A Magical Christmas. Elizabeth Rolls

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      Jackson was lying on his back, fiddling with the snowmobile and using words that would have made his grandmother frown. Words that grew worse when Ash bounded over and landed on him.

      “I thought you were training that stupid dog.”

      “It’s a work in progress.” Tyler strolled around the snowmobile. “So far there’s not been much progress.”

      “You’re not kidding.” But he ruffled Ash’s fur before he pushed him off. “So how was dinner?”

      “I was cooking it, which should give you a clue. Fortunately, Jess came and rescued the food.”

      “That explains why you’re alive. So if you’re not here to tell me you’ve poisoned yourself and only have an hour to live, what are you doing here?” Jackson tested the snowmobile. “This machine is dead. I changed the plugs, but they’re full of fuel when I take them out.”

      “Well, at least you know you’re getting fuel, so that’s not the problem. Sounds like the inlet needles are sticking to the carbs.” Tyler pulled off his gloves and crouched down next to his brother.

      For the next hour they worked together on the snowmobile, and then Kayla walked in holding two mugs of coffee. Maple, their miniature poodle, was at her feet.

      “I thought you might—oh, hi, Tyler! I didn’t know you were here.”

      Ash spotted Maple and bounded toward him.

      “Sit!” Tyler bellowed, and Ash screeched to a halt, hesitated and then sprang again, but the brief delay had given Kayla a chance to put the mugs on the floor and scoop up Maple.

      “Get that animal under control!”

      “Believe it or not that is the under-control version.” Tyler stood up and pushed Ash’s rump to the floor. “Sit means your butt engages with the floor.”

      Ash wagged his tail, his gaze fixed on Maple.

      “The dog wants to play.” Jackson stood up and wiped his hands on a rag. “He’s not going to hurt her.”

      “Maybe not intentionally, but Ash playing is enough to end Maple!” Kayla held the little dog close but Maple wriggled. “Do you have a death wish or something? I brought you coffee but most of it is on the floor now.”

      “So I see.” Jackson leaned forward and kissed her slowly, taking his time.

      Ash whined.

      “Cover your eyes, buddy,” Tyler muttered, “this is only the beginning.”

      Kayla eased away from Jackson. “How are you finding living with Brenna?”

      Difficult.

      And she was the one who had put him in this position.

      Knowing that, he gave her the answer he knew she wouldn’t want. “We’ve barely seen each other.”

      Predictably, Kayla’s face fell. “Really?”

      “We’ve been out doing our own thing. I was a bit worried she might be lonely so it’s good to know she’s seeing Josh.”

      “Seeing Josh?” Kayla’s appalled expression made it clear she didn’t know. “Since when has she been seeing Josh?”

      “How would I know? Her love life is her own business.” He gave her a pointed look, and she had the grace to blush.

      “Tyler—”

      “The two of them have been friends a long time. Josh is a good man. I’m happy for her.” He wasn’t happy at all. And he wanted to savage Josh. “This thing is fixed so I should be getting back.”

      He picked up his gloves, whistled to Ash and left Kayla to stew.

       CHAPTER TEN

      “WATCH IT AGAIN.” Curled up on the sofa next to Jess, Brenna pressed the remote. “Look at the timing of the pole plant. Do you see?” She played it again and then again, talking Jess through it, showing her how small changes could make a big difference to her technique and speed.

      “Play one of Dad’s winning downhill runs.”

      Brenna tried to think of an excuse. The last thing she wanted to do was watch Tyler in slow motion, but she couldn’t think of a reason that wouldn’t draw attention so she dutifully stood up. “Do you know where he keeps those DVDs?”

      “They’re stuffed into the back of the cupboard on your right.”

      Brenna tugged open the cupboard.

      Five crystal globes sat on a shelf crammed between books, a few games and various DVDs. She picked one of them up reverentially. “This is where he keeps them?” It was obvious they’d been pushed there, rather than displayed, and yet they represented excellence in his sport.

      “I warned you he was messed up about the whole thing. Most people would keep a World Cup trophy out where everyone can see it, not Dad. He hides them away. I guess he doesn’t want to look at them. Never talks about it, either, even though it gives him serious bragging rights.”

      Brenna smoothed her hand over the surface of the coveted globe. Winning one would be a dream for most skiers. Tyler had five, two for winning the overall World Cup title, three of them for individual disciplines, in his case, the downhill. “For me, this means more than the Olympics. To win this you have to ski at a high standard consistently and across disciplines.”

      “Makes it all the more sad that he hides them away in the dark.”

      Brenna reached up and put one of the trophies on the shelf on display. “It looks nice here.”

      Jess shrank. “Oh, no—you can’t do that.”

      “I’m doing it.”

      “Then you are the one taking responsibility for it, not me.”

      “I’ll take responsibility. We’ll start with one and see how it goes.”

      “Great idea. If you’re still alive in the morning, you can put the second one out.”

      “He might not even notice. And here’s the DVD you wanted to see.” She pushed it into the slot and curled up on the sofa again, resigned to watching Tyler ski.

      He gave an electrifying performance, hurtling full-tilt down the mountain, attacking the slope as if he was skiing for his life. It was one of the many reasons he drew crowds, thrilled by the excitement of watching him. He was a supreme athlete, breathtakingly gifted, which made the accident that had ended his career all the more brutal.

      The fact that those five crystal globes were jammed into a cupboard behind a load of detritus confirmed СКАЧАТЬ