The wind whips around me as I make my way down the side of the mountain. My vision is laser-focused on the snow and every curve of the mountain slope. I used to know this trail like the back of my hand, but it’s been years.
I smile as I pick up speed. God this feels good! As I promised myself, I’m only thinking about the ski slope. It’s so freeing! I love it!
Just as I’m having my one-with-nature moment, a deer jumps out of nowhere. I dodge to get around him and lose control. My left leg flies out as I try to maintain my balance. I over-correct, leaning my body to the right, but it’s too late. My body pushes forward from the momentum. I attempt to lean back, and my ass hits the ground, my skis go flying. I can see the tall pine trees coming closer by the second. I struggle to use my hands to stop myself, but it’s no use. I slam into a tree and I know immediately that I’m not going to be skiing again today. Pain shoots from my left ankle as my left leg bears the brunt of the impact.
I wince as I try to stand, but it hurts too much.
I fall back onto the snow and curse myself. Why did I start with a black diamond? I should have tried blue first. I should have known better, but I’d been to desperate for a distraction.
“Hey, do you need help?” I hear a voice from behind me.
I crane my neck. “Uh, yeah. I sort of dodged a deer, and the tree won.”
The person chuckles. “I’ll just ski down and get some help. Stay put.”
I nod. I prop myself up on my elbows and look down at my legs. My right ski landed next to me, but my left one... is in two pieces; I’ll be needing new skis. Shit. Like I have money for that.
I fall back onto the snow and stare up at the sky. It’s a pretty day out. Barely a cloud in the sky. I grit my teeth as I accidentally move my leg. I know better than to try to take my foot out of the boot. I’ve seen too many injuries up here on the mountain. I stay still and wait for help.
A few minutes go by, and I hear the distinct sound of the snowmobile. It cuts through the silence like a chainsaw.
“She’s over there,” a voice says as the snowmobile approaches.
A moment later, a very familiar set of eyes is peering down at me. Tyson.
“Brit, are you OK? What hurts?” he asks as his eyes look up and down my body for signs of an injury.
I sigh and prop myself up on my elbows again as a second man approaches. Karl Rothchild. He’s the medic up here on the mountain.
“Hey, Brit. Long time, no see,” he says. “What happened?”
“I was coming down the mountain, and a deer leaped out in front of me. I lost my footing and ended up here. My left foot hit first. I can’t tell if it’s sprained or broken, but it hurts,” I explain.
He nods. “Anything else? How about your head?”
“No, just my leg.”
He looks at my helmet to make sure. “OK. I’m going to lift you onto the snowmobile, and we’ll bring you down to the infirmary for a closer look. Depending on what I see, I may send you to the ER.”
I nod. I know the drill. I fell once getting off the ski lift and sprained my other ankle.
“I got her,” Ty says. I want to say no, but I’m honestly in too much pain to argue as he lifts me up and gently sets me down on the back of the snowmobile. He sits down next to me after collecting what is left of my skis.
“We’ll have to find you some new ones,” he says gently.
“Whatever. Not important,” I say.
“Hold on,” Karl says as he turns us around and heads down the mountain.
Ty grips me tightly as we fly along the snowy trail. I want to tell him to fuck off, but I also am comforted by his closeness right now, so I let it go. We’ll need to talk about that kiss later, but I just can’t do it right now.
Karl pulls up to the building, and Ty lifts me and carries me inside to an exam table.
“Let’s see what’s going on. I’m going to take off the ski boot. This might hurt,” Karl says as he gently takes my boot off. I wince as he pulls it loose. My ankle is swollen. And as he peels back my sock, I groan. It’s already black and blue.
“I can’t tell if it’s broken or sprained, but either way you should get to the ER. I can call an ambulance or—”
“I’ll drive her,” Ty says to him.
“It’s OK. I’ll call my dad. He can take me.”
“Nope, we are going right now,” Ty says to me. Before I can even argue, I’m back in his arms, and he’s carrying me to his car.
“Ty, come on. This is ridiculous. I’ll just call my dad.”
“You can call him on the way, and he can meet us there. If it’s a break, you need to get seen right away.”
“I’ll live. It’s not like I’m going to join the Olympic team...” I trail off because I realize I may have just crossed a line.
I glance over at Ty, and his bottom jaw clenches. Shit.
“I’m sorry. That was... I’m just in a lot of pain.”
Ty doesn’t answer as he drives toward the hospital. Great. Now I’m hurt, and he’s pissed off. I call my dad instead of talking to him because right now does not seem like a great time to discuss anything.
“Dad?”
“Hey, kiddo. I should be heading home soon. You want me to pick up Chinese food?”
“Uh, that sounds great, but can you meet me at the hospital instead? I sort of had a bad skiing day.”
“Are you OK? What happened?”
“I dodged a deer but not a tree. My ankle is swollen. It might be broken but definitely sprained.”
“OK, I’m heading out now. Are you in an ambulance?”
“No, Ty was there. He’s driving me,” I explain as I glance over at Ty. He doesn’t look my way.
“Good. He’ll take care of you until I get there.”
“She’ll be fine, Jim,” Ty says. I roll my eyes.
“He’s right. I’ll be fine. I’ll see you at the hospital.”
“OK,” Dad says and hangs up.
My dad is a pretty mellow guy, but I’m sure he’s in some level of parent-freak-out mode right now. It’s not my first trip to the ER. I’ve had a broken arm and stitches on my leg and the back of my head.
“Is he meeting us there?” Ty asks.
“Yep.” I don’t say anything else because I don’t know what to say to this man. I’m tired. I hurt. And I just want to crawl into my bed and forget the last few days ever happened.
OK, except for my songwriting today. That had gone well. I was pouring my heart out, and then Ty had to come smash it with a kiss.
“How are you feeling? How’s the pain level?” he asks like he’s some kind of doctor.
“It freakin’ hurts, Ty. I ran into a tree.”
He glares at me. “Is it getting worse?”
“No,” I huff as I stare back out the window.
“Good.” He goes silent again, and I glance over at him.
Why does he have to be so unbelievably good looking? And smart? And a good kisser?
He glances over at me. “You look flushed. Are you sure you are OK?”
My blush deepens as I realize I’m blushing because I was thinking of our kiss this afternoon.
“I’ll live.”