Page 28 of The Caress

Powdery white snow swirls around us as Ella eyes the slopes in front of us. "I feel like we’re really far up the mountain."

"We’re on the beginner track," I say, glad my smile is mostly hidden by my scarf and ski mask. "It won’t be as bad as you think. Just have fun with it."

"This isn’t my idea of fun," she huffs, then pushes off across the slope to join Isla. "You coming, Keir?"

I laugh. "Oh, now you’re suddenly feeling brave? Is that a challenge?"

Isla is waving us forward, chanting, "Race, race, race!" but I don’t want to push things too far or too fast.

Ella really has been brave by conquering her fear and coming out here to join us on the mountain. The last thing I want is for her to fall or hurt herself and tarnish what will otherwise hopefully be a fun experience.

"Slow and steady," I call out to her, laughing again as Isla shoots me an annoyed scowl. "We can save racing for next time. Let’s just concentrate on staying upright for now."

Something hits my arm, and I look down to see the remains of a powdery snowball fall to the ground just before Isla bursts into a fit of giggles. "Got you! If we can’t race, we’ll just have a snowball fight."

I open my mouth to tell her we should wait to do that, too, but another snowball sails past me from the other direction, landing at Isla’s feet and making her crack up all over again.

"Really?" I look over at Ella and shake my head. "You, too?"

"If you can’t beat ‘em," she shrugs, chucking another snowball in my direction. "I might as well join ‘em."

"I see how it is," I crouch down to pick up some snow, then get pelted from both directions as Ella and Isla close in on me. "You’re both going to be in big trouble once we get back to the hotel. You realize that, right?"

Isla sticks her tongue out and tosses another snowball, looking impish and adorable all at the same time. "You’ll have to catch us first," she taunts, skiing around me and easily dodging the first snowball I toss in her direction.

Ella’s next toss hits me square in the chest, her laughter mingling with Isla’s and echoing down the slope of the mountain. "We should have skipped skiing and just started the snowball fight back down there," she says, pointing in the direction of the resort. "At least we would have been closer to the heater. And the room service."

"That’s not a bad idea," I say, clutching my arm where Isla has just pelted me again. "I’m going to be covered in bruises by the time we make it back down there at this rate."

Ella looks over at Isla and grins. "Shall we call a truce until we get back to the hotel?"

"Onlyuntil we get back," she agrees. "But then you’d both better run!" Her infectious laughter spills out again as she gathers up one more snowball and tosses it at me for good measure. "The truce can start now."

I can only shake my head as Isla and Ella start skiing back to the lift together. God help me if the two of them really team up on me. They’re the only two people in the world who can melt my heart with a single, simple look.

I wouldn’t change a thing about either of them, though. The three of us work well together. We understand each other. And while I know Isla will always be the most important part of my life, it’s really nice having Ella here with us.

It wouldn’t feel right without her.

A short ski lesson.

A not-so-short snowball fight.

A well-earned lunch and a long nap with the three of us sprawled out on the enormous, overstuffed couch in our suite.

Those have been the high points of the day for me so far. No, not just the day. Those have been the high points of my month, now that I’m thinking about them.

Watching Isla and Ella play together, even if it meant enduring a barrage of snowballs, has been one of the simplest, happiest times I can remember. For all the money I have and all the nice things that money can buy, it’s the free stuff that means the most.

Laughter.

Fun.

Love.

It’s taken me a long time to understand that those are the most important things in life, but I don’t know if I’ve fully been able to appreciate those things until right now, right here.

Jesus, my family would probably disown me if they knew I was thinking such sappy, mushy thoughts. My parents and my brother are cynical, selfish, and devious. I’ve been all of those things at various times in my life as well.

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