I focus on the dishes, or try to. I can hear the muffled rise and fall of her voice through the phone, though not the words.
“I can’t tonight, remember?” Liam hesitates. “Yes, Jude and I are going to hang out.” His voice is guarded. “No, we’re watching the Miners play Calgary here at my place, not at the bar.”
More muffled talking from her end.
“Because I prefer to watch at home, you know that.” He exhales. “Kara, my night is already planned. I don’t want to meet up and watch the game at The Fox & The Kettle. You don’t even like hockey. Why would you want to do that?”
He doesn’t speak for a while so I have to assume Kara has a lot on her mind.
Eventually, he says, “I don’t think you’re being fair. I haven’t had a day off in almost two weeks. I don’t think I’m selfish because I want to stay home and watch a hockey game with Jude.”
More strained silence.
“Babe, why are you being like this?” He sounds exasperated. “You spent the night twice last week. No, of course I’m glad you did, I’m just saying it’s been an exhausting thirteen days, but I still tried to make time for us. Can’t you be a little more understanding about why I don’t feel like going out to a bar tonight?”
Her voice sounds agitated when she responds.
“Honey, come on. Don’t be like that,” he says softly. “It’s not that I don’t want to see you, but I’m beyond tired. I just want to veg in front of the TV and drink a bunch of beers. I’m not going to be in themood.”
The more I listen, the angrier I feel toward Kara. Liam has bent over backward to accommodate her lately, but she’s still giving him grief. However, the dishes are done so I have no excuse to stay in the kitchen just so I can eavesdrop on their conversation. I slip out of the kitchen and go upstairs to shower and dress for the day.
When I come downstairs, I hear Liam upstairs showering. The house is still, just the hum of the dryer in the laundry room. Pale winter light slants through the windows, and I sigh. Liam’s home is peaceful in a way that makes my chest ache. Being here with Liam feels like something I could get used to and I know better than to let that happen. Especially since Kara seems to hate me. I suspect she instinctively senses my attraction to Liam. It’s clear to me if she has her way, I will not be living with Liam much longer.
I return from the store with two six-packs of beer, a bag of cheese puffs, and an enormous, fancy bouquet of red and white roses. Liam is on the front porch with both snowboards propped against the railing. He’s rubbing a block of wax along the base ofthe second board, working in smooth, even strokes. He looks up smiling as I approach.
“Do you approve of the bouquet I purchased, my lord?” I ask, gesturing to the flowers poking out of one of the grocery bags.
“Very nice.” He stops what he’s doing and eyes the flowers. “You’ve pleased your lord, knave.”
“Whew. I was afraid you’d behead me if I failed.” I chuckle.
“Nope, you did a good job.” He glances down at the snowboard in his hands. “Your board was in rough shape. I haven’t used it in a while.” He flips the board he’s holding and checks the edge.
“Looks like a nice board.”
“It’s a very nice board and it deserves better.” He blows a shaving off the edge and sets it beside the other one. “Okay, I think we’re good to go. We should head out so we get back in time for the game.”
“Let me just put the groceries away and the flowers in some water.” I go inside the house as I speak.
Once the flowers and groceries are handled, we load the boards into the back of his SUV. We head out of town, past the resort turnoff with its line of rental cars and shuttle buses, and onto a narrow forest service road that climbs steeply through the pines. The vehicle bounces over ruts and packed ice as the road narrows, branches scraping the sides.
“Where are we going?” I ask, gripping the door handle as we hit a particularly deep rut.
“My special spot.” He grins, not taking his eyes off the road.
After about fifteen minutes, the road opens into a small clearing at the base of a wide slope. The snow is deep and untouched. No lift, no lodge, no tourists. Just the mountain and us.
“This is Ridgeback Bowl,” Liam says, cutting the engine. “Locals only. Tourists don’t even know it exists.”
“Ooh, I’ve been allowed into the inner circle,” I say dryly.
He laughs gruffly, pushing open his door. “Don’t mock the privilege you’ve been given, knave.”
“Yes, my lord.” I hop out of the truck and shiver. The air up here is thinner, sharper, carrying nothing but pine and pristine snow. The slope rises above us at a steep grade, the surface smooth and gleaming in the afternoon sun. At the very top, there’s a line of trees. The sky is enormous and startlingly blue. “My guess is not having a lift keeps the tourists away.”
“Bingo.” He pulls the boards from the back of the SUV. “You either hike up to the top or you don’t ride down.”
“Works for me.” I snort. “I’d rather hike up and down the mountain twenty times than have to put up with crowds.”
