Chapter 3
Chapter three
Daphne
Even on the moving ramp up the bunny hill, I realize I am in over my head.
Sporty six-year-olds in neon-colored snowsuits side-eye me as I waddle like a newborn giraffe in my shiny skis.
I expected Gerald to come up here with me, but instead he visibly cringed as I toddled onto the conveyor belt contraption.
Just getting onto this stepless escalator had my stomach turning, and now as we approach the apex of the hill, I realize that I’m expected to get off and not disturb the flow of traffic behind me.
The children ahead of me manage without much fuss, but as I see those same tiny people glide down the hill, I realize how much more advanced their skills are.
I’m fucked.
Right as my turn to disembark the moving walkway comes up, I try desperately to get up my gumption and jump off. I overshoot the landing, and the tip of my ski bounces off the snow, twisting my legs in opposite directions and forcing my body forward into the ground.
Or what should have been the ground.
Instead of a blast of icy snow, my face plops into something warm and so incredibly soft. I grip at the strange texture, trying to pull myself to rights, and a pair of strong hands lifts me up by my armpits.
“Well, hello there, stranger,” a baritone voice echoes around me. Only when I finally am able to lift my head from the warmth it rests in do I realize that it’s the voice’s fur. I wipe the condensation off my glasses with my gloved hand and take him in.
I’m clinging to the front of his abdomen.
The monster, seven feet tall and covered in downy white fur, has a kind blue face that's smiling down at me.
His teeth gleam as white as his fur, accented by a pair of large canines.
Not quite fangs, but definitely not something a human would possess.
A pair of short, sharp horns crowns his head that he tilts to appraise me.
“Are you okay?” The monster's deep brown eyes narrow.
I’m frozen with embarrassment, still clutching my hands in the fur of his abs.
“No, really, are you okay? You didn’t hit your head, did you?” Concern washes over his face. He takes a blue hand from under my arm and touches my cheek, turning my head from side to side to check for injuries.
“I-I’m okay. Sorry!” I push myself a bit further back from him. That move of self-preservation backfires when I quickly slide backward. I flail my arms widely, not even knowing the basics of how to stop myself.
The furry monster’s eyes go wide, and he loops his long arm around the small of my back, stopping me in my tracks.
“You’ve never skied before, have you?” He smiles that same big toothy grin as before.
“What gave me away?” I croak, adrenaline making my mouth go dry.
“I came to that conclusion after seeing how you move on them.” He pulls me to the flat top of the hill again, but this time sets me further back.
“Have a seat, you need a helmet.” The nice monster pads across the snow quickly.
His bare feet are long and wide and seem to be built to move in the snow.
He’s completely uncovered, unlike the marshmallow puff that was formerly my body, save for a pair of light wash jean cutoffs.
It’s a strange kind of overall look, but I can’t say it’s a bad one.
When he returns, he has a pink helmet in hand.
“May I?” he asks as I nod.
I push my glasses further up my nose, and he slides the helmet over my head and clips the strap gently under my chin.
“Feel free to fall now, can’t have you knocking that noggin.” He laughs and takes a seat next to me. “I’m Andri.”
He offers the same large blue hand that just held me up moments ago.
“Daphne,” I mutter, suddenly shy.
“And what brings you to my mountain?”
“Oh, do you like live here?” I realize now the words that my brain refused to acknowledge earlier. Andri is a yeti.
“Um, yeah.” He cracks a smile. “But inside, if you’re implying that I dwell in some cave. I own the Hallow Hill Ski Resort.”
Daphne, you're so stupid, of course he doesn’t live in a cave.
“Oh shit, I’m sorry. I’ve never met a yeti before, I shouldn’t have assumed.” My words run together, flying out of my mouth at record speed.
“It’s not a big deal—there’s not that many of us around anymore, so it’s not like you would have had much exposure.
Also, I’m not really a yeti, seeing as I’m not Himalayan.
Abominable snowman is probably more geographically appropriate.
I don’t care for that one much, though.” He doesn’t seem offended, at least.
“Oh god, there I go sticking my foot in my mouth again. I guess I should really ask what you want me to call you?”
“Human mouths can’t say the word correctly.” He stops and makes a deep growling noise that I’d never be able to replicate. “Snowman, even yeti if you want, but really, you can just call me Andri—it’s my pleasure to meet you, Daphne.”
“You too, thanks for the soft landing.” I blush. “I’m afraid I’m shit on these things.”
“You know—” Andri starts right as Gerald slides up, face red and fists balled at his sides.
“God, Daphne, can’t you handle the simplest of tasks?” He pulls me up to an unsteady standing position. “Quit wasting this”—he eyes Andri from toe to tip with slight confusion—“person’s time.”
Andri stands, puffing out his chest a bit.
“It’s really no issue, I don’t mind helping newbies.”
Gerald sighs and grabs my hand. “Even if they’re as helpless as this one? How on earth am I going to get you ready for Vail with the family?”
“Have you ever even been on skis, Daphne?” He ignores Gerald's criticism. “Because it’s a skill, it just has to be learned.”
“She’s probably unteachable, but we’ll try our best.”
That stings, and even though it’s not out of character for Gerald, in comparison to Andri’s compassion, it seems worse than before.
“You know what, I haven’t had a student in a while—maybe I can teach her?” Andri steps between Gerald and me. It feels like a protective move.
“How much?” my fiance asks, like money will ever be a concern of his. It makes me feel small that it seems there’s a monetary amount my learning is worth.
“No charge, this is my resort. I really just want everyone to have an enjoyable stay.”
Gerald straightens at Andri’s admission, like the fact that he owns the ski resort makes him of value now.
“We could probably make that work.” He shrugs off his super generous offer with the casual way he accepts that.
Then Andri turns to me.
“Only if you want to, Daphne,” he says softly.
“Anything to get better than I am right now. Thank you so much!” I try to overcompensate for my fiance’s jaded response by being incredibly grateful.
“Well, why don’t you two just take the rest of the day to relax at the resort, and we’ll start fresh tomorrow morning?” Andri points back down to the cozy main cabin a few hundred yards away from the bottom of the bunny hill.
“That would be nice, I haven’t seen any of it yet—we’re in the private cabins.” I turn to Gerald. “Maybe we can grab lunch and cozy up to the fire with a good book?”
He rolls his eyes at me.
“Darling, why don’t you take it easy at the resort? I didn’t fly across the country to sit next to a fireplace with you. There’s a double black diamond trail calling my name—make a reservation for dinner and I’ll see you later.”
Even if I wanted to protest, I don’t have time to. Gerald pushes his ski pole into the snow and starts sliding his way over to the lift.
“Well, he seems—”
“He’s stressed, the wedding planning has been really hard on him,” I say almost robotically, as if the phrase is something that’s been preprogrammed into my brain.
Andri’s perma-smile drops.
“Hey, let’s get you back to the lodge—we even have a guest library you can borrow from if you need something to read by that fireplace.” The snowman winks.
I look down the bunny hill and almost laugh. For being the easiest of all the trails, it looks incredibly steep from my novice perspective.
“I can help you, if you’d like,” he says as if reading my thoughts.
“Yes please, that would be a big relief,” I admit.
He steps behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Luckily for you, I don’t need skis with these big old feet.” He rocks back onto his heels. “Just lean back.”
I do as he asks, and we start sliding down the snow.
I would be scared at how fast we’re going, but Andri holds me so steady that I’m just in awe.
We reach the end of the hill. He lets me go, leans over, and unclicks my boots from their mounts.
He swings both skis over his shoulder and offers his arm as he leads me into the warmth of the bustling lodge.