Chapter 10
JED
Jed. Effie says you got yourself snowed in with that lass. Remember you have to stay focused. The clock is ticking. Boyd
Jed stared into the abyss that was Devil’s Run and felt his insides curl into themselves.
It was morning, only just light, and a fine mist hovered above the ground which added to the spookiness and general sense of foreboding.
He tightened his grip on the ski poles and heard something rustle but didn’t look back.
He had to concentrate – there was a lot riding on the ski championships.
If he won, he might be able to restart his career, even pick up his agent, coach and sponsorship deals again.
His future hung in the balance – a decent run and he could pay off his dad’s debt, then he could beg Mairi to give him another chance. Tell her how he really felt.
His insides pinched. If he didn’t do it soon, the eejit from Edinburgh was going to steal her from him. He thought about the bouquet she’d received yesterday and that stupid note, and made himself move forward. If he could just…
‘Go Turbo, go!’
Jed flinched as the voice rang out and he shut his eyes momentarily, searching for patience. He heard the sound of skis sliding and the stamp of poles and felt a presence beside him.
‘Scott.’ Jed knew his tone wasn’t particularly warm. But the kid had been stalking him since he and his da had come to stay in the lodge.
He angled his head and gazed at the boy. Scott was barely seventeen, with lean, rangy limbs and a voracious need for validation that had Jed’s stomach pitching. Why the hell would anyone want approval from him? ‘You shouldn’t be out here alone,’ Jed said, his voice gravelly.
‘You’re alone!’ Scott jutted his chin, the slight dusting of blonde stubble peppered across it caught the light, making Jed feel ancient.
‘I’m not skiing,’ Jed muttered, turning back to face the slope, ignoring the hard knot that twisted in his gut when he had a sudden flashback of the accident. ‘I’m thinking.’
The kid let out a low chuckle. ‘Then I’m thinking too. You’ve been down there this morning?’ He nodded at the angular slope and there was awe in his voice. Awe Jed didn’t deserve. ‘I used to watch you on TV and YouTube. You’re incredible. So fast.’ He shook his head, his eyes shining.
Jed cleared his throat. He wasn’t used to adoration anymore. When he got it, he usually fled. ‘I’ve not been down today,’ he answered stiffly.
Not for a long time. But he wasn’t going to share that.
Few people knew about his… affliction. No one but his ex-manager, agent, his aunt Effie and Boyd.
He winced. Quinn too, and Mairi probably suspected something, but the idea that she knew he was afraid – that she’d see him as weak – had his stomach knotting into something a boy scout would get a badge for.
‘How about I go first and you give me some tips?’ Scott asked, his tone lazy, clearly trying to hide how desperate he was. ‘You once said, “If you want to win, learn from the best.” You’re the best.’ The reverence in his voice made Jed feel sick. He wasn’t anymore. He was a joke.
‘How about you get some breakfast?’ Jed muttered. He wanted to be alone. How was he supposed to overcome anything when he had the buzz of voices in his head, all these distractions?
‘We could get breakfast together. You could talk about your career, mentor me. I want to be just like you.’ The teenager wasn’t going to give up.
‘How about we ski to the lodge together?’ Jed slid backwards and began to turn.
‘Great, wow—’ Scott started.
‘I’ve got stuff to do there.’ Jed shut him down, shoving away the guilt when the boy’s beam dimmed.
He wasn’t here to mentor anybody. Hell, he could barely manage his own life. Once he got himself on track. Once he was riding the slopes without a care in the world and his Da’s debt was paid off. Then he might think about nurturing someone else’s talent. Until then he wasn’t worthy.
Jed managed to shake Scott off halfway back to the lodge.
The boy had spotted his da and after a swift – albeit reluctant – goodbye and a promise that he’d make sure to track Jed down again, he’d skied away with a fluid grace and speed that had Jed’s eyes narrowing.
The boy had talent – with the right coaching he might…
He shoved away the thought as his mobile rang and he picked up. He could see the steep curve that would lead him up to the side entrance of Holly Berry Lodge, so he unhooked his skis and decided to carry them so he could talk.
‘Quinn,’ he said the instant he answered.
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ his friend immediately shot back, sounding furious.
Jed’s eyes widened as his mind scoured through all the things he hadn’t shared with Quinn recently – and he stopped, feeling his blood slow, and his heart stop pumping. Had his friend somehow found out about him and Mairi being married?
‘What?’ His voice was a low-pitched rasp.
‘That Mairi is at Holly Berry Lodge, and she’s been there for days,’ Quinn accused.
‘I was going to contact you last night, but I got a call out and I’ve been halfway up a mountain for the last twelve hours.
Count yourself lucky I’m too tired to drive to Aberlinnie, which means I can’t bloody your nose.
What I don’t understand is why you didn’t tell me? ’
‘Okay yes she’s here.’ Jed swiped a hand across his mouth, trying to think.
‘She’s not been here long. She came to visit and stayed to help Aunt Effie because Rhona has a dose of the flu.
I had no idea she was coming,’ he admitted.
He was walking a tightrope between truth and lies and knew it was precarious.
He didn’t know what else Mairi had shared with his best friend. Guilt ate like acid through his insides, he hated lying. But what else could he do? ‘I should have called when I knew, I’m sorry I got caught up.’ God he was an eejit – a selfish, useless one at that.
