Vail, Colorado

"For the drinks, and in advance for the service", handing the crisp notes to their waiter, JR shook the man's hand and then turned back to his wife. After a long morning of 'learning to ski' and then an afternoon on the slopes that passed much too quickly, he was both exhausted and exhilarated and a nice drink fireside and mountainside was just what he needed to relax and unwind before he and Sue Ellen headed back to their room to get ready for dinner. When booking their vacation he had made sure his travel agent understood that they were travelling to Vail not just for the ski experience or because he was trying to impress his wife with an extravagant Valentine's Day celebration, but because it was their wedding anniversary and his wife deserved a perfect, relaxing, romantic getaway. He had emphasised that he expected everything to be of the highest standard and he was slowly but surely ensuring the people serving them in Vail knew that too, even the ones like the waiter serving them now. Their visit was a short one, but everyone who worked on tips would do well for themselves if they understood that when the Ewings were around, they were the people to please.

The situation with Anna the ski instructor earlier hadn't been ideal, but for all her faults, she did seem to have been successful with Sue Ellen, so he would allow her to move on to her next clients in peace. Apart from that one little hiccup though, everyone else had been very accommodating and he was thoroughly impressed. He had a special vacation planned and he wanted everything to go perfectly, not just because he wanted Sue Ellen to be happy, but because he liked the feeling of being in control and lately there had been a few times where he felt like he was losing a little bit of control and he didn't like it. Overall, he was still a powerful man and he was set to get everything he had ever wanted in relation to Ewing Oil, but the stress Bobby's leaving had put on him and his father recently had certainly had an impact on him. He would come out the other side just fine, and he always returned home to a happy home, free of tension and arguments now that he and Sue Ellen were in their own home, away from Southfork, but the journey to get to his absolute ideal life was currently a bit challenging. In coming to Vail, he had promised himself and Sue Ellen that he would try to relax and not think too deeply about what was happening in Dallas while he was gone, and so far, it was working and he was having a wonderful time; he just needed to remind himself sometimes that there was more to life than business. Somewhere in the back of his mind too he was mulling over what Doctor Williams had said about him needing a friend or even just an acquaintance, but he wasn't ready to admit just yet that the doctor was right; he would come back to it in due course, for now though, it wasn't something he was consciously debating.

"I can't believe all of this is real. It snows in Dallas, but it's nothing like this. Look at the mountains and this town, it's like a fairy-tale, or at least an advertisement, you know, a travel brochure or skiwear catalog". Sipping her hot apple cider and admiring the stunning scenery, lovely architecture, and bustling atmosphere, Sue Ellen's briefly remembered her time as a model and couldn't help but smile to herself as she considered how much happier JR would have been if she'd spent more time modelling ski suits and bulky sweaters than sundresses and swimwear. Her husband was a jealous man and at times she really disliked that about him, because he could be incredibly unreasonable when he was single-mindedly focused on something, but in the end she did love him and enjoy the way he thought of her as his.

"We'll have to bring John Ross here in a few years when he's older. I'm sure he'll love skiing, you do, and now that I'm more comfortable with everything, so do I". Listening to his wife, JR was brought out of his thoughts and back into the present, "mm, yes darlin', I agree, I think he'll love it. It might take him a while to appreciate the scenery, but I imagine if he's anything like the rest of the Ewing men he'll be thrilled by the idea of going down a mountain at high speed. You know me, I don't particularly like horses, but if I'm going to ride then it's going to be fast. The same goes for skiing, the faster, the better". Grinning, he let out a loud laugh at the way her facial expression changed as he spoke; he could almost hear her thoughts and her internal dilemma about whether she should voice them or not and it amused him that even after so many years, she was still so conscious of how certain things made her look. He knew his wife, she hated to think of situations where he was in danger, but at the same time, there were situations where she found his risk-taking exciting and sexy. In this situation, judging from her facial expression, he guessed she was struggling to reconcile her concerns about the potential harm that could come to him, with the fact that she also had many happy memories with him riding and skiing and she found him very attractive when he boyishly expressed enjoyment of certain activities. "Don't worry darlin', I'm careful too. If I do ever hurt myself though, I look forward to you nursing me back to health", shooting her his signature grin and then laughing again, he knew he'd broken her mood when she smacked his hand gently and gave him a very watered-down version of her disapproving look before muttering a few words under her breath and eventually smiling. Raising his glass to his lips, he smiled to himself and to Sue Ellen before taking a drink; he liked the way they were together now, it was nice to joke around, and he was pleased to have some time alone with his wife, away from everything, to enjoy each other's company and try new things.

An hour later, after relaxing with a couple of warming drinks at a bar near the ski field and then returning to their suite to shower and change for dinner, Sue Ellen checked her appearance in the mirror one final time before turning to face her husband, highly enjoying the way he looked at her as she did. JR had promised her the world when he had married her and in the three years they had been married, she felt he had more than delivered on his promise. She had a feeling that the best was still yet to come though, because with all of their planned travel, their happy and settled home and family life, and JR's success at work, everything was coming together to form a perfect picture. She didn't want to get too far ahead of herself though, the future would come, but it was time to enjoy the present, because what was happening now would soon just be a memory and she wanted it to be a positive memory. Thus far, their anniversary vacation had been wonderful; she felt very close and comfortable with JR and having the time to actually get out and do things together made her feel absolutely spoiled, she loved his companionship and attention. She didn't really know what JR's plan for the rest of the evening was, he hadn't given her many details other than to dress formally rather than casually, but she wasn't worried, in fact, she was excited. JR had always been a good date and vacation planner, but even if he wasn't and they spent every night pottering around their home, she wouldn't mind, because she would be with him, her husband, the man she loved more than anything, the man she knew loved her and wanted the same future with her as she wanted with him. "I'm ready", breaking the comfortable silence in the room, her heart skipped a beat when JR stepped forward, kissed her lightly and then whispered his raw, honest feelings in her ear before taking her hand and slowly leading them toward the door. JR Ewing had sent shivers down her spine the first time she had ever laid eyes on him, and five and a half years later, including three years of marriage, he still managed to have the same effect on her and for that simple pleasure, she was very happy and grateful.

To be continued…