Page 22 of Finding Love on the Slopes

Leigh quickly retreated down the hall and was about to run out the door when she checked herself. She wasn’t a criminalsulking away before they got nabbed. Turning back towards the kitchen, she called out softly, “Mrs. Ellis, are you around?”

From seemingly out of nowhere, the older woman appeared, “Yes, dear, I’m here. How was your lunch? Did you need anything else? We have some fresh cookies or perhaps a piece of pie?” she offered generously.

“Oh, no, thank you. Lunch was delightful, and I appreciate all your effort. I was wondering if you had a piece of paper and pen I could use to write a message for Mr. Rodriguez before I go.”

“Oh, certainly, waitright herewhile I go fetch it for you.”

A small smile played on Leigh’s lips as she watched Mrs. Ellis scurry down the hall once more. She was pretty sure she had just been called out and commanded to “stay” in the most ladylike way for snooping about.

When Mrs. Ellis returned with the writing materials, she left Leigh in the breakfast room to write her note and instructed her to leave it with Mr. Daniels when she left. He would see to it that Mr. Rodrigez received it.

Leigh wrote her short note, “Too late to ski today. I will text you in a few days when we can go again if you are free later in the week.” But proceeded up the stairs to deliver it herself.

As she stood outside the office door once more, she considered opening the door a crack and tossing it into the room, where he would be sure to see it. On second thought, why play with fire? It always leaves a burn. She thrust it under the doorwith as much force as possible, hoping it would make it to the middle of the floor, where he would see it.

Her foot was on the bottom step as the conversation she had overheard replayed in her mind when the door opened, and Enrique shouted, “Miss Parker, that is unacceptable; I will meet you there in thirty minutes.” His tone left little room for argument, and the office door closed again with a bang as if to punctuate his command. She shrugged her shoulders, made her way to the Jeep, and headed back towards Avalanche Crest.

Sure enough, thirty minutes later, Enrique approached her where she waited at the door just off the parking lot. He was fully dressed in his gear, skis and poles in hand, helmet and goggles already on his head.

“Let’s go! Nothing else has gone right today. The least I can do is show this mountain who’s boss.” His demeanor was quite imposing, so Leigh held her peace and followed him.

She was dismayed when he went straight for the lift that would take them to the mountain’s reserved area. “Um, Mr. Bailey suggested we stay on the main trails today with the storm blowing in.”

“Not happening. The last thing I need to worry about is paparazzi taking my picture, today of all days.

As they rode the lift up the mountain, her thoughts returned once more to the conversation she heard in the office. She had no idea what he was talking about, but it didn’t sound like anything related to the fashion industry.

“Listen, no more baby slopes today. With this storm blowing in, I am running out of time. We are going for the most challenging today, got it?” He looked down at her from his place beside her on the lift chair. He wasn’t really asking a question but more delivering an order and Leigh didn’t like it.

“You listen!” she said, turning slightly to make eye contact, “I am fine with adding a little bit of challenge today, but our time is short. We have about an hour before we need to head back. No reckless, funny business today. Listen, learn, practice, and today will not be a total waste.”

Gliding off the lift at the top of the mountain, she hoped that Enrique had put aside his childish adrenaline chasing from the day before and that they could have a few nice runs before calling it a day. One look at the determination on his face as he stared off at the slopes before them told her it was once again wishful thinking.

Chapter Seventeen

They made it down several more challenging blues and a couple of blue-black diamonds before Leigh suggested they call it a day. Enrique had done surprisingly well, and it seemed like a good note to end things on.

Enrique didn’t argue at first but looked deep in thought before he glanced behind him, pointing towards the black-level slope called Bone Crusher. “What’s so difficult about that slope anyway?”

“Doesn’t the name kind of say it all? But, for starters, it’s the most difficult and steepest. It’s narrower than the other trails and involves less manicured slopes and moguls. You’re prone to multiple hazards on the way down, like cliffs, rocks, and trees. Anyone without the proper experience is almost guaranteed to be injured. I know of several well-trained skiers who have broken bones on that slope, hence the name.”

Enrique was quiet, thoughtful. Leigh hoped he was rethinking whatever hair-brained ideas were rolling around in that hard head of his. After spending only three days with this man, she had learned that he tended to be impulsive and reckless at times, as if some inner voice was pushing him to do dangerous things just to prove that he could.

“What happens after a snowstorm?” he asked curiously, and she sighed.

“It depends on how severe the storm is. This one is pretty big and will likely last two days,” she answered. She unzipped her bag and dropped her helmet into it. “The slopes could be closed for another day or two, maybe more. It depends on the damage the storm causes when people are able to return to work to clear the roads, work at the resort, open the slopes.”

She didn’t like the look in his eyes.

“We need to leave Enrique,” she tried again in an attempt to shift his focus from those trails. Even she, as an advanced, three-time Olympic gold medalist, didn’t like that black diamond. It was the most challenging slope out there, and she hated the thought of crashing on the rocks that jutted up from the snow. One wrong move and your life changed forever. She loved a challenging slope, but not this one. Free stylists, adventurists… those were the types that liked this slope. She could see Enrique coming back in a few years to try it, but not now. The weather was changing, and the storm was close enough that she could feel the shift in the air.

“The storms approaching, Enrique. It’s best if we leave now.”

Enrique grabbed his poles, and a knot formed in Leighann’s throat.

“Just one more round,” he said. “One last run, and we’ll go back.” ?

“No,” she said, adamantly shaking her head. “We’ve had a nice day. The slopes aren’t running away, Enrique. It’s time to call it quits.”

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