Quinn sucked in a breath. ‘Apology accepted I suppose. I was worried sick.’ He paused. ‘I wanted to visit today so I could find out what’s going on with my sister, but I’m still on call.’
‘Tough break.’ Jed puffed out a breath, relieved. The last thing they needed was Quinn at the lodge. He began to walk again because he was getting cold and had too much to do to stay here.
Jed wanted to check in on Effie, to see if she needed help before he started teaching. The two new guests had arrived late last night, but one had been tired after her ‘exhausting’, ‘hideous’ and ‘horrendous’ journey so hadn’t bothered to eat the stew Mairi had prepared.
If he was lucky, he could sneak back in, check on Effie and leave again before he bumped into any guests or Mairi.
Jed knew he was being a coward, but he couldn’t handle Mairi today.
The way she’d looked at him in the bothy – all those questions in her gorgeous eyes.
The hope that had made something inside his chest leap in response.
She might have asked for a divorce, might still be planning to date the eejit from Edinburgh – but he could still affect her.
Jed reached the top of the slope and saw Douglas battling with something that looked like a sea monster at the back entrance of the lodge. He’d seen the contraption the day before, but it seemed to have grown. ‘I need to go. Looks like we have an emergency,’ he said urgently.
‘Later,’ Quinn barked, managing to add, ‘Don’t forget to keep me posted on what’s happening with my sister,’ before hanging up.
‘Douglas,’ Jed said, dropping his equipment on the ground so he could gather pace. The older man was lying on the wide patio at the back of Holly Berry Lodge.
He wore a silver snowsuit and was wrapped in a long tube of white ventilation hose which had somehow snaked its way around his body. ‘What happened?’ he asked, kneeling so he could check the older man was okay.
‘Nothing. I’m good,’ Douglas said, trying to smile.
His blue bobble hat was a little skew-whiff and mussed hair poked from the edges, but he didn’t look injured.
‘I tripped over Bear, he was helping by digging the snow and loosening it so I could vacuum it up.’ He grimaced.
‘I knew he was there, but I got distracted.’ He frowned, his eyes swivelling back and forth.
‘I somehow got myself tangled in the vent of the snow machine.’ He shook his head and winced.
‘Where is Bear?’ Jed asked, looking around.
‘He ran to the front of the lodge, so he’s probably in the dining room or with Effie. I don’t want her to see me like this.’ He flushed. ‘I’m supposed to be helping out, not worrying her.’ He looked unhappy. ‘Poor lass has enough to fret about.’
‘Let’s get you up.’ Jed carefully helped the older man to his feet. There seemed to be more snow on the patio than before he’d left – and an abundance of large piles. ‘How’s the invention working out?’
Douglas grimaced. ‘Work in progress, lad. It needs some tweaks. I’ll have a tinker and take it for another spin later in the week.’ He glanced at the black snow shovel propped against the edge of the building. ‘I’m going to opt for the manual approach for now – for safety reasons.’
‘Aye.’ Jed almost laughed. He liked this man. ‘Let me know if you need any help.’ He turned so he could go and collect his skis from the snow.
‘Ach, I’ll be fine, lad. But before you leave, I want to talk.’ Douglas untangled his foot from a piece of wire which must have come loose from his invention and shoved it into the pocket of his salopettes.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘I’m worried about Effie.’ Douglas’s voice was low.
‘Why?’ Jed asked, suddenly concerned.
Douglas shook his head, his green eyes bright. ‘She’s working too hard. She won’t listen to me or the lass and do you know she stayed up most of the night playing with that pup you brought home?’
‘I didn’t.’ Jed swallowed. Effie had spent a lifetime picking up strays – including him – and sometimes she pushed herself too hard to keep them safe. He should have checked on her, but he’d been too busy trying to avoid Mairi.
‘So she’s tired?’ he checked. He’d take Midnight off her hands as soon as he finished today’s lessons.
‘Lad, I think your aunt has flu,’ the older man told him, his face creasing. ‘She’s trying to work through it, but the wee bug has her by the arms, legs and throat. She needs to go to bed, but one of the women who’s just checked in is running her and Mairi ragged.’
‘Greer Abernathy or Margo Green?’ Jed checked.
‘Greer,’ Douglas growled. ‘I’m sure she’s that mystery reviewer.
No one’s that awkward in real life. I’ll take the wee pup for a walk soon, but even if I do that and tell her to rest, she won’t listen to me.
Stubborn lassie.’ The words were filled with affection and accompanied by a soppy grin and a flush.
Was the older man gone on his aunt? Did she feel the same way?
Jed wasn’t sure what he thought about that. He’d lived with Effie since he was born, and she’d never fallen in love with anything with less than four legs.
‘My wife was just like her,’ Douglas said sadly. ‘That’s why I know she’s going to run herself into the ground if we don’t do something.’
‘Let me put my equipment away and I’ll talk to her,’ Jed croaked.
He’d been so caught up with everything that he’d barely noticed his aunt. He had to man up and sort things out with Mairi, persuade her to leave the lodge, at least until after the ski competition. He just wasn’t sure if he was strong enough to do it…