Page 18 of Christmas with the Elkin Billionaires

Tana frowned.

“—do it again? I have to show you. Can I, Chase?”

“That’s up to your mom.” He’d seen the worry in Tana’s eyes in the hot tub when she’d talked to him about Lindsey’s leg. So far, it hadn’t made a difference. “Really, Tana, she handled the little bump beautifully. All on her own.”Maybe it’s time for her to test her limits.

“I don’t know, Linds.” Tana’s eyes flashed in irritation as she glanced at him before turning her focus back to her daughter. “How’s your leg feeling?”

Lindsey made a face. “It’sfine,Mom.”

“One run,” Tana said. “Oneslowrun, and then we’re going home.”

“Okay,” Chase and Lindsey said at the same time, laughing.

Chase cleared his throat and pushed off as Lindsey headed for the chairlift. Tana followed, coming to stand beside him at the bottom of the hill. “That’s the bump she went over.” He waved toward the hill.

“What bump?” Tana ground out, worry in her voice.

“Thatone.” Chase jabbed a finger at it, but she was looking in the wrong direction. He raised a hand to her cheek and gently turned her head another inch or two. “It’s barely a bump. Easy to miss.”

“Whatever. It may be small, but it’s a jump,” Tana said. “I couldn’t have pictured her skiing days ago, much less doing jumps.Ever.”

Chase nudged her with an elbow. “You can’t encase a kid in bubble wrap and expect her to enjoy the lesson.”

“It was only one layer of bubble wrap,” Tana joked, and a tension Chase hadn’t known he was feeling eased off. “Can you blame me?”

The two of them watched Lindsey get off the chairlift at the top of the bunny hill. She waved, the motion big and free, then started down the hill.

“Did you tell her to go on the jump?” Tana’s eyes were trained on her daughter, who was picking up speed toward the top of the hill. Still in control. Still confident.

“No. Lindsey did it all by herself.”

Tana glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Seems risky.”

“Well, I brought extra bubble wrap.”

Lindsey barreled down the bunny hill at top speed, heading down the side where fewer skiers were in her way. With her helmet and goggles on, Chase couldn’t see her face from this distance. But hedidsee the way she wobbled about halfway down, then again three-quarters of the way. Anxiety clutched at his throat. He wanted to run and stop her, but he’d never get to her in time.

Chase held his breath and waited. Seconds later, she approached the jump and he noticed instantly her skis weren’t straight. The angle of the tiny jump fought against Lindsey’s skis and she went down hard in a spray of snow, skis, and legs all tangled up.

He took off running, ignoring the pulling pain in his leg, his heart in his throat. He was dimly aware of Tana running next to him. All the sounds from the ski hill faded into an ominous silence.Get up, get up.

Lindsey hadn’t moved by the time they got there.

“Are you okay? Talk to me, Lindsey,” he said, fear gripping every inch of his body.

Tana was near tears as she held her daughter’s hand. “Lindsey, honey. Talk to mommy.”

Her eyes fluttered open. “That wasawesome,” she whispered.

“No, it wasn’t.” Tana’s voice shook. “You took a big spill. Come on, can you get up—”

They needed to move quickly—out of the way of the other skiers. “Is everything okay? Can you wiggle your toes?” He gave her a quick assessment, making sure nothing was broken before scooping Lindsey up in his arms. The path was clear. Tana’s footsteps closed in on them a minute later.

“Let’s get her to the car.” A shake in Tana’s voice told him that she felt just as scared as he did. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Lindsey rolled her eyes. “Mom, I’m okay. Everybody falls sometimes. Can you put me down, Chase? I want to go for another run.”

“No.” The forceful denial came from them both.

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