Page 8 of Stuck on the Slopes

Unable to help myself, I took some photos of the private cabins with my phone. The log cabins were the most expensive rooms to rent, dwarfing the standard suites with their two floors, private patios equipped with their own hot tubs, and both indoor and outdoor showers. The patios all overlooked a lake which shone with a thin layer of frost and ice on top of the water.

Juniper rose a brow as I snapped away. His facial expressions communicated more than his words ever did, and today’s screamed he was already over today and ready to go back to bed. “What’s got you all excited?”

“Did you know I’ve never seen snow before? Well, last night was technically my first time, but my point still stands. This is beautiful!”

“Wait. For real?”

“Yes, for real!”

Unsure if he meant his sharp tone, I shrugged and let it go. If I wanted to avoid getting too stressed, I needed to pick my battles carefully. “So,” I said, drawing out the vowel and hoping to break the awkward silence, “do you have any cold weather tips for me?”

His brows furrowed; I didn’t realize they could go any lower than where they already sat on his face. “Cold weather tips?”

“Don’t seem so surprised. Born and raised Florida girl over here. Most, if not all, of my vacations involved visiting places during the summer, too.”

“What’s the coldest you’re used to?”

“One time, it got as low as thirty degrees.”

Juniper huffed; I could see his breath in front of him. “Put a negative in front of that.”

My heart sank into my stomach. “Wait. It gets negative thirty here?”

“Not frequently. But expect some negative temps once we get into late November, early December. Did you not Google that before you moved here?”

“Fuck me,” I muttered under my breath as I fidgeted with the emerald ring on my right pinky I’d inherited from my grandmother. I thought I’d been quiet enough to go unheard, but Juniper laughed.

Oh no. Helaughed. It was rich like velvet, a sound as beautiful as he was. Maybe he was such a standoffish jerk because God said, “You know what? Someone this unattainably attractive and athletically inclined and talented is too perfect. If I don’t make him kind of a dick, it’ll be unfair.”

It was the only logical explanation.

“Didn’t know you had a mouth on you.” If Juniper said anything else, my head was too lost in the clouds, envisioning what other flaws he might have or if he really was crafted perfectly, except for his attitude.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t sweat it. Speak freely, otherwise, I’ll lose my mind. I’m bad at formality these days, if you didn’t already guess.”

“Noted. I hope you do the same for me. Speak freely, that is.”

“Careful what you wish for. I’m notorious for being blunt.”

I took a moment to think about what he said, understanding it could be a double-edged sword. “My last boss would butter me up only to shoot me down. A lot of people in the South do that, actually. They act all nice to your face, but when push comes to shove, you don’t know where you stand. So, if you’re telling me you value speaking freely and forgoing formality, then I’m all aboard.”

I surprised myself with my vulnerability.

Juniper’s raised brows suggested it threw him off guard too, but he simply nodded, and said, “Understood. Glad we’re on the same page then.”

We rounded a corner. In the near distance was the lodge, standing tall and proud on the mountain. Our feet crunched beneath the thin layer of snow as we made our way to a smaller building with a sign reading THE ELK’S HEAD with a giant pair of antlers.

“Alright, my first cold weather tip for you?” Juniper pulled open the door and held it for me, letting me enter the building first. “Invest in some nice parkas and downs. As tempting as it may be to want to look cute, prioritize warmth. Don’t cheap out, either.”

“Do you have any favorites?”

“Mine were all sponsorships, but they’re good brands. We can end the tour with a closet raid.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

As the door swung closed behind us, I took in the restaurant’s view. While the stone fireplace in the front and the log tables all held a rustic-meets-elegant charm, my attention was drawn to the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the back wall. They overlooked the mountains in the distance and the rolling hills on which the resort sat. The sun streamed in, making both the snow and the restaurant seem to glow.

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