Learning to Fly - 13

Chapter 13 - To ski or not to ski? That is the question!

The rawness of that argument lasted all through her lunch break and then the afternoon part of her shift as Carly helped in the restaurant. She'd genuinely hurt Lucas AGAIN, physically this time. She felt bad, but through all this, she remembered Camilla and how devastated she was when she thought she'd been pregnant...he'd not shared that load, in fact she'd barely seen him with Camilla since. Men seemed to waltz through life without taking responsibility for their actions, and that infuriated her beyond belief!

Still there was no excuse for her behaviour. She felt dreadful. First port of call after her lunch was back to reception. Lucas was helping an elderly gentleman at the desk, so she hung around for a moment, sorting out a few brochures in a stand.

"Can I help you?" Lucas' voice was clipped with restrained anger. 

"I wanted to apologise. I should never have hit you."

He shrugged, "whatever. I have no further interest in you or anything you have to say, but thanks for the apology. I'll take it at face value."

Then he turned away.

Carly was glad that it was busy, it gave her less time to think, contemplate what a mess everything was. The restaurant was full all evening and it was difficult not to be swept into the Christmas spirit. When she finally finished at eight pm after a twelve hour day, she was more than glad to return to her room, collapse on the bed only opening her eyes to Skype her parents.

The next morning there were only six children booke into the creche. She was doing the early half of the day, Marta was relieving her at lunchtime to finish the day. There was no sign of Lucas at bnreakfast or during the morning which meant Carly could limit just how guilty she was feeling. 

After finishing her shift, Carly changed into snow gear, it was starting to snow, though not heavily, then wandered down into the town. It was quiet, but then for non tourists Boxing Day was a family day, and of course the tourists were eating their fill at the variety of hotels that skirted the town. But quiet was good, Carly appreciated it. 

She had a lot of reflection to make on her behaviour. She was still mortified that she'd slapped Lucas, not that she felt any more amenable towards him. Now she also had to think about her 'date' with Jens. She wasn't lying when she talked about her clumsiness, and she was dreading the actual skiing part. But then...it was aeasier to worry abiout that than think about the man she was skiing with. He was a first class womaniser, a little rich boy who was used to having everything his own way. She had no intention of falling at his feet, she kept reassuring herself though she also knew that it seemed a weak defence even to her own ears. 

Carly ordered a coffee in one of the cafes then settled in the corner alone. Her whole negative outlook towards men was in no small part due to the witless boyfriends she'd had in the past. She'd never been swept of her feet. There had also been the rejection in her life.

Carly had only been fourteen when she'd met Max, his wealthy parents had bought a summer home in the hills near her village, and she'd first met him whilst walking her dog. They instantly become friends, and looking back Carly could see it was a mutually beneficial relationship. He'd got to know the area, she'd loved having an older experienced friend. 

She didn't believe that she'd fallen in love with him back then, but two summers later after the usual winter of text messages, and emails, Carly had decided that she had to tell him how she felt. He arrived as usual the first weekend in July and she'd rushed up to the croft that sat on the rugged hill.

Max had come rushing out to meet her with a beautiful perfect blonde. 

"Carly! It's so good to see you!" He hugged her in a way she'd began to think was more than friendly, but as soon as he pulled back and introduced her to Mia, the blonde, she spotted the closeness of the two.

Nursing her sorrow and embarrassment, she'd tried to keep her distance from him, or rather them all summer. But they seemed to be everywhere, every party, the cinema, it was a small town and it was almost immpossible to avoid them...It hadn't been until she heard Mia and her friend who visited talking about 'Max's desperately keen yokel' that she realised that the joke had been on her...the whole time.  

It had hurt, and Carly new her heart had been hardened then, and the next few men she'd agreed to date had never captivated her in the same way. She'd never been in love, she wasn't sure she'd even encounter lust! This was why her attraction to Jens, or rather her attraction to the flattery of Jens was so different to anything else. It scared her, yet excited her too. The unknown. But there were so many similarities between him and Max. 

Finishing her coffee, she wrapped herself back up in her layers, the snow was getting heavier and the last thing she needed was to get caught in a blizzard. The cleared paths were getting harder to pass, so she had to concentrate as she climbed slowly back up hill. 

As soon as she hit the grounds of the hotel, the maintenance men were out in force gritting, clearing and making things safe, Carly smiled at them as she passed them. She was almost upto the main hotel building when a car pulled level with her, and the window lowered.

"You look like a snowman!" 

She recognised Jens voice before she turned. He was leaning on the open window of the car, a smile on his face.

"Let me get you a hot chocolate, warm you up?" there was such innuendo in his voice that Carly gulped, for a moment speechless.

Whilst she'd walked she'd convinced herself that she would meet him to ski the following morning, but that was as far as it would go. She was resolved not to let it go any further, not that she was heeding warnings from Lucas or even Rochelle and Marta. This was her own analysis. Hot chocolate...somewhere...with him...was definitely against that. So she shook her head.

"Thanks Jens, but I really need to make some calls and stuff..." 

He shrugged, but there was a glint of humour in his eyes, he was enjoying this game, "eight am tomorrow? Dress for skiing, what you don't have get from the hotel hire...tell them I've ok'ed it. See you then!"

Jens immediately wound up the window and accelerated around the building and out of her view, leaving her there alone to contemplate the next day.

Carly ate her breakfast at six am, she'd hardly slept her mind was so active. A hearty breakfast would settle her churning stomach, that was her thought anyway. She didn't have any suitable ski attire, so she visited the hire store. Frank, the manager there raised an eyebrow as she explained Jens had wanted her to kitted out. After glancing at her for a moment more than was necessary, he pulled out trousers and a jacket, then goggles and boots. 

Grinning she lumbered out to the hallway, and there stood Jens, immaculate in black trousers and a vivid black and white jacket. She'd not be losing him in the snow!

"Ready?" he asked tossing his skis over his shoulder. She nodded struggling to carry her own in such a casual manner and followed him out into the unknown...a handsome rich boy, pristene white ski slopes...what could possibly go wrong?