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“Are you okay?” Serena asked. “You fainted.”
“Let’s get her inside.” The voice behind me was warm and instantly brought me back to ten years earlier.
I stood on my own, willing my shaky legs to hold me up. “I’m fine.”
Serena and Chance ignored me and each of them held onto my arms and helped me into the house. Frankie the lab stayed by my side and laid down at my feet as they eased me onto the sofa in front of the fireplace. Chance stoked the fire while Serena got me a glass of water.
“Chance, this is…” Serena started to introduce me, but Chance interrupted.
“Julia.”
“Julia,” Serena repeated.
“We met years ago.” Chance shut the doors to the fireplace. “A lifetime ago.”
“Really? What a lucky coincidence.” Serena handed me the glass of water and checked her watch. “Would you look at the time? I’ve got to get going.” I knew that Serena had the day off and was planning on doing a facemask and watching movies for the rest of the day. “I’ll give you two the chance to catch up.” Before either of us could object, Serena was out the front door, practically jogging down the pathway to the sidewalk.
The fire crackled and Chance sat on the sofa next to me, unwrapping his scarf from around his neck. He pulled the crocheted blanket from the wingback chair and draped it over my legs. “I didn’t think that I would ever see you again.”
His voice seemed flat.
“Same.” I took a sip of the water.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I could ask you the same thing.” He almost sounded angry and I mirrored his tone. “I’m doing research for my thesis and wanted to get away from the city.”
Frankie’s tail thudded against my leggings and I reached down to pat his head.
Chance’s voice softened. “I wanted to get away from the city too. I’ve started my own business and can work from anywhere—including the gondola.” He chuckled, but then the room went quiet as though the mention of ski lifts brought back the past. “I should get going.” He cleared his throat.
I went to stand, but he held up his hands. “Rest. I can see myself out.”
The conversation was awkward and the whole scene felt surreal. “Chance. Thank you for helping me.”
He pursed his lips and draped the scarf around his neck and paused with his hand on the doorknob. “Julia, I’ll leave you alone, but I have to ask. Why didn’t you show up that day? At the top of the mountain like we planned?”
He had been there. Tears caught me by surprise. “I broke my ankle.”
Chance seemed to freeze and then turned slowly. “I thought that you changed your mind. I waited until the sun went down and ski patrol kicked me off the mountain.”
“I’m sorry, Chance.” I held onto the water glass with both hands.
“You can’t be sorry. You broke your ankle.”
I sighed. “I did, and that sucked. But, honestly. I was so confused about everything that had happened between us. I wasn’t sure if I would’ve shown up—even if I had two working ankles.”
Chance inhaled so deeply I could see his chest rise beneath his down jacket. “I wanted to kiss you. I did, but…” He ran his hand through his hair and I could see strands of gray at his temples. “Shit, Julia. I was scared. I was young and an idiot, and I’d never met a woman who felt more perfect. I was going to make it up to you on top of that mountain. I was going to…” He ran his hand through his hair again. It was clearly something he did when he was lost for words.
I stood. “What were you going to do?”
Chance ripped his scarf off and threw it on the chair and in two strides was in front of me. He cupped my chin with his calloused hands. “This.” His lips were on mine, soft and hard at the same time. The kiss felt exactly like I’d imagined it would.
He pulled back and swept my hair behind my ear. “I can’t believe that you’re here.”
I held onto his wrists and pressed my body against his. We were essentially strangers, but I felt like I’d known him my entire life. “Kiss me again, Chance.” My breaths were coming hard and fast. I wanted to do so much more with him, and based on the bulge at the front of his jeans, he did too.
“I will.” His impossibly blue eyes searched mine. “If you promise me something first.”
