By the time Lawrence rented his gear and grabbed his lift ticket, Bonnie was nowhere to be found.
He stood at the bustling entrance, scanning the crowd for her pink snowsuit. It felt like a hopeless endeavor—while not every woman on the mountain was wearing pink, a solid eighty percent of them were.
Lawrence paused. Knowing Bonnie, she was steady and cautious. Since it was her first day skiing, she'd focus on getting the hang of it. She definitely wouldn't tackle the black diamonds right out of the gate.
Let alone venture off-piste.
But she probably wouldn't stick to the crowded bunny slopes, either.
Silver Ridge had a massive vertical drop. The beginner runs were dull and packed with novices. Assuming she knew how to ski, she most likely chose Koktokay, the famous intermediate trail known for its breathtaking views.
Lawrence got his bearings and headed toward the Koktokay run. He had deliberately avoided Bonnie at breakfast, eaten his meal, and taken his medication. Aside from a lingering ache in his calves, he felt fine.
Koktokay was long but not overly steep. He figured he could make it down.
He didn't expect to ski by her side. Just tracing the path she took would be enough for him.
Taking the lift up, Lawrence lingered at the top of the trail. The run was nearly seven miles long, taking about fifteen minutes for a smooth descent. Bonnie might already be on her way down.
Or perhaps she was already riding the lift back up.
It had been a long time since Lawrence last clicked into skis. Testing his balance on the flat snow, he felt rusty. Combined with the pain in his legs, he lost his footing and pitched forward, collapsing into the snow.
His hands began to tremble. His windproof mask made it hard to breathe, and a suffocating wave of panic washed over him. Just as he struggled to push himself up, a hand appeared in his line of sight.
Black gloves emerging from pink sleeves. Lawrence looked up from the ground and instantly recognized Bonnie.
A sharp pang of emotion hit his chest, and he quickly ducked his head, feeling utterly pathetic.


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