The Christmas Jewel

Ch. 5: Winner, Winner, French Fry Dinner

"So let me get this straight, he dumped you in Denny's and you didn't pour a giant vat of syrup on his head?" Wyatt arranged a cheese stick, french fry, and onion ring in his hand and then dipped all three in ranch.

Sutton laughed and shrugged. "I guess I just didn't have time to react."

Wyatt's eyebrow rose, just hiding a teasing smile. "Says the girl who practically pushed me off a cliff when I barely bumped into her."

"Oh, is that how it happened?" Sutton laughed. As it so happened, Wyatt was a great skier.

But Sutton was better.

She'd beat him down the mountain, though he had been right; the powder, the moon lighting the way, the snow holding everything in silence; it was the most beautiful ski run she'd ever went on. Made even better for a free dinner afterwards. He'd insisted on ordered his only favorite food: appetizers. All of them. Mozzarella sticks, onion rings, french fries, sliders and wings. But Sutton wasn't complaining; she was a college student, and though the cabin and flight were paid for, meals were still on her.

Or on handsome men who crashed into her.

"So what are you doing up here?"

"I teach snowboarding classes. And ski classes." His smile became a bit sheepish and Sutton's mouth dropped open.

"Wait, you teach skiing classes...." Her eyes narrowed, though it was hard to look serious before his grin. "Did you let me win?"

"Absolutely not! I would never willingly let a girl win, goes against my life motto."

"And what's that?"

"When you can't win, tackle beautiful girls down the side of mountain."

Sutton shook her head, unable to stop the grin. "Ahh, I've heard of that one before. Kind of cliche. You should find something more original."

Wyatt leaned forward, and Sutton could smell the scent of him, a fresh pine, masculine and fresh.

"How about a rematch? Midnight. The mountain will be empty, but I'll make sure they keep the lift open. Meet at the bottom of the mountain? I'lll snowboard, no way you'll win." He leaned back, pushed his messy hair up off his forehead, sprawling out on the booth. "So, you in?"

"Well, I guess it depends."

"On what?"

"If I win, can we order something other than appetizers?"

"Ha! You're assuming you'll win. You're fast, but no one beats me on my board."

Sutton smiled, and then suddenly stood up, grabbing a mozzarella cheese stick for the road. They'd been talking for over two hours, the place was nearly empty. "Not assuming. I know it. I've got to go." She suddenly had a burning idea for another love interest in her story, and it needed to be written, right now.

"So you'll be there?" he called after her.

Sutton just raised a hand and smiled as she left. Would she be there? Part of her wanted to.... And part of her warned her that Wyatt was about as far away from a Man-Free Christmas as one could get.

She made her way back to her cabin, smiling the whole way. Wyatt, with his disheveled hair, crooked grin, and laid-back charm..... and Marius, handsome, well-spoken, mysterious. Strange to meet two men on the same day. When she'd made it home she dug in her bag, looking for her notebook.

Except it wasn't there.

Sutton began to tear apart the small room, until she suddenly remembered back to meeting Marius.

She had thrown the notebook onto the bench on the opposite side of the booth.... And then never picked it up.

So it looked like she would be going back to the diner tomorrow morning after all.

She laid on her bed, and then pulled out some new, blank notebook and started to write two new, completely different love interests.

She fell asleep with a smile on her face, wondering if Marius would be at the diner tomorrow morning, and if she would be going skiing at midnight with a devilishly handsome Wyatt.

So much for a Man Free Christmas. 

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