Chapter Seventeen
They made it down several more challenging blues and a couple of blue-black diamonds before Leigh suggested they call it a day. Enrique had done surprisingly well, and it seemed like a good note to end things on.
Enrique didn’t argue at first but looked deep in thought before he glanced behind him, pointing towards the black-level slope called Bone Crusher. “What’s so difficult about that slope anyway?”
“Doesn’t the name kind of say it all? But, for starters, it’s the most difficult and steepest. It’s narrower than the other trails and involves less manicured slopes and moguls. You’re prone to multiple hazards on the way down, like cliffs, rocks, and trees. Anyone without the proper experience is almost guaranteed to be injured. I know of several well-trained skiers who have broken bones on that slope, hence the name. ”
Enrique was quiet, thoughtful. Leigh hoped he was rethinking whatever hair-brained ideas were rolling around in that hard head of his. After spending only three days with this man, she had learned that he tended to be impulsive and reckless at times, as if some inner voice was pushing him to do dangerous things just to prove that he could.
“What happens after a snowstorm?” he asked curiously, and she sighed.
“It depends on how severe the storm is. This one is pretty big and will likely last two days,” she answered. She unzipped her bag and dropped her helmet into it. “The slopes could be closed for another day or two, maybe more. It depends on the damage the storm causes when people are able to return to work to clear the roads, work at the resort, open the slopes.”
She didn’t like the look in his eyes.
“We need to leave Enrique,” she tried again in an attempt to shift his focus from those trails. Even she, as an advanced, three-time Olympic gold medalist, didn’t like that black diamond. It was the most challenging slope out there, and she hated the thought of crashing on the rocks that jutted up from the snow. One wrong move and your life changed forever. She loved a challenging slope, but not this one. Free stylists, adventurists… those were the types that liked this slope. She could see Enrique coming back in a few years to try it, but not now. The weather was changing, and the storm was close enough that she could feel the shift in the air.
“The storms approaching, Enrique. It’s best if we leave now. ”
Enrique grabbed his poles, and a knot formed in Leighann’s throat.
“Just one more round,” he said. “One last run, and we’ll go back.” ?
“No,” she said, adamantly shaking her head. “We’ve had a nice day. The slopes aren’t running away, Enrique. It’s time to call it quits.”
“I know that,” he said, looking back at her. “I just want one last run, Leighann.”
Her stomach flip-flopped when he called her that. Most of her friends and family had nicknames for her, and hearing her name on his lips made her feel warm inside. She never thought she would prefer him to call her that.
“Enrique –”
“Just one last run,” he said again. His voice had taken on a slightly softer tone, like he was trying to coerce her into letting him do it. “I can see the storm too, Leighann. One run wouldn’t stop us from getting out of here before it starts.”
She hesitated, her resolve slowly melting. “One run, Enrique. One.”
He grinned disarmingly, “I’m a man of my word.”
Reluctantly, she agreed. Either she went with him, or he would go alone. Rocks and hard places , she thought, shaking her head.
When they got to the top of the mountain, Enrique immediately lined himself up with the top of Bone Crusher .
“I’m ready for the black diamond, Leighann,” he announced when she slid to a stop beside him.
Leighann laughed, her cheeks burning as she placed her hands over her face. He was funny; she’d give him that.
“Sure, you are,” she said, turning to head to the nearest blue-black diamond Cry Baby. There were still traces of laughter in her voice. “Come on. We’ve spent enough time here today. Tomorrow’s another day. This one will get your blood pumping sufficiently.”
“I’m not joking,” he said, turning to look at her. Her smile quickly dissolved from her face.
“What do you mean you’re not joking?” she hollered incredulously.
“I meant it,” he nodded, turning around to stare at the slope up ahead, lowering his goggles over his eyes.
Leighann’s heart sank. Oh no, no, no, no , she thought, shaking her head in disbelief, this couldn’t be happening. He can’t be for real!
“Enrique,” she shouted at him, her heart sinking to her toes. “You’re not ready for this level , trust me. I know what I’m talking about. I don’t even go on this slope. Maybe in a few days, we can reevaluate your skills and look for a safer black at the front of the mountain for you to push yourself on. Not this one and not now !”
Enrique gripped his poles as he shuffled closer to the edge. He hated being told no. Hated being told he couldn’t do something or wasn’t good enough, and he hated how Leigh kept insisting he do easier versions of things when he was ready for more. If what Leighann said about the storm and the slopes being closed down for the next three to four days was accurate, his time to strike was now. This mess at work was likely going to call him away early. If he didn’t tackle his fear once and for all he might not have another chance.
Looking over the edge made him a little dizzy. This was it. One last round with this mountain to face his fear head-on. This was the slope to slay his dragon on.
