Page 15 of Ski You Later (Alpine Glow #1)

This is going to be more dramatic than I would’ve liked.

Using every ounce of energy I have left, I push myself harder and cross the finish line.

Even though it’s well below freezing, sweat drips from my hair and into my eyes, to the point that it blurs my vision.

My training bib migrated up my torso during my run, so I absently pull it down so I can properly display my number. Every team member has a training number to keep track of their time, and I’m happy to be lucky number fourteen.

I ski a little way down from the end of the course to ensure there’s enough room for the racer behind me to stop without hitting me. We’re training giant slalom today, which means everyone’s reaching speeds upwards of eighty kilometres per hour.

The last thing I need in my life right now is to be hit by my teammate finishing their run .

Stopping in front of the timing box, I pop off my skis and approach the device clipped to the side of the fence.

My first run was my slowest, which doesn’t surprise me. As the team’s skis continue to compact the snow, my times will gradually speed up.

Although, it’s essential I work on perfecting that first run since that’s all we get on race day. With our first race just around the corner, I make a mental note to work harder on those initial training runs.

Smiling at my results nonetheless, I lift my goggles to swipe at the sweat that’s now pooling on my face.

Even though it’s only training runs, I’ve been putting everything I have into each lap. Using my feelings from last week as fuel as I push myself even harder.

“Rhodes, can you pass the timing box?”

I whip around in surprise as the voice catches me off guard. Calvin’s standing behind me with Nico and Kai at his flank. I must’ve been so absorbed in comparing my times I didn’t even hear them behind me.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” I say kindly. Smiling as I pass them the handheld device .

Walking to my skis, I turn back when one of them calls my name. “Are you number fourteen?” Calvin asks, trying to peer at my bib, but it has bunched up again.

“Yeah, why?” I ask back, blowing out an annoyed breath as I pull it back down.

“You’re the fastest girl so far,” he says casually. Not even bothering to take his eyes off the device.

“What!” I run back over, squeezing past Kai to look at the box.

He turns the box to the side, showing me the top standings, with number fourteen being the highest for the girls.

I hear the guys talking to more team members who stopped near us, but I can’t take my focus off the timing box. The fastest female time of the day was from me, two-hundredths of a second faster than Aurora’s best.

Passing the box back to Calvin, I walk to my skis in a daze. Happiness and pride are at war with each other, both emotions flooding me when I think about how hard I’ve been working and how it’s paying off.

Blue ski boots suddenly come into my vision, and I look up to meet the eyes of their owner .

“Hey, Cous. How was your run?” Jasmine stands in front of me, her bright red racing suit drawing in the light and making her even more of a focus on the hill.

“Fine. How was yours?” I ask hesitantly. Jasmine never talks to me, and I never talk to her; that way, everyone stays happy.

So, my guard immediately rises as she smiles at me like a fox in a hen house. “It was horrible. I’m skiing terribly today, and my times are garbage.”

It’s obvious that she’s seen the times for today. I know as soon as she saw that I was much faster than her, there’s no way she could admit that her runs were good.

“Dang, that sucks,” I say awkwardly. Lifting my shoulders and pointing behind me. “I was actually just leaving.” I manage to get the words out before I’m tackled from the side, and lifted into the air.

“SHE’S THE FASTEST WOMAN ALIVE!” Xander roars in my ear.

When did he even get here?

Taking a look around, I notice over half the team is now congregating at the timing box, as they wait for their turn to look at the times. Unfortunately, because everyone on the team loves Xander, we’ve caught all their attention.

Murmurs of my fastest time start to spread around the group, but as Xander puts me back on my feet, all I see is Jasmine. Taylor and Sofia have joined her, but she pays them no mind as she stares daggers at me.

“Dang, this is an amazing time! Holy shit, Rhodes, you were flying,” Xander exclaims even louder than before.

Landon walks over and gives me a high five, leaning past me to see the time for himself.

I can’t help but blush slightly. Xander and Landon don’t owe me anything, so this encouragement from them is hard to disregard.

“In what world do we believe she actually got this time?” Jasmine’s outburst startles everyone around us. People are looking back and forth to try and figure out if she’s serious or just making a weird joke.

