Although December was a cold and wet month for San Francisco, the days were still warm enough and roads never had to be shoveled; Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) secret agent Amanda Xu had become too accustomed to this California climate. Originally she was thrilled to have been set up with an American husband living in sunny California for her cover, thought she would never have to shovel snow or drive through s...

I didn’t have to come with Mason when he insisted we go on a ski trip together. He can barely ski. But I went along. I try to humor him. He thinks if I’m there, too, that we’re together. That’s never how it really is, though. He’s so into himself. He takes himself really seriously and thinks he’s some kind of athlete. It’s funny.     I just am who I am - how I look - if he doesn’t notice, well, other men sure do. Mason in...

“THAT FUCKING ASSHOLE!” I was screaming and completely beside myself on my sofa, heaving loud tears of utter bereavement as if someone had died. It felt as if I had died. I drew a ragged breath, hugging my legs close to my chest. My mind was running, running. Stabbing around to find false comfort in the new reality I was suddenly in while my heart disintegrated. I needed something desperately to hold on to – just to ancho...

Melinda strode confidently through the lobby of the Sweet Powder Ski Resort, while I followed slowly behind. Around us, people were headed out to the slopes or lounging with hot cocoa by the fire. I couldn’t help but notice the women who were nestled in the arms of a man, leaning against his hard chest.   I made my way up to the front desk where Melinda was checking in. I heard the clerk say, “Oh, the bridal suite. Congra...

After graduating from high school, life goes on.  You’re an adult now. It’s no longer fun and games. Some people work, others go back to school and others get married. I did work and school. I went to a local community college and earned an Associates’ Degree. After graduating from college, I began working full-time. I kept doing a few things I’d done since high school. One of those was reading.  I always read whatever I...

John hadn’t used the chalet in Chamonix for over a year. Usually he left it with an agency and it was rented during the ski season. John received infrequent cheques from Agence Group de Chamonix to remind him of the chalet’s existence. The arrival of the cheques would often trigger memories from his childhood. John’s mind would wander as he gazed at the light blue paper of the now Euro denominated cheques. John would reca...

Evan was bored. Not just momentarily bored, but chronically and perpetually bored. As the president of his own company, he had met and surpassed his own personal life goals by the ripe old age of 45 and was now struggling with “what next?” He had everything he wanted: a private jet, a yacht, luxury cars, servants, a huge California mansion and a vacation home in the Caribbean. And yet, Evan was bored. Even the upcoming ho...

Kandy hated wintertime, along with its ice, snow and frigid temperatures. Here it was the middle of December, the temperature had dropped to ten degrees and there was four inches of snow on the ground. It had taken her 2 hours to drive ten miles. She cursed as she parked the car, checked the mailbox and walked toward the house with the snow biting here ankles.All she could think about was that it would soon be Christmas a...