“It’s okay. We’ll go step by step. Today’s lesson is all about balance, so we’re just going to focus on keeping you up and standing on those skis, okay?”
She nods eagerly, her eyes brightening with hope. “And by Friday we’ll run down a slope?”
I nod, a wobbly smile touching the corners of my mouth. I wish I could ski with her – with them all – but I know I won’t be allowed to. Honestly, seeing all these people around me makes me want to scream and punch a wall. I’m telling you, it hurts to be forbidden from doing the only thing I love.
Lou jumps up then and grabs my hand in her gloved one. “My skis are over there.”
I straighten myself, bite back a groan because of the discomfort in my leg, and laugh at the kid pulling me along. My arm brushes against Alara’s, our eyes meeting for what feels like the longest second ever. She doesn’t say anything, neither do I, but I don’t miss the tender gleam shining in those hazel eyes.
“Good job, Lou! Look at you go, girl.”
Lou squeals in excitement and jumps to high-five me, but in the process forgets that her feet are strapped to her skis. She falls to her knees, using her hands to catch herself, then looks up at me before letting out a belly laugh. I can’t help but chuckle too.
“Did you see that?” She grins widely. “I didn’t fall!”
The lesson is coming to an end, and I spent forty minutes teaching Lou one-on-one. From teaching her how to stand and adopt the right posture, and giving her the confidence to move forward, it’s obvious that she has a lot of progress to make, but at least she isn’t terrified of mounting a pair of skis anymore.
Pride rushes through me at the sight of the twinkling stars in her eyes. I can’t even imagine how I’ll feel when she runs down that first slope at the end of the week. That is, if Alara still wantsme as her assistant. I highly doubt she will, as I haven’t stopped grumbling under my breath or huffing discreetly.
“I saw.” I smile down at Lou. “You did a good job today. Now why don’t you get out of the skis like I showed you?”
Once she’s holding the skis, she gives me a wide grin, and we high five. “Will you be here tomorrow?”
I hope not.“Yep. All week long.”
I glance up to see Alara approaching us. When she gives me an approving nod, relief crashes through me. I notice the whole class has dispersed.
Lou squeals. “I can’t wait!”
Alara’s laugh sounds exactly like a melody, one I want ingrained into my brain. She touches Lou’s helmet, looking down at the little girl, who’s practically bouncing with excitement. Oh, to be a kid again, fueled by adrenaline and simple happiness. “Lou, your parents are here to pick you up. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
After Lou waves to say goodbye and runs to her parents, I direct my attention to Alara who’s staring incredulously at me.
“What?” I ask, frowning. I almost touch my face to check if there’s something on it, but then I realize she’s just trying to read me. I fight the urge to crawl in a hole, because I know she can see past the walls I’ve built around me. I know I can’t exactly hide from her, and it’s terrifying how someone as sweet as her can look at me, a guy who keeps repeating his mistakes, with such gentleness.
Shaking her head, she turns on her heel. “Nothing. I wasn’t expecting you to have a soft spot for a kid.”
Neither was I, but I guess spending time with Lou reminded me of the days when I used to take care of Valentina while both our parents were at work.
“I’m full of surprises,” I say dryly.
“I can see that.”
She makes a beeline for her pair of skis that she’s set to one side, but I cross the space between us by jogging. I ignore the pain shooting up my leg as I race toward her, and gently grab her elbow to make her pivot.
Her eyebrows pinch in subtle confusion when her gaze connects to mine, but she makes no move to step away. With the sunlight streaming down her face, her irises are green and utterly mesmerizing. A natural tint of rose colors her cheekbones, and I wonder if it’s because of the cold air biting at her skin or how minimal the distance is between our chests.
Fuck, she makes me really nervous. Being in her vicinity makes me lose all sense of control over myself, and I don’t like that.
Now’s the time to make up for my crappy attitude.
“Alara,” I breathe out, her name tasting like spun sugar. “I’m sorry. I’m really fucking sorry.”
Her shoulders drop just as I release her arm. I tug off my gloves, rubbing the back of my neck with a sweaty palm.
She only blinks, so I take that as my cue to continue. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way on Friday. Hell, I shouldn’t have treated you so badly ever since I arrived. I’m really sorry if I hurt and upset you, but it wasn’t my intention at all. I was having a terrible day—”
“Week,” she corrects.
