Watkins called out. “Good job! Now use your thighs to turn yourself slightly to the left.”
“Knees apart!” Mary Lou yelled. “Butt tucked in!”
Trey wished they weren’t making so much noise with this instruction, but he had asked them to help, so he’d endure the humiliation. And he actually made a turn.
“Now go the other way!” Being a singer, Watkins knew how to project, so the entire hillside of skiers was probably listening.
“Butt tucked!” Mary Lou wasn’t a singer, but she had a good set of vocal cords on her, too.
Trey managed to change course without falling down, while Watkins and Mary Lou cheered. That would have been okay, except that others had joined in, which led Trey to believe he had collected an audience. Not his goal.
But if he had one, he might as well do his best. He executed another turn, and another. At this rate he’d be at the bottom before long.
Behind him, somebody started up a chant— Wheeler, Wheeler, Wheeler. The volume grew as more people joined in. Damn it, this was plain embarrassing. He could fall down at any minute.
In spite of that fear, he was determined to finish with a hockey stop. A fellow couldn’t have people chanting his name and then have the performance peter out at the end. Besides, one of those people watching had to be Elle, although he doubted she was chanting. That was more the kind of thing a bunch of cowboys would do to one of their own.
His timing had to be right. One more turn and then the hockey stop. He swerved left, pivoted the way he’d seen Watkins do it, and sent up a decent spray of snow. Cheers erupted as he teetered there for one glorious moment. Then he fell.
The cheers turned into one unison groan. Trey started to chuckle, and the more he thought about that juvenile display of showmanship, the harder he laughed. Good thing he was already on the ground, because doubled over like this, he never would have been able to balance on the damned skis.
Elle got to him first. “Trey! Are you hurt? Can you get up? What’s wrong?”
He gulped for air. “I’m fine. Just...laughing my fool head off.”
“Oh, good.” She sighed in obvious relief. “When I saw you holding your stomach, I thought you’d done something to yourself, although I couldn’t imagine what.”
Grinning, Trey snapped the catch on his skis and took them off. “That was almost impressive.”
“I was impressed.”
“Glad to hear it. Is this lesson over yet?”
“As a matter of fact, it is. Your timing was perfect, even if your demonstration wasn’t. Let me help you up.”
“Thanks.” He should be embarrassed that a woman was pulling him to his feet, but he’d already made a fool of himself, and he was glad for the support. She’d once hauled him out of a snowdrift, so she certainly had the strength to help him up now.
Besides, this way he got to hold her hand, even if they both had on gloves and he couldn’t touch her soft skin. He would be doing that soon, though.
Eventually the rest of the skiers came down the bunny slope, all of them staying on their skis the whole way. They gathered at the spot where Elle and Trey stood. Trey accepted both congratulations and commiserations while they all divested themselves of their skis.
Jared made a megaphone of his hands and got everyone’s attention. “I realize everyone will be busy tomorrow with wedding activities, but we can schedule another session the morning after that. How many are in?”
All hands went up, including Trey’s.
“I’d advise the cowboys to acquire ski pants,” Jared said. “You’ll find them a lot more pleasant.”
“I’ll vouch for that,” Watkins said.
“I’ve got twenty bucks that says Jack won’t wear ’em,” Nash said.
“You’d lose that bet, my friend,” Jack said, “just like you lost the one today.”
Nash made a face. “Don’t remind me.”
“But, Jack, you’re the only one who didn’t fall down.” Jeb’s expression was filled with hero
“Knees apart!” Mary Lou yelled. “Butt tucked in!”
Trey wished they weren’t making so much noise with this instruction, but he had asked them to help, so he’d endure the humiliation. And he actually made a turn.
“Now go the other way!” Being a singer, Watkins knew how to project, so the entire hillside of skiers was probably listening.
“Butt tucked!” Mary Lou wasn’t a singer, but she had a good set of vocal cords on her, too.
Trey managed to change course without falling down, while Watkins and Mary Lou cheered. That would have been okay, except that others had joined in, which led Trey to believe he had collected an audience. Not his goal.
But if he had one, he might as well do his best. He executed another turn, and another. At this rate he’d be at the bottom before long.
Behind him, somebody started up a chant— Wheeler, Wheeler, Wheeler. The volume grew as more people joined in. Damn it, this was plain embarrassing. He could fall down at any minute.
In spite of that fear, he was determined to finish with a hockey stop. A fellow couldn’t have people chanting his name and then have the performance peter out at the end. Besides, one of those people watching had to be Elle, although he doubted she was chanting. That was more the kind of thing a bunch of cowboys would do to one of their own.
His timing had to be right. One more turn and then the hockey stop. He swerved left, pivoted the way he’d seen Watkins do it, and sent up a decent spray of snow. Cheers erupted as he teetered there for one glorious moment. Then he fell.
The cheers turned into one unison groan. Trey started to chuckle, and the more he thought about that juvenile display of showmanship, the harder he laughed. Good thing he was already on the ground, because doubled over like this, he never would have been able to balance on the damned skis.
Elle got to him first. “Trey! Are you hurt? Can you get up? What’s wrong?”
He gulped for air. “I’m fine. Just...laughing my fool head off.”
“Oh, good.” She sighed in obvious relief. “When I saw you holding your stomach, I thought you’d done something to yourself, although I couldn’t imagine what.”
Grinning, Trey snapped the catch on his skis and took them off. “That was almost impressive.”
“I was impressed.”
“Glad to hear it. Is this lesson over yet?”
“As a matter of fact, it is. Your timing was perfect, even if your demonstration wasn’t. Let me help you up.”
“Thanks.” He should be embarrassed that a woman was pulling him to his feet, but he’d already made a fool of himself, and he was glad for the support. She’d once hauled him out of a snowdrift, so she certainly had the strength to help him up now.
Besides, this way he got to hold her hand, even if they both had on gloves and he couldn’t touch her soft skin. He would be doing that soon, though.
Eventually the rest of the skiers came down the bunny slope, all of them staying on their skis the whole way. They gathered at the spot where Elle and Trey stood. Trey accepted both congratulations and commiserations while they all divested themselves of their skis.
Jared made a megaphone of his hands and got everyone’s attention. “I realize everyone will be busy tomorrow with wedding activities, but we can schedule another session the morning after that. How many are in?”
All hands went up, including Trey’s.
“I’d advise the cowboys to acquire ski pants,” Jared said. “You’ll find them a lot more pleasant.”
“I’ll vouch for that,” Watkins said.
“I’ve got twenty bucks that says Jack won’t wear ’em,” Nash said.
“You’d lose that bet, my friend,” Jack said, “just like you lost the one today.”
Nash made a face. “Don’t remind me.”
“But, Jack, you’re the only one who didn’t fall down.” Jeb’s expression was filled with hero
Similar Books
