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Seasons of Love

By Joan Deppa

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Chapter 1

The snow was gently falling from the sky, kissing Bonnie’s face as she looked up. It had already covered the branches on the trees like a soft blanket and made a thick, white carpet on the ground. It was a beautiful winter wonderland. Bonnie loved being out in the woods on a day like this—just her, God, and nature.
“Hey, look out!” screamed a voice from behind Bonnie, but too late to stop her from landing on her backside as she tried to get out of the way.
She looked around to find the person responsible for the outcry and saw that he too was on the ground—skis pointing to the sky, poles on either side of him, and his back toward her. But not for long. As he turned around, she could see the angry expression on his face, and she braced herself to hear about the trouble she had caused.
“What do you think you’re doing, standing in the middle of the ski trail like that?” The man stood up on his skis and came toward Bonnie.
“I’m sorry,” Bonnie said, as she awkwardly tried to get up.
But the snow on that side of the trail was softer, and she was having a hard time getting her feet under her.
A hand reached down to help her. As she looked up into his face, it looked less angry and more concerned for her welfare.
“Here, let me help you up. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“No. Thankfully, I had the snow to cushion my fall. How about you? Are you all right?”
“Yes, although I’m sure we’ll both have some bruises we didn’t have before. Don’t you know you’re not supposed to walk on the groomed trails? It ruins it for cross-country skiers, and coming down this hill it’s hard to stop. I didn’t see you until I came around that turn. What are you doing here?”
“I was enjoying the beautiful day, just like you. I like walking in the woods, but my boots kept sinking into the deep snow and it was hard to walk, so I stayed on the edge of the trail where it was packed down so I wouldn’t keep sinking. You mainly go down the middle, so I didn’t wreck your stupid trail!” She planted her fists on her hips. “Besides, where’s a person supposed to walk anyway? You’re not the only one who likes to be out in the woods.”
She hoped her stern expression would convey her seriousness, as her five-foot-three stature wouldn’t intimidate him as he looked down on her.
“Okay, okay, I get the point. But you’re endangering yourself and others on this trail when you stand there gawking that way. Why don’t you get yourself some cross-country skis, and then you can enjoy the trails more safely?”
“It does look like fun, but I don’t know if I could do it.”
“I could teach you. I have a ski shop in town. You could rent some skis at first to see how you like it and go from there. By the way, my name is Brad Jorgenson, owner of the Lake and Snow in Bessemer, and you are?”
“Bonnie. Bonnie Turner. I recently moved to Ironwood, Michigan, and have found it to be a beautiful area.”
“That it is. In any season. But for now, let’s get you out of the woods safely. You stay on the edge of the trail, and I’ll take the middle. I’ll help you get back to your car, as it should only be about a mile or so.”
“Oh please, don’t stop skiing on my account. I can make it back on my own.”
“I don’t want to worry about you getting run over by another skier. I can come back another time.” Brad smiled. “Besides, like you said, it’s a beautiful day to enjoy the woods.”
So they continued on through the trees and across the white carpet of packed snow. Bonnie, however, got a good view of not only the woods but also Brad’s back, as he was able to go faster on the downhill parts of the trail on his skis than she could on foot. He looked to be about five feet ten and muscular, which told her he was an outdoorsman. His dark hair, partly covered by his stocking cap, had soft waves in it. Whenever he stopped and turned to make sure she was all right, his blue eyes sparkled in the sun that was beginning to peek out of the clouds and through the trees.
As they got closer to the parking lot and Bonnie’s car, the trail widened and was flatter, so Brad pointed out the different kinds of trees and small animals frolicking in the snow. It seemed like all of God’s creation was enjoying this beautiful day as well.
When they got to the parking lot, Brad put his skis and poles into his red SUV, and Bonnie started walking to her car.
“I want to thank you, Brad, for walking with me and making sure I got back safely. And I promise not to walk on your groomed ski trails again. I’ll have to find another place to walk. Or maybe I’ll try cross-country skiing. We’ll see.”
As she got into her car, Brad came over and put his hand on the door before she could shut it.
“Would you like to get a cup of hot chocolate before you go home? I know a little café down the road that has the best homemade pies and the creamiest hot chocolate you’ve ever tasted. My treat—for running into you.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.”
“Please. Maybe we can even talk about those ski lessons for you,” he said with another smile.
“All right. Hot chocolate does sound good. I’ll follow you.”
As Brad said, the café was not far down the road. It wasn’t very busy, so they chose a booth by the window. A waitress came right away, and Brad ordered apple pie à la mode with a cup of hot chocolate; and Bonnie ordered just a hot chocolate. It didn’t take long to get their order, and Brad was right—the hot chocolate was rich and creamy. It really hit the spot.
“So what brought you to Ironwood?” Brad asked as he cut into his pie.
“Actually, a friend of mine lives here. April and I went to college together at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. After we graduated, April got a job teaching in the elementary school in Ironwood. I got a teaching job in the Minneapolis area but didn’t really like living in the big city, as I’m more of a small-town girl. So when April heard about an opening in her school district, she told me about it. I applied, got the job, and here I am.”
“So what grade do you teach?” Brad asked as he continued eating his pie.
“The third grade. It’s a nice age. The kids still like their teacher, are excited with all the new things they’re learning, but are able to do a lot of things on their own. My class has twenty-one students, so it’s a nice size to work with. How about you? Have you lived in the area all your life?”
“Yes, pretty much. I graduated from Bessemer High School and then Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, where I got a degree in business. Now I have my own business doing what I enjoy—skiing, snowmobiling, fishing, boating, and just being in the great outdoors. Which reminds me, when should we set up your first cross-country ski lesson?”
“Well, I don’t know. Are you sure you can fit me into your busy schedule?”
“I’ll make the time,” Brad said with a smile. “I’m sure you’re pretty busy during the week with school and all, so how about next Saturday afternoon about one-thirty? You can meet me at my shop, we’ll fit you with some skis, and I’ll take you to some trails that would be good for you to start out on. I have someone helping me on the weekends, so I can take some time off when I need to. Here’s my business card. It has the shop address and phone number.”
“All right. I guess if I’m going to live here, I better learn how to ski and enjoy the beauty of the Upper Peninsula. Thank you for the hot chocolate,” Bonnie said as she grabbed Brad’s business card and her coat. “I guess I’ll see you next Saturday then.”
They left the café, and Brad walked her to her car.
“Until next Saturday,” he said as Bonnie got into her car and shut the door.
 

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