kind?” the young woman asked, eyes wide in interest.
“Boots. But not four-thousand dollar alligators,” Skylar laughed. “That’s a bit out of my league.”
“I hear you,” the clerk commented. “You need indoor or outdoor? Ski boots or dress boots? Fur lined or suede lined? Waterproof or stain resistant? We’ve got ’em all.”
“Maybe indoor and outdoor. Not too fancy,” Skylar started, not sure what else to say. “Guess I need everything. Or whatever you think a person moving here from Florida needs. I have no idea what I’m getting into…and I’m on a tight budget,” she decided to add. “I just want to be comfortable, okay?”
A huge grin spread over the salesgirl’s face. “Sure, I get it.” She extended a hand. “I’m Cindy. Let me take those things from you so we can get busy, Miss…”
“Skylar. Skylar Webster.”
“Okay, Skylar. Leave it all to me. I think I know exactly what you need. Plus, you came at the right time, too. We’re having our annual ‘Freeze-Out Sale,’ and quite a few items are reduced. I’ll be right back.” The clerk hurried away, placed the bundle of clothing inside a dressing room and returned within seconds, a pamphlet in her hand. “Here’s a list of the essentials, things you must have if you want to be both stylish and comfortable while vacationing in Aspen.”
Skylar glanced over the colorful pamphlet and sighed. “I’m not really vacationing, and I don’t ski. You see, I’m going to be working at Scenic Ridge.”
“Oh, yeah, the ski school, right? Great. What are you going to be doing?”
“I’m the new concierge.”
“All right. You go, girl. Beautiful place. I went up there once with a friend of mine a few years ago. The road is tricky, though. Real narrow in places. Be careful on your way up.”
“Really? Thanks for warning me.”
“So, you’re from Florida, huh?” Cindy went on as she walked Skylar across the store. “What made you come up here?”
Skylar paused, knowing she ought to be careful. Aspen was not a very big place. It wouldn’t take long for information about her to spread if she started telling too much, and she didn’t want to take any chances. All this clerk really needed was her dress size, her shoe size and her credit card. Why bother to get into why she left Tampa or how long she planned to stay? “I have relatives in the area, and just wanted to be near them,” she said, satisfied with her half-truth.
“You’ve come to the right place to get outfitted, then,” Cindy said, stopping near a section of the store that was brimming with turtlenecks, blouses, slacks and jackets in every color and style imaginable.
“Okay. I’m lost, Cindy. Tell me what I need,” Skylar commented, fingering a silky top as she set off to create her new wardrobe.
For the next hour, Skylar tried on a variety of slacks, tops, parkas, boots, sweaters, socks, gloves and hats. By the time she was completely outfitted she was exhausted, and her checking account was about to be a little thinner, though, with Cindy’s guidance, she had found some very good bargains. Among them were a hooded parka with a fluffy raccoon collar, several thermo-stretch ski pants with matching tops, over-the-boot pants with coordinated wool cardigans, suede gloves and a Daniel Boone-style coyote hat.
“Fabulous choices,” Cindy remarked as she finished ringing up Skylar’s purchases. “And you saved a bit, too. But…oh my gosh, we forgot one very important item. Sunglasses and goggles. Up here, they’re absolutely necessary. Gotta cover those eyes and keep those wrinkles away. And if you do decide to get out on the slopes, you don’t want to go snow-blind, do you?” Cindy giggled and inclined her head toward a wall at the back of the shop. “Why don’t you go pick out a pair of sunglasses while I package your purchases and finish up here? And if you give me your car keys, I’ll have one of the stock boys put everything in your car.”
Trusting Cindy’s advice once again, Skylar handed over the keys to the Jeep she had rented at the airport and told Cindy where she was parked. Doing as she was told, she walked toward the back of the store where a number of display stands with a variety of sunglasses and goggles filled a corner.
Skylar stopped at the first display and selected a pair of shades with brown, tortoiseshell frames, slipped them on and then shook her head. Not for her. They didn’t flatter her face at all. After several more try-ons, she moved over to the next rack to stand opposite a man and a woman who were discussing a pair of black wraparound goggles.
The man was wearing a red down jacket with the hood thrown back, exposing a mass of tawny-brown hair that almost touched his shoulders. Skylar found the sight intriguing, yet a bit unnerving. How could a man have such gorgeous hair? Skylar thought, curious to see more of him. She edged forward a few inches and cut her eyes in his direction, visually following him as he walked over to a full-length mirror and tried on the goggles. She observed that his hair had a definite wave to it and his skin was golden tan. Skylar was pretty sure he was African-American, or at least of African descent.
After adjusting his goggles a few times, the man turned around and looked over at Skylar, catching her watching him.
With a start, she gasped and glanced away, unsure of why she had reacted so strongly, but keenly aware that she had been struck by something magnetic and powerful radiating from the guy, who quickly returned to studying his image in the mirror.
Curious, she chanced another peek. He looked mature. Maybe late thirties, she thought. She was stunned that she was actually calculating this stranger’s age and checking out his left hand. Umm…no ring there. However, he did have a flashy sparkler on his little finger.
Either this brother is filthy rich or seriously into high-profile bling, she decided, certain that the stone flashing back at her was much too large to be real.
Moving to another rack of glasses, she acted as if she was trying to pick out another to try on as she fingered a wire-rimmed pair, trying to ignore the guy. But she couldn’t resist peering over at him once more, and this time she really scrutinized features not hidden by his wraparound goggles. He had a prickly stubble of light brown hair shading his jaw and a tiny gold earring in his left ear. His nose, softly sculpted and wide at the base settled nicely above a set of perfectly shaped, white teeth that peeked out from behind lips that were generously full and wickedly sensuous.
Very kissable lips, she thought, sighing inwardly while admonishing herself for even thinking such crazy thoughts. She had come to Aspen to clear her mind, help her sister out and get over Lewis’s betrayal, not check out the available brothers or get romantically involved with a new man. But what harm was there in looking? she asked herself, liking what she saw.
She guessed that the eyes hidden behind those dark glasses were probably hazel, or maybe golden-brown like tiger’s eyes, and wondered if the broad stretch of his shoulder line was natural or the result of the padding in his parka. His skin, a beautiful tannish golden brown that perfectly matched his hair, stood in definite contrast to the woman with him, who was pale, blonde and ski-pole thin.
The blonde looked over and squinted, not happy to catch Skylar watching her man. The two locked eyes for a moment before Skylar broke off and focused on the sunglasses, putting the oddly matched couple and her curiosity about the guy out of her thoughts.
After a few quick try-ons, Skylar decided on a pair of silver framed aviators with bronze lenses reduced from $199 to $59.99.
