I spurned my usual breakfast at the Hostel in favour of a trip into town, and the Full O'Beans café – the original source of the epic morning muffins. I'm wishing I'd opted for the communal kitchen experience as I take another sip of the worst cup of coffee I've ever tasted in my life.

'Jenn, are you going to the job thingy today?' Taz asks, clocking my expression as I push the coffee to one side. The older woman behind the counter shakes her head.

'I'm not exactly rushed off my feet....' Jenn replies, and I can't help but notice she looks a little despondent. We've been nursing our drinks for half an hour and I haven't seen another soul come in. If she could make coffee like she makes muffins, this place'd be heaving.

'Why so quiet, if you don't mind me asking?' I say. 'I thought it would be busy in town with the Job Fair today?'

'Well, you'd think, but ever since the new Tim Hortons opened down the road, all the locals are going there for their daily cup of Joe.'

Taz murmurs under her breath. 'Well, I can kind of understand why they prefer the coffee...'

She puts her hand over her mouth and take a quick glance at Jenn, who definitely overheard.

'You're right, hon.' Jenn shrugs, a defeated expression on her face. 'The coffee does suck. The machine needs a service but the repair guy has to come all the way from Nelson and we're struggling to get enough money together to pay him. Ever since Terry and I took over this place we've had nothing but problems. We thought it would be a great retirement plan, but...' She tails off.

'It's that bad? But your muffins are brilliant.' I reply, hoping to make her feel better.

'Surely there's no way a box of TimBits can compare.'Taz adds, obviously eager to make amends for her tactlessness. Judging by the empty boxes that litter the Hostel kitchen every day, Tim Horton's miniature doughnuts are very popular, even if Jenn's muffins are incredible.

'Thanks. That's kind of you. But if things carry on like this, I don't even know if we'll survive Christmas, let alone the rest of the Winter.'

I look around the cafe, immediately feeling sorry for Jenn. Sure, the coffee needs work, but as far as I can tell, Full O'Beans should be doing really well. It's right in the middle of town and very homely, with big squishy sofas and clean tables. It could do with a bit more personality but if things are tight with money, I doubt the owners have been that preoccupied with the decor. Jenn seems friendly enough, and there are the aforementioned amazing muffins. You'd think the locals would love it but I suppose it's the same story the World over - big corporate chains move in, and small independents suffer.

'Sorry for dissing your coffee.' Taz says as we leave, and I can see she's embarrassed about being overhead. I leave a big tip to try and make up for it.

We end up meandering along Main Street, even though it's misty and cold, the mountain ranges hidden by a wall of cloud. I don't mind a bit of damp weather, but Taz is very quiet as we walk. I may not know her that well yet, but 'silence' and 'Taz' are two words that don't sit well together.

'Are you worried about the interviews today?' I ask, linking my arm through hers. 'Because I'd give you a job in a heartbeat.' I add.

'Yeah, a bit... ' She smiles thinly. 'I really need to get a job on the ski hill otherwise I'll be stuffed for money. But thanks. Anytime you feel like employing me as your ski gimp, let me know.'

We both laugh, but I know that Taz means what she says. She told me last night that she wants to get a job with RFM, the company that own Fraser Mountain because they offer subsidised food, drink and a free lift-pass with the job if you stick with it. That's a huge bonus considering I spent a small fortune on my five-month ski pass last week. Obviously, if I'd planned my escape a bit earlier, I probably would have saved a lot of cash, but there you go.

I already miss Evie loads, but I'm glad to have met a girl like Taz. I guess you could say we've just clicked, and having noticed how few ladies there are in this town, I'm counting my lucky stars that I seem to have found a great girlfriend already. Dan wasn't wrong right when he guessed there were five guys to every girl, most of whom are a whole lot younger then I am. I've bumped into Posh Emily a couple of times since our first meeting at The Pub and she seems nice, but she's always rushing off somewhere. Maybe things will calm down a bit once the season starts properly, but we haven't quite clicked yet.

