A Little Too Late (Madigan Mountain)

AVA

It’s a crisp fall day in downtown Penny Ridge when Reed asks me, “Is it time?”

“It’s time. Knock ’em dead, honey.” I give him a playful shove toward the podium where he’s about to preside over a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Before he takes a step, he leans in with twinkling brown eyes and gives me a soft kiss on the cheek. “I’m looking forward to riding the new chairlift with you to the top after this. Don’t go anywhere.”

“You got it.”

I get a peck on the mouth, but he still seems hesitant to walk away. Tucker Block gestures to him, and he reluctantly drops my hand. The two of them approach the podium to polite applause.

We’re standing in front of a brand-new ski lift. As Reed had intended, it’s ready in time for the new ski season. It will carry skiers and snowboarders up what used to be the unskiable back side of Madigan Mountain.

The community plaza and band shell are still under construction, and the new condos won’t be ready until next year. It took Reed and Tucker many long months to get the expansion off the ground.

Ultimately, we’ll get fifty new condo units at the mountain’s base to go along with all that new terrain. The project was carefully planned to fit well within the town’s historic low-rise vibe. The condos will be contemporary treasures, and the sunken parking garage will have a green rooftop featuring a four-season cafe.

It’s really happening. We’re celebrating their first big milestone. And since it’s September, and the aspens are turning a perfect shade of gold, Reed and Tucker have invited the town of Penny Ridge for a preseason ride up the mountain just for fun.

My hotshot boyfriend approaches the microphone. He’s wearing a cabled sweater that makes him look like a Ralph Lauren model on a crisp fall day, and more than one woman in the crowd gets a dreamy look in her eye as he taps the mic. “Good afternoon! It’s my pleasure to welcome you to the ribbon cutting on the Town Quad Express.”

There’s more applause. I put my fingers in my mouth and whistle, because I’m fun like that.

Our gazes lock, and he gives me a private smile before continuing. “Last year I made the move to come back to Colorado, and I couldn’t be happier. Building this project in the town where I grew up is really a dream come true. The only bummer about the whole thing is that this lift—” He indicates the new chair. “—didn’t exist when I was younger. I would have liked to be one of the few kids who could ski to school in the morning.”

The crowd laughs as if he’s joking. But I know he’s not.

“I’m totally doing that,” Callie’s daughter says from the front row of the crowd.

“No, you’re not,” Callie murmurs even as she kneels to take a photo of Reed at the podium.

After Reed says a few words, Tucker Block takes over for the ribbon cutting. “Friends, thanks for coming out today. It’s been a real pleasure to have one more chance to shape the town of Penny Ridge before my retirement. Before I turn things over to the next generation, you’re all invited on a chairlift ride. So let’s cut that ribbon—we’ve got these giant scissors.” He brandishes the silly things. “Before we’re ready to fly, we need a volunteer to cut the ribbon.”

“ME!” Sutton yells, bouncing forward. “I’ll do it!”

I think someone tipped her off that this was a possibility.

I think that someone was Reed. I saw them whispering together before the ceremony started.

“All right, young lady,” Tucker says. “Just don’t cut anything important.”

Callie, her big camera slung around her neck, follows to get a shot of her daughter cutting through the ceremonial ribbon. That photo will probably show up on the front of the Penny Ridge Gazette’s website tomorrow.

Sutton does her thing, and the ribbon flutters to the ground. Everyone applauds as Bert pulls a lever on the chairlift’s control panel.

The lift hums to life, and the cable begins to move. The first chair, passengerless, glides up to the starting line and then eases through.

“Let’s go up!” Sutton shrieks, handing the scissors to Bert. The crowd begins to shuffle into line.

“Ava,” Reed says, wrapping an arm around my waist. “Ready to ride to the top with me?”

“Almost. First I have to clean up this ribbon…” I bend over and scoop it off the ground. “And, honey? I saw your father and Melody. She wants you to try her new cookie recipe.”

“Later? Let’s just…”

“Yoo-hoo! Reed? Ava!” Melody calls. “Try these. They’re anzac biscuits. I learned the recipe on our trip to New Zealand.” She thrusts a large tray in our direction.

