CHAPTER 3

"Brian, don't you fucking lie to me. I've known you since we started going to school here, and I've never seen you this smitten with someone," Ben stated as he munched on some chips while they waited for their food to arrive. Michael and Justin had woken up early and hit the slopes, so Brian and Ben had decided to have an early lunch at the café next to the mountain.

"What, okay, so he's charming, he makes me smile, and did I forget to mention that he's drop dead fucking gorgeous," Brian said smiling as he reached across for a celery stick and dipped it in ranch dressing.

"Take him to dinner tonight. There's that great Chinese place at the top of the mall area, and if you go right at sunset the bar offers a spectacular view of the mountain. Besides I can tell he likes you too, and you two are perfect together," Ben said as he sipped his iced tea.

"I guess I'm just nervous. You know me and relationships," Brian said bluntly as he sipped on his beer.

"Yeah but this one's different."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Michael, shit, I really hurt my ankle coming off that jump," Justin said as he unlocked the ski boots, and slid his coat off.

"Shit, let me see it," Michael said walking around the corner of the doorway between their two rooms.

"Here," Justin said as he slid off his ski suit and socks and exposed a very swollen and obviously bruised ankle.

"We need to ice that down," Michael said, as he grabbed some pillows and propped Justin's leg up on them. Then he grabbed a plastic bag, poured ice into it then wrapped Justin's ankle in a towel and covered the swollen area with the makeshift icepack. "How are things going with Brian?"

"We are just friends and I'm sure that's all we will ever be."

"Don't lie to me, you so like him. Your whole face lights up when he walks into a room."

"Okay I admit, I want him, but how am I going to get him?"

"There's that Chinese place at the mall area, and the bar is awesome. It offers a spectacular view of the slopes at sunset."

"Sounds like a plan."

"And, just think of it this way, you will be in those arms before nightfall since he's going to have to help you walk everywhere since you aren't coordinated enough to use crutches."

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