Desperate Times, Desperate Measures

"The right girl for you."

"I beg to differ," he told her.

"You barely even know me, Heath. You don't really know anything about me."

"I know enough," he told her quietly. "I have what a friend of mine calls an 'uncanny ability' to read people, and that instinct is telling me you're exactly what I've been looking for but never found."

"I'm flattered. I truly am. But, well, there are things you don't know about me. If you did, I don't think you'd find me as...captivating."

"Unless you're some kind of black widow, what could possibly be so bad?" he said, still smiling that amazing smile at her.

Heath laughed then said, "I know you're not a killer, so I'm going with my gut until it's proven wrong. And it won't be proven wrong."

"You'll change your mind," Mandy said, as her eyes looked even more deeply into his.

His attention was flattering. After all, he was very good looking, and he was clearly caring and seemed to be very honest. And she...wasn't. Yes, it just one thing against a lifetime of honesty and integrity, but people went to prison for many years for one mistake like the one she'd made. And yet, how could she not tell him and get involved with him? And yet, how could she ever tell him?

"We'll see," he said quietly.

He stared back into her eyes for a few seconds, then without asking, leaned over and kissed her again. Mandy's mind and body didn't fight back this time. They both wanted this kiss as much as the man kissing her did, so she let him, and this time, she kissed him back.

As he slowly pulled away, Heath smiled again, touched her pretty face, then unexpectedly told her goodnight.

"Sweet dreams," she told him as he walked away, leaving her there with her heart racing and her body yearning with desire.

Back in his room, Heath pulled out his phone and hit #2 on his speed dial.

"Heath. How can I help you?"

"Hey, Vern. Sorry for the late call. Listen. I need you to make something go away."

"Late call? Are you kidding? You're my only client, Heath. I'm at your beck and call 24/7. Just tell me what you need."

"There's a store owner. I'll give you the address here in a minute. Feel him out to see where he's at financially, then make him an offer that'll get him to drop the charges against someone."

"I'm listening," his attorney said.

Heath told him what he wanted done, but not why, and knew his attorney would make it happen. Everyone had a price, and he was guessing this might cost fifty grand. Even a hundred would be well worth it even if Mandy never did give in to his pursuits.

"Okay. I got it. Consider it done," Vern said.

There was a brief pause before his lawyer said, "Would there possibly be a woman involved in this somewhere by any chance?"

Heath laughed quietly then said, "You know what? I think there just might be. If there is, I want her to be able to able to focus on other things, like me, and this is taking up too much of her mental energy. Besides, I've met this girl, and this wasn't done out of malice."

"No, people don't steal food like that for kicks. Okay. Well, whoever she is, I'm glad to see you finally thinking about getting serious with someone. Lord knows you've sewn your wild oats long enough. As one of Seattle's most eligible bachelors, you'll break a lot of hearts, though."

Heath chuckled then said, "No argument here on the wild oats, Vern. I'll take your word for it on the rest. And thanks. This means a lot to me."

"Then it does to me, too. Goodnight, boss."

"Goodnight, Vern. My best to Alice."

The next morning Mandy fully expected to at least bump into Heath or Adam in the 'common area' of their chalet, and when she didn't, she felt disappointed. She'd paid careful attention to her appearance just in case, and Heath was nowhere to be found.

She needed coffee and Courtney was hungry so they went downstairs to the dining room to get something to eat as well as to hopefully find the attractive younger man who'd kissed her more than once the day before.

"What in the world is all this?" Mandy said as men were coming in and going out setting something up.

"Look. Over there," Courtney said, pointing to a new sign.

Mandy saw it and read the words: 'Snowboard charity auction. All proceeds to help kids learn on and off the slopes.'

"Oh, right. Yes. That's wonderful," she said as she remembered the rack of boards Heath said would be auctioned off. "What a great idea."

She was sipping the last of her coffee when she looked over and saw Heath shaking hands with one of the men setting up.

"Thanks, Dan. I really appreciate it," she heard him say very clearly.

He'd been in an adjacent room, and still hadn't noticed her. But within seconds of his turning around, he saw her and smiled.

"Hey, Mom. Here comes your boyfriend," Courtney teased.

"Oh, stop!" her mom said. "We're just...friends."

She leaned closer then said, "Just friends, okay?"