Now that I'm beginning to feel a bit more settled, my thoughts turn to finding a more permanent place to live than the Girl's Dorm. Dan's wasted no time and he's been looking at houses with the boys. I was really surprised – and touched – when he asked if I'd like to move in with them, but I've said no for two reasons. First off, I really don't want to live with a bunch of boys – and I use the term 'boys' because at the end of the day, most of them are here to party hard. Secondly, I've seen the state (and smell) of the Guy's Dorm and I think I'd go mad picking up dirty laundry, making tea and generally being a surrogate Mum for the entire winter. Come to think of it, that's probably why they asked me to move in. That, and my teabags.

I'd really love to live with Taz, but she's already moving into a house-share with Travis and some of his friends. Having watched the two of them together, I'd hate to ruin what could be the start of a beautiful friendship. Travis may be shy, but he's definitely interested in Taz.

So here I am, on my tod and thinking about what to do. I could afford to stay in the Hostel for the rest of the season, but I'm already craving my own space and a chance to properly unpack. The Moose Lodge is comfortable, clean and you never run out of people to talk to, but I like a bit of solitude from time to time. I decide to walk up to the Library and see if there are any rooms going spare on the noticeboard. It might be nice to live with slightly older people anyway, seeing as all my new friends thinks I'm of pensionable age.

***

I find some familiar bodies slumped on the sofas at Full O'Beans that afternoon, giving Jenn a friendly wave as I walk in. She smiles warmly, obviously remembering my large tip that morning. Then again, she's probably glad that business has picked up with all of us here.I order a cup of tea, hoping it's better than the coffee.

'Thank christ that's over with.' Taz grumbles.

'My face hurts from smiling so much.' Dan adds. 'If I shake another hand today, it'll fall off.'

Travis raises a pierced eyebrow at them both. 'Jeez, you guys. It's only a coupla interviews.'

Ben takes a large gulp of his coffee and makes a 'yuck' face before putting it back down on the table in front of us.

'Easy for you to say, mate. You've already got a job.'

Travis works in the RFM office, but he's been coming here for a few seasons now and knows a lot of people on the ski hill. Apparently, he got the job offer before he came back from Ottawa in October.

'So,' I ask, looking at their expectant faces. 'Is a season of cleaning bogs beckoning?'

'Hah!' Dan exclaims. 'There was a bloke in the line in front of me who only wanted to clean the dunnies – can you believe that?'

'Maybe he just wants a job without much responsibility' I shrug, not exactly missing the daily stress that Susannah heaped on me. I hadn't realised how wound up I was until I got here and had to slow down.

'Yeah, maybe, but you should have heard his interview. It was a bloody waste of time. He got asked the same dumb-ass questions as the rest of us: ''Name a time when....'

Taz laughs, carrying on where Dan left off: '....Name a time when you disagreed with a company policy. Name a time when you had an argument with a colleague. Name a time when...'

Travis looks puzzled. 'They don't ask you questions like that back home?'

'No, Trav. Not to clean a bog, mate.'

Jenn comes over with my tea in a pot, which is a good sign. I say thanks and leave it to brew for a minute.

'So,' I ask, 'apart from the silly questions – which is probably not a Canadian interviewing phenomenon, to be fair – how did you think you all did?'

Dan shrugs. 'I think I did alright but it seems like everyone's got the same qualifications this year.'

'Yeah, 'cos that's all it comes down to. I hate that!' Taz adds. 'They don't know me from a resume or a three-minute interview, or 'name a time when...'

'I'm sure you'll be fine.' I reply, genuinely believing that she will be. 'Did you manage to see anyone at the RFM desk?'

'Yeah...I went for a couple of positions – one in the DayLodge cafeteria which sounds shit, but beggars can't be choosers.'

'Anything else?'

'Yeah. I went for a liftie job but I'm not holding out much hope. They asked about my first-aid skills and I fluffed it a bit...'

'Honestly, Taz. Have a bit of faith.'

'Okay, Mum!' she grins, getting a tongue stuck out at her for her trouble. I take a tentative sip of my tea, which doesn't taste too horrific.

'What about you?' I ask, turning to Tim. 'Did you make it over to the Mine at White Lake?'

'I did, and I've got some forms to fill in. It's looking promising. The foreman was pleased with my resume. The downside is I've got to stop smoking weed for the rest of the season because they do regular piss tests, but there you go... That's why a lot of the locals don't work there, I guess.'

