It turned out Wes and Sawyer’s parents had prepared for our visit as there was a lock on their wine cellar door. The girls were disappointed, and Anna tried her best to pick the lock. But, unfortunately, her skills with a bobby pin were limited to doing her hair.
I was somewhat glad we didn’t drink that night. Since Noah and the boys had arrived, Wes seemed frustrated and irritable. The house was tense, and I felt like drinking alcohol would have been similar to throwing fuel on a simmering fire.
I woke the next morning feeling a little more optimistic that the day would be a good one. The sun was out, and we were all going up the mountain. Wes seemed more himself, and he was struggling to contain his excitement about helping me learn to ski for the first time. It might have been cute if I wasn’t so daunted by the task ahead.
I was buzzing with adrenaline as we headed up the ski lift, and Noah was far from my mind. I knew I’d need every ounce of my focus firmly on my skiing if I wanted any chance of returning to the chalet in one piece at the end of the day. Unfortunately, any hope of that came crashing firmly down to earth when I reached the top of the ski slope.
“This doesn’t seem safe…” My voice trembled as I stared down the seemingly steep slope before me. This was meant to be the easiest run in the resort, especially for beginners, but to me it felt practically vertical. Wes might have given me painstakingly detailed instructions on how to navigate it, but now I was up here, everything he’d told me had faded from my mind.
“You’ll be fine,” Wes said, trying to encourage me. “I’m going to be there every step of the way.”
“You mean every fall of the way,” I replied, giving him a smile I didn’t quite feel.
“Yeah, I’ll be there for those too.” He chuckled.
It was a relief to see him so much happier today and to know Noah’s presence next door wasn’t going to completely ruin our whole trip. Perhaps Wes had realized that just because the boys were staying so close it didn’t mean we had to do anything with them. Last night, we’d all stayed in and watched a movie together. No Kaden, Luther, or Noah. And there was no sign of them down here at the ski runs either. So, there was at least one positive to standing at the top of the terrifying icy descent before me.
Sawyer and Anna were chatting to each other quietly as they waited for Wes to finish giving me directions. They’d insisted on coming to help teach me how to ski, and while I was grateful for their enthusiasm, it only seemed to be increasing my nerves. I didn’t want an audience to watch me make a fool of myself. At least I could be glad Cress had ditched us to ski with Kaden. That was one less onlooker to worry about.
“Seriously, Isobel, just give it a go. You’ll do great.” Wes gave me a reassuring smile. “It’s a lot easier than it looks.”
I responded with a small nod, knowing if I opened my mouth I’d only try to convince Wes this was a terrible idea. I was here now, and I suspected there was only one way I was getting out of this. And that way was down.
I took a deep breath, gripped my ski poles a little tighter to stop my hands from shaking, and prepared to move down the slope. Wes had shown me how to make a wedge shape with my skis so I could control my speed and stop, so that’s what I tried to do. But my skis refused to listen to me. They had a mind of their own and seemed to want to go in opposite directions rather than point together like Wes suggested.
‘This doesn’t feel right,” I said to Wes, who was watching from beside me.
“Just get your skis in the pizza shape and then push off,” he replied.
“No, they’re supposed to be parallel,” Sawyer suggested as he slid up to us. “She’s not going to get very far like that.”
“She’s not ready for her skis to be parallel,” Wes said. “Don’t you remember we all started with the pizza?”
“I only remember being awesome from day one,” Sawyer answered, making Wes roll his eyes. “Maybe it would help if you tried skiing without your poles like those kids,” Sawyer continued, nodding at a class of toddlers who were snaking down the mountain behind their instructor.
“Sawyer,” Anna groaned. “That’s only how they teach little kids.”
I let out a frustrated laugh. “You guys, I think we have one too many chefs in this kitchen.” I knew they were just trying to help, but they were only confusing me more.
“Why don’t you both go on ahead?” Wes suggested. “I’ll stay with Isobel.”
Sawyer wished me luck before he took off, but Anna hung back. She appeared to be texting on her phone, but from the way she constantly glanced up at me, it seemed she was still keeping a close watch.