"If you say so," her daughter said with a smile as Heath walked up.

"Good morning, ladies. Mind if I join you?"

Before her mom could answer him, Courtney said, "We'd love that!"

She even moved over so Heath could sit next to her mom.

Mandy glared at her, but it was all show, while Heath thanked her before sitting down.

"You look amazing," he said as soon as he set down.

Mandy had spent extra time doing her hair and makeup, a fact not lost on her daughter, and one noticed by the handsome, younger man sitting next to her.

"Oh, gee. Thank you," she said pretending she had no idea why he said that. Today, she was the one wearing a pink sweater that said to anyone who looked, "Hard body here! See? Not an ounce of fat anywhere even at forty-two!"

Courtney saw the way he was looking at her mom and smiled an 'I told you so' smile. Heath only saw her mother's reaction.

"Is everything okay? Am I missing something over here?" he asked Mandy before looking at Courtney then back at her mom.

"No. Not you," Courtney said. "But someone's missing something."

Mandy gave her the 'eye' and Heath said, "Okay. I'm completely lost."

"It isn't you who's lost, Heath," Courtney said as she stood up.

Courtney had eaten a piece of toast and a glass of skim milk, but patted her stomach and said, "I'm full so I think I'll go upstairs relax before we go outside."

"Adam's around here somewhere," Heath told her, having no idea what was going on.

"Okay. Thank you," she said sweetly while giving her mom the 'now's your chance' look which caused Mandy to give her another 'mind your own business' look.

"I'm gonna figure out what's going on with you two," Heath told Mandy after her daughter walked away, a strange-looking smile on her face. "Sooner or later."

"It's nothing. She just has this crazy notion that you and I should, you know, get together or whatever kids say now. It's ridiculous, but she's always trying to fix me up."

"I don't think it's crazy or ridiculous," Heath said quietly. "In fact, I'd say she's very perceptive."

"No, crazy is the better word," Mandy said. "Trust me."

"All right. I'll let it go for now," he said still smiling warmly.

Mandy realized she was warm and not from the sweater. It was from the things he was saying and the way they were making her feel. And that made her feel like changing subjects.

"So do you know anything about this auction?"

"I do. It's been held here every year for the last three years. About a dozen of the best snowboards made are auctioned off, and this year all of the boards being sold are custom made by the number-one name in snowboarding. All of the money made goes to teach kids from underprivileged families how to snowboard as well as helping them out with school supplies or even clothing for school in some cases."

"That's incredible. Any idea who sponsors it?"

"Yes. It's a local company based in Seattle. They're the biggest distributor of snowboards and other related equipment in the country, and with a little luck, they'll be the world leader in another year or two," Heath explained.

"And it's tomorrow night?" Mandy asked.

"Yes. Sunday at 6pm. Can you stay for it?"

"We were planning on leaving before then, but it might be nice to stay and see how much money gets raised. I mean, it is for a really good cause."

Heath smiled then asked, "Is that the only reason you'd be willing to stay?"

Mandy finally smiled at him then said, "Oh, there might be another reason. Maybe."

"A...crazy...reason?" Heath asked.

"Totally...ridiculous," she replied, unable to stop smiling.

"I like ridiculous," he said.

Their eyes were locked and Heath leaned over to kiss her just as she heard, "Ahem!" as Courtney walked back up to the table with Adam in tow.

Mandy pulled back so fast it startled Heath who then saw the other 'couple' standing right next to them.

"Did I interrupt something?" Courtney asked with feigned innocence. "If so, I do apologize."

Her mom gave up on the 'death looks' and just smiled.

"What's up?"

"Well, Adam and I were wondering if we could go skiing today."

Her mom looked at her daughter then at Adam before saying, "Well, as long as you have your phone with you and you answer me anytime I call or text, I suppose that would be okay. I mean, we did bring our skis, right?"

"Really?" Courtney said with genuine excitement. "You're the best mom ever!"

She leaned down and hugged her mom then said, "Come on, Adam!"

Then she turned back to her mom and said, "Oh. You may continue where you left off before I so rudely interrupted."

"What? What are you talking about?" Mandy said, her eyes open wide as though Courtney had just asked her something about space aliens.

"Never mind," her daughter said as she took Adam's arm. "Just...have fun, okay?"

Just before she turned away, Heath saw that same grin on her face, and that's when he put two and two together.

