Page 5 of On the Slopes of Tahoe
It’s not like Jamie doesn’t like my parents. It’s more that he’s indifferent to them. He doesn’t like the way they treat me, but the man was raised to be respectful, and he’s nothing if not a perfect gentleman. Plus, they’re always on their very best behavior when he’s around.
Jamie
I do always like it when you owe me a favor…
I laugh out loud. The last time he was forced into one of these dinners, I got us tickets to see Imagine Dragons at the outdoor arena to make up for it. If I remember correctly, he went homewith a girl he met at the bar afterward, so I understand his enthusiasm.
Me
Fine, I’ll owe you one.
Jamie
Excellent. Now to come up with what said favor will be.
Me
I can practically see you wringing your hands and cackling maniacally.
Jamie
You know me too well. What are you up to tomorrow?
Me
I’ve got work, but I thought I’d make it a half day and take Breck and Willow to lunch if they’re up for it. You could join us.
Jamie
Sounds good to me. Night, Rory.
Me
Night.
I hurry through my nighttime routine, ready to put this evening behind me. When I sink into my bed, pillows cradling my head and blankets cocooned around me, my mind wanders down the street. To a man with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. Did he get Willow to bed okay? Is he sleeping, or is jet lagkeeping him up? Did he eat the pizza I stashed in their freezer? Is he happy to be here, or is he just relieved not to bethere? The questions swirl around in my head as I slowly drift off to sleep.
CHAPTER THREE
Breck
Iknow Willow will eventually love the bunk beds in her room, but she ended up in bed next to me last night. I should’ve expected it. Her disoriented yells woke me from a dead sleep just after eleven. I might’ve thought it was comical, me running through the house in my boxers to get to her, but seeing as I don’t know the layout very well myself, I ended up running into a wallandstubbing my toe on the door jamb.
Needless to say, I’m knackered. Having tiny feet in my face half the night only exacerbated my own restlessness. Though, if being in bed with me is what she needs right now, I’ll deal with it.
I yawn and say a silent thank-you to Rory for the stock of coffee grounds next to the coffee maker. If I’d had to go out first thing this morning, I might’ve cried. In reality, I would’ve smiled through it and found a way to make it an adventure for Willow, but I definitely would’vethoughtabout crying.
Pouring grounds into the filter and pushing thestrong brewoption, I take a full breath in through my nose. My shoulders drop away from my ears as I let it out, and the tension I was holding starts to melt away. Moving around the kitchen, I open and close all the cabinets, familiarizing myself with our new space. I find a large mug with an Empyreal Mountain Resort logo and feel the itch to get out there. There’s a comfort to the mountains, to the glistening snow covering them, and I intend to make the most of it.
I spent every winter of my early childhood in Perisher Valley—one of the best ski areas in Australia. Those mountains were my first home, the one I shared with my parents before they were taken from me. I haven’t been that far south since Willow was born. Even when I coordinated trips there with my tour company, Adventure Chasers, I never went with them.
Not my company anymore.
I sigh, my hands gripping the counter, and let myself wallow until the coffee stops percolating. I stare out the window at the sun illuminating the peaks in the distance, and I think back on my attempts to convince Talia to take a family ski trip. She never had any interest, and I didn’t want to leave Willow behind, so the years passed in the name of compromise. I should’ve prioritized it so I could’ve shared that connection to my parents with Willow.
What was I so afraid of?
The beep of the coffeemaker draws my attention and I shake away the question. Pulling open the fridge, I find milk nestled between a carton of eggs, some butter, and shredded cheese. It looks like scrambled eggs are on the menu this morning. I pull everything out, spread the ingredients on the counter, and fill my mug with piping hot coffee and a splash of milk.
