Page 69 of High Note

“Yeah, and there’s a huge bazaar at Charlotte’s folks. Lars does sleigh rides. There’s tons of music and fun. I love the holidays here.” That was no lie.

“I can’t wait. I usually get time off, because all the holiday stuff is filmed in like, July.”

“Yeah? Like the specials and everything?” They needed to turn the air down cold to make it seem like the holidays, she’d bet.

“Yep. We all bundle up and sweat like crazy.” Skyla shook her head. “Unless it’s like, the tree lighting one in New York.”

“Oh, that’s cool. I’ve always wanted to see that.”

“Yeah. It’s neat, but it’s crazy how many people there are there.” Skyla shook her head, curls bouncing.

“My well-traveled girl.”

“You can come with me. We can do it together.”

“I want to think about that. I’m trying not to be a coward. I’m trying to be… Open.”

“I know. You’ve been here a long time. I just want you with me.”

She touched Skyla’s hand. “I want to be with you.”

“Then we can work it out somehow. Travel some of the time. Stay home some. Just be together.”

“Yeah.” She parked at the ski lodge, and they rushed inside, the cold biting.

“How is it so cold and not snowing?” Skyla shivered over to the fireplace.

“It can be too cold to snow, you know.”

“It can?” Skyla’s eyes widened. “I’ve never even heard of that.”

“True story. That’s what everyone here says, and I’ve never seen it not be true.” She took Skyla’s coat. “Are we supposed to meet her here?”

“Yeah. She said there was some kind of shuttle from downtown. She wanted to come up early and do happy hour and watch the skiing.”

“Cool. We can give her a ride back down.”

“I bet she’d appreciate that.” Skyla pulled out her phone, texting. “Okay, she’s up by the restaurant.”

“Excellent. Getting warmer, honey?” They wandered through the lodge, and this time it was so much easier than when Skyla had been so damn scared.

“Yes. It’s nice in here.” Skyla paused to take a picture of the big, round fireplace with its fancy-ass chimney rising through the center of the building. “That’s so pretty.”

“Cherry says there’s a double-sided one in the steakhouse.”

“Ah, she likes to get away from her place and cheat in steaks, huh?”

“She’s sleeping with the chef. It’s a long torrid story.”

Skyla blinked. “Aren’t they all around here?”

“God, yes.” They headed up the escalator. “They totally are. Small towns are like that.”

“Especially lesbian heavy ones…”

She hooted. “Especially those.”

“My girl! Yoo hooo!” An older lady hung over the rail of the mezzanine, waving.

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