Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 1

BPOV

As I drove up the windy mountain pass towards the posh ski resort located at the top of the mountain, my mind began to wander to the events that had led me to this point in my life.

***

Two months ago…

At least it was a relatively slow day at the local coffee shop that I worked at part time while I finished the last of my classes at the University of Washington during the summer session.

Slow days were the best because it allowed me time to study between customers and ponder what exactly the next move in my life would entail. The so called "real world" was weeks away and I really had no idea what I was going to do.

If you would have asked me 6 months ago what my plans were, the answer would have been an easy one, but life had other plans and so did James. His plans were named Victoria and most defiantly did not include me.

Although life had thrown me a nasty loop when the situation with James had occurred without warning, I had gotten through it by the grace of my friends and several pints of Ben and Jerry's. Now things were moving forward, however the lack of employment and housing that was looming in my future was a constant nagging concern.

So here I stood behind the counter of the coffee shop on a rainy Sunday afternoon wondering if I should start looking outside of the Seattle area for a job, when a very pretty woman walked in the door shaking the rain from her umbrella and her tailored rain coat. She was the first customer of my shift and the shop was currently vacant.

She was talking on her cell phone and mumbling in a slightly frustrated voice to the person on the end.

"Well that is just great!" she said.

"How in the world are we going to find someone on short notice that can replace Carmen?" she replied in a mildly exasperated tone.

I waited patiently for her to finish so that I could take her order without interrupting her. I was used to the businessmen and women that often had to take business calls while in the shop.

She listened to the other person for a moment and then sighed heavily.

"I know. I know. It's just such a shame to lose her. We will have to sit down and come up with an ad to place as soon as possible when I get home tomorrow", she told the other person.

She quickly finished her call and hung up before approaching the counter to place her order. I told her she could have a seat and I would bring it to her in a few minutes.

I quickly made her latte and decided to take her a brownie from our case as well. A little chocolate always helped me when I was upset or frustrated. I sat the coffee and brownie down on her table. She looked up and smiled at me, questioning the dessert.

I just shrugged and said, "You looked like you could use a little cheering up."

"Well, thank you. I definitely need some chocolate right now. Would you care to sit and chat for a minute?" she inquired.

I thought for a minute and figured a break was ok. I was here alone and there were no other customers, so it couldn't hurt. I pulled the chair out from the other side of the table and sat down. She held out her to introduce herself, "I'm Esme by the way."

I quickly shook her hand and replied, "I'm Bella."

We made small talk while she drank her coffee and ate the brownie. She told me about her family and the ski resort that the owned in the mountains not to far away. Apparently the resort had been in her husband's family for several generations and was still quite the family business. She told me that her sons and daughter all worked at the resort. It was apparent that the resort and her family were of great importance to her.

I in turn told her about my family and explained that I was a student at UW, and happily explained that I was almost ready to graduate. She offered her congratulations and then an inquisitive look came across her face.

"What exactly is your major, Bella?" she inquired.

"Well I actually couldn't decide, so I majored in Literature and Business", I supplied.

A grin slowly spread across her face and she looked at me an almost hopeful expression before asking her next question.

"Do you have any plans for after graduation then?" she inquired.

"Actually, no, I was just thinking about job hunting when you walked in the door. I don't want to travel to far away to find a job, but I don't make enough money to afford an apartment and living expenses working here either. So I guess I will have to expand my search area soon", I replied easily.

I huge grin spread across her face, and I almost fell over at her next words.

"This must have been fate, Bella! It just so happens that our ski resort is looking for a new assistant general manager and I think you would be perfect for the job!" Esme exclaimed. She truly seemed delighted by this idea.

It took me a few seconds to register what she was saying to me. Before I could say anything else her phone rang again. She quickly answered it and then asked the person to hold on for a minute.

"Bella, I would really like to discuss this with you seriously. Please call me when your shift is over and we can meet to discuss it", she said.

"Okay", I replied. She jotted down her number and stood up to leave.

"Call me", she reminded and then hurried out into the rain talking very animatedly to the person on the phone.

***

The meeting with Esme that followed that chance encounter was what led me to be driving on this mountain road to start my first "real job".

As luck would have it, the previous assistant manager, Carmen, had eloped and was giving her notice. Unfortunately for Esme it was close to the start of their busy season. Great for me though because I now had the job, along with the additional perk of being able to live on the resort as part of my employment.

Esme and I had met for dinner that night and she told me all about the position, salary, and housing options. I admitted that my clumsy nature was not conducive to outdoor or indoor sports, but she assured me that it was not necessary for the job. My main responsibilities would be assisting the General Manger and other staff members to oversee the lodge and resort activities.

They pay was more than I had expected and with not having housing expenses, I could actually attempt to pay back some of my debt from being in college. In the end I gladly accepted the job and agreed to start at the beginning of November.

So here I was in my ancient Chevy truck loaded down with my few personal possessions getting ready to enter the real world for the first time. I was filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement and looking forward to what the future had to offer.

AN" I'd love to hear your thoughts