Page 8 of One More Chance
“Why did this announcement have to wait until I was in town?” she asked.
“Hello to you too, Charlotte,” Megan laughed. “Let’s meet up to talk about the details.”
“Suuure,” Charlotte replied. “What’s with the formality?”
Megan ignored Charlotte’s question. “Can you come to the café?”
“I’m skiing with Tabitha right now, but we could stop in for some hot chocolate after. Not sure how long the kid’s going to last.”
“Anytime this afternoon works for me. Have fun with your niece.”
“Thanks, Meg. Love you.” Charlotte hung up the phone and slipped it into the inner pocket of her down jacket. Even the newest phones would freeze if they weren’t next to some form of body heat.
Charlotte and Tabitha left the ski shop and headed to the bunny hill.
“Auntie Charlotte, I don’t think I can do this.” Tabitha’s voice wavered.
Charlotte picked her up in her arms and hugged her. “You. You can do this. You just need someone who can actually teach you. This is...” she turned to a young ski instructor wearing bunny ears.
“I’m Jessica,” she quipped. “You must be Tabitha.”
Tabitha nodded and Charlotte set her down on the snow. “Jessica is going to teach you and she’s the top bunny on the bunny hill.” Charlotte smiled and squeezed her niece.
“Do you want an all-day lesson?” Jessica asked Charlotte.
“Keep going as long as she wants.” Charlotte pulled a business card out of her pocket, a well-practiced move, and handed it to the young girl. “Call me when you’re done.”
“You got it.”
“Tabitha, are you going to be okay?” Charlotte asked. Jessica was already on the ground in front of Tabitha attaching a little green strap to the tips her skis.
“Yes, I think so.”
“You call me when you’re done for the day and then we can get some hot chocolate. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Charlotte raised her hand and Tabitha hesitated, but then high fived her aunt, a smile on her face.
Charlotte grabbed her skis and headed to the gondola. The lift whisked her to the top and then she headed to the rickety old double chairlift that crept up to the peak. She joined the long singles line-up; spring break crowds were out in full force at Little Red. The singles line alternated with the line of paired up skiers, the lift operating at maximum capacity. When it was her turn to load the lift, she caught sight of her riding partner from the other singles line. He was hard to miss, towering at least a foot over everyone else in line. His goggles rested on his helmet and the familiar crystal blue eyes were the same blue of his ski jacket. Charlotte looked around frantically, but there was no escaping it, she was trapped in the lift line. She pulled her goggles down over her eyes, thankful for their dark lenses, and pulled her neck warmer up over her nose. She crossed her fingers that her bandit look was enough to disguise her identity. She was about to get on a rickety old chairlift with Logan. Fucking. Brush.
