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I removed the mittens from my jacket pockets and put them on my hands. “Where’s your gear?”
“By the stands. Come on.”
We put on our skis and slalomed from the family lodge to an empty helicopter pad. James removed his skis in a hurry and helped me pack mine onto the copter. We climbed in the back and hoisted the headphones onto our heads.
“You aren’t flying, Mr. Silver?” I asked.
“Not today, Ms. Young.”
He shut the door and secured my seatbelt.
“Wait, I was joking. You can actually fly?”
“I’m a man of many talents.” He winked. “So, Ms. Young? How good of a skier are you? I’ll need to tell the pilot where we’re headed,” I said.
“I can hold my own. Surprise me with what you’ve got.”
“Keep in mind there won’t be any help once we reach the summit.”
“Don’t worry, James. I’m looking forward to it. Take me somewhere with slopes, but avoid moguls—I had a terrible experience last time. I bruised from head to toe, and my ass looked like a rainbow.”
He laughed, his broad shoulders bobbing up and down. “I know the perfect spot.”
The chopper engine roared to life. The spinning blades forced a chill through the cabin, and my knees jiggled.
“Have you been in a helicopter before?” he asked.
“I flew over the Grand Canyon for my sweet sixteen. It feels like ages ago.”
I stared out the window at the view of the valley below. Snow-capped mountains reached into a blue sky. The air was frosty and crisp, and the lodge below looked mesmerizing.
As we ascended higher and higher, I clung to his arm. “If this isn’t James Bond whisking me away, I don’t know what is! Look that way!” I nodded toward the river behind the lodge. “Is that the stream that feeds the waterfall?”
“That’s it.”
The pilot turned towards the mountain. The crystal-clear sky made for a picturesque backdrop as snow from the previous night had drifted eastward, dusting the branches of trees. Despite this transformation, the river remained untouched.
I held onto his hand tightly until we landed.
“I can’t believe this is happening.” The sound of my squeal carried through the valley. We retrieved our gear and avalanche packs, then bundled up. With goggles over my eyes and a mask covering my mouth, I was ready to ski. The helicopter took off, leaving us on top of the mountain.
“Are you ready, Young?”
“Lead the way!”
He dug the ski poles into the snow and let gravity take control. I stayed close behind him an arm’s length away, taking a similar route down the mountain. His skiing skills were impressive as he gracefully carved through the pristine powder. He flowed down the mountain with an effortless ease, each turn fluid and precise. The edges of his skis bit into the snow as I glided behind him, shifting my body seamlessly with the mountain’s contour.
The steep slope made the terrain challenging, yet it felt like a dance. The shimmering white powder sprayed behind us in a fine mist as we made our descent, creating a mesmerizing trail of crystals caught in the sunlight. Every so often, I would launch off a jump, landing softly and continuing my run without missing a beat. The crisp air held me alert, pushing me to go faster, carve sharper, and challenge myself with each new section of the slope.
The wind pushed against our chests as we raced downhill. Soon enough, my legs were burning with fatigue, and we stopped for a breather at a plateau. The stunning view stretched into the horizon as I took it all in.
“You all right?” He propped his goggles on top of his head.
I removed my face mask and exhaled. A cloud of steam followed in the cold air. “Today is the best day ever! Nothing can top this, Silver. Nothing.”
“We’ll see about that.” He winked.
I wiggled my nose, catching a whiff of smoke.