Mandy shook her head again then said to Heath, "I have no idea what's gotten into that child."

He smiled back then told her, "Like I said. She's very perceptive."

Mandy didn't respond so he said very cheerfully, "You ready to do a little snowboarding?"

"I am, as a matter of fact. Surprisingly, I'm not too sore from yesterday, so...yes. Let's do that!"

Mandy lost track of the number of runs they made, and before she knew it, Heath was taking her to lunch. She called Courtney once before they ate, and she picked up by the third ring. She was breathing hard, and that told her she was in the middle of run but had stopped to answer the phone.

"Everything going okay?" she asked.

"We're having so much fun, Mom!"

She asked her daughter if she was hungry, and when she said she was fine, Mandy told her, "Okay. Just be in by 5 o'clock, okay?"

"Will do," her daughter promised.

Mandy got ready to hang up just as her daughter asked, "Are you having fun?"

Her mom smiled then said, "Yes. Yes, I am. I'm really enjoying myself."

"That's great," Courtney said. "Oh, next time Heath tries to kiss you I won't interrupt. I promise."

Before she could chide her daughter the phone went dead.

"I'm going to kill her!" she said, having no idea Heath had heard every word of their conversation.

"You...you didn't hear the last part, right?" she said, hoping against hope.

"I kinda did," he admitted.

"Oh."

Before helping her sit down, he put his hands on her shoulders then said, "Since I have your daughter's permission to kiss you now..."

When he leaned down, Mandy's eyes closed and her arms slid around his neck as they really kissed for the first time. Unlike the others, this kiss was longer and deeper, and in spite of being 'in public', rather passionate. Tongues touched then danced as it went on for several more seconds.

"Crazy, huh?" Heath teased as they stood there embracing.

"Yes. Totally ridiculous," Mandy said, her voice just above a whisper as they held one another close.

Lunch, and the rest of the day went by just as quickly, and right at five o'clock, the four of them converged on the lodge.

"How was it, honey?" Mandy asked.

"Only the best time ever!" was the reply.

"She's really good," Adam told her. "She should be up here all the time. I think she could ski competitively."

"That's really kind of you to say," Mandy told him. "It's just not...practical...right now."

Adam was pretty sure that meant 'money was tight' so he immediately moved on saying, "How about some dinner? I'm starving."

The conversation was different this time. It was as though the four of them had known each other for much longer than some 24 hours. They talked and laughed and told family stories as they enjoyed a delicious meal paid for by the Davis brothers.

It was just after seven when Heath asked Adam, "So what's the plan, Stan?"

"Another movie?" he suggested.

Courtney and her mom were game, but Heath said, "How about a few late-night runs under the lights?"

One of the runs was lit up until midnight, and Courtney was 'all over it'.

"Yes! That sounds like so much fun! Come on, Mom. Let's do it!"

"Honey, I don't know..."

She looked at him and started to protest when he said, "Please?"

That and his boyish grin melted any residual resistance.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Positive."

It was nearly 10pm, and after three runs on skis, Mandy knew she'd be lucky to walk the next day, but she hadn't had this much fun in so long she couldn't remember.

"Race you to the finish!" Courtney said to the other three people just before their planned final fun of the evening.

"Oh, it is so on!" her mom said as they all bombed down the slopes.

The guys were clearly much better skiers and held back to make it close, and just as they got to the end, Heath slowed down unexpectedly. Mandy wasn't paying attention and ended up turning too late as her ski hooked his leg. Neither Adam nor Courtney noticed as they continued flying toward the finish line about a hundred yards ahead.

Heath and Mandy went spilling down the hill head first and slid to a stop laying side by side. Mandy was shrieking with laughter as she lay there in the snow.

Heath rolled over and said, "You okay?"

Mandy rolled over on her back and said, "I'm fine! I just can't stop laughing. Are you okay?"

Heath sat up then looked down at her.

She stopped laughing when she saw the way he was looking at her.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"I'm so glad you're okay."

"I'm fine, Heath. I just wasn't watching."

"No. It's more than that," he told her. "I can't imagine anything happening to you."

"Heath. I'm fine," she told him again.

"And I'm fall..."

