diamond, but skiers had complained for years that it wasn’t that difficult. She hoped this would stroke his ego enough to make him happy while ending the day on a positive and triumphant note.

As she expected, he did well. This path was less groomed, and he had to deal with bumpy icy patches, enough to increase the adrenaline coursing through his veins but not enough to significantly increase the danger.

As they approached the bottom for the last time, Enrique in the lead, he raised his poles over his head and shouted, “I am the champion!” like a little kid who had just won a foot race against his friends.

He didn’t protest when she declared it was time they packed up, for which she was eternally grateful. They parted ways when they returned to the lodge, agreeing to meet the next day at nine since it would take the resort staff longer to groom the slopes after a storm. It had been a long day, and she was ready for a relaxing soak in her brother’s hot tub. Enrique might be fun to look at, but he was exhausting to work with. This was the reason she avoided romance; men were annoying distractions and not worth the effort.

Chapter Sixteen

The snowstorm the night before had looked worse than it was, but the front blowing in today was reported to be huge and expected to drop an enormous amount of snow. Folks were planning to be snowed in several days, but when she called Enrique to see if plans had changed, he said he would meet her at the slopes.

Mr. Bailey said they were keeping the slopes open as long as possible. “Every penny counts, darlin’. As long as it’s safe and the authorities don’t shut us down, we’ll stay open. Why don’t you ask your fella to stay on the main trails today? That way, we can keep an eye on you,” he suggested helpfully.

“I will ask. Perhaps now, his ego will be able to handle it. Maybe… if you demand it, he would stay up front with the other guests,” Leigh added hopefully.

“No can do; we have a signed contract. If he wants to go out back to the reserved area, that is his right. I will, however, advisestrongly against it,” he said with a wink before walking away to check on a guest patiently waiting.

Leigh was hopeful that today would be better. Even though yesterday had been exhausting, she felt they had made some progress in their overall relationship.

When 10 am rolled around and Enrique had not made an appearance, she texted to see what was taking him so long but didn’t get a response. She asked around the resort, but no one had seen him. She considered calling it a day and using the time to prepare herself for a few day snow in, but upon second thought, worried he might be stuck in a ditch somewhere. His fancy SUV had handled the snow-covered roads well the first day, but maybe fresh snow was too much for them. She was sure he had roadside assistance but decided she wouldn’t sleep well if she didn’t at least check on him. Radio silence didn’t seem to be his MO.

Once she had decided to play babysitter yet again, she had one problem: she didn’t know where he was staying. Why she had assumed he would be staying at the resort was beyond her; he obviously liked his privacy. Finally, Mrs. Bailey was able to inform her he was renting Snowcrest Chalet up the mountainside overlooking the resort.

When Leigh arrived at the chalet twenty minutes later, she was greeted by a butler at the door, and a housekeeper offered her refreshments in the breakfast room.Who goes on vacation with a full staff? A billionaire, that’s who!She inwardly raged at the extravagance. When folks can barely afford to keep a roofover their head and food on the table, this guy goes on vacation like this! All of the old resentments she had buried yesterday came roaring to the surface as she took in her surroundings.What a waste!

As Mrs. Ellis, the housekeeper, prepared a light lunch for her, Leigh looked around the bottom floor. It had a stunning view and all the amenities you could imagine. A giant fireplace took her breath away, centered between floor-to-ceiling windows on either side, displaying an awe-inspiring mountain vista. She could see a hot tub and patio seating with propane heaters to augment the outdoor firepit. An enormous sectional couch took up a large portion of the great room and looked cozy and inviting. She could imagine losing a few hours engrossed in a good book, reclining with the chunky knit throw blanket tucked over her lap.

“Here you go, dear. I hope you don’t mind the fare. If you don’t care for something, just let me know, and I can cook something up real quick,” Mrs. Ellis crooned, placing a tray of food on the table. There was a plate of salmon and avocado toast, accompanied by several triangles of cheese, rounds of meats, and whole grain crackers. A bowl of Caprese salad and another of fresh-cut fruit also occupied the tray, as well as a glass of orange juice, a cup of steaming tea, a tiny container of cream, and three packets of sugar. This was a meal fit for a king, not an uninvited guest.

“This looks delicious! Will Mr. Rodriguez be joining me?” Leigh inquired curiously, looking hungrily at the food before her.

“Oh, no. He is on a business call and isn’t to be disturbed. If you need anything, just ring the bell, and one of us will come right away. Enjoy!” Mrs. Ellis hurried off into an unknown part of the house.

A bell. There really is a bell on this tray. I thought that was only in the movies!Leigh thought in wonder as she tucked into the meal. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until just now. It was noon, after all. The search for Enrique had taken her longer than she had anticipated. The food was wonderful, and she enjoyed every bite but was not about to ring a bell to summon staff to clean up after her. She lifted the tray and walked into the kitchen. Seeing no one, she placed it on the counter beside the industrial-sized sink and quietly left the room.

After surveying the space, she weighed her options. She now knew that Enrique was not lying on the side of the road, freezing to death. At this point, she could head home with a clear conscience. However, she never liked to leave a thing half done, so she went in search of Enrique to verify that it was too late to go on the slopes today. She would reach out once she heard it was clear for them to ski again.

What seemed like hours passed as she went up and down halls, listening like a burglar outside doors for any indication Enrique was inside. Finally, she found him upstairs in awell-appointed office. The door was closed, but the lock had not latched, so when she gave it a tiny push, it swung open.

“What do you mean? There is no way we have a breach. Our staff is too loyal, and they wouldn’t dare cross me! Trace the digital signature and find that source. It isn’t just a team in danger; this will raise questions with the wrong people—people we don’t want questioning our loyalty and integrity.” Enrique’s brow was creased, and he ran a hand through his dark brown hair as he paced the floor of the large office space. “No, don’t worry about that. I took care of their overwatch problem. They have the satellite time they need to accomplish the mission. Thankfully, no life was lost while this cluster unraveled. Charley, sync up two more brothers in case they need more time. If things go sideways in the field, it won’t be us who leaves our servicemen hanging. No, the damage is done. That thread was pulled and can’t be put back. At this point, they got what they wanted, and we,I, will have to pay the consequences. We need to know who got my brother’s intel code, how they even knew about it in the first place, and what intel they grabbed before our team was any wiser. There is going to be a reckoning, and I need answers when…”

Enrique’s head shot up, and his honey-brown eyes bore into Leigh’s Caribbean blues before he stomped to the door and forcefully closed it in her face. There was no mistaking his anger upon finding her at his door.

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