Chapter 1

"Would everybody just calm down?"

The excited chatter continued.

"I said, SHUT UP!"

Jed was trying to speak at a family dinner in the Residence.

Finally, quiet momentarily descended.

"I know you are excited about going, but can I please get a word in edgewise?"

"Jed, what do you have to say that we want to hear?" He shot Abbey daggers from his eyes. "Okay, please be quiet. Your father has something to say."

He turned to speak to his assembled family.

"I know that all of you are excited about going skiing, but I just want to say that us guys," looking at Doug and Gus, "will miss you. Come back soon. And soon, us guys will have a guys only weekend. And then you all will know what its like to be alone."

"That's sweet, Jed." Abbey stood up and gave him a very brief kiss. "But I doubt it."

That comment was met with loud laughter from all the females in the room.

"What you don't understand sweetheart, is that we can get along better without you than you can get along without us."

"No way!"

Abbey whispered to him, "I can prove it later."

Jed smiled. He was going to get lucky tonight.

Abbey had wanted to go skiing for months, but Jed couldn't get away. So she had planned this three day trip to Utah with just the girls. Liz, Annie, Ellie, and Zoey had all made arrangements to come. It was going to a great trip.

They were going to stay in a leased chalet nestled up into the mountains in the Towson valley outside of Park City, Utah, the site of the 2002 Winter Olympics. The skiing facilities were top notch and just being away with the girls meant a great deal.

Jed was left with the task of supervising Gus because Doug was leaving in the morning to go to Europe on a week-long business trip. Jed was looking forward to bonding with his grandson. He saw him so rarely that the next few days would be fun.

Long after dinner, Jed and Abbey were getting ready for bed. "You promised me I would get lucky tonight, Sweetknees. I'm ready."

"What are you waiting for, pumpkin?"

"You, sweetheart."

"I didn't say you would get any tonight, Jed. I said I could prove I can get along without you better than you could without me. So, no lucky strikes for you tonight."

"But Abbey, I've been thinking about this for the last two hours."

Looking down, Abbey responded, "I see."

"Abbey. You promised."

"Shut up, Jed. If I wasn't leaving in the morning, I would turn and go back into the bathroom. But since I'll be gone for a few days, I guess I can't, now can I?"

Jed's grin was getting bigger. As well as another part of his anatomy.

"Come on to bed. Let me release some of that tension you're feeling." Like always, Abbey gave in. Of course, she wouldn't mind some release as well.

They came together with force and desire. Both of them knew it would be a few days before they could do this again and they needed to have the pleasure of each other to face the time apart.