Page 21 of Ski You Later (Alpine Glow #1)

I’m so nervous. I might throw up.

This is a piece of hot, flaming garbage.

I stare at myself in the mirror and continue to critique it from every angle.

The cardigan seems to stretch in the chest more than I would like, and I can’t remember my skirt being this short.

Twisting my body in every angle, I can’t help but hate the outfit entirely and move on to the next one.

Then the next one, and the next one.

Outfit seven seems to be the most promising of the bunch. A white turtleneck with an oversized sweater on top. Then, my dark blue denim jeans help add causality to the look. With one last glance in the mirror, I smile and nod to myself.

This isn’t a big deal. Just a fake couple going on a fake date.

I keep repeating in my head that it’s all fake. Not one part of it is real, and there is no need to stress. My hands don’t seem to get the message though, as I repeatedly wipe the sweat from off my palms.

Roman isn’t supposed to arrive for another fifteen minutes, but the nerves are starting to get the best of me.

I really need to relax. I can’t get hurt by something that isn’t real.

My breathing immediately steadies, letting that information settle, and I lean against the entrance wall. He can’t hurt me, so there is no reason to be scared.

Roman is not Daniel; he has done nothing but support me, and he’s earned my trust. If I let Daniel’s actions continue to affect me like this, then that’s when he truly wins.

The knock at the door causes my entire body to freeze, but I run from the room before he rings the bell and gets Aurora involved.

She’s going to the fair with the rest of the team and started sulking when I told her I wasn’t going too.

Her mood completely flipped around when I told her why, and then it took me forever to get her to go into her own room.

Pulling open the front door, Roman stands with his hat pulled down low on his head since it’s absolutely freezing outside .

Actually, it’s well below freezing, but when has that ever stopped a Canadian from doing anything? He was looking around outside, but quickly turns his full attention to me as I stand there.

“Hi,” is all my distracted brain can think to say as I admire him. We’re wearing the same stain of jeans, his are a straight leg cut and sit nicely on the outside of his boots. He’s wearing his red Polar Athlete jacket as well, since all ski-related events demand we wear it.

“Hi,” he says in an equally breathy tone. His gaze catches on my face, and he seems slightly taken aback before he schools his features.

I can’t help but smile inwardly; the makeup I decided to go with is serving me right at this minute.

It’s just a light brown shadow on my eyes, a subtle winged liner, some blush across my cheeks, and a layer of gloss.

It isn’t like I went full glam, but I couldn’t help but appreciate my work when I was done.

The fact that Roman also seems to be appreciating it adds a little bounce to my step as I put on my jacket. “Are you ready to go?” I ask casually. Then frown at the way he hesitates and moves from foot to foot.

“Yeah. Yep, I uh –” He starts to trail off, and I notice one of his hands tucked fully behind his back .

“What are you holding?” I ask immediately. The embarrassment that flushes across his face only making me more intrigued.

I can’t help but laugh and repeat my question, being so bold as to grip his bicep as I attempt to look behind him. Unfortunately, he’s built similar to a giant, and I can’t catch a view of anything.

Planting both my hands on his shoulders, I hop and attempt to gain an aerial advantage. This is quickly thwarted when his arm wraps easily around my waist and plants me back on the front landing.

“I’m stupid. I wasn’t even thinking, and it was so dumb of me,” he starts to ramble.

Then without making eye contact, he pulls out a giant bouquet of colourful flowers. The big pink peonies blend in with the baby’s breath and have a complementary array of various orange ones. The whole set would be absolutely stunning, if they weren’t all completely dead.

He moves to scratch the back of his neck, obviously upset about the fact that flowers don’t survive in sub-zero temperatures. “It’s obviously freezing outside, and they died before I even made it to your door. I’m so sorry. ”

Fear is written all over his face, but I can’t take my eyes off the bundle in his arms. Alarm flashes on his face, probably due to the tears that furiously well up in my eyes.

Flowers. He bought me flowers for a date that isn’t even real.

He starts to apologize again, but I cut him off as I reach out and gently take them out of his hands. My watery eyes meet his, and I can’t help but smile ruefully.

“I’ve never had a guy buy me flowers. Thank you so much, Roman.” His flustered rambling comes to an abrupt stop, and he looks at me as though I’ve slapped him.

