Page 6 of Finding Love on the Slopes

“I know,” Curtis said. “But it’s a busy time, and everyone who has booked my services has already paid. Even though I have a cancelation clause in all my contracts, you know me. I can’t just return their money to them to go on an impromptu adventure. It wouldn’t be fair to them or professional of me.”

“If it’s the money you’re concerned about, I will pay you double what they’ve all paid. Name your price, any price. I need this trip to happen, and I need it to happen now.”

Curtis’ deep chuckle vibrated the high-end speaker. He had been friends with Enrique for years now and was used to him throwing money around to get things done. Outsiders often perceived it as flaunting his wealth, but Curtis understood that for Enrique, it was a means to an end. Yes, he liked to be seen and noticed, living rather ostentatiously, and he was used to getting what he wanted, even if it meant spending his last dime to get it.Honestly, though, how many billionaires didn’t suffer from an addiction to instant gratification? In Curtis’ opinion, those who were self-made, like Enrique, deserved it after the sweat equity they put in to get where they were. But a small part of him also took great pleasure when he had reason to tell his wealthy friend ‘No.’

“Sorry, man. I’ve already made the arrangements. There are too many folks involved to cancel now. Things can’t be changed.”

Enrique held the hot cloth to his freshly shaven face and tried to suppress his mounting frustration. He hadn’t considered for even a moment that Curtis might not be available to accompany him on this adventure. He had been so focused on himself and the need to get this done and over with that he had forgotten that Curtis had a job and wasn’t at his beck and call.

His heart raced as his mind searched for a possible solution. He had set his mind to getting this done, and he wasn’t one to give up so easily. In his experience, money solved everything. Removing the now lukewarm towel from his face, he wiped away the remaining shave cream.

“A million bucks.”

Curtis’ laughter rattled the glass this time, roaring up from his belly. There were still traces of laughter in his voice as he spoke. “Look, just because I won’t be able to help doesn’t mean someone else can’t. I know the perfect person for this particular job.”

“A professional?”

“Mhm. Not just any professional but a three-time Olympic gold medalist. I’m pretty sure I can convince Leigh to be your personal ski instructor if you can get to Colorado in less than a week. Leigh is on vacation right now but has to return to work in early February. Now happens to be the window of opportunity for both of you. It’s pretty serendipitous if you ask me. What do you say?”

Enrique thought it over as he used the cloth to wipe down the marble vanity top. Curtis was offering a solution to his problem. If he could agree to an Olympic gold medalist as his ski instructor, this adventure could happen now. He was disappointed that Curtis wouldn’t be by his side to help him face his fear, but he wasn’t budging on rescheduling his prior commitments. Going in this new direction meant he could fulfill this BBC pact and move on with his life. Goodness knew the other pact was going to be just as daunting, but at least it posed much less of an emotional minefield than this one did.

“Enrique? You still there, man?”

“Yes. You know me, always weighing my options,” he responded, tossing the wet cloth into the laundry hamper at the bottom of the linen closet before returning to the vanity to run gelled fingers through his tousled hair. “That could work, as long as this Lee is as good as you say he is.”

Curtis chuckled softly, “I give you my word.”

“Let’s make it a ten-day trip,” Enrique suggested. He had a few meetings he needed to attend in the next three days. “Say, the 5ththrough the 14th? That way, we aren’t backed up tooclose to Lee’s work restrictions. I don’t want anything getting in the way of this.”

“Sounds good. I’ll talk things over with Leigh and get you scheduled at the Resort. I’m assuming you want private accommodations away from the main crowd, as usual. I’ll get back to you with all the details in a bit.”

They spent a few more minutes catching up, and Enrique filled Curtis in on his family’s latest news. After the call was disconnected, Enrique splashed aftershave into his palm and patted his face and neck, enjoying the fine fragrance over the gentle burn.

He finished his morning routine and considered the change of events. If he were honest with himself, he was more than a little concerned.

