Page 51 of Billionaire's Fantasy
“That should be okay. I think the phone will work,” I reply.
“Good.”
“Good.”
We eat the remaining part of our breakfast in complete silence.
After breakfast, Amber and I exit the skiing lounge, her ski gear on point, looking like a pro. She’s quiet, and I can tell she’s still mad at me, but I’m not about to let her ruin this trip. I promised her we would have fun, and I plan on delivering.
We make our way to the ski slopes, and I can feel my heart beating faster with excitement. This is my element, and I love sharing it with others. I can’t wait to see the look on Amber’s face when she finally conquers the mountain.
As we make our way up the ski lift, Amber still isn’t saying much. I try to break the ice by telling her about some of my favorite ski memories, but she just nods along, not really engaging in the conversation. I know I messed up, but I’m not about to let her stay mad at me forever.
Finally, we reach the top of the mountain, and I can see Amber’s beautiful emerald eyes widen as she takes in the view. The sun is shining bright, and the snow looks perfect. It’s a skier’s paradise, and I can’t wait to show her the ropes.
I help Amber put on her skis, adjusting the straps and making sure they’re secure. She looks nervous, but I try to keep my tone light and encouraging.
“Okay, Amber, the first thing you need to do is balance on your skis. Stand up straight and keep your feet parallel. You can use your poles for balance.”
She does as I say and wobbles a little before steadying herself. I smile at her, “See, you’re a natural.”
I lead her over to the bunny slope and point out the basics. “So, when you want to turn, you need to shift your weight to one foot and turn your skis in that direction. Then you shift your weight to the other foot and turn the other way. Just like that.”
She nods and pushes off, but she doesn’t shift her weight and instead just slides straight down the slope. I rush to catch up with her and stop her by grabbing her arm.
“Okay, let’s try that again. This time, just really lean into the turn.”
We practice a few times, and each time she gets better. Soon, she’s actually turning, and I can see the excitement on her face.
“Look at you! I keep saying it, but you’re a natural,” I cheer her on.
We continue skiing for a while, and I point out different techniques, giving her pointers as we go along. She’s doing great, but she’s still a bit stiff and tense.
“Amber, you need to loosen up. You’re too tense, and that’s going to make it harder for you. Just relax and let yourself glide down the slope.”
She nods, and I can see her trying to relax. We continue down the slope, and this time she’s much smoother and more fluid in her movements.
“See, that’s much better. You’re getting the hang of it,” I say.
She hands me her phone to take some photos and videos of her. It would not be Amber if we did not document every step.
She grins at me, and for a moment everything feels perfect. But then the mistrust creeps back in and I can see it in the set of her jaw.
I don’t know what I will ever do to make her hate me less.
I decided to break the stiffness with some humor. “So, Amber, what do you call a snowman with a six-pack?”
She looks at me, confused.
“An abdominal snowman!” I say, laughing.
She rolls her eyes, but I can see the hint of a smile on her face. We continue skiing, and although the tension is still there, it’s slowly melting away. As we ski down the slope, I can see that she is gaining more and more confidence. She’s not falling as much, and when she does, she gets right back up and tries again.
“You’re doing great, Amber,” I say. “Before you know it, you’ll be ready for the black diamond slopes.”
She laughs. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I still have a lot to learn.”
As we reach the bottom of the slope, I can see that she’s beaming with pride. “That was amazing,” she says.
