Holly head Slopes

Chapter seven

I woke up to complete silence. Something I had never experienced when it came to the Hughes family being under one roof. I slid out of bed and cautiously made my way downstairs. Everyone's coats and boots had gone from the front door, and the parked cars were now empty spots. Everyone was gone. Or so I thought.

"Hey." A voice lightly said as I looked around in my confused state. "Everyone got out early. They thought you might like to sleep in." Ruby explained from her comfy spot on the sofa that was covered in books.

I rubbed my tired eyes and breathed a breath of relief. Being alone wasn't uncommon, but the entire Hughes family being silent was unheard of.

"Are you not much of a skier?" I asked as I started my walk to the kitchen. Ruby followed me in her cute all-in-one fitted grey knitted set. She had a body to die, and she knew how to dress it.

"I skied once as a kid and ate so much snow I could have frozen from the inside." She laughed.

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one. It's fun to watch, and that's about it." I said, pouring myself a cup of coffee. I offered some to Ruby, but she shook her head.

"I'm not much of a coffee girl either. Tea and hot chocolate, then you've got me."

Okay, I like this girl!

I took a sip of the lukewarm caffeine and cringed. "That's terrible. But luckily, there's a mountain café not too far away."

***

I loved my winter wardrobe. The layer that kept me from frostbite but also made me look cute. I approved my choice of a black all-in-one and a black fleece jumper. I purposely chose dark colours to avoid another catastrophe, although the chances of that happening again were slim. But nothing is impossible.

"I am very impressed you convinced Jordan to pick us up." I laughed as we stood in the café queue.

She grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "I have my ways. Jordan is easy to sway."

He was one of the most stubborn people alive. Unless you were important to him, and then he halved his attitude, but I think he subtracted it all when it came to Ruby.

Myles called for the next customer in the usual stressed barista tone, but when he saw me, everything about him softened.

"Same as yesterday?" He asked, no longer in a rush.

I nodded and then remembered I wasn't alone. "Make that two." I smiled. "This is my friend Ruby. She's my cousin's girlfriend, but I'm stealing her and telling her all his embarrassing stories."

The beautiful sight of two hot chocolates was placed in front of us, waiting for the special ending of whipped cream and marshmallows.

We thanked Myles and let him battle his way through the forever-growing line. I can't blame them; it's tasty stuff, especially after time on the cold slopes. I spotted a nice sofa that was empty, but Ruby stopped me.

"So, there were conditions with Jordan picking us up." She said with furrowed brows and a guilty look. "We have to sit outside and watch his runs."

I knew that annoying shit of a cousin was still stubborn. I threw my head back and walked out the front door to one of the tables and benches. People liked sitting outside on their slope breaks; they all talked and watched each other, which is something I never partake in.

Jordan's bright blue ski jacket made him easy to spot. Ruby was anxious on his first few runs but soon realised he was like a duck on the water in the snow. As much as I liked being curled up in the corner binging my books, I enjoyed watching my family. The twins were getting good on their snowboards. Dad and Uncle Sam had been teaching them in an indoor snow place near home to prepare them.

"So, what's going on with you and the barista boy?" Ruby asked as I sipped my drink. I nearly choked on the chocolate heaven.

"Myles?" I dimly questioned. "Nothing. Not yet even. He's cute, and he did save me from a Christmas tree. His hot chocolates don't hurt either, but I don't know. The other day, he slipped me his number, but it was missing digits by the time my drink was spilt."

Ruby looked at me, completely stunned. I then remembered she hadn't been living in my brain. It was almost too much for me to compute.

"You've only been here a day." She laughed. "I need to hear everything."

I could get used to having a cousin-in-law. Oh no, I'm turning into my family!

As I was about to jump into the whole story, a tall, head-turning man walked out of the café and past our table.

Let it go. I told myself. He isn't worth an argument. I vowed to forget him. But then I found myself on my feet.

"Hey, Dugray," I shouted. My strong voice captured his attention, making him stop and turn around. "Do you enjoy being an arsehole and embarrassing people?"

"It's hardly fair you know my full name, and I don't know yours. Abigail." He smirked as I walked closer. "And you know quite a lot about me." I would pay good money to wipe that sly grin off his handsome face.

"Cut the crap. Every girl on this mountain laughed at me, calling me another Dugray conquest. You may be an Olympian, but I'm not one of your Snow Bunny fan girls."

He looked me up and down, drinking me in like the hot drink he was holding. "I didn't make you wear my jersey; it was in your control. And regarding you being a fan girl, my Instagram would say different."

I could get drunk on his attention. The whole mountain disappeared when I looked at him. He spoke with more intent than anyone I had spoken to. He was captivating in an infuriating way.

"Oh yeah? And what about you? I recall you liking my post." I fought back. It was weak, and I would kick myself for it later, but it was all I had.

"Who said I wasn't a fan?" He smiled, leaning closer to me. "I love a cowgirl. In more ways than one." He whispered in my ear. My breath hitched as his words danced on my cold skin.

"Real mature." I snarled. He retracted his closeness and returned his intense eye contact. My knees were fighting to keep me stable.

"So I've been told. I'll see you around, Abigail."

"It's Abi." I groaned, stomping my foot on the snowy surface like a child. I heard his chuckle as he strolled away. Yet again, I felt rage and disappointment at his departure.