Page 55 of The Jinglebell War
No matter how much I enjoy her company, even when she’s socking me in the face with a ski pole. Or how much she makes me laugh.
“I didn’t say I hate the outdoors. I love to hike and the one time I went camping, it was a lot of fun. It might have something to do with the ‘shrooms, but—”
“Garrick, there you are.” My mother’s voice cuts through the ambient crowd noise of the lodge.
Blue stares at me, her eyes wide, her expression panicked.
One look at my mother’s face as she stands over me makes it clear she heard exactly what Blue just said.
I smile up at my mother like I can’t sense the tension. “How are the slopes, Mom?”
She wrinkles her nose. “Don’t you know? Don’t tell me you’ve been sitting in here all morning. And what happened to your cheek?”
“It’s all my fault,” Blue says with a self-deprecating smile. “I warned him I’m a terrible skier, but he insisted on trying to teach me.”
Mom’s eyes go wide. “You don’t ski?”
And my hackles rise. Mom’s being purposely obtuse. I already told her I was going to help Blue this morning because she’s a beginner. “Do you need something, Mother?”
Her frown deepens as she turns to me. “We’ve just finished lunch, and we’re hoping you’ll go to the back bowl with us. The snow is unbeatable over there right now.”
I glance at Blue. I really want to ski the bowl, but I don’t want to leave my fake girlfriend here alone. “Blue and I have plans for the afternoon.” I stretch and yawn. “I’m beat, anyway.”
“Our plans aren’t important.” Blue waves a hand. “Go hang out with your family. Have fun.”
“This is our vacation, too.” I shift to face Blue. “I want to spend time with you.” And I realize, oddly enough, I really do want to spend time with her. I want to challenge her and make her laugh. I want to show her around my family’s resort and tell her all my stories.
“I’ll be perfectly happy here.” Blue’s smile is warm, without any of the underlying hidden emotions I see beneath my mother’s polite smile. “I’ve got celebrity gossip to catch up on and plenty of people watching to do. I’ll rest up and be all ready to celebrate Christmas this evening.”
“Are you sure?” I ask. “I won’t be more than an hour. Two max.”
“She’ll be fine,” Mom says. “She’s an adult and perfectly capable of taking care of herself, I hope.” She smiles at Blue. “If you want to go back to the house, just ask anyone who works here to send a car for you. I’ve informed them to expect a pink-haired guest of the family.”
“Mom, you go ahead,” I say, my teeth gritted. I don’t appreciate her tone at all. “I’ll catch up in a few minutes. If I don’t, just go on without me.”
Mom gives me a long look, then nods with a tight-lipped smile and walks away.
“If you want me to stay, I’ll stay,” I say. A part of me wants Blue to ask me to stay. I want to avoid my family and Blue is the perfect distraction. I also haven’t skied the bowl in a few years and would love to get out there.
Blue’s smile is relaxed, but the skin around her eyes is tight. “I’m fine. Seriously. Go have fun.”
“Text me if you need anything. I can be back here in twenty minutes, tops.”
She laughs. “Hurry before your mom leaves without you.”
To my utter surprise, I press a kiss to her smooth forehead before I hand her my ice pack, grab my coat, gloves, and helmet and hurry after my mother.
Hurrying in ski boots isn’t easy, but my mother must have been lingering because I catch up with her right outside the lodge. She already has her skis and poles. I grab mine from the rack and join her.
Most people my age snowboard, but I prefer to be on two pieces of wood. It’s what I learned on and what feels the most natural.
Mom’s smile holds a good bit of relief as I join her. “You made it. Your brothers will be thrilled.”
“Maisey’s not joining us?”
Mom looks away as we walk toward the lift together. “The kids were tired. They went home to rest up for the party later.”
“How’s Maisey doing?”
