She narrowed her gaze. “Are you sure? Because I didn’t order anything,” she said, confused.
The young man nodded. “I’m sure. There’s a note here for you. Mind if I put these inside?”
“Of course not. Come in.” She pushed the door open wider and he walked in, unloading his bundles in the entry area of the room.
She tipped him, and once he was gone, she opened the note he’d left with her. “I promised you a day in the snow. Get dressed and meet me at the lobby entrance at noon. John.”
She tore into the packages and discovered a winter wardrobe filled with items she’d never had a reason to buy for herself before. She examined the goodies one by one: a white down winter jacket with brown piping and matching snow pants, a ski hat with a pompom on top, brown gloves and thermal underwear. She checked the sizes and was shocked to discover Roper had gotten it right. Another bag revealed fur-lined snow boots and a pair of white-rimmed polarized sunglasses, especially designed for winter glare.
Excitement surged through her and she was instantly reminded of her childhood and Christmas mornings past, when she’d open all the wild and extravagant gifts beneath the tree. Thanks to her father’s life insurance, her mother had been well-off enough to support them, but her uncle Spencer had always made certain she was spoiled, too. He thought of Amy as the daughter he’d never had. When Amy had found out that he was gay, but that he’d had a son, Riley, whom he’d allowed another man to raise as his own, Amy truly understood the depth of the void she could only partially fill in her uncle’s life. He’d given up so much and had only begun to forge a relationship with his son now.
She turned her attention back to the gifts from Roper. She couldn’t believe how he’d managed to have all these things picked and sent over so quickly, but she supposed fame and money had its perks.
And he’d chosen to bestow it on her. She marveled at his thoughtfulness and generosity, as gratitude and much more filled her heart.
A couple of hours later, she was dressed and headed for the lobby, ready for her first adventure in the snow.
ROPER’D HAD A GREAT SESSION with the physical therapist and then an appointment with the orthopedist in town. His time at the lodge had been rejuvenating. He was feeling an overall natural high. He still didn’t know if he’d be ready in time for spring training, but for the first time, he could live with that because he knew he’d be back. He felt good about his life and career.
Amazing what some self-indulgence could do. He felt like himself again, in no small part thanks to Amy. He could think of only one way to show his gratitude, and now he waited for her by the front of the lodge, curious to see how she liked his surprise.
The shock was on him when she finally strode into the lobby, ready for a romp in the snow. Her brown curls contrasted beautifully with the white North Face down jacket he’d ordered, and her face glowed with excitement.
She caught sight of him and smiled, waving as she joined him. “I can’t believe you sent me all of this!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close, her hug of gratitude so warm and genuine, his heart beat even faster in his chest.
“My pleasure.” He held out his hand and she placed hers trustingly in his.
Amy’s reaction to her clothing was the same as another woman might react to diamonds or jewels. A gift from the heart, he thought. And he refused to ponder deeper.
The snow fell softly as they made their way outside. One glance at Amy in her winter gear had him on fire. It didn’t matter how cold the temperature, nor did it matter that they’d made love last night. Nothing stopped the wanting. Her bright smile and genuine appreciation for the simple things was something he needed. Something he’d been unaware of until she took control.
He trusted her.
She said his family was being taken care of and he believed her. And thanks to that trust, he sensed a shift in his own outlook on the future, in his devotion to his career and his craft. All because he’d taken a time-out from his life. He no longer fought the guilt, no longer felt the desire to find a phone and check on his mother and sister. His own needs had to come first, and for once he was putting his priorities in order.
“Wow, this is way better than looking at things through the window,” Amy said, bringing him back to the present.
They’d reached the back of the lodge, the place they’d viewed from the solarium where they’d also…He yanked his thoughts away from their first sexual encounter before he tackled her into the snow and had his way with her here. She pulled her hand from his and spun in circles, laughing and appreciating the cold winter air and the snow around their ankles. Coming to a stop, she waited while the dizziness wore off, then turned and stared off at the expanse of pure white landscape behind them.
“I can’t believe I missed out on this growing up.” She shook her head, staring in awe.
“Definitely something everyone should experience,” he agreed.
She nodded. Without warning, she took off running-or running as best as she could run while laden down with winter wear.
“Very graceful,” he called out wryly.
She paused and stuck her tongue out at him. Then, laughing, she bent down and picked up a handful of snow, packing it into a ball. “The snow is so much softer than I thought it would be,” she said.
“And harder to keep together. It depends on the kind of snowfall you get, whether or not you can pack a solid snowball,” he explained. “Ben and I used to build forts and have snowball fights all the time on our Colorado vacations. We’d be outdoors for hours on end.”
Funny, but he hadn’t thought about Ben as his fun-loving little brother in a long, long time. Age had divided them, Roper thought. Age and talent-or lack thereof.
Amy stepped closer. “Hey. What’s on your mind?”
He shrugged. “I’m just thinking about how relationships change.” And not for the better.
She placed her hand on his shoulder in understanding. “They could change back if you wanted them to. Or at least you could try to reach out to Ben without any expectation and see what happens. Maybe you need to try an approach you haven’t used before. One that doesn’t make him feel as if he’s second-best.”
He met her gaze. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold, her eyes hidden behind the sunglasses he’d chosen. She looked hot enough to melt the entire field they stood on.
While he was lost in thought, she had trudged through the snow until she was a decent way from him, then she wound up, took aim and threw the snowball, hitting him squarely on the shoulder.
She wiped her hands together, obviously pleased with herself. “Not bad for a rookie.”
He bent down for some snow and packed a weapon of his own. “You’d better watch out because I’ve had a lot of practice at this,” he warned her.
“Throwing or making snowballs?” she asked as she stepped backward. And back some more.
He grinned and narrowed his gaze. “Both.” He pitched his ball at the same time she took off at an awkward run, so he ended up hitting her squarely in the back.
He took off after her, catching up in no time. He tackled her to the ground, bringing both of them onto the soft but thick snow. He rolled her onto her back to discover she was laughing. Having fun. Doing exactly what he’d wanted for her when he’d purchased all this winter apparel.
She gazed up at him, smiling.
His heart swelled even bigger. He cleared his throat. “Hey. Do you want to make your snow angel before you get too cold to stay out here much longer? After all, your blood is much thinner than mine, what with you being from down South and all.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing. You northerners and your pasty skin, you make a pretty pathetic sight if you ask me.”