Curtis spoke highly of Lee, and he was an Olympian, so there was no doubt about his knowledge of the sport. The worry was whether or not they would get along and be able to work together. Enrique had been told many times over the years that he was an acquired taste, and some people just didn’t like him. Curtis and he had gotten off to a rough start when they first met but had worked through it and were now very close friends. Enrique could only hope that things went smoothly, and they could make good use of the ten days they would have on the mountain.

He sighed as he gripped the edges of the sink, leaning in to take a close look at his reflection in the oversized mirror. An incoming call rang through the speaker, filling the room withhigh-pitched tones. He immediately hit decline when he saw Julia Steinway’s name displayed on his cell phone screen. She was the model from two nights ago, the one that wasn’t satisfied with one and apparently not even two dates with him. He had tried to let her down gently, explaining that he was willing to help her with her publicity but wasn’t interested in a relationship with her. Girls like her never took the hint when it was delivered kindly. That ship had sailed. She got her picture in the tabloids hanging off his arm, two extravagant meals, a red-carpet event… he was done. He unlocked his phone and blocked her number to avoid future calls.

He had met women like Julia countless times in the last ten years. They were like parasites trying to burrow their way under his skin so they could get to his money, not his heart. They never had any genuine interest in him. Well, he was good-looking, but it was the billions of dollars in the bank that made him stand out, not his dark honey eyes or chiseled chin. Suddenly, Anthony’s idea of finding a woman to settle down with didn’t seem like such a bad idea. He was tired of playing the games and wondered what it would be like to have that one person you could depend on to be there for you, like what Anthony and Hannah had. He pushed the thought from his mind before it had time to take root. Women were trouble. Hannah was one of a kind, and she was taken—no use wasting coins on wishes when you could spend them on something much more fun.

At least he had made some ground this morning. He was much closer to fulfilling Julio’s pact now. Even though thethought of sliding down a mountainside at top speed turned his stomach, he was not backing down. This was going to happen. He was going to face his fear of heights and falling once and for all. If he had a panic attack, he would finish the adventure doing something else and come home to find a shrink. Julio was right; this fear was holding him back, but he would take care of it, one way or another.

A ping from his phone drew his attention back to the screen; he unlocked it and read the text message.

Curtis: It’s a go. I’ll email you the details of the trip later today. Have fun.

Enrique straightened his posture and looked in the mirror again. This time, his jaw was set with determination. He was going to do this, and nothing was going to stop him.

Chapter Five

Enrique’s SUV rolled to a stop on the snow-covered gravel outside Curtis’ outfitter store. The new location wasn’t what he had expected when Curtis had described his new setup six months earlier. This building was nothing like the rustic log cabin he had visited closer to the Colorado River on a previous adventure with his friend. This Parker’s Outfitters was a long metal building stretching at least seventy-five feet.“What could Curtis have possibly filled all that space with?”he wondered.

He stepped from the vehicle and slammed the door behind him before adjusting the thick muffler Hannah had knit for him and the boys for Christmas. He had borrowed his brother Gabriel’s jet, which made the long flight from New York to Colorado much more comfortable, and had arrived several hours earlier. His mid-morning and afternoon were spent organizing his staff and making changes at the Chalet that would help him feel more comfortable and work more efficiently whennot on the slopes over the next ten days. By the time he was ready to head over to Parker’s Outfitters, a call came through from his office that involved an urgent matter requiring his immediate attention. Now, it was late afternoon, and the itinerary Curtis had sent him was already shot to pieces. He decided to go ahead and at least make an appearance at Curtis’ store and meet the famous Lee.

Snow crunched under his boots with every step he took. He held the door for a woman exiting the building with hands full of bags and then tucked his chilled fingers inside his coat pockets as he entered and looked around at the merchandise displayed all around him. Christmas lights were hung everywhere, and a tall tree stood in the middle of the sales floor for all to see.“I guess Curtis is one of those holiday lovers that thinks Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to finally box up Christmas,”he mentally grumbled.

He approached the counter, and the young lady standing behind it blushed bright red upon seeing him. He gave her a soft grin, not surprised at all by her reaction and feeling for the poor thing that she had been cursed with such a pale complexion that she would never be able to hide her attraction to anyone.

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