Chocolate Kisses and Love Filled Wishes: Kissing Bridge Mountain - Book 3 (7 page)

Chapter 13

             
W
hen things seemed overwhelming, Kacey took her broken heart out onto the mountain. Between her baking sessions and her boarding sessions, she was able to keep her mind off Brody for long enough that she didn’t spend every day crying.

            The worst times were in bed at night, where the loneliness wrapped around her in the darkness, and in the mornings when she remembered what had happened.

             No more Kacey and Brody. Now it was just Kacey. Alone.

              Ten days went by and she didn’t hear a word from Brody. She tried to kid herself that every day got easier, but her heart still felt just as raw on the tenth day as it had the first. Maybe even more so.

           This was seeming much more like a ‘break-up’ than just a ‘break.’ Kacey sighed.

On the other hand, her boarding was getting better.

          Way better.

          She was getting so much practice in, she was flying down the course with more style and precision than ever before. Somehow, her pain inspired her to get deeply into focus. It felt almost meditative as everything in the world disappeared except herself, the board and the slope.

She was feeling the twinge in her back much less frequently too, and she allowed herself to dream of the crowds at the Olympics, of the commentators calling out her name. She imagined getting on that podium and taking the Gold Medal, waving to the crowd as the national anthem swelled around her. All of Kissing Bridge would be so proud.

Her dream come true.

Except the part where Brody would be standing next to her...   

          Not hearing from Brody was becoming unbearable. The only thing that stopped her mind was to move her body. She began training harder then ever to squeeze out all the thoughts that tumbled over and over inside her. It had become her new habit to train all day, sun up until sun down. She knew she was pushing herself way too hard but she was determined to stay busy. That way she would be exhausted and able to fall asleep without thoughts of her and Brody bubbling up to consume her.

              It was a beautiful day on the mountain. The new snow the night before had left it in perfect powder conditions. Breathing in deeply at the top, taking the cold mountain air into her lungs, Kacey committed to the toughest series of stunts she’d ever attempted. She had been working on a new trick when she had hurt herself and had not had the guts to try it again. Today was that day. After all, she had nothing to lose. She had already lost the love of her life.

         
Whoosh
, she was off.

              First, a front side lipslide. Done.

Then a Japan Air. Perfect, even if she did say so herself.

Next, a Backside Rodeo 720.
Yes!

Power Method. Hit it perfectly.

Then a Cannonball, a Tailfish, a KB, then a mammoth backside Rodeo Flip off the jump at the bottom of the slope.

Yes! Yes! Yes!
Her heart was beating like crazy as she drifted onto the flat. She’d never managed to perfect such a series before.

She felt exalted.

All her hard work, all her deceptions had been for
this
;

this perfect moment, this perfect flow, and ultimate connection. It was what she was born for.  She knew she was ready for the Olympics, right then and there.

              As soon as showed the coaches how well she had healed, she’d be back on the circuit. That way Brody couldn’t ignore her.

          It had taken all her strength not to pick up the phone and call him, but she’d banned herself from doing so, just like she’d banned herself from saying ‘I love you’ first.
He’d
have to make the move if he was interested.

              But there, standing next to him in the
Winners’ Circle
, he wouldn’t be able to put her out of his mind.

          She’d throw down the best new big air trick ever, and he’d remember why they were perfect for each other!

              She jumped back on the lift to make one more trip down.

She was ready to try it. She felt in better shape then ever and she couldn’t wait to bust this out on the snowboarding crowd. Her creative grab and the “Anderson Twist,” as she called, it had never been seen before.

The difficulty was off the charts.

The first time she had done it was by sheer accident. Then it had become her dream, and nemesis. She had practiced it over and over.

It had, in fact, been what she was doing when she herniated her disk in that fateful fall.

But that wasn’t stopping Kacey Anderson.

She had to get her signature flip perfected.

Then she’d be unbeatable.

Then she’d have everything she wanted.

Chapter 14

W
hen she’d come down the third time – again, hitting the “
Anderson Twist”
perfect – she came face-to-face with Tanner.

He looked handsome in a black Patagonia ski coat and matching black cap. Kacey was taken aback by his presence. She had thought he had left yesterday with the rest of the camera crew.

“Hey, didn’t think you’d still be hanging around Kissing Bridge.”

Tanner eyed her mischievously.

“Are you trying to get rid of me?”

Kacey blushed. “No, I …just thought—”

He kissed her quickly it was as if it never happened.

“You’re so cute. That was amazing! I wish I could have got that on camera. I thought you might be hungry after all that riding. You want to catch some lunch at the Lodge?” he asked her.

