Crescendo

Chapter 28

Soundtrack for this chapter:
Swing Life Away—Rise Against
You Shook Me All Night Long—AC/DC
Shadow of the Day—Linkin Park

28

Theo

I'd extended our drive by about twenty minutes when I pulled off the main road to grab us something to eat. Jules protested (when doesn't she challenge me?), but I told her it may do well to have her food settle before we attack our first run. That was enough of a reason to satisfy her.

"How can skiing give me an upset stomach? It's not like we're spinning around or anything."

"Well, if you fall and tumble down the face of the mountain, it's likely you're going to agitate your stomach."

She twisted in her seat to face me so quickly she nearly gave herself whiplash. "What?"

I only felt a little badly for laughing. "Relax, Jules. You're going to be fine. There are barriers on the bunny slopes."

"But not on the others?"

"Not all of them. Where would the adrenaline come from if you didn't think that at any moment you could fall off the side of a cliff?"

She actually paled, and I put a reassuring hand on her thigh. "Fuck, Jules, I'm joking. I wouldn't take you anywhere near those runs, alright?"

She sat back in her seat and let the color come back into her face.

When we finally arrived at our little home away from home, it looked so fucking perfect. The moment Jules saw it, her eyes lit up with wonder. We were going to have our own cozy little cabin all to ourselves; it was going to be hard to leave to trudge to the lodge down the road when we could stay in our cabin in front of a roaring fire, snuggled up together.

Jules had the unique power of turning me into a sappy mess.

Once all of the food and our bags was inside, we changed into snow appropriate gear. Jules looked a bit puffier than usual in her jacket, snow pants, and hat with the little pompom on top, but she looked as perfect as always.

"You ready?"

"Is it too late to chicken out?"

"Yes."

She shrugged her shoulders at me. "Then I guess I'm ready."           

I couldn't help but laugh a little, and she turned from me with a roll of her eyes to bend to pick up her skis and boots.

"I'll get your poles, just keep going straight outside."

"Thanks."

With all of our gear in my hands, I followed her out of the cabin and then rested my skis against the doorframe to be able to lock the door, just to realize she had the key.

"Hey Jules, can you—" whack.

"Oh my goodness. Sorry! Here," she set down the skis she'd just smacked me with as she turned to give me the keys.

"Right. Thanks. You're stronger than you realize." I used my free hand to rub up and down my left arm.

"Hopefully that's the extent of our injuries this weekend."

I pocketed the keys, leaned into Jules, and set my lips down on hers. I loved her more than I could put into words, and sometimes I worried I wouldn't be able to express to her just how deeply I cared for her.

"Love you, Jules."

"I love you too, T."

***