The worst part about this situation for Lucy was that she couldn’t bring herself to broach the subject of next steps with her beloved. They talked about everything. They had the kind of relationship she used to dream about before she met him and knew what was possible. So why couldn’t she ask him about their future and what he saw happening for them? She didn’t know, and that made her feel like a spineless, wimpy, ridiculous excuse for a modern woman who ran her own business but couldn’t seem to manage her relationship.

Lucy was descending into a full-on pity party when a shout from the hill had her snapping out of it in time to see Simone mid-fall.

She landed hard on the packed surface and let out a scream that made Lucy’s blood go cold. She took off running toward her niece and Colton, who was on his knees next to her.

Simone’s shrieks had the attention of everyone in the area.

Her heart pounding, Lucy tried to walk up the small hill, but the snow and ice were so slippery, she kept stumbling.

The snow patrol team had spikes in their boots that made it possible for them to rush by her in their haste to get to Simone.

Lucy stopped and looked up at Colton, hoping for info.

He held his arm up and pointed to the elbow.

“Please let her be okay,” Lucy whispered as she watched the snow patrol remove Simone’s skis and load her onto a sled-litter thing to bring her down. “Please, please, please.”

As soon as they started down the mountain with Simone, who was still screaming, Colton came down to where Lucy stood at the foot of the hill, feeling useless and frightened.

He kicked up a wall of snow as he came to a stop beside her. “I think her elbow is dislocated.”

“Oh no.”

“The good news is it can be fixed pretty easily. The bad news is it hurts like hell.”

At the thought of Simone in so much pain, Lucy felt like she was going to be sick.

“Hey,” Colton said. “Look at me. Breathe. She’s okay. It sounds worse than it is.”

Lucy watched as the snow patrol headed for a building with a big red cross on the outside. “If you say so.”

“Hop on.”

“What?”

“Jump on, and I’ll give you a ride to the first aid building.”

“Um, I…” Visions of calamity danced through her brain, making her hesitate.

“Lucy, come on! She needs us.”

His urgent tone got her attention. She jumped onto his back and held on for dear life as he pointed his skis toward the building while she tried not to scream her head off. Colton brought them to a swift stop right by the door.

Simone’s shrieks could be heard from outside.

Lucy dropped down from Colton’s back, landing on unsteady legs.