Megan sat down on the bed and turned to face Jessa. “I really wanted this year to feel like Christmas. You know, with the snow and cold and skiing. My parents are down in Florida right now, and it just wouldn’t feel the same for me. So I’m going to go home and see them after I leave here.”
“Well, I, for one, am ecstatic you’re spending it with me.”
“Me too.”
Jessa stood and walked to the window and then looked up at the sky. The sun was shining, and the four inches of snow onthe ground glistened. “Now where’s a snowstorm when you need one?”
“Snowstorm?” Megan asked. She picked up her phone and looked at the weather app to see what the weather would be over the next few days. They would definitely get decent snow every day, but it didn’t look like a storm.
Jessa turned around, a devilish smile on her face. “Yeah. So you get snowed-in and meet a hunky man to spend the rest of your life with.”
Megan laughed. “Oh right. I forgot that was on the agenda.”
“You’ll see. This place is magic.”
Megan could only smile at Jessa in response. But deep down in her heart, she had a Christmas wish of meeting the man she was destined to be with.
Jeff skiedto a stop just outside the lodge, where the rest of the ski patrol was gathering. The mountain had closed an hour earlier, and they were doing their final checks to make sure everyone was on the gondola heading off the mountain. He used his poles to pop his skis off his boots and then picked them up to carry them inside the lodge, where the ski patrol had their locker room. He stored his gear for the night and swapped his ski boots for snow boots.
It felt colder than normal that night. It was already getting dark on the mountain, and he was looking forward to getting down into town to take a warm shower and relax. When he stepped back out of the locker room, only a few members of the ski patrol remained, including Noah, his best friend and boss.
“Ready?” Noah asked.
Jeff pulled a beanie over his head and nodded. “Yep.”
The rest of the crew got in the gondolas with Jeff and Noah pulling up the rear in the last.
Jeff’s body was tired, and it was letting him know it. He had done more runs than usual. He propped his feet up on the seat across from him. Noah sat across from him and did the same.
“What a day,” Noah said.
“Yeah,” Jeff huffed. “Is it just me, or did it seem like people were getting hurt constantly today?”
Noah nodded. “It was definitely busier.”
“I’m exhausted.”
“You aren’t getting sick, are you?”
Jeff shook his head. He hoped not. Flu season had already torn through their staff a few months back, and he was dreading the next round that always seemed to come at some point. If not the flu, it was usually an awful cold. “No, I think I’m just tired.”
“Good. What are your Christmas plans? Heading home?”
Jeff grew up in Helena and moved to Wintervale to work at the resort a few years back. He ended up enjoying the town so much he never left. He tried to get home to visit his family occasionally, but planned to stay in Wintervale to help for the holidays. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve, and he was on the schedule. He had Christmas off at the moment.
“No. I figured you might need help on the mountain. People always seem to call in sick.”
“That’s true. Thank you for that,” Noah said. “You’re welcome to join my family for Christmas dinner.”
“Thanks, man. I might take you up on that.”
The gondola arrived at the bottom of the mountain, and Noah let the operator know they were all clear. It was shut down for the night, and they all waved to each other as they parted ways in the resort parking lot and went to their own cars.
Jeff drove the short distance through town to the house he was renting. He had yet to take the plunge and buy a house. While he had no intention of ever leaving Wintervale, he wasn’t quite ready to put down roots.
He let himself into his house and sighed. Something felt off, heavy almost. He never minded being single in the past, but this time of the year always felt worse than normal. His siblings were all married with kids. His friends were either married or in committed relationships. And then there was him.
Jeff popped a store-bought frozen dinner into the microwave and cracked open a beer while he waited for it to heat. He took a long pull and closed his eyes, willing the holidays away.
Once this holiday was over, things would be better. He was sure of it.