Wes stuck his ski poles into the snow and pushed himself closer to me. “Ignore them,” he said. “I’ll ski down a little way, and then you come to me. Just try to copy what I do.”
I nodded and gestured for him to go ahead. I was ready to watch him carefully as he skied down, but barely a second had passed, and it felt like he was halfway down the slope. He made it looks so easy. Maybe this run wasn’t quite as steep and long as I had imagined. Feeling slightly more confident, I prodded my ski poles into the snow on either side of my skis, bit my lip, and pushed off. I mimicked that part of Wes’s demonstration perfectly, but that’s where the similarity ended. As soon as my skis were pointing downward on the slope, they quickly picked up momentum. I did my best to twist them inward like Wes had shown me, but I was completely out of control.
“Pizza shape, Isobel! Pizza!” Wes shouted from below. I was trying my best, but I didn’t seem to be slowing down. All I wanted to do was stop, but I couldn’t seem to turn my skis anywhere other than directly down the hill. The longer I waited, the faster I was going, so I decided there was only one thing for it. I bent my knees and fell to the side, hitting the snow with a thud that sent my skis, poles, arms, and legs flailing in all directions.
I had snow in places I most definitely shouldn’t, and I felt like I’d landed myself in an extreme game of Twister. One ski was stuck in the ground, and the other had disappeared so my foot was flying free. One pole was in the snow behind me while the other was lodged underneath me. I was a mess. But at least I’d stopped.
Anna skidded to a halt next to me, my missing ski in her arms. “You all right?” she asked.
“I’m not hurt if that’s what you mean. But there’s snow up my backside, and it’s so cold I can’t feel my nose anymore. So not quite sure I’m okay.”
She laughed. “Look, despite what Sawyer says, we’re all terrible at skiing to begin with. You’re doing pretty well though. You’re halfway down the slope already.”
I looked back up the slope and was surprised to see how far I’d come even if I had fallen most of the way.
“Maybe I’m not cut out for skiing,” I suggested.
She placed my rogue ski on the ground alongside me and offered out her pole to pull me up. I gave her a grateful smile as she helped yank me to my feet.
“Just give it a few more goes,” she said. “If you’re still not enjoying it, I’ll happily bail with you. We can go check out hot guys in the village. Everyone is cut out for that.”
“Uh, I’m not sure Wes would like that.” I looked down the slope and saw Wes was frantically pushing his way back up the hill toward us.
“He doesn’t have to know,” she replied with a smirk and a shrug. “Guys in ski gear are hot, and it’s like ski trip blasphemy if you don’t at least check a few of them out.”
I laughed. “I meant Wes might not like it if I quit. He seems so excited to ski with me.”
“Ugh, fine,” she said. “Let’s get your ski back on then. But don’t forget, I’m ready to go search for hot guys as soon as you are. This place is pretty much a hottie buffet.”
I shook my head at her.
“Seriously though,” she continued, as she bent down to help me with my ski. “Just give it a little more time. It will get easier.”
“Okay, I guess I could give it another chance.” I felt better knowing Anna would gladly quit with me at any time, and it was reassuring to be reminded my friends had all started at the same level as me.
“Are you okay, Isobel?” Wes had finally reached us.
“I’m okay,” I said, looking up as my boot snapped into my ski and I stood tall once more.
“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Anna said. “See you at the lift.” She took off down the slope, making it look even more effortless than Wes. She was practically flying across the snow.
“You were great,” Wes said. “You nearly had it. And on the first try!”
It seemed like a very generous appraisal of my performance.
“You just need a bit more practice,” he continued. “You’ll be racing me down the mountain in no time.”
“Maybe,” I said, with a nervous laugh. “I think I’d happily settle for slow and controlled though.”
“Just remember to create that wedge with your skis to slow you down. And it usually helps if you keep your eyes up so you can look in the direction you want to go instead of down at the ground.”
I nodded along like my life depended on his words. In all honesty, it probably did.
He reached over and dusted off some of the snow that had ended up all over my jacket. “You ready to try again?”
“Uh, I think so.”
