Chapter Four
Enrique ran a razor over his cream-lathered jaw, watching each stroke clear away his morning stubble in the lit bathroom mirror. He had placed a call to Curtis a few seconds ago and was waiting impatiently for his friend to pick up the other end of the line as ringing emanating from a well-hidden Bluetooth speaker echoed off the imported Italian marble surrounding him.
Curtis Parker was Enrique’s longtime friend and adventure companion. If Enrique could trust anyone to help him face his fear and fulfill this pact, it would be Curtis. He was a famous outdoor adventurist who had an outfitter store and training facility just thirty minutes outside of Aspen, Colorado.
As Enrique drove home from the annual BBC gathering with his brothers the night before, he pondered Julio’s pact. His greatest fears were of heights and falling, and it was only reasonable to take on an adventure that would involve both. Various scenarios came to mind, but each was rejected for a number of reasons. The most significant being… he needed to be able to actually take on the adventure without going into a full-blown panic attack at the mere thought of it. That eliminated any kind of rock climbing or sky diving. He needed something a little less traumatizing that would still get the job done.
Skiing seemed the perfect solution to his problems. All he had to do was learn how to ski first, and that was where Curtis came in. He had a lot on his plate and had decided to get this challenge done and over with as soon as possible.
On the last ring before going to voicemail, Curtis picked up the call, his deep baritone resonating from the other end of the line.
“You never call to wish me a happy new year, Enrique. Is this one of your New Year’s resolutions, to be more connected or something?”
Enrique smiled a little as he shaved his upper lip, knowing from the laughter in Curtis’ voice that he was joking. “You wish, old man. If I called you more often, I would have to charge you a consultation fee. But since we’re talking, happy New Year. I need your help.”
“I’m listening.”
“I know we’ve been too busy to get our annual trek on the calendar yet, but I was wondering what you thought about a ski vacation this year. You love to ski and probably haven’t done it just for fun in a long time. I happen to need to learn how to ski ASAP, so it could be a win-win for both of us. What do you think?”
Curtis sighed. It was a deep sigh that made Enrique frown. “If it were any other time, I would gladly do it with you. But I’m fully booked for the next two months, Enrique. I don’t have any extra time on my hands until the second week in March. There are plenty of places we can go skiing then if you can postpone for a little while.”
Enrique ejected the blade from the tip of his razor and tossed it into the gold-plated trashcan tucked away behind the vanity doors. Retrieving a white washcloth from the bowl of steaming hot water it had been floating in, he wrung the excess water from it. “Come on, it’s me asking. Surely, you can rearrange things and help me out?”
“I know,” Curtis said. “But it’s a busy time, and everyone who has booked my services has already paid. Even though I have a cancelation clause in all my contracts, you know me. I can’t just return their money to them to go on an impromptu adventure. It wouldn’t be fair to them or professional of me.”
“If it’s the money you’re concerned about, I will pay you double what they’ve all paid. Name your price, any price. I need this trip to happen, and I need it to happen now.”
Curtis’ deep chuckle vibrated the high-end speaker. He had been friends with Enrique for years now and was used to him throwing money around to get things done. Outsiders often perceived it as flaunting his wealth, but Curtis understood that for Enrique, it was a means to an end. Yes, he liked to be seen and noticed, living rather ostentatiously, and he was used to getting what he wanted, even if it meant spending his last dime to get it. Honestly, though, how many billionaires didn’t suffer from an addiction to instant gratification? In Curtis’ opinion, those who were self-made, like Enrique, deserved it after the sweat equity they put in to get where they were. But a small part of him also took great pleasure when he had reason to tell his wealthy friend ‘No.’
“Sorry, man. I’ve already made the arrangements. There are too many folks involved to cancel now. Things can’t be changed.”
Enrique held the hot cloth to his freshly shaven face and tried to suppress his mounting frustration. He hadn’t considered for even a moment that Curtis might not be available to accompany him on this adventure. He had been so focused on himself and the need to get this done and over with that he had forgotten that Curtis had a job and wasn’t at his beck and call.
His heart raced as his mind searched for a possible solution. He had set his mind to getting this done, and he wasn’t one to give up so easily. In his experience, money solved everything. Removing the now lukewarm towel from his face, he wiped away the remaining shave cream.
“A million bucks.”
Curtis’ laughter rattled the glass this time, roaring up from his belly. There were still traces of laughter in his voice as he spoke. “Look, just because I won’t be able to help doesn’t mean someone else can’t. I know the perfect person for this particular job.”
