Page 87 of Holiday on the Rocks
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.”
FORTY-TWO
LEVI
GREMLINS?
Allie grabbed her arm. “What did you do?”
Lexi’s head whipped to Allie. “Royce?”
“Uh, no, it’s me. Allie.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Well, sure as shit you’re right.” She pointed to the slopes. “Welcome to Disney World.”
Allie’s eyes shot to me. “Lexi, did you fall and hit your head when you were skiing?”
She roared with laughter. “How in the hell would I be skiing with my damn ski in the tree?”
“That was my next question. Why is your ski up there?”
She leaned in close. “Before I got to Disney World, there was a demon cowboy after me.”
Levi stepped closer. “Langley, is she drunk?”
Lexi let out an annoyed huff. “I’m not drunk ya asshat!”
Allie touched my arm. “Lexi, please continue. About the cowboy?”
She nodded. “Sugar pie, it wasn’t a cowboy. It was a demon cowboy. That fucker came up behind me out of nowhere. I was shakin’ like a leaf as terror I’ve never known filled my veins.” Her eyes were bulging. “I had no choice but to kill him.” She leaned over to me. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a man take his last breath.”
Was she confirming what I always suspected to be true?
Allie let out a long breath. “You killed a demon cowboy?”
She pointed to her ski. “I’m afraid so. He climbed the tree planning to jump on me, so I threw my ski up there, hit him square in the heart, and he died.”
Allie threw her arm up. “What in the hell is happening?”
I couldn’t resist and leaned in. “Lexi, what did you do with the body?”
