Page 33 of Head Over Skis

‘A good fit? Penny, are you trying your hand at matchmaking?’

The cheeky rise of her cheeks confirms it, and I groan.

‘Does this have something to do with our conversation earlier, and whatever mysterious “look” you referred to?’

‘Maybe,’ she replies. ‘I’ve seen that look many a time in my life, and that boy’s got it bad.’

‘What look?’

‘The look of love.’

‘Ha!’ I shout, the sound escaping me involuntarily, but I can’t help finding her words ridiculous and laughable. ‘Nope, I think you’re a bit confused, you don’t know the whole story.’

‘See for yourself, he’s doing it right now.’ She points behind my back, but I don’t bother turning.

‘He’s probably looking at me because he’s doing a headcount of the class. Honestly, Penny, my life isn’t a Jane Austen novel, and you’re not Emma. Besides, if Rory’s “looking” at me in a weird way it’s not because he loves me, it’s because we slept together back in London!’

The words leave my mouth before I think to stop myself.

I also didn’t catch myself fast enough to at least say it in a whisper, a fact I instantly regret when I turn and realise the rest of our ski class are now standing right next to us.

I scan the group trying to figure out whether they heard or not. The awkward silence, blank stares and the way Tilly and Meghan are barely containing their laughter are more than enough clues. They heard everything.

Rory’s face, however, betrays nothing. ‘You two ladies ready to join the rest of us?’

My cheeks start to blush, feeling mortified at every event since getting on that chairlift.

‘For now,’ Penny says, before leaning into my side to whisper, ‘but we’re going to come back to this later. Hot chocolates after class, on me.’

I bury my face in my gloved hands as everyone starts shuffling towards the beginning of the run.

‘I won’t fall if you won’t,’ Stephen says from where he’s paused in front of me, gracefully not commenting on the massive cat I just let out of the bag.

I smile, falling into a slow slide closely behind him, and all together our group weave down the slope.

Safe to say, I do fall, as does Stephen. By the time we reach the bottom my glutes are burning from maintaining a constant snow plough for fear of losing control or taking out any unsuspecting skiers, but it’s a good burn. Satisfying. Besides, everyone has had at least one fall on the way, so I’m not too embarrassed. Apart from Penny, that is, and I’m starting to question why she’s in a lesson at all when she seems a lot more competent than the rest of us.

We do the same run a couple more times, and I think Rory’s avoiding me as he takes the lift with Stephen, Penny and Bill. I only hope Penny’s not still grilling him in my absence.

‘We should be ready to ski with the boys soon!’ Meghan says, patting me on the back after our final run of the class.

‘Maybe this afternoon? Do you want to text the others again about where to meet us?’ Tilly asks, and Meghan happily pulls out her phone.

After she’s texted Lucas, we head towards a rack where everyone is hanging their skis before going into the après bar. Moments after I’ve hung up my poles, an arm laces itself through mine.

‘Help an old woman to the table,’ Penny says, although if there’s someone leading us it’s definitely her and not me.

‘I saw you on those slopes. You’re more than capable of getting yourself up these steps, Penny,’ I say, taking this as my chance to question her. ‘On that subject, why is it that you’re in our lesson when it’s clear you’ve been skiing before? A lot.’

‘Ah, I knew you were a clever one,’ she says, sharing a conspiratorial smile with me. ‘Well, partly it’s to keep Bill company, he hasn’t skied as much as I have, but as you may have gathered, I’m quite a people person. Doing things like this, meeting new people, it keeps me young. I skied a lot in my teenage years, and as luck would have it, these old legs have still got it, but I liked the idea of being in a group. All going through something together, hearing the gossip. And you, dear’ – she pauses to give my arm a pat where her hand rests – ‘you’ve given me much more drama than I was expecting.’

‘Well, I’m sorry to disappoint, because I can assure you nothing is going on. Rory and I met once in London, but that’s the end of the story. Running into each other again here is pure coincidence, and I’m sure more of a nuisance for him than anything else.’

‘I wouldn’t be so sure,’ she says, as she gives my arm one last squeeze before joining Bill at the end of the table we’ve secured.

I try to find an empty seat at the long table. Tilly and Meghan both sit opposite Rory, and the only space left is the one to his left. I awkwardly waddle over in my ski boots, which are impossible to look sexy in. Once I’m sitting, I turn to face him straight away, determined to apologise as quickly as possible.

‘I wanted to apol—’