Chapter 41 Allie
FORTY-ONE
ALLIE
WONKY
Kristina tapped the bag hanging from her shoulder.
“I got us all some snacks to have before we ski so our tummies are full. There’s an empty table by the tree.
” She grabbed Allie and Lexi by the hands.
“You girls have made the dark cloud of my divorce disappear for a few days. Being here with you all has been exactly what I needed. I love you guys so much.”
Rachel smiled. “Friendship is being there when someone’s feeling low and not being afraid to kick them if you have to.”
Lexi burst out laughing. “We’ve been friends so long I can’t remember which one of us is the bad influence.”
I kissed Kristina’s cheek. “You know what they say. Friendship is like peeing on yourself. Everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.” I pulled back.
“Speaking of that, I’m going to hit the ladies room real quick.
” I took a step away and Clint caught my hand and kissed my cheek as Lexi giggled.
My eyes did a spin around our group to see Levi absent; probably good.
I hung out in the bathroom a little longer than normal trying to figure out what I was doing. Clint was there and I had no clue what to make of it. I wanted to want him there. Or not? Shit, I was as confused as a baby in a topless bar.
I washed my hands and no sooner had I taken a step out of the bathroom that my arm was being pulled by handsome Levi.
“Come on.”
“I should get back to everybody.”
His eyes rolled before he pulled me around the corner, and I was in his arms. I looked up at his devilish grin before he gently kissed me. “I knew you needed a little Levi time.”
While he was correct, everything was wonky. Sure, I stood, and we kissed for many more minutes, but still, Clint’s arrival made my mind circle around the past and future. What am I doing?
Seriously, what am I doing? Yeah, I’m talking to you.
“So Allie—”
As much as I didn’t think I should, I pulled him closer. “I’m not talking about anything. Closure is—”
“It was the whole time in Colorado, remember?” He rubbed his nose against mine. “I need you in Colorado.”
“Levi—”
“You guys ended things like six months ago. If he’s here to try to get you back, he hasn’t yet. So you kissing me isn’t wrong.”
“So, you think it’s right to be kissing you now even if I decide Clint and I should have a second chance?”
His jaw clenched and he looked away. “We’re just a weekend thing, I get it. We don’t want more, but I can tell he’s not your type.”
“You don’t know him.”
“He’s vanilla. You need a hot fudge Sunday with M&Ms, crushed Oreos, chocolate shavings, and a shot of caramel. You’ll die of boredom with that one.”
I just stared into the face of the self-proclaimed bachelor for life. We would never be and that was how the universe planned it. It was simply a weekend fling before I moved on with my real life.
As our lips melted together in the back hallway of the ski resort, I reminded myself that Clint is a good kisser, too. I mean, like a solidly good kisser. Probably four out of five stars. I’d definitely recommend him to a friend.
I pulled back and looked at my phone. “Shit, we’ve been here for twenty minutes?”
“Time flies when you’re having Levi.” He lifted a brow.
“Did you really just say that? I’m going out to find everyone.”
He yanked me to him. “Maybe we should go and do some we shouldn’t be doing this kind of things.”
I pushed him back. “I’m going.”
He walked after me, and I turned back. “You know Levi, you don’t have to ski. I mean, if you haven’t—”
“Awww, you’re worried about me?” His eyes twinkled.
“No, I just, well, if you haven’t skied maybe today isn’t the best day to learn.”
His arms folded over his chest. “Are you concerned about me making an ass of myself?”
“It’s not that. It’s just that everybody else has, and I know sometimes you—”
“Get frustrated and beat the shit out of douchebags?”
“Kinda.”
“First of all, I’m a grown ass man now. I only beat up mother fuckers who deserve it.” He pointed to his face. “Secondly, if you’re worried about bodily harm to this handsome mug, don’t. I spent a month in Austria last winter and got learning to ski off my bucket list.”
What the what? “You spent a month in Austria?”
He nodded.
“Wow, that’s cool. I suppose construction workers get time off in the winter?”
“You think a laid off construction worker could afford to vacation for a month?”