“You’ve never been given flowers? From another guy?” His questions come out more as statements as if he is trying to process this fact in his own head.

“Nope,” I respond, focusing on my new flowers.

“I thought you had an ex-boyfriend?”

I look up and furrow my brow at him. “You know that I do.”

That blank stare is back on his face as if he doesn’t even understand what I’m saying. “Wait. Are you telling me that he had never bought you flowers? He has never bought you flowers? ”

He repeats his question with sheer disbelief lacing every word. Again, I agree with his question-like statement.

“Damn, Langley. You have terrible taste in men,” he says eventually.

“That’s a self-burn, isn’t it?” The words are out of my mouth before I can think twice, and I tense my muscles in realization.

His eyes light up, and a small smile starts to form on his face. “Is it now?” His voice is full of humour and I can’t help but laugh at him.

I shove lightly at his shoulder and relax a fraction when a chuckle escapes his lips. “Alright, alright. Let me just go put these in water, and I’ll meet you at the car.”

He grabs my elbow as I turn to go back inside and spins me so I face him. “Put them in water? They’re dead, Langley.”

A blush spreads across my cheeks, but I don’t shy away from him. “Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are special to me.”

He lets go of me slowly as if he’s thinking through something.

That contemplative expression remains on his face for a minute but slowly changes to one that looks like appreciation.

“I’ll go keep the car warm then. Do not slip on that icy patch again!

” With a quick squeeze of my elbow, he turns and walks off.

We’re quickly on the road after that. My frozen flowers are currently sitting in warm water with the unrealistic hope that the warmth will rejuvenate them.

Roman and I have been sitting in companionable silence, the howl of the wind mixing with the sounds of traffic keeping us company.

“You should’ve put them in hot water. That way, maybe one of the flowers might’ve survived,” Roman says into the quiet car.

“I did that actually,” I say easily.

His hand holds the wheel lazily as he brings the car to a stop and looks over at me. “Whoa. It’s like we have one brain,” he says with an air of fake surprise.

“Whoa. You are so right,” I respond with an air of equally false shock. We both share a quick smile as the light turns green and he turns back to the road.

It’s not twenty minutes later when he pulls into the dark parking lot of the winter festival. The traffic sounds are quickly replaced by the shrieking of children and the steady beat of music.

Roman quickly puts the car into park and jumps out of his door. While I’m registering the speedy exit of my fake date, my door is opened for me and Roman stands with his hand extended.

I can’t tamper down the smile that forms on my face as I place my glove in his. Hopping down from his truck is a lot easier when his other hand instinctively goes to my waist. To my surprise, he keeps his hand in mine and pulls us towards the crowd.

Kids run amok as they weave between groups of people, and the events and games are everywhere, causing the air to become electric.

The field has been transformed into a winter wonderland with lights hanging off every tree, booths littering the space, and people skating on the frozen river.

One side occupies most of the carnival games, while the other stretches out to local vendors.

I’m absolutely mesmerized by the space. Snow falls lightly around and people all crowd around the fire pits that are placed methodically. My gaze jumps from place to place, and I’m absorbed in watching the events happening.

“What do you want to do first?” The sudden sound of Roman’s deep voice startles me, and I focus back on our date.

I don’t really know what to do here. Aurora and I usually beeline it to the mulled wine booth and go from there. We always have a blast, considering I don’t have a single memory of ever returning home from this event.

“I don’t know. What do you think?” I respond with uncertainty in my voice.

He stares over the space and thinks for a minute. “Okay, we could play a game, make maple taffy, or even deck those kids over there with snowballs. It’s up to you.”

I turn around quickly to see a group of ten-year-old’s screaming. All of them engaging in a giant snowball fight. The stall closest to the bunch houses a very unhappy man who glares at them, and I can predict how this will end.

“You want to have a snowball fight with the angry mustache man right beside them!” I point to the booth worker and the bulging vein on his head.

“Hmm, you’re right. There’s no need to anger Randy if we don’t need to.” He says in all seriousness, the slight tilt to his mouth giving him away.

“Oh yeah, because you and Randy are so close.” I lift my eyebrow up at him, his gaze lowering to meet mine.

“We go way back; he might as well be my second father. ”