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Ch 20

Trouble in paradise

Tris' POV

"Hey, do you wanna get out of here, go for a walk?" Tobias asks, peeking his head from the kitchen door. I swear his smile alone can brighten up a room.

"Um…" I begin, before turning towards my mother, silently questioning her. She smiles encouragingly before nodding her head in approval. I'm surprised for a moment, seeing that Christmas eve is in fact tomorrow and there is much to get done. "Maybe for just a short walk." I agree, taking my apron off and placing it on the counter. I walk out of the kitchen, wishing the blush on my cheeks would fade away. It may not be the first time a man has ever held a door open for me, but it is the first man that I am falling head over heels in love with.

I walk in complete silence for a few minutes, before one of us feels the urge to say anything. With Tobias, silence between us has always been comfortable, nothing like other men in the past.

"You seemed stressed in there. Thought I would break you free." Tobias finally says, his voice full of delight.

"Just a little," I say, squeezing my index and thumb fingers together. I see the large amount of snow near us, I can't help but want nothing more than to dive into it. "But you know what?" I ask.

"What?"

"I feel so much lighter now. Light as an angel," I say, holding my hands wide open before allowing my body to fall backwards into the pile of snow. The minute my body hits the cold snow, I laugh as I begin to swing my arms and legs into a circle to make a Snow Angel.

"What are you doing?" Tobias laughs at me.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm making a snow angel," I answered.

"It looks more like you are trying to get sick… or freeze to death." He says, amused by my movements.

"Am not!" I whine like a child.

"Are too." He jokes, matching my tone.

"Do it with me?" I challenge him. He raises an eyebrow wondering what 'do it' I mean.

"I mean the snow angel," I laugh.

"Oh well in that case… No." He says simply.

"Oh, come on…. It's fun!" I encourage him.

"Sure, it is… well I think that once I lose my man parts." He says, rolling his eyes.

"Please!" I beg.

"Fine, I'll do it, but you so owe me sex for this later." He says, holding up a finger before finally giving in and taking a seat next to me in the snow. "I can't believe you are making me do this." He says, laying back down in the snow beside me. I laugh hard, as I watch him both complain and swing his arms and legs at the same time. "There, are you happy?" He says, trying to portray his disgust for this task. But I see the smile hiding behind the mask and in his eyes. He is enjoying this.

"Definitely," I scream out, as I reach over and grab a large handful of snow. I hurl it over to Tobias, throwing it into his face. He screams out for a moment, before laughing and threatening how much I am about to regret that. I take that as my cue to rush to my feet and run out of here as fast as I can.

"Oh no you don't." He calls out, as I feel my body being whipped around the air and off the ground. I scream loudly as my body is met with the hardness and warmth of his body. I feel the tumbling of our two bodies on the ground as I begin to roll through the snow.

"You wanna have dinner with me tonight?" I ask, when we finally come to a stop, his arms holding me tightly on top of him. Our lips are just inches away from each other, I can feel the heat of his breath all over my face. I love the feel of it. I watch as his smile fades, replaced with what I can only describe as concern and stress. "What's wrong?" I ask, suddenly feeling my heart drop into my stomach. Maybe this was all too much for him? After all he will be leaving soon, and I will be God knows where.

"I should really work on my report." He finally says, his voice full of hidden emotion.

"Oh," I get out, pushing myself off of him. Suddenly feeling ice cold all around me. I slowly get to my feet, needing to get some distance from him. What just happened? "I understand." I continue, "I should help out in the kitchen or see what else needs to be worked on before your father arrives tomorrow," I point out. Knowing both my parents, they would want this place looking at its best in the morning.

"Yeah, that makes sense." Tobias responds. He sits up as if snapping back to reality that has been waiting for us outside our bubble. Maybe this was wrong. He moves quickly to stand on his feet, scratching the back of his neck as he continues, "Yeah, I have a lot to work on too. Maybe we should just say goodnight until tomorrow."

"How's that going by the way?" I ask, needing to change the subject of our separation. For a second I wonder how fast a moment can change. Weren't we just inches away from kissing a few seconds ago.

"I still haven't started to be honest." He confesses. What?

"But… your father…" I struggle to find the right words. " I mean it is tomorrow." I point out. What has he been waiting for? I don't understand.

"Yeah, well I have been a little occupied." He snaps, staring down at me. For a moment I think perhaps he is trying to flirt with me, but the fire behind his eyes tells me differently. They look angry.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I ask, feeling irritation under my skin.

"That means… that maybe if I wasn't running behind you with my tail between my legs… maybe I could have time to work on my report." Did he just -"Maybe I wouldn't be so damn confused on what the hell to write in my report." He says, his voice nowhere lighter than before.

"Excuse me?" I say, confused at his words. Who does he think he is? He steps a few feet past me towards a cart my mother set up earlier with assorted sandwiches and snacks. He picks up one of the knives that were concealed under the cart that my mother keeps on hand. He toys with the sharp end of the blade, dazed by whatever is playing on in his head. He sighs heavily, as if annoyed by something. Me?

"What do you want me to say, Tris, alright?" He finally says. "I mean I have a job to do. That job was pretty easy until now. Go to the locations that my father wants to buy, investigate it and regardless write what I know he wants to hear." He says, pausing to finally look up at me with fire in his eyes.

"And what is it he wants to hear?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest. Feeling nothing but strain and distance between us for the first time since we went out on our first date. I feel even more strain than the first time we met.

"What do you think?" He asks. I instantly knew what he meant.

"He wants to tear it down," I mutter, nodding my head. Of course, it's something I have feared since the moment my parents told me that they wanted to sell.

"Tobias, you can't let him do that," I say, gently letting my arms fall down to my side.

"Don't you think I know that." Don't you think I know what that will do to you and your family and mine." He says, pointing towards the resort. "Zeke, Uriah, Hana… they have relied on this place for years." He continues, I can see the stress in his eyes. "But this isn't my choice. This is his company… He will do what he damn pleases in the end."

"Can't you do something? What if you write recommendations in the report, but not tear it down?" I suggest.

"Tris, you are not listening to me. It's his money, his company…He will do in the end what he wants. What he will want is a place where people… single people… can ski and mingle. A place that is sexy and lively… not families with kids and a Christmas tree with family events." He points out.

"This is going to break my father's heart," I whisper, trying to hold back the tears. How could he let things get so far? "But your father told my father that nothing will change." I am willing to try anything. This can't be happening.

"My father is a monster. He always gets what he wants, Tris. No matter who he has to run over or lie to." He says, pressing his lips together. I remember what he told me about his father. About the scars on his back. This isn't fair.

"There has to be something…" I push once more.

"You don't listen." He yells, "There's nothing we can do. What's done is done." He says. He slams the knife into the cart with the handle pointing up towards the clear blue sky.

I am left standing in the cold with my teeth grinding together frustrated beyond what I have ever felt until I can no longer take it. I scream from the top of my lungs not caring for once what person or wildlife I scare.