I nodded. "If I hadn’t of come up with some sort of compromise, he would have spent everyday all day on the slopes, and I would have been left to my own devices." I shrugged. “As it was, he was irritated that we’d only be there for a couple of days.”
Maddox shook his head. I could tell he didn't know how to respond to what I had just told him. I hadn't even told Laura about this. She thought we would be spending the entire time in the heart of Paris.
"Don't worry about it, Maddox. Why don't you look at the skiing while I go refill our mugs." My lips trembling, I got up, took our mugs, and made my way into the kitchen so that I didn't break down in tears.
When I returned to the living room, Maddox sat on the couch surfing on his phone. "Okay, so I was just looking. They have ski lessons, so why don't we sign you up for some lessons while we are there? That way you’re not spending your time alone."
I shook my head. "No, I think I will just book another spa day for myself." I shrugged.
"Come on, I'd even do them with you, if it will make you feel better."
"Ha, have you seen me on feet?" I laughed. "Things that slide aren't my friend."
"Come on, if you don't feel comfortable with that, I could give you lessons if you prefer. You could think of me as your own private ski instructor,” he said, knocking my shoulder. “It's really easy."
"For someone with balance, yes, it’s easy." I giggled. "I just prefer that you enjoy yourself. Please don’t worry about me. Like I said, I'll just book in for another spa day or go shopping while you're gone. You don't need to be with me every single second."
"You're sure?"
"I am positive. I want you to enjoy your trip as well."
Maddox studied me for a moment and then turned his eyes onto the computer and began changing the name on Derrick's ski pass to his.
Maddox
It was Friday night, and Tess and I walked through the mall together, wandering in and out of shops, looking for things for the trip. I’d needed a few things for skiing, and Tess had been more than happy to go with me so she could get some stuff for the trip as well. She'd just come out of the drugstore carrying a bag and walked over to me. "Okay, I think I got everything I needed from there." She smiled, while checking things off her list.
"Did you get the condoms?" I questioned with a serious look on my face.
Her eyes bulged out of her head, and her cheeks went red as she looked at me. I couldn't help but burst into laughter at the look on her face. "I’m just kidding, sweetie." I chuckled, grabbing her and pulling her into my side as she laughed. “Well, not really, but…”
"You are sick." She giggled.
“Yeah, but I made you laugh didn’t I?”
She bit her bottom lip and nodded. “You did.”
I glanced over her head at one store, an idea coming to mind. "Would you like to get a hot chocolate before we continue on?" I questioned, nodding to the only chocolate shop in the mall.
"That sounds good, actually, but not from there. Let’s just go to the coffee shop. It’s right around the corner." She pointed, but I took off into the chocolate shop, while she stood in the mall.
I wanted to treat her and thank her somehow for the trip because I knew there was no way she was going to let me pay for my ticket. I could hear her behind me trying to stop me, but I ignored her pleas and placed the order anyway, and by the time she reached the counter, the girl was already busy making our drinks.
"I don't need a ten-dollar hot chocolate, Maddox," she said, placing her hand on my arm.
"Have you ever had one of these?” I asked, ignoring what she said. “They are freaking delicious."
She shook her head. "Derrick thought they were a waste of money." She shrugged. "So, no, I've never tried one. Here..." she said, fishing through her purse and pulling out a ten-dollar bill and handing it to me.
"What is that for?" I frowned, looking to the bill in her hand and back to her eyes.
"The hot chocolate." She shrugged.
"Not going to happen. I wanted to get it for you, and all I ask is that you enjoy it. So, you are going to put that money back into your purse and enjoy this cup of sinful delight." I grinned, bringing my finger to the tip of her nose.
Our eyes locked as she smiled shyly up at me. I looked at her and took her in—her soft, dark, silky hair, her striking blue eyes—and smiled as she bit her bottom lip. I did not know how my asshole friend could have done what he did to her. I look up when I heard a throat clear, and two cups were shoved in our direction. I took our drinks and held one cup for Tess to take. She took the cup, her fingers gently grazing mine. She brought the cup to her lips and took a sip of the rich, hot chocolate. Her eyes closed as she swallowed.
"My God, that is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she looked at me.
I smiled. "I told you. You, um, have something right here," I said, lifting my fingers to the corner of my mouth. Her cheeks went pink as she quickly wiped at her mouth and looked up at me.
"That better?"
I chuckled. She'd missed the entire spot of chocolate, so I brought my thumb up to her lip and gently wiped away the smudge of chocolate that sat on the corner of her lip. "There," I said, smiling. "Let's continue, shall we." I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her out into the mall.
The last couple of weeks, we had been spending an inordinate amount of time together. More than I think we’d ever had, and it was getting more difficult every day that passed not to let Derrick know we had been hanging out and that I was going to be going on the trip with her. I wasn't even sure why I wanted to tell him. Perhaps it was to make him angry. It certainly wasn't because I cared about what he thought. Tess whispered something to me, pointing at the shop across the way.
"Oh, and I want to go into the luggage shop. It's just around the corner here." She shoved her list into her purse. I followed her and, just as we'd stepped around the corner, Tess stopped outside the lingerie store and looked inside.
"Did you need to go in there for something?" I questioned. “If you do, I’ll just grab a seat on the bench over there,” I said, but then upon closer inspection, I noticed she was concentrating awfully hard on something inside the store.
“No,” she whispered and shook her head, her bottom lip trembling.
I frowned and looked in the same direction she was. I couldn’t believe my eyes. There inside was Derrick with Lucy. She had just gone into the changing room, and Derrick stood outside with a handful of lingerie. I looked back at Tess, who stood there, her eyes welling with tears as she watched the sickening display of affection going on in front of us.
"As if it wasn't bad enough..." she whispered. “All this does is pour salt into the wound.” Then she bolted, running in the opposite direction and darting out the closest exit door.
I didn't know what to do. First, I watched as she ran outside, then I turned to watch as Lucy opened the changing room door and Derrick made some comment that made Lucy laugh. An anger filled me, one that I wasn't even familiar with, and I debated going in there and giving him a piece of my mind, but I didn’t. Instead, I took off after Tess.