Sweet Harmonies (42 page)

“
Oh, things are going really well at
the resort!” Amanda exclaimed, “We've even decided to
expand.”

“
Wow, that's fantastic!” Lauren
said.

“
Yeah,” Amanda said, with a melancholy
smile, “The only thing that would make it perfect was if my Dad was
here to see it.”

“
He's here in spirit,” Karina assured
her, “He'd be proud of you.”

The rest of the girls agreed.

Amanda smiled, “Well, what about you Sam?
When are you hopping back on a snowboard?”

Sam took a deep breath and then said, “Funny
you should ask, actually. I have a pretty monumental announcement
to make. I'm taking a year off from competitive snowboarding.”

The three girls' jaws dropped, and Sam rushed
to explain, “It's just that I want to have a real life, a normal
life. I've never had normal before. In fact, I'm not even sure if I
ever want to go back to it, not at that level.”

The girls continued to just stare at her,
speechless.

She went on to explain, “Don't get me wrong,
I love competition. I just feel that it may have stunted my growth.
You know, on a personal level. And now is the time to make up for
that.”

Karina slapped her palm to her forehead in
sudden revelation.

“
Oh, I get it!” she exclaimed, “You
don't want to be a virgin anymore!”

“
Karina, Shut up! ” Sam rage-whispered,
mortified, as Lauren and Amanda both smacked her upside the
head.

“
What?“ she asked innocently, “I was
just trying to clarify precisely what her ‘stunted personal growth’
was.”

“
Fine but you didn’t have to announce
to the whole gym the extent of my sexual experience or lack
thereof,” Sam grumbled quietly, hiding her face in her
hands.

“
Oh, no one heard anything.” Karina
said dismissively.

The girls shifted their eyes to the court
where they saw all four guys standing still and smiling over at
them. Eric waved jauntily, and Jake winked at them as the four men
started playing again.

“
OK,” Karina conceded, “Maybe some
people heard. Soooo what do you think about Jake?”

Amanda and Lauren perked up, interested in
the possibilities suggested by this question, and turned their
attention to Sam.

Sensing the sudden quiet shift of attention
directed at her, Sam slowly lowered her hands and saw all three of
her friends staring intently, waiting for her answer.

“
Um he’s...nice...?” Sam said
cautiously, “Why?”

“
No, I know he’s nice but I mean what
do THINK about Jake?” Karina repeated, “I mean he’s really good
looking. And he's a firefighter. Are there any sparks? Pun
intended.”

“
And he’s so funny and sweet.” Amanda
added excitedly.

“
Not to mention, he owns his home and,
from what I hear, may make Captain soon. He seems pretty
financially secure,” Lauren added, pragmatic as always.

After seeing where this was going Sam blurted
out, “Eww, gross! I mean...not gross cause HE'S gross, just gross
because I've known him my whole life. I feel like we’re related. I
think growing up in a town as small as Hope Falls it’s like
everyone is extended family or something.”

Seeing the hurt look on Amanda's face at this
assessment, Sam hurried to add, “I mean not like you and Justin or
anything, Manda, that’s totally different. You were in love with
him since the first day you saw him.” Sam quickly added.

“
Yes I was, and still am,” Amanda said
dreamily, glancing over at Justin, all traces of hurt feelings
instantly evaporating as thoughts of her handsome man filled her
mind.

“
OK, Amanda, if you’d like to come down
from Cloud 9 for a moment, we are talking about Sam here,” Lauren
said, snapping her fingers in front of Amanda’s face to break the
love spell that she was lost in.

“
Right, sorry,” said Amanda, snapping
back to earth and focusing on the task at hand, “OK, Sam. So I
guess if Jake is out then Eric is out too, what with them being
brothers and all?”

“
Yes! Definitely out!” Sam said in a
tone that left no room for questions.

“
Too bad, really.” Karina sighed
regretfully, “Cause those are two fine men that would probably know
JUST what to do about your ‘stunted personal growth’
problem.”