I help myself to a cookie and take a bite. “Yum! Is that coconut?”

“Sure is.” She takes me by the elbow and starts to tell me the story of the bakery where she first tried them.

When I glance at Reed, he looks annoyed.

“We’ll go up in a few minutes?” I suggest, and he nods.

As Melody finishes her story, Mark swoops in for a cookie and buttonholes Reed. “Have you thought any more about my idea?” Mark asks his son.

“Some,” Reed says. “But Ava and I were just about to ride up to the summit…”

“The line is long.” Mark points at the lift. It’s true, too. Lots of locals have queued up. “So give me a few minutes of your time. I want to run one more thing by you.”

Reed crosses his arms with an irritation that I haven’t seen for a while. He and his father have really repaired their relationship this year, so it’s rare for him to look put out by a chat with Mark.

“I was thinking about how to get your brothers more involved with the mountain,” Mark says. “And I want to sweeten the pot.”

“But we’ve been over this,” Reed argues. “It’s not easy for Weston or Crew to drop everything and come back to Colorado.”

“Sure, sure,” Mark says. “But read this anyway.” He hands Reed a folded piece of paper. “It’s a profit-sharing plan that my lawyer dreamed up. It’s immediately generous to you, Reed, because of the active role you’re taking in the company. But it would grant shares to your brothers, too, for each year they lived in Colorado working at the resort.”

Reed’s gaze meets mine for a split second, because Reed has a secret. He’s already pushing Weston to come back and run the heli skiing outfit. And it might actually happen.

But Weston is so cagey that Reed won’t believe it until he sees his brother behind the controls on a helipad. So he hasn’t kept his dad in the loop.

“All right,” Reed says slowly. “You want me to dangle a financial carrot in front of their noses? Fine.” He tucks the paper into a pocket. “I really don’t think money is the issue, though.”

Mark looks away. “I know that, Reed. But this is my only way of incentivizing them.”

“There’s always cookies,” Melody adds, trying to soften the mood. “Some people respond to millions of dollars. Some respond to toasted coconut.”

I grab another cookie off the tray. “We all know which one I am.”

Reed gives me an indulgent smile. “Come on, cookie monster. Time to ride the lift.”

Melody waves us off, and Reed and I get in the slow-moving line. When our turn arrives, we step up to the guideline just the two of us, but at the last second, Tucker hustles up and joins us. “Hey guys, mind if I ride up with you?”

“Sure!” I say, moving over to make more room.

Reed looks annoyed, and it makes me wonder if something is going on with him. Maybe he’s tired or coming down with something. He’s been quiet all day.

We’ve both been working hard. There were about a million weddings at the resort this summer, which kept me on my toes. And Reed hasn’t taken a day off in two weeks. He’s either testing the new chairlift or huddled with Block over blueprints and plans.

Meanwhile, we’re renovating the house where Reed grew up. “You take the house,” Mark had said after Reed moved back to Colorado. “Melody and I will be traveling, and it will just sit empty.”

After a little bit of thought, Reed had decided that he didn’t mind moving back into the home where he grew up. “A lot happened to me in that house. Not all of it good,” he’d conceded. “But let’s make it ours. Let’s start fresh.”

So we’re repainting, renovating the bathrooms, and changing the bedroom configuration upstairs.

Mark and Melody just closed on a condo that came up for sale, and they’ll have someplace to stay when they’re in Colorado.

But it’s been a lot of work for everyone.

Reed takes my hand, his thumb stroking my palm, as the chair rises over the new ski hill.

“Look at all the cutting you’ve done,” Block says, looking down at the newly cleared runs. “How many trails will you have open by winter?”

“Five,” Reed says. “Plus some gladed terrain.”

“Can’t wait to try it out,” Block says. “You’re a busy guy. How’s the home renovation coming?”

“Fine, but Ava is riding herd on that,” he says, sliding his fingers over mine. “She’s the one who has to answer all the contractors’ questions about electrical outlets and bathroom fixtures.”

He isn’t wrong. “I know everything about tile patterns that I never wanted to know.”

