* * *

Garrett stood at the bottom of the stairs surveying the crowd of stranded skiers. The ski lodge was busy with patrons that were letting the weather outside give them reason to eat, drink and be merry. After all, what else was there left to do in the near whiteout condition?


Stepping around to the other side of the stairway, the tall surgeon looked, desperately trying to find the petite blonde. Not seeing her, Garrett began to worry. ‘ I wonder if I embarrassed her more than I thought? Maybe I should get Cowboy and…’ That’s when she heard the laughter and jeers. She knew that voice and turned a little more just in time to see Rosie teasing everyone around her as she readied to chug a glass of beer. Garrett rolled her eyes and in doing so, noticed the name of the area that she was entering into, the Foggy Goggle.


Making her way over to the group, Garrett saw Danni seated between Rosie and a young man that looked vaguely familiar to her. For a moment, the surgeon thought that she knew him but then decided she didn’t.


Trying not to stare, the surgeon let her gaze take in the whole area. This part of the ski lodge was arranged with small, round, green tables, each one with seating for four. The normal array of neon beer logos hung from the rafters, each one lighting the way to the large fancy ‘U’ shaped unstained pine bar complete with stools. It was obvious which beers were the ones of choice in this establishment, Coors, Bud, Miller’s, and of course, the hometown favorite, I.C. Lite hung directly over the table that the D.J. was sitting at.


The lighting was dim at best without the bright sun coming in the large expanse of windows that lined the walls, all giving excellent views of the slopes on the Front Face of the mountain. The night gave way to the more moodily lit tiffany-styled shades with their low wattage bulbs. This wing of the lodge was now ready for the soft whispers and the tingle of emotions that the consumed alcohol would bring. It was by rights, your typical bar or meeting spot of the young and single crowd.


Danni picked up her glass to take a sip of the rum and coke that had been so graciously ordered for her. ‘I can’t believe David remembered what I had last year.’ She smiled at him and sipped once more before setting the glass down on the table. Looking up, she saw the tall form of Garrett approaching the group. "Hey," her eyes softened with a friendly glow, "Gar, over here." The petite woman waved her hand to signal her friend. Once Danni made sure that the surgeon was coming towards her, she hastily looked for somewhere to set her at the group of tables. Seeing that there were two empty chairs across the tables and down a few spaces from her, Danni motioned for Garrett to have a seat.


The surgeon took her time getting to it, not knowing quite how to act toward Danni. ‘I better play this one by ear. However she treats me…that’s what I’ll return.’ Garrett eyed the chair as she pulled it out from under the table and sat down. Looking around the collection of tables, the surgeon picked out several people that she didn’t know. Studying the close proximity that they had with a staff member next to them, Garrett reasoned that they were either mates or dates of the people she knew. Her eyes wondered over to Danni and the young man sidled up to the nurse’s side. ‘I wonder who he is…and what he is to Danni?’


The group from the E.R. was all talking at pretty much the same time. The constant chattering seemed to be about the events of the day on the slopes outside. Garrett sat and listened to the stories until she felt as though someone was staring at her. Turning slowly to her left, the surgeon looked to the empty chair that had been next to her. There, to her surprise, was Ian McCormick sitting back in the chair with his hands resting on a tall glass of beer and a smile leering at his lips.


"I’ve had enough skiing for one day," Rosie announced, "It’s time to dance." She jumped up and headed toward the D.J. and the small open area for dancing. "Who’s coming with me?" She yelled at the group, "Mom, Danni, come on. David, pull that nurse up and bring her out here."


Not wanting to have anymore attention drawn to herself, Danni obligingly got up from her seat and followed David to the dance floor where the fast beat music was playing.


"I see you saved a seat for me, Dr. Trivoli. Could it mean that you’ve decided to thank me for the little weekend that I’ve arranged for your team?" Ian began to let his gaze move up and down her body as his head motioned to Danni. "I thought that maybe you girls were working a little too hard lately and needed…shall we say…a little fun." His eyebrows wiggled causing the lines in his forehead to follow suit, rippling nearly up to the top of his baldhead.


The words caught Garrett off guard. Now, things were coming to light. Ian had arranged this rendezvous with a little down time to make a little time himself. The coy smile of the surgeon was hidden from the man. She needed to see how far she could go without tipping her hand. ‘Two can play this game, Ian and I’d say that you’ve met your match, if not better.’


The tall woman pulled her chair just a tad closer to the physician, hoping he would see it as an attempt of letting her intentions to be known. Garrett glanced at him, then out onto the dance floor where Danni filled her view.


The surgeon sat there for a while watching the smooth movements of her young friend as the music beat a rhythm that made you want to move right along with it. Danni looked happy and carefree as she moved in conjunction with the man that seemed to know every step she was about to take.


"So, tell me, Dr. McCormick, how easy was it to get McMurray to agree to this." Garrett used her hand to motion to the group and the lodge. "I’m sure you just didn’t tell him what your agenda was, now did you?"


Ian chuckled. "That old man has no idea what’s really going on. He’s set in his ways, doesn’t know what us young people are all about."