“A professional? ”
“Mhm. Not just any professional but a three-time Olympic gold medalist. I’m pretty sure I can convince Leigh to be your personal ski instructor if you can get to Colorado in less than a week. Leigh is on vacation right now but has to return to work in early February. Now happens to be the window of opportunity for both of you. It’s pretty serendipitous if you ask me. What do you say?”
Enrique thought it over as he used the cloth to wipe down the marble vanity top. Curtis was offering a solution to his problem. If he could agree to an Olympic gold medalist as his ski instructor, this adventure could happen now. He was disappointed that Curtis wouldn’t be by his side to help him face his fear, but he wasn’t budging on rescheduling his prior commitments. Going in this new direction meant he could fulfill this BBC pact and move on with his life. Goodness knew the other pact was going to be just as daunting, but at least it posed much less of an emotional minefield than this one did.
“Enrique? You still there, man?”
“Yes. You know me, always weighing my options,” he responded, tossing the wet cloth into the laundry hamper at the bottom of the linen closet before returning to the vanity to run gelled fingers through his tousled hair. “That could work, as long as this Lee is as good as you say he is.”
Curtis chuckled softly, “I give you my word.”
“Let’s make it a ten-day trip,” Enrique suggested. He had a few meetings he needed to attend in the next three days. “Say, the 5 th through the 14 th ? That way, we aren’t backed up too close to Lee’s work restrictions. I don’t want anything getting in the way of this.”
“Sounds good. I’ll talk things over with Leigh and get you scheduled at the Resort. I’m assuming you want private accommodations away from the main crowd, as usual. I’ll get back to you with all the details in a bit.”
They spent a few more minutes catching up, and Enrique filled Curtis in on his family’s latest news. After the call was disconnected, Enrique splashed aftershave into his palm and patted his face and neck, enjoying the fine fragrance over the gentle burn.
He finished his morning routine and considered the change of events. If he were honest with himself, he was more than a little concerned.
Curtis spoke highly of Lee, and he was an Olympian, so there was no doubt about his knowledge of the sport. The worry was whether or not they would get along and be able to work together. Enrique had been told many times over the years that he was an acquired taste, and some people just didn’t like him. Curtis and he had gotten off to a rough start when they first met but had worked through it and were now very close friends. Enrique could only hope that things went smoothly, and they could make good use of the ten days they would have on the mountain.
He sighed as he gripped the edges of the sink, leaning in to take a close look at his reflection in the oversized mirror. An incoming call rang through the speaker, filling the room with high-pitched tones. He immediately hit decline when he saw Julia Steinway’s name displayed on his cell phone screen. She was the model from two nights ago, the one that wasn’t satisfied with one and apparently not even two dates with him. He had tried to let her down gently, explaining that he was willing to help her with her publicity but wasn’t interested in a relationship with her. Girls like her never took the hint when it was delivered kindly. That ship had sailed. She got her picture in the tabloids hanging off his arm, two extravagant meals, a red-carpet event… he was done. He unlocked his phone and blocked her number to avoid future calls.
He had met women like Julia countless times in the last ten years. They were like parasites trying to burrow their way under his skin so they could get to his money, not his heart. They never had any genuine interest in him. Well, he was good-looking, but it was the billions of dollars in the bank that made him stand out, not his dark honey eyes or chiseled chin. Suddenly, Anthony’s idea of finding a woman to settle down with didn’t seem like such a bad idea. He was tired of playing the games and wondered what it would be like to have that one person you could depend on to be there for you, like what Anthony and Hannah had. He pushed the thought from his mind before it had time to take root. Women were trouble. Hannah was one of a kind, and she was taken—no use wasting coins on wishes when you could spend them on something much more fun.
At least he had made some ground this morning. He was much closer to fulfilling Julio’s pact now. Even though the thought of sliding down a mountainside at top speed turned his stomach, he was not backing down. This was going to happen. He was going to face his fear of heights and falling once and for all. If he had a panic attack, he would finish the adventure doing something else and come home to find a shrink. Julio was right; this fear was holding him back, but he would take care of it, one way or another.
A ping from his phone drew his attention back to the screen; he unlocked it and read the text message.
Curtis: It’s a go. I’ll email you the details of the trip later today. Have fun.
Enrique straightened his posture and looked in the mirror again. This time, his jaw was set with determination. He was going to do this, and nothing was going to stop him.