Block gives me a friendly smile. He’s a good guy, and Reed has enjoyed working with him on the development project. “Reed, the reason I hopped on here with you two is that I have something to show you. I’ve been fishing for something on your behalf, and this morning there was a nibble on the line.” He pulls out his phone, opens to a photograph, and passes it to me.

Mindful I don’t drop it, I pass the phone carefully to Reed. But I can see that the photo is a bronze sculpture, and I can tell that his mother made it.

“Whoa,” Reed says, enlarging the photo. “Whose is this?”

“It’s in a private collection,” Block says. “My gallery sold it fifteen years ago as part of a group show.”

Reed is quiet a moment, admiring the sculpture. “And you think it could be for sale?”

“I know it could be,” Block says. “I approached this buyer and told him that the artist’s family was interested in reacquiring some of her work. He said to make him an offer.”

Reed whistles. Then he passes the phone back to me, and I carefully hand it back to Block. “Will you help me make an offer on Monday?”

“You know it,” Block says. “And if this one doesn’t come easily, I’ll keep looking. We’ll find you something good.”

“Thank you,” Reed says quietly. “I really appreciate that.”

As we fly over golden aspens and deep green pines, I make a mental note to think about where we might put a sculpture in the renovated house.

“Are you getting off?” Block asks when we reach the top. “I think I’ll ride right back down.” The chair slows as it reaches the loading station.

“Yeah, we’re getting off for a walk,” Reed says quickly. “See you Monday?”

“Of course! We’ll talk about roofing materials.”

“Oh baby,” Reed says, and Block laughs as we disembark.

Reed leads me away from the lift, past a knot of people who are admiring the new trail map.

“Where are we headed?” I ask.

“Anywhere. Away from all these people. Damn, I thought I’d never get you alone.”

“You seem a little strung out,” I say as gently as possible.

Reed just laughs, his smile surprisingly warm, and I can tell that he’s okay. “If it’s wrong to want a minute alone with you, then I don’t want to be right.”

“I like the way you think. What are we doing during this moment alone?” I bat my eyelashes at him. “Wait—do you want to christen this side of the mountain?”

He laughs. “That hadn’t been my intention, but now that you mention it…”

We walk uphill a little farther, past the mountain’s peak. Reed guides me to a craggy outcropping and steps aside so I can admire the vista.

“Now that’s the money view, isn’t it?” I ask in a hushed voice. It’s so beautiful here. The treetops are copper and golden, spreading out like a carpet across the valley. I pull out my phone and snap a photo, although my pic won’t do it justice.

“The view is very beautiful,” Reed says quietly. “And I was kind of hoping you’d want to spend a lifetime looking at it with me.”

His words settle over me, and I feel a tingle behind my breastbone. Is he asking what I think he might be asking?

I screw up my courage and turn to look at him.

With a sly smile, Reed drops down on one knee. Then he reaches inside his fancy sweater and pulls out a ribbon that’s hanging around his neck. When he lifts it over his head, I see a diamond solitaire engagement ring dangling from it. “Ava, will you marry me?”

I take a gasping breath and reach for the ribbon. “Y-yes,” I say in a shaky voice. “This is…wow.” It’s a round-cut stone in a platinum setting. “It’s so, so beautiful.”

He rises to his feet and kisses me. “I’ve been saving this for a ride up the ski lift.”

“The ribbon was supposed to help prevent us from dropping it off the chair,” I realize.

“That’s right,” Reed says with a smile. “That was my grandmother’s idea when my father decided to propose to my mother on the chairlift. My mother’s ring had a ribbon on it, too.”

Smiling, I glance toward the chairlift. “But then Tucker ring-blocked you. I suppose you could have waited for our return trip.”

Reed shakes his head. “This is the perfect spot, Ava. I rolled with it. Not everything works out for us on the first try. But I’ve got as many tries in me as it takes, honey. And I’m going to love you until the day I die.”

My eyes get teary, and I wrap my arms around him, the ribbon clutched in my fist. “I like the way you think.”

He puts his chin on my shoulder. I snuggle in a little closer, and we stand there together a long, long time.