Kiss Me In The Snow

Chapter 1 - Arriving

Almost predictably, due to my naturally clumsy ways, my arrival to the Browns’ Italian chalet begins with a fall.

Stepping out of the taxi, a single, misplaced step against the ice sends me hurtling towards the ground. The thin, mountain air slips between my fingers as I frantically - and most probably embarrassingly - wave my arms in a pathetic attempt to slow my fall. To any observer, I am sure this rescue attempt would somewhat resemble the motions of a sloth. However, to me, it just hurts.

Arriving with my bottom plonked against the hastily melting snow, I readjust my oversized beanie and shift my gaze upwards, finding a strong hand outstretched towards me. 

The hand belongs to a tall, bronzed male.

He is smirking. “Annabelle,” Deluca Brown, the twenty-two-year-old and not-so-unnattractive-looking brother of my best friend Chelsea, laughs, “Welcome to Italia.” My cheeks go red. 

I take his hand.

Deluca pulls me up effortlessly and steps back in a single motion. I choke, “Thanks,” and look into his golden-brown eyes. I momentarily forget how to breath.

My best friend, Chelsea Brown, splinters my haze. “Oh my god, Annie!” she exclaims in worry, smashing into me with a hug. I would’ve fallen again if it wasn’t for the fact that she was holding on to me dangerously tight. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m great Chels.” I smile, ignoring the fact that my jeans are now soaking wet.

Over Chelsea’s shoulder, I watch Deluca slip inside the chalet.

She looks relieved, her blonde her tossing around in the snowy wind and flicking against my face. “I’ve missed you so much,” she says into my shoulder, hugging tightly. Her American accent is strong.

“You too,” I reply. “It’s been too long.”

“It really has,” she agrees, releasing the hug.

I first met Chelsea, through our families, when she was still living in London. We had attended the same school, and our fathers had worked in the same business. 

It had been a Hart and Brown family tradition to spend the Winter break at the Browns’ chalet in Italy every year, until Chelsea’s family moved to New York when we were twelve. Now, for the past five years, the only time I’ve been able to see Chelsea has been here, once a year. 

However, this year my parents had already planned a vacation in the Maldives, but after a lot of persuading/begging from my part, they made the decision to send me here alone to stay with Chelsea and her parents, younger twin brothers and Deluca.

Chelsea and I grin at each other a little longer, until I see Tanya and Geoffrey Brown, her parents, appear from inside the chalet to greet me.

“Annabelle!” sings Tanya, wearing a red duffle coat and knee-high black leather boots. “How wonderful to see you, darling.”