Leighann’s reluctance reminded him of why he was disappointed on the very first day, when he found out she was the Lee that Curtis had been talking about. This was one of the reasons why he didn’t want to work with a woman. Women were softer at heart than men, and they shied away from danger. That was a good thing, he guessed, but if Curtis were here beside him, they would embrace the adventure together. His friend would understand his need to do this.
In a last-ditch effort to make him see reason, Leigh pleaded, “Enrique, don’t do this. We are totally cut off from the safety staff out here. It is just you and me. If something goes wrong, I may not be able to help you. Not to mention, the storm is closing in, and the main slopes are likely already closing. We are so far removed up here we can’t hear the final bell to go in. We have to go. Now!”
Enrique was ready. He could feel it in his bones. All he needed was to experience this challenge one time, and he would be satisfied to board a plane for home, fear vanquished, brotherhood pact fulfilled.
“Enrique, stop,” Leighann shouted behind him. A harsh wind blew and whipped her hair into her face. The wind whistled loudly around them, flecks of snow swirling through the air, and the low rumble of thunder could be heard from a distance.
It only fueled Enrique’s desire, infusing him with energy.
“Stop it,” she cried, grasping his elbow. She pulled him back to face her, and she pointed her finger towards the safer slope. “You don’t know what you’re doing. You’re not ready , Enrique. Believe me. You couldn’t possibly handle a black diamond. Please , for once in your life, just listen to me. We need to leave right now.”
Her begging pulled his mind back to his childhood as similar scenes had played out between his parents. That was what this was all about, finally erasing them from his mind. Leigh didn’t realize it, but her actions were solidifying his resolve, and her pleading fell on deaf ears as he shrugged out of her hold.
The cold wind felt like it was biting the exposed skin of his face, but he ignored the harsh weather as he tightened his grip on the poles and readied his position at the top.
He looked down once more and felt his stomach drop at the incredibly steep angle before him. The sight made his heart thrum a little faster as anxiety tried to claim him... fear tried to stop him. He could almost feel his father’s hand clutching the front of his shirt, holding him over the edge. The fear restricting his lungs slowly morphed into anger, and he allowed it. He wasn’t a child at the mercy of a madman. Enrique held his own future in his hands, and he wasn’t backing down from this; he would crush it once and for all.
As he reached his arms back to push off, Leigh lifted cupped hands and shouted one last warning, hoping that this time he listened, “Stay away from the edge and control your speed, or you won’t survive!”
In an instant, he was gone, the rest of the words lost to the harsh wind, and her heart hammered against her ribs as she watched him go. She was so grateful that she had taken the extra time to grab her larger emergency pack while she waited for him today. Lugging the extra weight was tiring, but now she knew why she had been led to do it. If he crashed on the slope, she would likely need all the equipment in her bag to save him.
Tightening the straps on her large pack, she approached the edge. She hated this slope, but he had left her no choice. If she wanted to ensure his safety, she would have to follow him down. She could barely see him, but so far, he had managed to stay on his feet. However, the worst of the trail was yet to come.
Pulling her goggles over her eyes, she pushed off and was in pursuit of him down the treacherous slope.
Leigh quickly caught up to Enrique and maintained a safe distance as she followed behind so she wouldn’t pass by him. In the event that he fell and hurt himself, which was very likely, she would need to be able to stop in time to help .
He was gaining speed with every second, and she couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in his mind. Was he scared senseless right now or excited by the danger, enjoying the adrenaline high? What made a man who was somehow a successful businessman push off an impossibly hard slope and potentially plummet to his death? Something had to be driving this impulsive and irresponsible behavior.
Her eyes widened in fear as he struggled to keep his balance and make turns to cut across the slope. Her anxiety lept to new heights, stealing her breath and leaving her a little shaky each time he slipped on the ice covering the slope. The slope had not been skied in days, and the thick ice crust made it difficult to edge the skis.
With each pass, he got closer and closer to the edge of the mountain, and Leighann’s heart lodged in her throat. The wind blew harder as the storm drew closer, snow and ice crystals pelting them in the face as they raced down the mountain.
She whispered guiding words. She knew he had no hope of hearing, but she did it anyway: Turn in, turn in! Christie, for crying out loud, you have to slow down! But her words died on her lips, her eyes widening in horror as she watched him lose control. He swung his skis in a turn, but they slipped on a thick patch of ice. His arms flailed out around him, poles swinging; his stance wavered. It was clear he couldn’t regain his balance to execute the next turn that would take him back towards the safety of the mountain. She came to an abrupt halt, the blood freezing in her veins, her breath held in her lungs as she watched him shoot straight off the edge of the mountain and disappear into the danger zone.