after the traditional name for the sort of skiing tumble that sent one’s skis in one direction, poles in another, bestrewing the slope with stray gear.
Wary from years of experience, the six slowed to a more cautious pace and were able to navigate neatly among the wreckage, clearing the other side after ascertaining that none of the currently afflicted skiers were in need of help. Scott nimbly plucked a ski from a drift and handed it in passing to its owner, who thanked the Good Samaritan with a grateful but fading cry as he schussed past, already speeding up to attack the next set of moguls.
* * * * *
By the middle of the day their group had expanded to include Nash, Reese and Karl’s father. They had lost Wil , who had taken young Charles to explore the bunny slopes with a promise to meet back up for lunch at their usual restaurant. Elyce was so enjoying the time spent with the Nashes, particularly with Emily and Kel y, that she had nearly forgotten the distance she’d told herself she must keep from al of them on this trip. It was a struggle to remind herself that she was not meant to be here, that she was angry with Karl and that he was dead set on taking al the advantage he could of her situation. She knew that softening her demeanor would only encourage him and each time she slipped into amiable patter, she chided herself for the lapse.
Unfortunately, her body seemed to take a different view of Karl’s intentions. Every time she thought of his words, his stated plans for what he would do when he got her into the bedroom, she felt a recurrence of that shivering rush and had to resist the urge to look his way. He was being solicitous and charming now, making it stil more difficult to maintain a useful level of animosity toward him. She had forgotten just how charming he could be.
Now, at lunch in the noisy base camp cafeteria, he was using the clamor as an excuse to lean in when he talked to her and Elyce was fighting not to get lost in the subtle scent of him, the way his breath raised every fine hair on the rim of her ear when he asked her to pass the ketchup.
When her cel phone rang, it actual y took Elyce a few seconds to recognize the ring as her own. Excusing herself to the group, she flipped open the phone without checking the number—and was thrown off her guard when she heard Andrew’s voice in response to her greeting.
“Hel o to you too. It sounds loud, where are you?”
“Oh. I’m…hang on just a second, okay?” With an apologetic gesture, Elyce rose from the table and wove her way through the crowded tables to the alcove near the restroom, where the din was muffled slightly. “I’m in a restaurant. Where are you?”
“Stil just at my parents’ house. You know. Just hanging out.”
“Um, yeah. Me too, real y. Just hanging out.”
“Your hanging out sounds more fun than my hanging out. So how’s the skiing?”
She answered without thinking. “Fantastic, actual y. It’s usual y so slushy this time of year, but I guess the little cold snap— Hey.” A cold finger of dread, or perhaps just embarrassment, stroked its way along Elyce’s spine as she belatedly caught Andrew’s knowing tone, realizing before he even spoke again that he knew exactly where she was skiing—and with whom.
“Hey, indeed,” Andrew said. “How’s Karl? He fantastic too?”
“He’s been better.”
“Real y.”
“Look, Andrew, I’m sure you think you know what’s going on here, but—”
“Yeah, but you’re going to tel me anyway aren’t you?”
“Would you just… Karl’s grandparents didn’t know about the divorce, al right? He asked, as a favor to his family, which I’m stil technical y a part of, if I could come and spend Christmas like usual so they wouldn’t have to find out about the whole thing until after the holidays. This is where they always spend Christmas, so that’s why it had to be here, with the skiing and everything. And that’s al that is going on.”
“I
Wary from years of experience, the six slowed to a more cautious pace and were able to navigate neatly among the wreckage, clearing the other side after ascertaining that none of the currently afflicted skiers were in need of help. Scott nimbly plucked a ski from a drift and handed it in passing to its owner, who thanked the Good Samaritan with a grateful but fading cry as he schussed past, already speeding up to attack the next set of moguls.
* * * * *
By the middle of the day their group had expanded to include Nash, Reese and Karl’s father. They had lost Wil , who had taken young Charles to explore the bunny slopes with a promise to meet back up for lunch at their usual restaurant. Elyce was so enjoying the time spent with the Nashes, particularly with Emily and Kel y, that she had nearly forgotten the distance she’d told herself she must keep from al of them on this trip. It was a struggle to remind herself that she was not meant to be here, that she was angry with Karl and that he was dead set on taking al the advantage he could of her situation. She knew that softening her demeanor would only encourage him and each time she slipped into amiable patter, she chided herself for the lapse.
Unfortunately, her body seemed to take a different view of Karl’s intentions. Every time she thought of his words, his stated plans for what he would do when he got her into the bedroom, she felt a recurrence of that shivering rush and had to resist the urge to look his way. He was being solicitous and charming now, making it stil more difficult to maintain a useful level of animosity toward him. She had forgotten just how charming he could be.
Now, at lunch in the noisy base camp cafeteria, he was using the clamor as an excuse to lean in when he talked to her and Elyce was fighting not to get lost in the subtle scent of him, the way his breath raised every fine hair on the rim of her ear when he asked her to pass the ketchup.
When her cel phone rang, it actual y took Elyce a few seconds to recognize the ring as her own. Excusing herself to the group, she flipped open the phone without checking the number—and was thrown off her guard when she heard Andrew’s voice in response to her greeting.
“Hel o to you too. It sounds loud, where are you?”
“Oh. I’m…hang on just a second, okay?” With an apologetic gesture, Elyce rose from the table and wove her way through the crowded tables to the alcove near the restroom, where the din was muffled slightly. “I’m in a restaurant. Where are you?”
“Stil just at my parents’ house. You know. Just hanging out.”
“Um, yeah. Me too, real y. Just hanging out.”
“Your hanging out sounds more fun than my hanging out. So how’s the skiing?”
She answered without thinking. “Fantastic, actual y. It’s usual y so slushy this time of year, but I guess the little cold snap— Hey.” A cold finger of dread, or perhaps just embarrassment, stroked its way along Elyce’s spine as she belatedly caught Andrew’s knowing tone, realizing before he even spoke again that he knew exactly where she was skiing—and with whom.
“Hey, indeed,” Andrew said. “How’s Karl? He fantastic too?”
“He’s been better.”
“Real y.”
“Look, Andrew, I’m sure you think you know what’s going on here, but—”
“Yeah, but you’re going to tel me anyway aren’t you?”
“Would you just… Karl’s grandparents didn’t know about the divorce, al right? He asked, as a favor to his family, which I’m stil technical y a part of, if I could come and spend Christmas like usual so they wouldn’t have to find out about the whole thing until after the holidays. This is where they always spend Christmas, so that’s why it had to be here, with the skiing and everything. And that’s al that is going on.”
“I
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