All four women turned to look at the courts,
enjoying the view of Justin, Ryan, Eric, and Jake.

Breaking the silence, Sam blurted, “I’m not
taking a break from competing just to get some nookie.”

Karina laughed, “Keep calling it 'nookie' –
that's a good way to keep not getting any.”

“
I didn't mean I don't want any, smart
ass, I just meant I want more than that,” Sam clarified, “I want
more of this – more time with friends, more time to figure out who
I am away from snowboarding. I mean, let’s be honest. I'm pushing
30, I don’t have that many more years left, even if I WANTED more
years. This hiatus is most likely going to end in me announcing my
retirement.

“
In fact, I would have already made my
announcement, but my coach, Stephan, abso-fricking-lutely LOST IT
when I told him. He begged me to give it a year and see how I felt
at the end. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it was a moot
point. Year or no year, I have already made my decision.

“
He's just put so much into my career,
you know? If this is an easier way for him to get adjusted to my
decision, then I figure it’s the least I can do for
him.”

“
Least you can do for him?” Lauren spat
disdainfully, “Please! Sam, you have made Mr. Stephan Humphrey a
pretty penny over the course of the last decade. I mean, hasn’t he
acted as your coach and your agent? Which means he makes a double
commission? Personally, I think it was unethical for him to even do
that, but don't get me started. The point is, I think you have done
plenty for him, Sam.

I am not trying to push you into anything,
but if you are absolutely sure that you want to retire, you should
announce it. You don’t need to compromise for anyone,” Lauren
finished with conviction in her voice.

“
It’s fine. Don’t worry Gloria Steinem,
I won’t let some man make me compromise myself,” Sam teased the
normally reserved Lauren.

“
Spoken like a true smartass.” Karina
said in a southern accent, imitating Olympia Dukakis in Steel
Magnolias.

Amanda smiled, “Oh Steel Magnolias! How many
times do you think we watched that movie?”

Lauren shifted her attention back to her
Blackberry while answering, “Had to be close to 100 times. Remember
those weekends when we would get snowed in up at your place, Manda?
And we would watch it, rewind it, watch it rewind it, watch it,
rewind it....”

“
And without fail we would always start
crying when Sally Field loses it at the funeral,” Sam
said.

“
Those were good times,” Amanda
reminisced thoughtfully.

“
In all seriousness, though,” Sam
assured Lauren, “I think it will be better for me, as well, if I
can take a year to get adjusted to such a huge change in my
life.”

“
OK, if you’re sure that’s the case, I
will back off,” Lauren put her Blackberry back in her purse, “I
just want to make sure that you're taking care of you first. So
what’s the plan Sam, what do you want to do now?”

“
I have no idea.” Sam said, flooded
with equal parts excitement and terror.

“
Well then, I have a proposition for
you,” Amanda said, sitting up straighter, her voice suddenly all
business, “I didn’t want to ask you at first because I didn’t want
you to be distracted from your training schedule. Since that's no
longer in the equation, though, I feel like I might have a good
opportunity for you.”

Sam looked interested.

“
I mentioned that Justin and I are
going to be expanding Mountain Ridge. Well, here's the plan. We
have always used the little hill for tubing, and we are going to
continue with that. But we want to make use of the acreage that we
have...you know, that goes up the face of the mountain? You know my
father never wanted to convert it to slopes because he thought it
wasn't worth the headache to compete with the big boys. Justin and
I want to give it a go, though.

“
We have already passed inspection on
the lift, and it is operational again. We are going to separate the
area into 4 distinct slopes: two for beginner levels, one for
intermediate and one for advanced skiers. We want to bring on two
pro instructors to give lessons and run the ski-slash-snowboard
program.

I would love it if you would consider taking
a position as one of the pros,” Amanda said, and then, adopting a
wheedling tone and batting her eyelashes comically, she added, “We
could discuss pay and benefits, and I’d be a really nice boss.”

Then, reverting back to her regular business
voice, she concluded, “But seriously it might be fun, and you
wouldn’t have to commit to more than just this season if you didn’t
want to.”