He didn't say it, but he did kiss her again in spite of their heavy breathing. Mandy not only kissed him back, her heart was so full of happiness it felt like it might burst. She didn't even care when she noticed Courtney standing next to them and looking down at her mom. She'd finally seen them just as they were sliding to a stop, and had turned her skis sideways to be able to walk back uphill to where they were...kissing.

When the kiss ended, her daughter just smiled.

"I told you I wouldn't interrupt the next time," she said with a smile that looked upside down to her mom. "And now that I know you're okay, I'll leave you two alone."

She turned around and glided back down the slope leaving the two...

"What were they?" Mandy asked herself as Heath helped her up. Friends? Ski buddies? A...couple?

She thanked him and gave up trying to decide as they retrieved their skis and poles.

By the time they got back to the lodge, Mandy realized the way she felt about him had changed. She believed he was sincere and that he genuinely liked her, and that only made what she'd done hurt all the more once she also realized she wouldn't mind being pursued by this handsome, younger man.

For the first time since her husband walked out, she really liked someone. Yes, he was very young, but he was kind, considerate, thoughtful, intelligent, and as good looking as any man she'd ever met. She didn't even care if he sold snowboards for a living. She liked him, and she found herself wanting to be with him. And yet he would never want to be with her if he knew the truth.

The only thing that gave her any hope was how he'd been so understanding of what Courtney had done and what he'd said about 'one-time events'. And yet there was a world of difference between taking some food and stealing money. A lot of money.

She wasn't listening even though Heath was talking as they walked inside.

He stopped her and asked, "Mandy? I have this feeling, this...nagging feeling, that something I've done is bothering you. But for the life of me, I can't figure out what it might be. Am I maybe be too pushy or going too fast? If so, I can and will back off."

Again, he was so sincere it touched her deeply.

"No. Not at all, Heath. You haven't done anything wrong—at all."

"Then what's going on? I clearly like you, Mandy. A lot. If you don't feel that way about me, I can accept that."

He paused, smiled, then said, "I won't like it, but I suppose I'll have to live with it."

"Oh, Heath. It's...it's complicated."

"Does that mean there's someone else? I know you said there isn't, but if there is, I'd prefer knowing that upfront. You're single and beautiful, so it makes sense you'd have guys interested in you. So...is there?"

Mandy sighed then said, "No. There's no one else. I haven't met anyone I've even been a little bit interested in until..."

She also paused then looked right at him and said, "Until I met you."

"Same here," he told her. "And that makes this even more confusing, Mandy. If it isn't me, and there's no one else, then something's bothering you, and I'd like to help."

"You can't, Heath. There's nothing you can do. I have to solve this. On my own. Okay?"

The way she spoke to him moved him and made him want to hold her and comfort her. Instead he only told her he was there for her anytime she cared to talk.

"I mean that, Mandy. Anytime. Day or night. Okay?"

"Yes. Okay," she said as she fought off tears of frustration; tears brought on by her own terrible choices. Or rather—choice.

"Have dinner with me tonight. Just the three of us," Heath said.

"You see, that's just one more thing that makes this so difficult."

"I'm lost," Heath said.

"You include my daughter without a second thought. The few guys I have dated always look for ways to exclude her. Most of them are subtle, but it's obvious they don't really want her around."

"Well, I do. I really like Courtney. And she has so much potential on the slopes. She's a better skier than snowboarder, and Adam was also really impressed."

"He was?"

"Enough to say he'd be willing to coach her if you'd let him."

"Heath. Are you serious? Adam said that?"

"He did. And like me, when Adam says something, he means it."

"Oh, wow. I...I don't even know what to say."

"Say 'yes'."

When she didn't answer Heath said, "It's money, isn't it?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"If we can find a way to work around that, would you let her train with Adam?"

"Sure, but there isn't a way around it."

"Let me worry about that, okay?" Heath told her with a smile.

"You seem too good to be true."

"No. I'm just a regular guy like everyone else, Mandy. Except for the fact that I am totally and completely smitten with you."

The pressure had been building again, and when he said that to her, Mandy had to turn away as the tears began to fall.

"Hey. What's going on?" Heath said quietly.

He moved around in front of her and when she wouldn't look up, he put his arms around her and held her as she cried.

It was well over a minute later before she could talk, and when she could, her voice was ragged with emotion.

"What...makes...this...so hard is...I'm falling...for you...too," she managed to say in short bursts.