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“Do you think it’ll be hours before the next excursion leaves to the slopes?” Jasmine asked me.
“If it is, we’ll check out the spa or something on-site in the meantime. We’ll ski today, no worries,” I told her.
Eli cut me a look, “It’s a bespoke activity service, bro. No waiting for a scheduled time. They’ll take us now.”
“You’re kidding,” Jasmine said.
“It’s that kind of place, apparently,” Eli said with a grin. I clapped him on the back.
“Well done, brother.”
“Is that the ride to the ski lift?” Jasmine interrupted, indicating the stretch SUV limo that pulled up right beside us. A driver stepped out and opened the door, courteously letting Jasmine go ahead of us. We settled in to the leather interior and looked around, impressed.
By the time she’d finished exclaiming about the beautiful scenery out the window, we’d reached the equipment rental spot by the ski lift. We were outfitted almost as soon as we introduced ourselves, since the hotel had messaged them when we left to give them a heads-up.
Once our boots were fastened in and poles sizzed properly, we were on our way. Eli and Ty went ahead in the first gondola and I stayed behind with Jasmine and Jake. Jake was giving us a guidebook-quality summary of why skiing was perfect in this location and which amenities were available after we were finished hitting the slopes and needed to warm up. I listened but my attention was on the hand that gripped my arm like a lifeline.
“If I look down I’ll die. I’ll melt off this seat and fall to my death. I had no idea that this much of skiing was off of the ground,” Jasmine whispered to me, her teeth clenched.
“It’s just the lift to get us to the starting place for your first run on the mountain. I know the first time on the lift is no fun, but with your skis on there’s no other way to the top.”
“Oh, I understand why we have to take the lift. I just hate heights. I want to shut my eyes so I don’t have to see it, but I get dizzy when I close my eyes and just imagine the drop from here. Jesus! Look at the two of them jostling around and taking selfies ahead of us,” she winced at the antics of the expert skiers in the family who swung on a lift gondola up ahead of us and seemed to be having a rollicking time.
“It’s all right. We’ve got you,” I said. “And I won’t tell anyone you’re afraid of the lift.”
“Ugh. Do not tell anyone. Ty would love a good way to prank me about this and if I go down, you’re coming with me,” she said with a shaky attempt at fierceness that I couldn’t help but admire.
When she saw the people a few cars ahead of us leap off the lift and go skidding down the slope, I felt her stiffen beside me.
“Fuck no. I’m not doing that. I thought this was the easy slope?” her voice cracked, eyes wide with fear.
“That doesn’t mean it’s easy for you or for anyone their first time on the lift. You just bend your knees a little and scoot off the edge.”
“It’s safe. I swear. You know me, I’ve checked into it. Now it’s time. Grab my hand and I’ll pull you,” Jake said.
She looked at me as if I was going to stop a maniac from flinging her off the ski lift to her doom. “It’s not the huge jump that you think it is. It’s more like sliding off the edge of the kitchen counter if you’re sitting on it. I swear.”
About that time, our daredevil brothers gave us a wave and hopped off the lift. It was our turn. “You can jump or we can pull yougently,” I said.
“Those are not. Good. Choices.” She said through gritted teeth.
It was like her whole body was locked up in resistance to the idea. Jake and I both took her by an arm decisively. The moment came for us to exit the gondola. We hauled her off and landed on our skis in the snow. We were both careful to stop and let her steady herself.
Our brothers were waiting for us off to the side. I was impressed that they hadn’t gone ahead down the slope to announce it was too easy.
“That was it?” she said, looking around incredulously.
We watched as the kids behind us on the lift, who looked about eight years old, jumped neatly to the ground and skidded off merrily down the slope. I checked in to see how she’d react, ready to reassure her if she seemed upset. But she was grinning. A small giggle broke from her and she gave a good-natured shrug.
“I guess I got stressed out over nothing. Let’s try this skiing thing out. Otherwise, I’m all dressed up with no place to go.”
It hit me again how much I liked this woman. Jake helped her adjust her grip on the poles while Ty gave her a couple of tips on her stance, sincere and patient as I’d ever seen him. She still seemed a little nervous, but with all of us surrounding her and encouraging her, she stood a little straighter and took a deep breath.
“Ok, how’s my stance?” she asked.
“Bend your knees a little more,” Ty said. “There, that’s it. Now, this is the beginner slope. There’s an instructor at the top over there and we’re going to wait for you and go down together.”
She nodded bravely. “Are you sure you guys don’t want to go ahead without me?” she offered.