Garrett raised her eyebrow at that idea. ‘Remember how the saying goes, Ian. It’s the young and beautiful people.’ She eyed his baldhead, swearing that she could see the reflection of the tiffany shade above them in it. She looked casually out to the dance floor once again, her eyes quickly finding Danni. She watched the movement of the nurse’s torso, finally allowing herself to concentrate on the derriere as it was now facing her. The memory of cream colored lace was still fresh in her mind.


"So, you think you know what it is that the younger bunch is looking for, eh?" Garrett let her eyes drift off to him without moving her head. "Tell me, what is it that we need right about now."


"Say, why don’t you let me get you a drink?" He winked at her as he began to rise. "Beer, or would you like a drink with a little more kick? I’m going to get myself another shot and a beer." Ian leaned over her shoulder to whisper in her ear. "You know, you are down for the night, why not just let yourself go and enjoy."


Garrett fought hard not to get angered at this last statement. Putting on a sickening smile, the surgeon turned her head to whisper right back at him. "Humor me. I can be just as relaxed drinking coffee. Besides, you wouldn’t want me to not be able to remember it later, now would you?"


Ian’s face lit up. "Coffee, anything special in it?" His eyes were aglow with licentious thoughts.


Garrett smirked as she thought about her young friend on the dance floor. "Yeah, I’ll have a little cream with that."


It felt good to be dancing. It was the one thing that Danni ever enjoyed that her mother had thought of as a necessary requirement for all young girls. The long hours spent practicing paid off in situations like this one. The teasing was a lot less if you only took a little bit of coaxing to get up and dance than it did if they had to drag you out of your chair.


The entire time that Danni was up there dancing, she tried to position herself in such a manner that she would be able to keep an eye on the tall surgeon still seated at the table. At one point when the music stopped, Rosie drew Danni’s attention toward the more than civil appearing conversation happening between Garrett and Ian.


"What’s with those two anyway?" It actually looked like they were getting along for once and Rosie just had to comment on it.


Danni immediately spun around to see what she was missing. That’s when she saw Ian lean over, whispering into Garrett’s ear. Danni held her breath, waiting to see the sparks fly but they never did. Instead, Garrett reciprocated the whisper with one of her own, which sent McCormick scurrying off to the bar. ‘Huh?’ " Maybe she’s just being nice in front of everyone."


"I don’t know. They always say that the ones that protest too much end up being strange bedfellows. You think maybe her and McCormick…" Rosie wiggled her eyebrows, "will you know…do the tango under the sheets tonight?"


Danni looked at Rosie then at the dark-haired surgeon and shook her head. ‘Great, that’s all I need. I finally fall in love with someone and lose her to the likes of Ian McCormick.’ "I’d be surprised."


"Yeah, well rumor has it that’s why you got grounded up here today. Ian arranged for his girls to have some "fun" time. He’s the one who told me to invite David up."


Danni stopped and turned in the direction that her hand was being tugged. David had her and was leading her back towards the dance floor. "May I have this next dance?" As if it had been cued to start at that exact moment, the slow and mellow music filtered across the air. Danni obliged him as she stepped up and laid her hands on his body just like she’d been taught so many years ago. With her head resting on his shoulder, the nurse kept a wary eye on her tall friend, praying that Rosie was wrong.


David let the music set his pace for conversation. Slowly he talked of little things to bring Danni’s mind back on to him and the times that they had shared in the E.R. He wanted her to know that he valued her friendship above all else. It was with that in mind that he ventured into the discussion of having a room all to himself for the night. Then without warning the words took Danni by surprise. "Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t you stay in my room tonight? We’re friends aren’t we? We could just talk about old times and get reacquainted. What do you say?"


Danni let him spin her around as she thought about what he was saying, but her mind only could see what was going on back at the tables with Garrett and Ian.


The two nemeses had gotten physically closer, the baldhead of the physician contrasting with the shoulder length raven-hair of the surgeon. Each one waiting for just the right time to spring their trap on the other. Ian lifted his shotglass, draining it once more then quickly followed it with the chaser of beer. He wanted to build up his courage before he would tangle with the demanding surgeon. He reached into his pocket and dangled the key in front of Garrett.


The surgeon’s eyes twinkled with the dangling key dancing in front of her face. She snatched the key with her hand and held onto it. Ian’s eyes bugged out in shock. It was as if the tall woman was actually eager about sharing the night with him.


The physician began to rise from his chair, only to be pulled down by Garrett’s strong hand on his arm. Garrett leaned in closer to whisper as she juggled the key so that the soft metal on metal sound could be heard. The surgeon wink as she released his arm. Ian slowly nodded. He looked around making sure that no one was in earshot of their plans, then went back to his glass of beer.


Danni stood in disbelief as she watched her friend get up and slowly walk away from the table and Ian McCormick. ‘What is she doing? Danni girl, she’s doing what Rosie said she would, playing with the big fish, not some little minnow like you.’



* * *

Still dressed in his Flight suit, Cowboy was lounging in the main lodge by one of the open fireplaces, sipping on a cup of java. The man was relaxing as he listened to the world revolving around him, lost in a trance of days gone by. The surgeon watched him for a minute or two before approaching.


"Guess you didn’t make it to the room yet, eh?" Garrett pointed to his clothing.