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Chapter 8

Snowmobiles, tours and traditions

Tobias' POV

"Look, like I have told you time and time again… My father won't agree to getting snowmobiles for the resort. You'll just have to make the best out of snowshoes." Tris says, her voice irritated. I still don't understand what the big deal is. I know I should just man up and just rough it out. But I just can't let it go… this shit is ridiculous.

"He does know when this deal goes through… My father is going to come in here and do what he wants to the place. That includes snowmobiles," I point out. Tris stops in her tracks, turning towards me with fire in her eyes. She's…So beautiful.

"Look when he takes over… My father won't have the right to care. But for now, he does." She says, honestly.

"Far enough," I say, giving in. No point in fighting about this anymore, I'm obviously not going to get anywhere.

"So, what is the occupancy of a place like this?" I ask, making notes into my phone and taking photos for the presentation.

"We are at a hundred percent occupancy from the first week of November till mid-February." She says. I'm in shock. How is that? "The rest of the year we fluctuate between fifty to seventy five percent. We mostly do weddings in the summer."

"You're kidding," I say, keeping up with her pace.

"No. Um... It's all thanks to my grandparents… They opened this place with the idea of promoting Christmas and every Christmas tradition there is." She continues, we walk towards the back of the property. "Every year, every little touch of Christmas they made sure to fulfill. People from all over came out to celebrate their cultural traditions coming to life." She continues on, I'm taken aback as she tells me that the main resort is what her grandparents built. When her father took over the place, he decided to add on the family cabins. Giving larger families a little more room and privacy to themselves. She showed me one of the cabins that seemed to be vacant. She assures me, it's fine. It's a four bedroom, two bath cabin, with a small kitchen, living room and a table. My eyes glance at the photos and personal touches throughout the cabin, which tell me that this cabin is used for a permanent residence.

"Does someone live here?" I ask.

"Observant." Tris jokes. "Yeah, my brother and his wife Susan… We all moved back home. Because Susan and Caleb are married… My parents offered them a cabin for more privacy versus a room in the upstairs apartment." She explains.

"Moved back?" I ask, catching on to her choice of words.

"Yeah… he and I both moved out when it was time to go to college." She explains, the way she walks away tells me that that's all I'm going to hear about that. I can't help but wonder if that has something to do with the reason why they are selling now.

We continue on, Tris shows me the extra parking lot in the back of the resort, along with the indoor pool that is in a separate building in the back of the resort. I did make note of a much-needed spa, indoor gym, and a gift shop that will sell small snacks, along with our own clothing lines for guests to keep warm and not to have to travel and little usually forgotten items like toothpaste and razors.

Tris and I walk along the property line. I'm surprised at how comfortable the silence between us really is. Usually, it's awkward having to think of small talk to say with someone you barely know. But not with Tris, she is… real. She's different from the other women I have met. She doesn't need the fancier things in life, she is more than happy to just be. She's also intelligent, brave, and selfless. For whatever reason there is that she needed to come home, it sounds like she dropped everything she had to make that happen.

I hear the rushing water hitting rocks before we even see it. I'm in awe as we come into view. I have never seen anything like it. It seems beyond peaceful, somewhere where I know you could just sit down and get lost in your own thoughts. Somewhere I wouldn't mind spending countless hours just being and not having to worry about what I am not doing.

"It's called the Chasm." Tris says, after some time has passed. I feel the heat that continues to increase towards her. A powerful force that keeps wanting to draw me in. I shrug it off, knowing that opening that path wouldn't be the smartest move. I clear my throat, nodding as I take a step forward needing more distance between us. I take a deep breath; the cold air fills my lungs. It's slightly uncomfortable, but not too bad. My body feels like it's hundreds of degrees. Perhaps a person could get used to the cold.

We continue walking, the sight around us is everything and nothing at the same time. Peaceful. Nice Four, you are starting to act more and more like a woman now. If Zeke could hear me, no doubt the shit I would get for it.

I take another deep breath, Zeke. What were the odds of finding him and the others here? Here, out of all the places in the world. This one place, this small pin in the world and this is the place he has spoken about the whole time we were friends. Tris was the girl he and Uriah talked on and on about. The adventures that they took and had together growing up, two weeks out of the year. Every year. It made it sound like Christmas vacation was nothing but a fairytale. There was no way that it could be real. After all, Christmas is just an advertising scam. A way for department stores to make more money, so that people could go into debt getting things for people who don't need them and spend hours and hours worrying about the smallest details of it all.

Tris stops just feet away from a tall tree that sits feet away from the back door of the resort. "Our last stop of the evening," She announces, her smile is wider than I have ever seen it. She looks like an excited child, looking at the most fascinating thing before her. I look up, unable to see whatever it is that she is looking at. It's just a really old, tall tree.

"It's a tree." I point out after a long awkward pause. Tris finally glances my way, her smile never leaving her gorgeous face. I swear I love seeing how her eyes sparkle.

"It's not just a tree…" She says, "It's Christmas. Every year a few nights before Christmas Eve we decorate the tree. Each guest can place their wish on an ornament and wish for it to come true. All while singing Christmas carols as the tree lights up. It started the first year my granddad opened the place… I just always thought one day my own kids would…" She trails off, wiping a single tear from her cheek. She clears her voice, shrugging the moment off. "Guess that won't be happening anymore."

Normally I hate to see others cry, it's always been so awkward. But I don't feel that way, not with Tris. My heart breaks to see her in so much pain over the sale. My thoughts wander to so many questions on why such a sale would take place when obviously business is booming and there are people here more than capable of continuing on with the work.

"Sounds like something out of a Hallmark movie," I say, breaking the silence.

"Not very fond of Christmas?" She asks, switching the attention from her to me.

"I just don't see the point… the money, the stress, not to mention the obligation behind it all," I say, pointing out everything that I think Christmas is truly about.

"Well maybe we can get you to change your mind." She says, accepting the challenge.

" I would really like to see you try," I say, smirking down at her. It's at this moment I no longer question how it is that everyone gravitates towards her. Because I see it, her warmth and her kindness. For the first time in my life, I start to wonder about all of the what ifs.

Revised by: FDFobsessed