After no one responds, Calvin decides that inserting himself in the conversation is a great idea. “I mean, she beat me on that last run. There’s a chance the timing wand is just busted. ”

His immediate dismissal doesn’t come as a shock to me; the bigger surprise being the fact that I might’ve beaten one of the fastest guys on the team.

“I don’t know, man. Maybe you’re just slow,” Xander says with a smug smile. The surrounding team members lightly chuckling at his words.

I smile with the rest of them, ignoring how his comment doubles as a jab at me. Just because my time was faster than Calvin’s doesn’t mean he’s slow. It could also mean that I’m quick.

I work up the courage to say as much when another member of the group makes themselves known. “I’m going to disagree with you on that, Xander. My thoughts are that Rhodes is just fast,” Roman says in his usual bored tone.

His white race suit stretches with his body as he walks into our makeshift circle. Extending his hand outward, Xander wordlessly hands him the timing box. The joking atmosphere dies in an instant, everyone tensing as Roman presses buttons and examines the screen.

“Based on the times before and after Rhodes, the timing works fine. Looks like you’re going to have to speed up if you want to beat her, Calvin.” Roman’s wearing a devious grin, the comment hitting home as I watch Calvin’s pale face redden.

As I brace for Calvin to spit venom back at Roman, it’s Jasmine that pipes up. “What are you playing at, Roman? Isn't the team captain supposed to be impartial about his athletes’ times?” She says with conviction, crossing her arms as if she’s preparing to win a battle.

“What are you yammering about now?” He asks dismissively. The way I know he’s rolling his eyes under his goggles has me stifling a laugh.

Jasmine’s hands ball into fists at her side, and I swear I can hear her tooth crack from how hard she’s clenching her jaw. “I’m talking about the fact that you’re blatantly taking Rhodes’ side, even though you are supposed to remain neutral to everyone as our team captain.”

Her entire speech is garbage; the team hasn’t respected Roman’s position all season. It’s only when Jasmine needs a basis for her argument that she pretends he’s this role model figure.

“Let’s just say I have an invested interest in Rhodes,” he says plainly.

“And what interest would that be?” Jasmine immediately shoots back .

“Well, Jasmine,” he says with mock sweetness. Taking his eyes off the timing box, he finally looks up and he wraps his arm around me. Pulling me close to his side, he lets his arm hang off my shoulder as he locks eyes with Jasmine.

“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t intervene?”

I can feel the team’s movements freeze at his words. Even I can’t help but whip my head towards him, thankful for my reflective goggles, otherwise, everyone could see how wide my eyes have become. Did he just? In front of everyone?

My bafflement is completely ignored by Roman as he keeps his gaze in front of him.

His form leaning in closer to my cousin, and his voice lowering as if he’s sharing a secret with her.

“I know of some pretty pathetic boyfriends. Boyfriends that lie, some that steal, and one that cheats.” He emphasizes the last word, standing back up to his full height as he keeps me glued to his side.

“I’m not going to be anything like those men,” he says, his harsh features softening as he looks down at me.

Even though this whole thing is fake, and both of us know it, his words soothe me. I don’t think I even knew how much I needed to hear them, and him saying them all on his own makes them so much more meaningful.

I can feel the anger pouring off Jasmine in waves now, the double meaning in his words evident to only us three.

Roman promptly pulls us away before we can feel her wrath; his touch gentle but firm as he walks me to our skis.

I chance a glance back to the group and find all eyes on us. Shock and confusion splayed across the team’s faces, apart from devious smiles coming from both Xander and Landon.

Roman doesn’t seem too bothered, though, not even looking up as he clips in his boots and skis away. Without thinking this through, I clip in my skis and chase after my new boyfriend .

We both fly down the hill, Roman periodically turning his head back as he does practice turns ahead of me.

Usually, I would savour the groomed snow under my skis and the freedom of my turns.

But Roman’s words succeed in cycling through my mind and take away any appreciation I have for my current skiing.

Let’s just say I have invested interest in Rhodes .

It’s like a broken record in my mind, the way he leaned in close as the words flowed effortlessly from his lips. From my angle, all I saw was the sharp cut of his jaw as he spoke the words that doomed us both.

I’m overwhelmed with feelings as I file in lift line beside Roman. My brains in such disarray that I just stare blankly at the liftie who tries to scan my pass. With a light chuckle from Roman, I promptly unzip my suit and remove my pass from the secret inside pocket.