AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ilethim in my car. Iwelcomedhim.
It was stupid.
It wasreckless.
What was I thinking?
It’s hard to breathe. I can’t…
What am I doing on this mountain?
I can’t ski.
I’m not ready.
Oh, shit. What do I do now?
A gravely “Songbird” hits me a second before Landry’s strong arms envelop me.
Ohmygod.“Dually.” I crumble.
He catches me, gets me off my skis and sequestered in his arms away from the drop off. “I got you,” he whispers as I fall apart in his arms.
“How?” I sniffle, swiping at my face while digging in my pocket for a tissue.
“I couldn’t just walk away. It didn’t feel right. You were—aren’t okay.” He cups my cheek. “You have nothing to prove to anyone—not even yourself.”
“I want to ski,” I pout.
“And you can. But let me be by your side to support you if you need it, lift you up if you fall, cheer you on when you don’t.”
I lay my head on his chest and close my eyes for a brief moment, reminding myself I have a life partner in Landry. I’m not alone. He’s my rock, my steady, my reason.
“I’m scared.” The admission doesn’t hurt as much as I feared.
“I know.” He tips my chin. “But why are you scared?”
“I have all these doubts in my head. I don’t trust my judgment.”
He frowns, considering. “Judgment about what?”
“Is it too soon?”
“To ski? Or to believe in yourself?”
My surprise has him cupping my face, keeping my focus on him. “You believe in yourself, always. What happened in your past is in your past. You trusted the wrong persononetime. It doesn’t mean you have bad judgment. It means you have a caring, open heart. You don’t see strangers, Taylor. You see potential friends. Don’t let Beau keep you from doing anything you want, not even skiing.”
“You think I’m ready?”
With his eyes still locked on me, he smiles. “It doesn’t matter what I think. It matters whatyouthink.”
“I want to be ready.”
“Thenbeready. Fear doesn’t mean you’re not ready. It means you’re smart enough to know there are potential dangers.”
I look out over the hill. It looks higher from up here than it did at the bottom. “You’ll come with me?”
“Absolutely.” He squeezes my hand. “We take it slow, snowplough down if that’s what it takes to build your confidence. Then, the next time, you’ll go side to side if you’re ready.”