“Great,” he said. “This time, I think we should aim for the bottom of the lift.”
My eyes widened as I cast my gaze down the hill. We still had about half of the slope to go.
“You can do it,” Wes added with a supportive smile. “It’s not that much further now.” He was being very sweet, but I thought he was too ambitious. My butt had spent more time on the snow than my skis so far. If he thought I could make it to the bottom of the slope unscathed, he had another thing coming.
“Maybe we should aim a little closer,” I suggested.
“You’ve got to believe in yourself,” he replied. “That’s half the battle.”
I suspected there was more to skiing than self-belief, but I wasn’t the expert here.
“Okay, I’ll do my best. See you at the bottom?” The inflection at the end of my sentence was a clear indication of how uncertain I was about actually making it down there safely.
“That’s my girl,” he said. ‘Now, watch me closely so you can try to copy what I do.”
Wes took off down the slope again, doing the pizza shape he’d taught me. He made it look so simple, but watching him didn’t really teach me how to replicate it.
When he reached the bottom of the chairlift where Anna and Sawyer were waiting, he waved for me to follow him. With a resigned sigh, I pushed myself forward and prayed this wasn’t about to be another disaster. But the moment I tried to turn my skis into position again, I knew it was wishful thinking.
My skis refused to form the illusive pizza shape and took off straight down the slope. I was terrified as I picked up speed, but I was determined not to fall this time. I felt like I just had to survive for a few more seconds, and then maybe I would gain control. But I was going faster than I had before. Fast enough I was sure I’d really hurt myself if I fell. Panic set in. I kept trying to turn my skis, but they refused to budge.
I suddenly realized I was too focused on my skis. Wes had told me I needed to keep my eyes looking where I wanted to go. So, I glanced up, but as I did, I realized I was heading straight for a large orange sign, ironically labeled SLOW with a large exclamation mark for emphasis. There was no time to avoid it. Even a good skier might have struggled to swerve out of the way. All I could do was brace for impact, and I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for the inevitable collision.
But the impact I felt was different than expected. A strong pair of arms wrapped around my waist, forcing me to an abrupt but comfortable stop.
“Whoa there, Crash. Are you okay?”
My breaths were coming in fast, and I was shaking with adrenaline. It took me a moment to realize I hadn’t slammed into the sign. I was still standing on two feet, and my skis were still beneath me. I’d stopped, and I was safe. But my relief disappeared as quickly as it had washed over me. That was Noah’s voice. Noah’s arms.
I had to withhold a groan. Seriously? Hadn’t I embarrassed myself enough for one morning? I slowly opened my eyes to find Noah standing in front of me grinning. His ski gear was covered in snow, and I assumed he’d already been up the mountain because his hair was messy, like he had just removed his helmet. It was unfair how he could be so disheveled and still look so good.
“Having fun?” he asked. “I know you like to crash into things, but it’s not a great quality to have on the ski slopes.”
“How is it that there’s a whole mountain you could be on, and yet you somehow end up in the exact spot to witness my humiliation?”
His grin grew brighter. “Seems to me I was in the right place at the right time.”
He was still lightly holding me. I moved back from his grasp and went to take off my skis, but he kept a hand on my arm to steady me. “I suppose you’ve got some advice for how I can ski better?”
“Well, for starters, you’re supposed to avoid the slow down signs at the bottom of the slope,” Noah said. “But that’s just common sense. I’m afraid I can’t help you with the skiing part because I snowboard.” He nodded to a snowboard that was lying in the snow a few feet away. He must have dropped it when he’d come to my rescue.
“Oh.”
“And it seems like you’ve got enough teachers,” he said. “Although, you’d probably be better off with a professional instructor.” I glanced in the direction of my friends. They were all rushing toward us from the chairlift. They must have witnessed the whole thing.
Wes was a few feet ahead of the others, the look of concern clear on his face as he ran. As he approached, I thought he was going to reach out to me and check I was okay, but his outstretched hand was aimed at Noah, who was still holding my arm to steady me.
“Get off her, Hastings.” Wes roughly shoved Noah away.
“Wes!” I gasped. I’d never seen him act so aggressively.
