“Where?” I asked nervously.
“Snowboarding.”
Ihadbeen talking about how I wanted to learn, but the hairs on the back of my neck still bristled. While I enjoyed watching the guests shoot down the hill, I felt terrified of hurling down a mountain with no control.
“Um.” I teetered on my heels nervously. “I don’t know.”
“You have to. There’s fresh snow outside, and it’s going to be epic,” Johnny chimed in.
Their excitement was almost contagious, but I was still hesitant.
“But—”
“We insist. Johnny and I can take you on the bunny hill and teach you the ropes.”
“Well, it does sound fun, but I’m working right now.” I faked a disappointed pout.
Bev waved me off. “Go. I insist.”
I chewed my lip, wracking my brain for another excuse. “I don’t have a snowboard.”
Erin grabbed my arm and started pulling me toward the front door.
“We know everyone that works at the rental shop. They’ll loan you one for free since you live here and know us.”
“I also don’t have anything to wear.” My panic was increasing.
“There’s a great shop I can take you to. Come on. It’ll be so much fun.”
Erin looked at me with pleading eyes. When I snuck a glance at Johnny, he gave me a thumbs up.
I was about to insist that I couldn’t when I thought about Frankie's text.
‘I thought you went there for a fresh start and an adventure.’
She was right. That is what I came here for. This was not the time to chicken out.
“Alright, let’s do it,” I said.
Erin squealed and dragged me through the door, rambling on about how I was bound to pick it up quickly. I nodded my head and tried to disguise my anxiousness with a smile.
ChapterFifteen
The jumpsuitI donned made a swishing noise with every step I took as I tried to keep my newly rented snowboard balanced in my grip. Erin had insisted I pick this one as soon as I tried it on. It was a soft cream color, but the elbow and knee areas were enhanced with neon rainbow lines. It was fun and colorful. I loved it.
“If you had told me snowboarding would involve buying a cute outfit, maybe I would have come out here sooner.”
“I love that you picked that one. So many beginners want to go with boring black so they don’t stand out. Where’s the fun in that?”
“Why don’t they want to stand out?”
“Just to avoid the jeers of the people on the chairlift.”
“People will be jeering?” The fantasy I had envisioned of me softly falling a few times before gracefully making it down the hill slowly altered in my head.
“Not in a mean way. People love to poke fun at beginners, and the main lift has the perfect view of the bunny hill.”
“What a great setup,” I retorted, the sarcasm evident in my voice.
