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Gent took over the story. “Poor kid. It snowed all night. Goode was excited for the first run on fresh powder the next morning. He had special early access to the lift. Took the run down and just so happened to ski right into the hidden metal sled.”
Winter shook his head. “Fucked up his knee. ACL, MCL, the works. Not only was he done for the season, he was never able to get back to the same level again. Ruined his career.”
I winced. I’d heard a hundred stories of pro athletes experiencing a career-ending injury, but it never got easier to hear. Especially when the kid was on the verge of finally realizing his dream in the Olympics.
Mikey sighed. “Poor Truman. He was just a kid.”
Winter nodded. “Apparently, the whole town blamed him, and his parents were the worst of the whole lot. As soon as they were put out of business, they upped stakes and moved away. Durango, I think? Truman had a shit time of it after that from what I’ve been able to glean from other people in town.”
Mikey leaned forward. “Why’d he come back here? I’d think he’d want a fresh start somewhere else.”
Gent was the one who answered. “His aunt owned a large property with a greenhouse at the edge of town. She grew vegetables and sold them at the local farmer’s market in the summer. She died a few years ago and left him her place.”
“But he’s so young,” I said. If he’d been around five before the 2002 Olympics, that would put him in his early twenties.
Gent nodded. “He was eighteen when he inherited the property. Moved back when he was nineteen. We think it was to get away from his toxic family. He hasn’t been to college or anything. He’s completely self-taught.”
I was impressed. And I could see the same thoughts running through Mikey’s head. We’d liked the guy, and hearing his story made me want to protect him from anyone who would blame a kid for an honest mistake. I couldn’t imagine carrying the burden of the accident around like that.
“And he’s still getting hassled for it here in town?” I asked.
Gent held up his hands in a shrug. “He says no, but Pim and Bill have witnessed some bullshit from a group of assholes called the Stanner brothers. Their dad, Gene Stanner, was the head mechanic for the lifts. When the lifts stopped, Gene’s employment stopped. Instead of finding another job nearby in Steamboat or at any of the other three hundred ski lifts in Colorado, I guess he just stayed here and whipped up a boatload of hate instead. It doesn’t help that the sheriff is Erland Stanner, Gene’s brother.”
“Fuck,” Mikey said. “Poor Truman.”
Gentry sighed. “Yeah, the rest of us try and look out for the kid as much as possible. Pim and Bill treat him like one of their own.”
Mikey quickly turned the conversation around to what eligible bachelors might be in town for us to set Truman up with so he could have a built-in bodyguard. Gent laughed and shook his head. “Truman already has a boyfriend.”
We both stared at him in surprise. “He does?” Mikey asked. “Who?”
Winter responded. “Mr. Balderson, the librarian. Bit of a May-December situation, but who am I to judge?”
Mikey asked a million nosy questions and ended up in a full-on Aster Valley gossip session before long. He got the scoop on everyone in town which was pointless since we were only here for a few more weeks. But I could understand his interest. The people of Aster Valley were diverse and unique. Winter described artists and homesteaders, outdoor enthusiasts and small-business owners. It sounded like a close-knit place with tons of personality, and I could immediately picture Mikey thriving in a place like this. It was much more suited to his eclectic, creative self than hanging out with a bunch of football players in a big city.
Which, of course, made me unsteady. What if the Civettis really did have an opportunity for Mikey?
Gent leaned over and spoke softly just to me. “How long have you two been together?”
He caught me by surprise. “Oh. We’re not really… I mean…”
Understanding crossed his face. “You really like him, though.”
“So much,” I said without thinking. “More than I even realized.”
He moved his chair closer to mine and hid his words behind a sip of his wine. “Is it the job? Because I totally get it. We had a similar situation because of my job. The media had a field day when they discovered I was in a serious relationship.”
Mikey stood to clear the table while he was still chatting happily with Winter. We tried to get up and help him, but he waved Gent and me off. “Stay where you are. Winter said he’d help. I want to write down a recipe for him anyway.”