Noah stumbled back slightly, letting go of my arm, but he barely batted an eyelid. Sawyer and Anna skidded to a stop when they reached us and glanced between the two boys. The tension in the air was thick, and it made me uncomfortable to see Noah and Wes standing off against one another this way. This was exactly what I’d wanted to avoid this holiday.
“I was saving your girlfriend from disaster,” Noah replied.
“You’re not even supposed to be here,” Wes snapped back.
“I was just walking past.”
“I mean in Aspen.” Wes’s expression was only growing darker. “In the house right next door to ours.” Clearly this was about more than just my collision with Noah.
“Lucky I am, otherwise there would be an Isobel-shaped hole in that slow sign.”
“Guys, stop!” I shouted over them, and they both turned to look at me. “Wes, it’s okay. Noah was just helping me.”
Wes’s eyes softened as he looked at me. Maybe he could see how desperately I wanted them to stop fighting. Maybe he remembered how much we’d been looking forward to a drama-free holiday. Maybe he could see how upset I was that he hadn’t even asked me if I was okay yet.
Whatever it was, the look on my face made Wes take a deep breath in, and as he exhaled, he turned back to Noah. “You’re right,” he said. “Thanks, Noah.”
It must have nearly killed him to show Noah gratitude. We were all briefly stunned into silence, but eventually Noah nodded.
“You’re welcome,” he said, bending down to retrieve his discarded snowboard. “I guess I’ll see you guys around.” He gave me a lingering look before he stepped away. “Stay safe out there, Crash.”
I watched him leave, my heart still racing from the collision and the argument between Noah and Wes. So much for today being a good day. It was barely 10 A.M. and it had already turned into a total disaster.
It was only once Noah was gone that Wes turned back to me. “Are you okay, Isobel?”
“I’m fine,” I replied. “Thanks for asking.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “I shouldn’t have reacted like that.”
I sighed and relaxed my shoulders, allowing some of my frustration to roll off them. I knew I couldn’t stay mad at him. “It’s okay.”
“No, I shouldn’t have let him get to me. I should have checked on you. Hell, I should have been the one to stop you from crashing.”
“Seriously, Wes, I’m fine. Nothing bad happened. But I think that’s enough skiing for me today.”
“Are you sure?” He sounded disappointed, but I felt like it was more with himself than me.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’m getting a little hungry too, and Anna mentioned something about a buffet…”
“Oh, yeah, this place has the best buffet,” Anna confirmed with a grin. “I’m starved too, so I’ll come with you.”
I could have kissed her.
“You boys should head up the mountain and do some real skiing,” Anna added.
Sawyer quickly agreed. “It does look good up there, Wes.”
Wes hadn’t taken his eyes off me though. “I’m happy to stay with you…”
“No, it’s okay. You don’t want to be stuck down here all day. Go and enjoy yourself. It’ll be fun to hang with Anna.”
He seemed reluctant to leave me, but he eventually agreed. “Okay, but call me if you change your mind,” he said. “I’ll come find you.”
“I will.” I reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for trying to teach me today. I’m sorry I’m a lost cause.”
“You’re not,” he said. “Maybe teaching someone to ski just isn’t as easy as I thought.”
“Well, skiing certainly isn’t as easy as I thought.”
He shot me a smile. “Okay, see you back at the chalet.”
“See you there.”
Wes and Sawyer put their skis back on and skated over to the chairlift while Anna and I left our gear on one of the nearby racks and went to explore the village. She happily pointed out hot guys as we walked, but I wasn’t really listening to what she was saying. My mind was still focused on the showdown between Wes and Noah I’d just had to break up.
I was completely shaken from my disastrous attempt at skiing, and yet it wasn’t even the most stressful part of my day. Somehow, the conflict between Noah and Wes had been worse than any fall or crash. I couldn’t believe how Wes had reacted, and although I’d acted like everything was okay afterward, that was far from how I felt.
No matter what I did or said, Wes’s anxiety about Noah seemed to be constantly bubbling beneath the surface, and he was getting closer and closer to his boiling point.