“I don’t know. If you did, I guess so.”
“There’s always work available in construction. All seasons. I went to Austria to hire construction employees and stayed in a chateau for a month to learn how to ski. Got that bad boy off my to-do list.”
Is dumfounded still a word? “Oh. So you were hiring for the company you work for?”
“My company.”
“Your company?”
“Yup. I worked for others and didn’t like some of the ways people ran their businesses. Got sick of the shit so started my own.”
“You started your own?”
“Yes. It’s been a wild ride, and I learned as I went along, but it’s good.”
“Huh. I did not see this coming.”
We walked outside and saw nobody from our crew. No one at the table, nobody in line for hot coco, nada.
His phone screamed out and he grabbed it from his pocket as I turned my head, but not my eyes.
He silenced it, but not before my supersonic vision caught a glimpse of his screen and the blond woman who popped up and disappeared quickly before he shoved it back in his pocket.
How much Brazilian action did this man get?
It appeared I was just one of them now. Yup, a notch in his belt, but I agreed to this so I needed to suck it up and let it go.
Levi pointed. “Maybe they hit the slopes.”
“I’ll call Rachel.”
“Let’s just go up. We’ll likely find them there.”
It’d been a few years since I’d hopped into some skis.
Emily, Lexi, Rachel, Kristina, and I had gone on a ski trip in college to Breckenridge, and I forgot the enthusiasm of knowing you’re about to be carried two miles up by a rickety bench hanging from cables above.
As we started our journey up, the skiers below me appeared at a leisurely pace as they reached the bottom, but as we went further up the mountain, I chuckled as skilled skiers whipped by others who were on their asses.
As our chair reached the top and became even with the surface of the mountain, we slid off and turned to the trail with none of our gang insight. “I wonder where they are.”
He zipped up his coat. “Let’s go and maybe we’ll find them along the way.”
We approached the trail we were planning to take, and I’d be lying if said a few butterflies didn’t take flight in my tummy.
“Langley, you okay?”
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s just been a hot minute since I’ve zipped down a mountain.” I gulped as I looked at the hill in front of me. “Just give me a second.”
“Are you procrastiskiing?” He nudged my arm with is. “Get it?”
“You’re not funny, Dawson.” I inhaled deeply. “You remind me of my pinky toe. Sooner or later, I’m going to bang you on a table.”
His laughter boomed. “Okay, replay that sentence and see why I’m a little aroused right now.”
“Okay, you’ve done it. Due to personal reasons, aka you, I’m evil now.”
We got our skis clicked in, and I pulled down my goggles.
The sun had dipped behind some clouds, and the view was breathtaking.
I unzipped my pocket and grabbed my phone to take a picture.
I peeked at Levi as he pulled his goggles down while looking out at the horizon.
Right, wrong or otherwise, I quickly snapped a photo that I imagined I would stare at for decades to come.
Yes, I’m such a loser if there was a contest for losers, I would get second place for sure.
As we started down the slope, gliding on the powder, my blood and muscles came alive with the thrill of adrenaline making me nearly forget everything else.
We zig-zagged down the first slope and after I fell on my ass three times, I finally found my groove. Levi kept at my speed and every time I snuck a look his smile smacked me.
Maybe it was the crisp day with zero wind, whitest of white beneath my skis, or the man sliding down the hill beside me, but it felt magical. As we were getting close to the ski lodge, I was wondering if there was anything that could ruin this perfect moment in time as we slid down the mountain.
The universe answered that question a mili-second later when I passed Lexi who was not skiing. Nope, the lady was facing a tree just off the slope and as I slowed, she appeared to be taking to the tree with one ski on the ground beside her, and the other hanging from a branch above.
“Lexi!” I got out of my skis and walked over. “What happened?”
She let out a huff as she spoke to the tree. Spoke to the tree. “I think I killed him.”
“Who was killed?”
Levi joined us. “Shit. She killed someone?” His head shook. “I can’t say I didn’t see this coming.”
I inhaled. “I just always assumed it’d be you.”