of his sunglasses but she hoped it did.
“Is the entire patrol made up of volunteers?”
“Yes. Most of them just enjoy having a free day of skiing in exchange for their help. They are snow junkies glad to be on skis.”
“You are the only paid staff member?”
“I am. The management feels it makes for a friendlier resort for families to have the patrol staffed by volunteers. If the patrol consisted of all paid personnel they might think they were in authority over the skiers. The management sees us as a partner in fun. It is a subtle difference but a significant one.”
He grinned. “Interesting way to think of things. I can certainly see the marketing value.”
Anyway, this was more like it. She was glad to see that he seemed at ease. His smile alone was one that the resort patrons would like—especially the women.
“Enjoying yourself?” she asked.
“It hasn’t been bad. I’ve been plenty busy.”
“I told you so.” She grinned at him. “Someone will be along to relieve you so you can have lunch. Do you know where to go to find some?”
“No, but I brought mine with me, anyway.”
Had he made his own lunch, or did he have a significant other at home? For years her mother had packed her father’s lunchbox before he’d left for the mine. It didn’t matter. That information wasn’t her business.
“Okay, I’ll see you later.” She shifted her weight and started downhill.
“You know, I don’t need anyone checking up on me.”
With a swift shift of her hips she pulled up on the edge of her skis, stopping. “It’s my job to see how my volunteers are doing.”
“Is it your job to do so every hour on the hour?”
“It’s my job to do it as often as I deem necessary.”
“I thought you might just like watching me.”
Why, the egotistical man!
His grin said he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. She wasn’t used to anyone joking with her. More than one person, especially here lately, had told her that she was far too serious.
Before she could respond, the bang from a gun being fired in the distance made her jump. She shifted precariously, ski poles searching for ground to steady herself. It had been almost a year since the blast, and she still didn’t have control over her emotions when she heard a loud noise. Falling apart in front of her volunteers—and particularly this one—wasn’t something she wanted to do. Kyle gave her the impression he didn’t miss many details. She had to learn to handle her fear.
Before she recovered, a large hand wrapped around her upper arm and held her steady. The strength of the fingers was evident even through her bulky jacket.
“You okay?” Kyle’s voice held concern.
She had the feeling that from behind his dark glasses he was watching her closely. “Yeah.” She pulled her arm out of his grasp. “I’m fine.” Heat filled her face, in spite of the weather. “I was just caught off guard.”
“You’re sure?”
Controlling the shaking of her hands, Baylie poked her ski pole firmly in the snow and pushed away. “Yes, I’m sure.” But the words were caught in the wind. She reached the entrance to the intermediate slope, stopped and looked back at him. Even from a distance she could tell his brow was raised in confusion.
Hours later the radio clipped to Baylie’s waist squawked, “Child down on the beginner slope.” It wasn’t the voice of the new guy. For some reason, his she would’ve recognized.
She brought the radio to her mouth. “ETA five.”
Skiing fast, she made her way to the nearest lift and broke through the line. Riding up, she radioed instructions to the patrolman who had given her the report. There was a pause then the man said, “The new guy took her to the clinic.”
What?
“He said he was a doctor and he’d take care of her.”
He was a doctor? She’d figured since he hadn’t introduced himself with the title of MD that he must be the clinic manager or a physical therapist. That didn’t matter. It didn’t mean he knew how to handle the kind of injuries that occurred on the mountain.
Heat filled her from head to toe. Her jaw tightened. She couldn’t respond as she wanted to over the radio. She’d straighten out protocol when she was done with the patient. Working to keep her voice even, Baylie replied, “Thanks. I’ll meet him there. Please patrol the beginner slope while we’re at the clinic.”
“Ten-four.”
Baylie was going to see to it that this guy knew his place. She made the decisions on this mountain. The care of the skiers was her responsibility. It could be a liability issue if someone was further injured by one of the patrol.
She’d hardly been deposited off the lift before she was releasing her bindings and stalking into the clinic. All the way up she reminded herself that the patient came first. The last time she’d been this irate had been when she’d woken up in a hospital bed and they wouldn’t tell her what had happened to the rest of the men.
Taking a calming breath, she walked through the tiny lobby of the patrol office. A deep voice and the shy giggle of a small child came from the direction of the exam room. As Baylie went through the door she found Kyle leaning over a little girl of about six years old with a cherubic face and flaxen curls. He was checking her eyes with a small penlight and at the head of the bed stood another longtime patrol member. Baylie fixed him with a piercing look. His lips went into a thin line and he shrugged before he said, “He insisted.”
“I did,” came the deep voice of the man examining the girl.
She spoke to the patrolman. “Please find her parents.”
The man didn’t dither when he left.
“Tell me what happened.”
Kyle glanced at her before turning his attention back to rubbing the child’s head with the tips of his fingers. Despite her anger, she had to admit he did have a gentle way about him. But he wasn’t the qualified medical staff here. She was. He’d had no business removing the child from the slope without her permission.
“Cassie was a little late getting off the lift and it caught her in the back of the head.” He continued examining the girl, looking down at her and smiling. The girl gave him a shy grin.
The man could charm a snake out of a basket. Baylie was afraid she’d have a hard time not responding to that smile if he ever turned it on her.
“The lift seat knocked her down. Mostly scared her,” Kyle finished, still not looking at Baylie.
She stepped to the table. “You can go back to the slope now. I’ll handle it from
