Love on the Lifts Read online

  I was simply majorly embarrassed that Joe had witnessed my humiliation, and it had occurred to me during my mad dash over to Aunt Sue’s that Sam might know what was going on as well. The last person, other than Joe, I wanted to know the affairs of my heart.

  “Focus, Kate,” Aunt Sue commanded in a soft, singsong voice. “Feel the air filling and expanding your lungs. Now, release…release…release…”

  That was how meditation worked. You concentrated on your breathing, focused all your energy there—

  “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home. There’s no place…” Aunt Sue’s voice trailed off.

  Once your focus was pinpointed on your breathing, you began running your own personal mantra through your head. Something that guided you, brought pleasant memories. Something that would take you to the next state of being. For Aunt Sue, it was The Wizard of Oz. Go figure.

  That morning, mine was something that would bring me a great deal of satisfaction: Break a leg. Break a leg. Break a leg.

  I was directing it toward Cynthia, which really isn’t how meditation works. It’s not like voodoo or something, where you try to throw a curse on someone, and, okay, it was a mean thought that I didn’t really want to come true. And it wasn’t exactly releasing negative energy….

  “I can’t think of anything, Aunt Sue,” I finally said.

  “Then use mine.”

  Only I couldn’t. I didn’t want images of the good witch of the north who looked too much like Cynthia or a crazy wizard who could be my brother. Or perfect Dorothy holding perfect Toto. I bet Brad wouldn’t have forgotten her name.

  I opened my eyes and stretched out on the floor, inhaled the sweet fragrance of the candles burning around us. Aunt Sue didn’t go with plain candle scents like vanilla or cinnamon. I was breathing in moonlight mist and secret garden and midnight passion.

  I was breathing in a spicy and tangy scent. Brad.

  No, it wasn’t Brad. It was Joe. Last night when we were sitting together on the couch. He didn’t smell at all like Brad. Lemony was a better description. Lemony with his hair mussed and his feet bare. And the way he smiled whenever he looked at me. Not a big hey-am-I-a-stud-or-what smile like Brad gave me, but more of a I-like-looking-at-you smile. Like the smile was a gift to me or something. My presence was a gift to him.

  Where did that thought come from?

  “I see you finally relaxed,” Aunt Sue said.

  She had her arms lifted high over her head and was stretching at the waist from side to side. For a woman with gray hair, she was awfully limber.

  “Not really. I was just thinking.” I shrugged, which was a strange feeling with my back on the floor. “Nothing important.”

  “Everything’s important.”

  I knew Aunt Sue dated. Over the years, she’d introduced me to several guys. They were always good-looking and fun. She never took her trips alone, but I never had a sense that she was totally serious about any of the guys.

  “Why didn’t you ever get married?” I asked.

  “I almost did once,” she said. A dreamy expression came over her face. “Loved him something fierce.”

  “So why didn’t you marry him?”

  “It just wasn’t meant to be.”

  She rose to her feet, and I sat up. “You can’t just leave it like that without giving me a real answer.”

  “Sure I can.” She laughed and walked into the kitchen. A bar with stools separated it from the living room, so I could still see and hear her clearly. “Besides, the history of my love life isn’t going to help you figure out yours. And isn’t that the reason you’re here this morning?”

  “I’m here because we always meditate together,” I lied.

  “When you’re staying with me, sure. But you’re not going to traipse over here every morning, are you?”

  Didn’t anyone want me around?

  “Would it bother you if I did?”

  “Of course not. But I figured you’d want to spend time with your friends. Isn’t that the reason you brought them?”

  Without answering her, I got up and walked over to the bar and sat on a stool. I watched as Aunt Sue prepared her morning shake. She put all kinds of healthy stuff in it. Whey protein, fruit…

  “I thought I’d help you in the bookstore today.”

  She turned away from the blender and gave me a pointed stare. “That’s what you thought, huh?”

  “Yeah.” I scrunched up my face. I knew what her expression meant. Honesty time. “I don’t want to see Brad with Cynthia.”

  “So you’re going to hide away?”

  “Just today.”

  “Mmm-uh,” she said, like she could see through my lie, and knew I was considering never again returning to the slopes. “I think you’re making a big mistake, but it’s your life.”

  She pushed the button on the blender, the buzzing stopping us from talking further. Which was fine by me.

  I didn’t have anything else to say, anyway.

  Chapter 7

  Allie and Leah were totally bummed when I called to tell them that Aunt Sue needed help in her shop, so I was going to forego skiing. I tried to make it sound like I was making some great sacrifice for Aunt Sue, instead of what was really going on. I simply couldn’t stand the thought of seeing Brad with Cynthia, or Joe looking at me like he thought I was a total loser for not hiding my feelings any better than I did.

  “But what about Operation Hook-Brad-Up-With-Kate?” Leah asked.

  “Please tell me that you’re in your bedroom where the guys can’t hear you.” Using my cell phone, I’d called her cell phone, so as far as I knew, she was sitting at the breakfast table surrounded by everyone.

  “I’m outside making a snow girl for our snowman. He was getting lonely. Allie’s helping me.”

  “And the guys?”

  “Following the rules, cleaning the kitchen. You missed a scrumptious breakfast. Did you know Allie knows how to make omelets? The guys were majorly impressed.”

  So was I. “I had no idea. I had breakfast with Aunt Sue.” The energy shake. An omelet sure sounded good, though.

  “Okay, great, we won’t worry about you eating, but what about Operation—”

  “Not today, Leah. Aunt Sue really needs me to help her, and I figure it’s the least I can do since she’s letting us use the condo.” I looked behind me to make sure my jeans hadn’t caught on fire yet from all the lying.

  “Well, we should help, too, then.”

  “No, she just needs one person. Not too much room behind the counter. We’d just get in each other’s way.”

  “Are you sure? I feel guilty going to the slopes without you. Allie’s nodding. She feels guilty, too.”

  “Look, I’ve skied before, so I don’t need lessons. Y’all take the class today and learn the basics. Tomorrow we’ll be able to ski on the slopes together.”

  “I guess you’re right. Besides, you don’t need to hook up with a ski instructor, since Brad is here. As for me, I may need more than one day of lessons.”

  “You won’t. It just takes a few hours to learn the basics. Trust me.”

  “We’ll see. Oops! Sam just came out on the deck to give us the we’re-leaving-right-now signal, so we’ve gotta run. But I promise Allie and I will stop by the shop this afternoon for some hot chocolate, after we leave the slopes.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Y’all have fun.”

  I closed my cell phone and took a deep breath. I figured a day to regain my equilibrium was all I needed. A day to completely sever my one-sided bond with Brad. Tomorrow I would definitely go to the slopes, and I’d find that stud of a ski instructor. Lessons or no, I’d find him.

  Unlike Leah and Allie, who were planning to grab hot chocolate after a day of skiing, a lot of people wanted the hot chocolate swirling through their system before they headed for the slopes. So for a while that morning, it was a madhouse, and I was rethinking my plan to avoid the guys.

  My feet started to ache as I w