Holiday Blog - Part Two

Taking over from Dee Dee Lane is Rebecca Grace

Cammie yanked off her padded glove and it sprung from her hand to fall at his feet.

“Tossing the gauntlet for a rematch?” he asked with a laugh as he leaned over to pick it up.

“You bet!” she said, with a quick nod of her head. “Now that I know your illegal secret, I’ll beat you like a drum.” She wasn’t about to let this big man make her feel small.

The big man shoved up the cuff of his jacket to quickly glance at his watch. “Darn, I’d love take you up on that challenge, … and beat you again, of course, but I need to find out where my meeting is, and to be honest I need a cup of coffee to clear my head. Maybe tomorrow morning? Same time?”

       

     “Ha!” she said. “You know I’ll beat you, but I’ll be here.” She didn’t want to tell him that she was at this same hill many mornings before going to work. If he came back the next day she would be around anyway. “You can get coffee over at the Fun Center,” she said, nodding toward a large wooden structure nearby. “There’s a coffee counter and tables inside.”   

            His gaze turned in that direction. “Great! Listen, I have a few minutes, and I might even be persuaded to buy you a cup, though maybe you should buy since I beat you on the slope so badly.” A sly smile crossed his full lips.

            Cammie started to refuse his offer so she could make one more run, but the hour was getting late and since he would be heading for the meeting, she should probably get to work too. Another thought hit her as well. He had no idea who she was, and now that she had met Paul Auckley, she was curious about him and the plans his company might have for the area. Perhaps she could learn a few things from him while his guard was down. He had beaten her on the hill but she didn’t want him to win inside that meeting room. The future of the area might be at stake.

            “I’ll make you a deal,” she said with a wicked smile. “You buy the coffee since you were on my hill, and I’ll tell you where to go for your meeting.”

            He chuckled, a pleasant sound that burst from deep inside his chest. “Oh, now that sounds like yet another challenge.” He held out a large hand.  “I’m Paul, by the way.”

            “Cammie,” she said, accepting his hand, aware of how it seemed to envelope hers. His grip was firm and she gave his hand a quick shake.   

            “Gee, and to think, I missed the sign that said Cammie Hill somewhow,” he continued  with a  pleasant chuckle.

            “Sometimes in the winter it gets covered with snow. But in the summer it shines very brightly at night,” she retorted.

            He nodded, still grinning. “I’m sure it does. I’ll watch for it next time.”

Cammie stopped walking and just as he had, she began peeling off her bulky outer wear. She felt warm inside from the look of shock that came over him as she revealed the dark brown wool jacket of her own suit. The surprise in his eyes was worth it as she continued to peel off the rest of her covering to reveal the slim slacks of her suit. He had surprised her when he revealed who he was, and now it was fun to return the favor, especially since she still held the final advantage.

            “You work around here?” he asked glancing around.

            “You could say that,” she said, leaning over to hide a smirk, still not wanting to admit who she was. This was one time she refused to let him beat her. He had shocked her enough so far. She wasn’t going to give him yet one more advantage. They reached the glass doors of the Fun Center.

            “I’ll put this gear in my car and meet you inside,” she said nodding toward the door. “I”ll take a tall latte.”

            She walked over to her car, put the tube into the back of her SUV and exchanged her snow boots for her work pumps.

          

             Just who was Paul Auckley? She tried to recall all she had learned about him and the company he represented. She inhaled a breath of the sharp winter air. She hated the thought of a huge corporate presence overtaking the town and perhaps removing its charming Bavarian feel. She had grown up nearby and even though she wanted to escape at times, she couldn’t imagine life anywhere else. But she also couldn’t imagine the town turning from a charming village into a bustling tourist trap where the only things that counted was how much money was coming in and the type of tourists they could attract. She’d heard horror stories of corporations turning charming chalets into multi storied glass structures that spread for blocks, covering up mountain views while charging prices available only to corporate clients, who demanded only the outward trappings with none of the charm. That sort of unbridled expansion didn’t appeal to her. She preferred the families who came to camp on summer weekends or ski and tube over their winter vacations or the weekend city visitors from Seattle and Portland who had their favorite restaurants picked out or built small cabins in the woods.

Maybe she was being unfair. What was it that Paul Auckley had in mind for the area? She had the chance to ask him, and she marched into the Fun Center ready to put her questions to him.     

Cammie found Paul inside sitting at a wooden table with two cups on the table. She slid into a chair across from him and took a sip of her latte. “So, tell me, she said as she sat back. “What brings you to town?”

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How does Paul answer?

A:   He is honest and tells her about his business meeting?

B:   Does he tease and mislead her?

Please vote for A or B  before Tuesday Evening at 6PM

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