“Take it easy, Claire.”
The second he disembarked from the chair, he tore off to the left. I went straight, going slightly uphill, as I couldn’t stop. My skis were going out of control, but I didn’t want to bring any attention to the fact out of embarrassment. I was able to turn around once I slowed enough and came to acomplete stop so I could assess where I was. Trevor had said to go right. Did he mean when I faced the chair lift or when it was to my back? The panic washed over me. Where was the sign marking the runs? I awkwardly skied over to the left. Not a sign in sight. Then, to the right. I saw a sign off in the distance, so I went a little further until I realized I was at the top of the run. I couldn’t turn back; there were too many people, and the ski patroller said no loitering. I knew it always looked the worst from that angle, so I went for it: my first solo run on that trip, feeling insecure and painfully inexperienced, and without an instructor to help.
I started out by making the pizza formation and attempting small turns, just like Tara had shown me. I couldn’t quite muster the part about lifting a foot up without almost falling, so I left that behind. When it got steep, I did smaller, more frequent turns. My biggest concern was getting run over by another skier. If I could go down without looking over my shoulder, it would’ve been so much better. Distraction came when someone called out my name.
“Claire!” It was the man of the hour: Blake. “How’s your ski lesson going?” He looked all around us. “Are you out here alone?” Suddenly, he spun around on his skis and wassliding down a small slopebackwards. “I call this my swoon turn. Does it work?”
I laughed. “That would depend. Are you trying to swoon me? Because right now there’s a lot I don’t know about you.”
His smile turned into a frown. “What happened?” he asked, coming to a stop while I dug my poles into the snow, leaning on them to take a much-needed break.
“Oh, nothing. Timothy just told me about your dad owning the company I just got fired from. Owning this resort— heck, this whole town. Oh, and your stunning ex-girlfriend who just so happens to be here for the week. Meanwhile, I’m up here stuck on the glorified bunny hill, in a panic about getting to the bottom, and sweating all my makeup off in the process. I just can’t compete with all these women who can ski so well and still look absolutely perfect.” I huffed, taking a breath from my mini meltdown. “That’s all.”
His frown turned deeper. “I’m sorry, Claire. I was going to tell you all those things, but I couldn’t figure out how. After you said you were fired, I didn’t want to sour our relationship.”
“What relationship? We just met, Blake. We don’t have one. I told you who my father was. That would have been a great opportunity for you to chime in.”
“Okay, okay. I know. And I’m sorry, Claire. Can you forgive me for not telling you immediately who my dad is?”
I thought about it for a minute, pushing my skis as hard as I could into the pizza formation.
“You really need to watch your knees,” Blake chimed in.
I was drenched in sweat, and he looked fresh as a daisy.
He gracefully skied closer to me and saw me up close, stifling back a laugh. “I love how serious you’re taking these skiing lessons. I find it very endearing. You really put your heart and soul into what you set out to accomplish, I can tell.” He gave a sincere smile, but when I didn’t give him one in return, he frowned.
“I guess.”
“Do you trust me?”
“I—I don’t know.” I felt my blood sugar dropping fast. Where was everyone? Mickey? Chaperones? The snow cat to take me down in the sled of shame? “I’m just feelingcompletely exhausted.” This was so tiring, and the run looked like it kept getting longer and longer.
“I know how you feel. I get it. Here, let me help you. I promise to take care of you, Claire.”
I weighed my options: Staying in place or getting out of this situation now. I took the latter. “Okay, fine.”
Blake linked our arms together, and he placed his skis on the outside of mine. While he wasn’t holding me close to his body, I felt secure. Within seconds, we were gliding down the mountain at a perfect speed. “Just stay still and keep your skis together. I got you,” he said in my ear as my legs instinctively tried to do some work. I closed my eyes for a moment, taking the words in. Doing what he said would require my letting go of the control I desperately wanted to keep. But I was getting nowhere trying to control that situation and was only making it harder on myself. The same went for many aspects of my life. I felt myself melt into his arms, putting the weight of my body into his as I let that man—one whom I did not know, but admittedly, wanted to—help me.
When we reached the end of the run, he began to gradually release my arms. “You know what to do. Don’t panic, Claire. Just ski.”
He released me from his grip, and I kept up the momentum, gliding at an easy pace as the ground turned flat beneath me. When I came to a natural stop, I looked back at him, and he smiled and clapped. With Blake helping me, the trip had become effortless and without physical and emotional strain. I thanked God for sending Blake to me at that very moment to help in my time of need.
I took off my gloves and unhooked my skis while Blake took two strides and met me where I was, my legs shaking in the aftermath of the trauma of feeling afraid and stranded on the ski hill.
“Claire, I’d like to tell you a few more things about me.” He paused, waiting for me to accept the conversation.
“Okay, sure. I’m interested in what you have to say.” Saying it out loud also admitted it to myself: The man had intrigued me. He had just witnessed me having a total meltdown and was then still interested in speaking to me.
“You see, my parents and I are kind of at a fork in the road. They want me to be living life on their timeline and I…” Hepaused, releasing a big breath into the cold air. “Well, I just don’t see things the same. I guess I’m just out here forging my path, and don’t want everyone to decide who I am based on my father’s company. Especially not this. I feel terrible that you were let go. But please, Claire. Let me make it up to you,” he pled with his eyes, as well as his words. “You and I are both here this week, but so is your ex-boyfriend, who seems like a real piece of work. I saw him in the men’s restroom styling his hair. I know just his type.”
I didn’t know what he was getting at, but the jab at Theo made me feel defensive. “Lest we forget aboutyourex-girlfriend being here. Melanie? Yeah, it’s the real icing on the cake, I’d say, unless you planned it that way. Unless youwantto get back with her and speaking to me is now interrupting those plans?”
Blake shook his head. “It’s not what you think, Claire. Yes, she is here until tomorrow, which is an unfortunate coincidence. Her parents were the only ones slighted in our verymutualbreakup over a year ago. They will not quit meddling and always seem to plan these trips when we might run into each other. But believe me when I say there’s no future where Melanie and I end up together. Trust me… We are two extremely different people. For instance, I want a family. She wants to move to India. I want to learn about competitive clay shooting. She doesn’t believe in weapons. Our personalities clash, too. Melanie is a very serious person, and you can’t take me anywhere because I’m always laughing.” He put his hand on my shoulder. “But even if I liked all the things I don’t, and I wanted to get back with her, she’s already moved on and is dating a guy from the NFL.”
I was surprised at his words and why he was speaking them, but it gave me relief knowing that she was not looking for love with Blake. Regardless, I was feeling a little embarrassed at my blowup. “Blake, you don’t have to explain yourself. We’ve only just met, and I don’t expect you—”
He cut me off. “I know I don’t have to, but I want to tell you, Claire. You deserve to have people be upfront with you. That being said,” he leaned closer and took my hands in his, “I have a proposal to make.”
