Enemy Down - Cathryn Fox Page 0,64
“I have never had room service before, Christian.” As I take in the abundance of food, it drives home the fact that Christian and I really are from different worlds.
“You’re kidding. Not even when you traveled for competitions?”
“Nope, we all ate like cattle in the buffet line.” I take the lid off one and find a plate of bacon. I snatch up a slice and bite into it.
“I thought you were too full.”
I give him a look that suggests he’s insane. “There’s always room for bacon.”
He laughs and gestures for me to sit. “So fancy,” I say as he removes all the lids and puts the plates in the center of the table. “Want to hear something funny?”
“Always.”
He sits and we each help ourselves to what we want. I go straight for the strawberries. “When I was young, do you know what represented wealth to me?”
He shakes his head and bites into a sausage. “No, what?”
“Those vertical venetian blinds,” I say with a laugh, and when he narrows his eyes and cocks his head, I explain it to him. “You know those long blinds that you open and close with a cord.”
He grins and nods. “We had those. I just called them curtains.”
“I thought if you owned venetian blinds, you were rich. Remember when Chelsea Haverstock invited me to her party that night…” I pause, although he probably doesn’t need a minute to remember the night he pulled his pants down.
“I remember.”
“She had venetian blinds and wall-to-wall carpet. I was like, this is posh. I thought someday, when I grow up and become a success, I was going to have blinds and all that carpeting.”
“That’s funny. Wealth to me was a trip to Disney.”
“You must have done that.”
“Actually, no. I’ve never been there.”
His eyes open at the shock on my face. I’m surprised for sure, but why would he lie about that? “You’re kidding me?”
“No, why? Have you?” he asks.
“No, but why did that represent wealth to you?” I wave my hands around the place. “You had this resort, and I’m sure you’ve been all over the world.”
“Most trips were business, and we’d tag along. Maybe Disney didn’t represent wealth, maybe it represented family. Now that I think about it, that’s it I guess.” He cuts into his egg, takes a bite, and looks thoughtful. “My friends would go with their families. I was so envious. Even though I had everything I could want, what I really wanted was just time with my parents. I wanted us to do things as a family, like I’d see all the other kids around me doing.”
“I get it, Christian. I really do.” I used to envy the rich people who could have whatever they wanted whenever they wanted. I was clearly looking through rose-colored glasses. Christian has given me a much clearer vision, and truth be told, I wouldn’t trade what my mom and I had for all the money or trips in the world.
“Maybe someday you’ll have that family, and you can all go to Disney.”
He snorts. “Like I said last night, what do I know about being there for someone?”
“Christian, you’ve been there for me through my whole injury, and don’t forget you had your grandmother. She taught you what family was all about.” He takes a sip of coffee and glances at me over the rim, his eyes unfocused, like he’s a million miles away.
Finally, instead of agreeing or disagreeing with my comment, he says, “I’m going to hit the slopes for a bit. Afterward, do you want to explore the town, and hit up the art museum?”
“I would love that. I’m going to sit in the lobby, and if it warms up enough, I’ll grab one of the outdoor Adirondack chairs overlooking the hill so I can watch.”
“You’re sure you don’t mind me leaving you here?”
“I like alone time, remember, and I want you to enjoy yourself, Christian.” I give a wave of my hand. “Go, have fun. I’ll be here waiting for you when you get back.”
“I like the sound of that, Maize.”
“Now finish eating, or you’ll miss all that fresh snow.”
He nods and once we finish eating, he jumps in the shower, and I head out to the patio to breathe in the clean morning air. A girl could really get used to vacationing in a place like this.
I stay there for a long time, enjoying the scenery and basking in the fresh air when a set of hands wrap around my waist and warm lips find