“
I’m in!” Sam immediately replied.
“That sounds perfect! It would give me a chance to figure out
exactly what I want to do, and keep me busy so I'm not going stir
crazy. Plus I love Mountain Ridge. There's not another place in the
world I would rather spend my days.”

“
Hallelujah, does this mean no more
early morning drop ins?” Karina asked emphatically.

“
Hey,” Sam said sounding offended “I've
slowed way down on those since Ryan moved in!”

“
Slowed down is not stopping!” Karina
parried in a sing-song tone.

“
Fine,” Sam sassed defensively, “No
more unannounced drop ins, I'm going to be too busy with my
schedule at Mountain Ridge. But, mark my words, you’re gonna miss
our morning talks.”

“
Yay!” Amanda exclaimed, jumping up and
throwing her arms around Sam.

“
Be careful, once she's your employee,
that might be considered sexual harassment,” Karina smiled and
ducked as Sam and Amanda tried to swat at her.

“
This is perfect!” Amanda enthused,
“So, if you’re sure this is what you want to do, then would you
mind sitting in the interviews with me? I have a half a dozen
people coming in tomorrow, and you would know more than me what to
look for in a resume, and what the right questions to ask are.
Plus, you're going to be working pretty closely with whoever it
ends up being, so you may want to have some say in it.”

“
Sure, that sounds great!” Sam was
starting to really like the idea of having some place to be every
day, something close to a ‘normal job’ type schedule, “What time do
you want me there?”

“
The first applicant is scheduled for
8:00 a.m. so I would need you there say by 7:45. Is that too
early?” Amanda asked.

Sam snorted, “Spoken like a true lightweight.
Please! I will be up, have had breakfast, been on my morning run,
showered and answered emails, and checked Facebook and Twitter by
6. Half the day's already gone by 8 am,” she finished with an air
of superiority.

“
Right, of course, I forgot for a
moment who I was talking to,” Amanda smiled as Justin came over and
picked her up in a bear hug, kissing her neck.

“
Hey, baby, guess what?” she said
gleefully, “Sam said yes! We have our first ski pro!”

“
That's awesome!” Justin said
enthusiastically, “So, did Amanda ask you about the interviews? Is
quarter to eight too early?”

Sam started to answer, but her three friends
beat her to it.

“
Don't ask!” they all exclaimed in
unison.

--- ~ ---

Sam walked into Amanda’s office at Mountain
Ridge Outdoor Adventure with her coffee at 7:45 on the dot. Amanda
wasn’t there, she was probably running late. Sam couldn't imagine
what the pressures of running a huge operation like Mountain Ridge
must be like.

Sam decided to sit down and wait for her here
in her office rather than go up to the house and try to find her.
She shuddered. Who knows what she would walk in to if she went to
Amanda's house? Justin and Amanda couldn’t keep their hands off of
each other even in public, Sam didn't want to think about what they
must be like alone with each other!

Sam sat down and gazed out the window.
Amanda's office, formerly Parker's, had the best view of the entire
building. In the foreground, it overlooked the river that meandered
through the property. Then, when your eyes naturally followed the
curve of the gently babbling stream, they were drawn upward to the
mountains that rose majestically in the background.

It was so peaceful, so serene, here at
Mountain Ridge. A strong sense of calm settled over Sam. She was
more certain than ever, this was exactly what she needed to figure
out where the direction of her life should go. She sat there gazing
out the window, her mind quiet as she sipped her coffee, not even
thinking about the fact that she was actually there to meet
Amanda.

Voices interrupted her Zen-like quiet moment,
but she couldn't quite make out what they are saying through the
heft of the solid wood door.

One of the voices belonged to Amanda, she
could tell that much, and she sounded very formal and
business-like. Sam smiled. She knew it wasn't the most respectful
thing to think about her new boss, but every time she heard Amanda
adopt that 'I'm in charge here' tone, all she could think was,
'That is SO fricking ADORABLE!'