              Kacey was still caught off guard by the kiss. She didn’t know what to think about that, but her stomach was growling for certain.

She smiled shyly and conceded, “Okay. I am awfully hungry.”

              Soon they were by the fire, eating huge plates of meatballs and spaghetti—one of Earl’s specialties. The fire light flickered off the walls and Tanner’s deep dark eyes danced with the mirror images of the flames.  Kacey was entranced by how deeply they drew her in. He leant forward and looked deeply into her grey eyes across from his.

              “I’m so glad you are training Kacey.  That trick was amazing. I see a great future ahead.” he said. Although, by the intensity of his stare, she knew he was talking about something much deeper than that moment.

A fluttering in her heart made her look down at the plate, concentrating on cutting a meatball in half.

“Kacey, look into my eyes.” His deep voice was gentle, but commanding.

She looked up into them and almost lost herself there. Her own voice sounded far away to her. “Yes?”

He glanced around to check that no one else was in the room. They were alone.

“I am falling in love with you, Kacey.”

Suddenly everything in her mind was thrown out of orbit.

“I know we’ve just met, but I’m leaving Kissing Bridge so soon, and it made me realize I don’t want to lose you,” he said. “So I’m asking you to come with me.”

“Wow,” she said, leaning back in her seat.

           Her mind was going a mile a minute and her heart fluttered at those three little words that he had just said. How much she had hoped Brody would say those words... She hadn’t expected this.

          “Where are you going?”

              “To the Maldives,” he said. “Filming more about climate change, and taking this thing to a whole new level. The Maldives are the first casualty of the rising temps and we need to be on the forefront of how it’s affecting the people on the ground.”

              “Wow,” she said again. The Maldives had always been a place she’d wanted to go, but… “It’s the middle of the season, Tanner. I can’t just go off to an island right now. I’m training.”

Suddenly, that passion that she so admired in him spilled out in his voice. He reached across the table and took her hands in his.

“I’m not a little boy like your other boyfriends, Kacey. I’m not looking to do underwear commercials to fill my pockets. I’m trying to change the world for the better.”

She sucked her breath in with the reference to Brody.

Tanner looked at her with love.

“I believe in you, Kacey. I believe you can help me make that difference. There are really only two kinds of people in this world—those who care about making it a better planet, and those who care about themselves. Which one are you?”

Kacey’s head was spinning.

She knew he was right.

In the end, history would look back and ask why her generation hadn’t done more to help. She began to wonder if she had been going the wrong direction her entire life. Tanner seemed so sure of himself, so righteous, so empathetic. She had never met anyone quite like him. Maybe he
could
change the world.

He saw her confusion as her grey eyes went stormy with conflicted thoughts.

He softened his approach. Tanner lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it gently.

“Medal’s are souvenirs. We’re talking about our children’s future here, Kacey.”

              “Children?” Kacey was taken aback. “Was that a
hypothetical
child, or are you—”

Tanner’s eyes blazed. “I’m saying I want to save the world with you. I want us to be a team. Partners. In our work, and in our life. What do you say?”

              Kacey looked down at her hands, her heart in a knot.

          She loved snowboarding, and couldn’t imagine giving it up, even if it was for the beauty of the Maldives. She’d spent her life, it seemed, preparing for those medals, preparing for that Olympic moment. Maybe she could do both. Maybe she could have it all.

But…maybe she couldn’t.

          Maybe like Brody, if she didn’t stay with Tanner, she might lose him—as she had lost the connection with Brody.

Tanner was talking
forever
. To save the planet, which truly needed help, to work together to change a dying world, and to do that for the good of all people… What a beautiful, important calling. She imagined herself flying around the world with their children, fighting against big business corruption. His words cut into her reverie.

“I want to marry you someday, Kacey.”

This was so sudden. She wasn’t even over Brody. But Tanner loved her. He loved the world and wanted to help. He didn’t need a break.

“Will you come with me and think about it?”

Kacey gulped, then nodded.

Tanner wrapped his arms around her and kissed her tenderly.

Kacey hugged him back, and felt a surge of emotion fill her like never before.

She also felt divided.

She had loved Brody so much, but he had broken her heart.

Now God had sent her this wonderful man with this beautiful proposal for a new life. She should be jumping for joy.

After her horrible fall, and loss of love, it seemed like everything in her life might be turning for the better. The Olympics were a moment, but she and Tanner would be forever.

“I’m just going to compete in the US Open and then I’ll go with you, Tanner. We’ll fight this together, forever.”