Laughing a little at herself, she turned her head to take in the top of the mountain. And it had been the top, the very tippy top, and the stunning view had made her glad for her map incident.

She’d never seen anything like it.

For the first time she’d been the highest point, everything below her, the world at her feet. As a woman who until very recently hadn’t been in control of her own destiny, it had staggered her.

In a really great way.

The lift hit a snag and jerked and she was not ashamed to admit that she gasped out loud and held on to the steel frame for all she was worth. There was nothing below her but thick pines and an endless blanket of snow. Not a building in sight, not even the comforting view of the lodge where she intended to grab a hot chocolate.

The lift jerked again and her hand ached from the tight grip. After all she’d been through, she was about to fall to her death, alone on a mountain.

And if by some miracle she didn’t die from the fall, her mother would kill her.

But the lift held and she didn’t fall, and ten minutes later she glided off without stumbling, and she really wished Sexy Cranky Pants could have been there to witness it. Or that anyone she knew could have seen.

Bailey had grown up in Denver, about two hours from Cedar Ridge. Though just about everyone she knew was a big skier, she was not. She’d gone a few times but mostly she’d been concentrating on other things. Today, with the wind hitting her face, the sun warming her cheeks, the feeling of being in control for once … it’d all given her a small taste and she wanted a bigger one—which she was hoping her business here yielded.

Beaming with pride, she straightened on her skis and glanced over at the lodge. From here she could see the entire north wall. Unlike the rest of the building, which was sided with wood and glass, gorgeous and rustic-looking, the north wall was smooth stucco. Easier to maintain than wood, especially since it took the brunt of the weather.

She’d been hired to paint a mural there.

Painting was important to her, very important. It wasn’t what she did for a living, but it reminded her of her grandma, whom she missed so very much. Which was what made today such a great day—two things off her list in one fell swoop!

Smiling, she very carefully skied—okay, plowed—her way to the mid-lodge. Luckily it was only a hundred yards or so and relatively flat, but that meant she had to use her poles. Halfway there she was huffing and puffing and gasping for air.