Page 4 of One Snowy Seduction
“As my text explained, I won an online charity auction. The original winner didn’t respond, so they gave it to the runner-up. That’s why I didn’t have a lot of notice about when I needed to leave.”
“And it couldn’t be the day after Christmas? What kind of trip is that where you can’t decide when you want to leave? I mean planes go in and out of the country every day.”
Teesha dropped down onto the bed. She’d been traveling for hours and had just come face-to-face with her archenemy. Listening to her mother’s despair and disagreement about her coming on this trip was going to take much more energy than she had at the moment.
“The dates for the trip were already set, Mama. If I couldn’t come on these dates, then I’d have to forfeit.” Something Teesha hadn’t even considered. Certainly not just to cook the same ‘ole macaroni and cheese for the same ‘ole Christmas dinner she’d eaten with her family all the thirty-one years of her life.
Well, except for that one year she’d gone to Kendrick’s aunt’s house with him. That had been a few weeks after they’d learned about the internship. Kendrick’s Aunt Renee lived in a town called Temptation which was about two hours away from Alexandria, Virginia where Teesha’s family lived. Virginia was six hours behind in time than Méribel which meant her mother was up at eight-thirty in the morning calling to tell her how displeased she was that Teesha wasn’t going to be home for Christmas.
“And I know that sounds selfish,” she continued because she knew her mother and her guilt trips very well. “But I wanted to do this. After the year I’ve had, I needed something just for me.”
Again, there were no lies there. The last twelve months had been a tumultuous, eye-opening experience for Teesha. One that she was happy to leave behind in the new year. One that she prayed the next seven days would help her forget.
“Now, I didn’t say you didn’t deserve something nice,” Pam countered. “I would’ve just liked to have had more notice that you weren’t going to be here. We always spend holidays together. It’s a tradition.”
“I know,” Teesha said. “And I’m sorry I’ll miss it this year.” She really wasn’t. “But this was a once in a lifetime trip. Everything was paid for, the chalet, the airfare, meals are even included. All I had to do was toss some clothes in a bag, rent my ski gear and get to the airport.”
“All by yourself,” Pam added.
“I’m grown.” The two words tumbled free before Teesha could stop them.
Pam huffed. “I know what you are little girl, I’m the one who walked up and down the halls of that hospital in excruciating pain for twenty-two hours just to bring you into this world.”
Teesha sighed but was wise enough to make it a quiet one so as not to toss Pam Palmer completely into her “I’m the mother” diatribe.
“It’s really beautiful here, Mama. You’d like it.” Except for the fact that her mother didn’t like planes. She did like the snow which is how Teesha had come by her love of the winter months. “The mountains look like they’ve been dipped in snow and the trees too. And there’s this village that, from the balcony in my room, looks like the Christmas village you and Pop Pop set up every year in the den. I can’t wait to get out there and explore.”
Which was code for, “let me get off this phone so I can get on with my vacation”, but Teesha was certain her mother would ignore.
The light knock on the door would’ve been a great interruption to a call she desperately wanted to be over, except for who Teesha knew was standing on the other side.
“Uh, Mama, I gotta go,” she said, hurrying to stand and stare at the closed door.
“What? Is that room service at your door? Now, look,” Pam continued. “Don’t be over there spending money you don’t have. Just because people say something is free don’t mean there aren’t hidden costs. You know you gotta read the fine print.”
Teesha rolled her eyes skyward. “I know. And I didn’t order any room service. Maybe it’s just a welcome basket or something from the foundation that hosted the auction.” If Kendrick McLaughlin naked but for a plush beige towel was a welcome basket. “Listen, I gotta get the door and get unpacked. Y’all have a really good day and tell Pop Pop and Nana I love them and I’ll visit as soon as I get home next week.”
“I’ll tell ‘em. And the kids. You know they’re gonna be looking for you.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll get over to Mari’s to see them when I come home too. I’ll take them ice skating and out to dinner to make up for not being there today.” And she’d use her last paycheck from the job her family thought was so great—the one that she’d also been forced to resign from—to buy them a small gift.
Spending the money she’d allotted to buy Christmas gifts hadn’t come without regrets for her. She loved seeing her little cousins smile as they opened the boxes or bags from her and she’d vowed that they wouldn’t go without just because she’d needed this trip. Their gifts would be better late than never and she’d spend time with them as she always had. But that would be next week, after she enjoyed her vacation.
“Alright, well, I’ll let you go. But call me tomorrow. I want to hear from you every day, so I know you’re doing alright. You know foolishness happens all over the world, despite what the media likes to feed us.”
Teesha nodded. “I’m aware, Mama, and I’ll be careful. Talk to you tomorrow.” Seconds after Pam said the same, Teesha disconnected the call.
The knock sounded at the door again.
She crossed the room and opened it to see that Kendrick had gotten dressed. He still looked tasty in dark gray jeans, black sweater and black boots.
“I was gonna go out, explore the village and get something for dinner. You wanna come?” he asked. The arch of one brow and the way his hands were now tucked into the front pockets of his jeans gave him a sincere look. But that half smile and the way the sweater molded over shoulders she’d already seen were broad and strong, was too damn sexy for her to dismiss.
A resounding “hell no!” danced around in her head but the last thing she wanted Kendrick to think was that he had her on the run. Even if it did mean that she was just running to lock herself in a room of this chalet. No, she was going to show him that she could be just as mature as him while in this surprise predicament.
She tilted her head and watched him carefully. “I was just telling my mother that I couldn’t wait to go out and explore the village.” It had been a lie a few minutes ago and it was still one now. Not that she hadn’t planned to ever go into the village while she was here, but she’d wanted to ski first. As she’d noted when she answered the call from her mother it was nearing a quarter to three in the afternoon. Which meant she still had a few hours of daylight that she could be on the slopes. But there was no doubt in Teesha’s mind that if she said she wanted to go skiing, Kendrick would counter with a remark that alluded to her being afraid to go out with him. Just like he’d tossed out that remark about maturity when she’d stated they couldn’t stay in this chalet together.
She knew Kendrick very well. Or at least she had at one time. A long time ago in what now felt like a galaxy far, far away. TheStar Warsnerd was still alive and kicking inside of her.
