"Telemarks. As in the skis, not the phone people."She laughed again.
"You remember?" I looked at her in surprise. Those were my exact words from five years before.
"Oh yes, I remember.I remember our first meeting quite well, actually.I've been meaning to thank you for years."
"Thank me?" I asked curiously, but all I got was a mysterious smile in response, and then the lift ride was over.
Pam continued to pair us off for the rest of the day, and neither of us complained as we became more and more comfortable with each other. By the end of the day, I felt as though I had known her for years, and when I added that to the nearly insane attraction I felt for her, I knew I was in serious trouble.
And didn't care a bit.
After the lifts closed, Greta and I were invited back to the Scott's condo for dinner, and we both accepted happily. Kyle had arrived earlier that afternoon, and he swept his sister, mother, and then me up into huge bear hugs as we tromped into the condo.
"Hello, beautiful!" He whispered in my ear as he hugged me, then held me out by the shoulders, "You look great, babe."
"You look pretty good yourself, handsome," I replied, and gave him a kiss.Kyle and I had stayed in touch, and he had become a good friend.In fact, Kim was the only Scott that I had not kept in touch with. Have I mentioned I'm an idiot, as well as an ass?
I glanced over at his sister, who was looking at the rather cozy scene with an unreadable expression on her face. I gave Kyle another smile and stepped away, letting him introduce me to the two friends who had come along with him, Jeff and Bryce.
After introductions were complete, Ken took drink orders and people scattered around the living room, talking and laughing. I talked with Kyle and his friends for a while, occasionally catching Kim's eye and smiling at her, but the smiles in return were merely polite, and I sighed in frustration.
Kyle eventually drifted into conversation with Ken and Greta, and I slipped away to see if Pam needed any help in the kitchen.She asked me to chop vegetables, which I did absently, my thoughts careening wildly about my head.
I felt her before she moved up beside me; a sudden warmth that spread through my body like a shot of good tequila.She had taken a shower, and smelled of soap and rain - I wondered how it was possible for anyone to smell so good just by being clean.
I said nothing, just enjoying the feel of her beside me.
"You and Kyle seem pretty close," she said after a while, her voice low. I heard the question in it, and stopped chopping.
I looked over at Kyle, talking animatedly with his friends, and smiled. "Yeah, Kyle's the best."
I felt her stiffen, and shift away slightly. I resumed my chopping for a few moments, then stopped and looked at her, waiting for her to meet my eyes.
I took a breath. Here goes.
"I've always told him that if I weren't a lesbian, I'd marry him in a heartbeat." I held her gaze until I saw her body relax, then turned back to my chopping.
She said nothing, but I felt the brief heat of her fingers as they trailed lightly across my back before she walked away, and stifled a sigh of pleasure.
Dinner was a loud and boisterous affair; Jeff and Bryce proved very entertaining, and I had to wipe tears of laughter from my eyes on more than one occasion.After dinner was finished and the dishes cleared and washed, Bryce threw out the idea that we should go dancing, and got immediate yeas from Jeff, Kyle and Greta. Kim agreed after a little cajoling, and after hearing Kim was going, I had no problem saying yes. Pam and Ken both pleaded exhaustion after a long day of skiing, so after saying our goodbyes, the six of us headed out into the cold.
The Scott's condo was at the base of the mountain, within easy walking distance of downtown and several bars and nightclubs.Greta left the group as we passed her apartment, promising to meet us after she'd showered and changed. When we reached the nightclub we had agreed on, I decided to do the same - my house was only a few blocks off of Main, only a few minutes walk from where we were.
I waved and started walking as they entered the club, but had only gone twenty yards or so when I heard a voice behind me.
"Darcy, wait up!"I stopped.And tried to hide my goofy grin before turning to watch Kim jogging towards me."I wanted to see your place," she said in explanation, and fell in step beside me.
We walked in companionable silence, hands in our pockets, our shoulders occasionally brushing.When we reached my house, I let her in and hung both of our coats while she looked around.
"This is really nice, Darcy," she said in approval as she glanced around the cozy front room before following me into the kitchen.I offered her wine, beer, or whiskey, and was absurdly pleased when she asked for a beer.I grabbed two bottles from the fridge, held them up for her inspection and after receiving an affirmative nod, removed the tops and handed her one.
We sipped in silence, standing close together in the small kitchen, neither of us looking at the other.She ran a finger absently along the granite countertop - I watched its elegant path in fascination, wondering what my therapist would think about my sudden urge to be a two-inch slab of rock.
I shook myself, and set my bottle down.
"Make yourself at home - I'll just be a minute."As I eased past her our bodies touched, and I stumbled a little. She grabbed my arm with surprising strength, and I bit back a groan. Jesus, Darce, get a grip!I mumbled an apology and fled to the sanctuary of the shower.
I heard Patty Griffin playing softly in the other room when I exited the shower, and I applauded Kim's taste in music. I quickly donned clean jeans and a long-sleeved polo, knowing the dress code in this town was nearly non-existent. My hair was still wet, so I was toweling it dry as I walked out of the bedroom.
"Deja-vous," she said softly from the couch and I stopped toweling, letting my hand drop as I watched her stand and move towards me. She handed me my beer, and I automatically threw the towel over my shoulder as I accepted the bottle.She laughed, and after realizing what I had done, I chuckled along with her.
"I've been meaning to apologize," she said, picking at the label of her beer, "about my behavior that day."She looked away. "I was a complete bitch. Seventeen and I knew everything...God, I was obnoxious."
She looked back at me, and I smiled. "Well, my behavior wasn't all that mature either, so I think we're even."
We were quiet for a while - I didn't move, and she didn't move away.
"What did you mean today, when you said you wanted to thank me?"I finally asked for something to say, and I think the sound of my voice startled us both.
"What? Oh..." She smiled to herself, and gave me a searching look. Finding whatever she needed to find, she took a deep breath and wet her lips.
"That day, when I walked in and saw you..." She stopped, staring behind me as though her mind was far away. She came back with a start, and laughed nervously. After a swig of beer, she continued.
"After I saw you that way...so..." she stopped again, and looked at me, then looked away and said softly, "You were magnificent, you know. So cocky, so damn sure of yourself, so damn...beautiful." She straightened, and took a deep breath.Her voice turned matter-of-fact. "After seeing you like that, and reacting the way I did, I was forced to admit some things about myself - things that I had been denying for a while."
She finally looked up at me and grinned, any hint of her former discomfort gone. "So thank you." She held out her hand for me to shake. "For helping me come out to myself."
I gave her hand a squeeze, not letting go right away.
"Glad I could be of service.And glad you remember me fondly.And to think, all these years, I've been thinking that you hated my guts."