'Bummer.' Dan grins. 'That's going be hard in our new house! You'll be inhaling second-hand smoke all winter.'

'You found a place already?' I ask, surprised.

'Yeah, we signed a contract this morning so we're all leaving the hostel tomorrow. I can't wait to have a wank in peace...'

I try not to spit my tea everywhere. 'Danno! Way too much information!'

Taz makes a gagging noise. 'Yeuch... gross.'

'Sorry, girls.'

'Let's move on, shall we?' Tim rolls his eyes at Dan. 'So, how come you didn't go to the job fair then, Lex?'

'Well...' I say, wanting to choose my words carefully. '... you guys know I used to be a graphic designer at home?' They all nod. 'I didn't exactly leave my job willingly.'

'Ha!' exclaims Ben, slapping his thigh. 'You got fired, mate! Did you shag the boss or something?'

Taz gives him a shove. 'Course not, you idiot!'

I shoot him a sarcastic smile. 'No, I didn't have sex with my boss.' I shudder at the thought. 'She was a right cow anyway...' There are a few hoots and whistles when they find out the boss I'm referring to was a 'she'. What is it with boys and lesbians?

'I worked in this very boring bank as a designer, and the simple fact is that they outsourced my job to an agency, so I got made redundant and got some money as a pay-off.' I explain. There's a small pause around the table as they listen, hanging on my every word as I keep it brief.

'...Then I found out that my boyfriend, Henry, was cheating on me, so I hopped on a plane and came to Fraser. That's really all there is to it.'

'I knew you'd left some poor bloke behind.' Dan declares, looking smug. 'You let me do all the talking on that bus.'

Tim laughs. 'She let you do all the talking, eh Danno? That's not exactly difficult is it?'

Rob looks at me intently. 'So, you don't need to get a job then? You've got a whole six months of partying and snowboarding.... You lucky bitch! Lend us a dollar?'

Taz hits him. 'Oi!' he cries, rubbing his arm and giving her a dirty look. 'That hurt, mate!'

'I'm not exactly loaded...' I grin. 'I'll have to watch the pennies, much as I'd love to shower you with free coffee, Rob.'

''S'ok, mate.' He winks. 'And I was only kidding.' He adds, moving quickly away from Taz.

I grin back at him. 'So, now you all know my story, we can talk about something much more interesting, like the boy's new house.'

'Aha! It's pretty fucking awesome, eh!' Dan exclaims, rubbing his hands together. 'It's down in the Annexe – a great little house, a bit scruffy already so we won't wreck it too much.'

'Isn't the Annexe that residential area, just past the supermarket?' I ask. It's a nice spot to live, as far as I know. They've done well to get a large house down there, not too far from town.

'Yeah – we're thinking of having a party on Saturday night so you've got to come. Can you rustle up some more ladies from the Hostel?' Rob asks, trying not to look too desperate.

'We can try.' I offer. 'So, who's moving in?'

'Me, Timmo, Benno and Stevie.'

'Four boys.' I whistle. 'No offence, but I think I've had a lucky escape.'

'We only wanted you for your tea-making skills.' Dan winks. 'Oh, you've got to bring a bottle of Colt45 to the party.'

'What the hell is Colt45?' Taz asks.

Travis explains. 'It's a bit of a Fraser tradition... Colt45's this really strong beer and the first major party of the season is known as the Colt45 party... everyone has to bring a bottle. It gets kinda messy.'

'Apparently it tastes like tramp's piss.' Dan adds.

I'm still nursing my pot of tea while the others drift off, one by one, leaving Dan behind. He orders another hot chocolate to keep me company.

'So, what did you do while we were at the job fair? Ah, don't tell me... you left a devastating trail of broken hearts behind you between here and the Moose Lodge?' he chuckles.

'Hilarious.'

I tell him about my non-eventful morning. I got a library card and borrowed a few books, but as for a room to let, there wasn't much left on the notice board. I took a few numbers down but all the houses seem to be pretty far from the centre of town. Not ideal if you need to walk home from the pub in sub-zero temperatures. If I could find something in the Annexe, like the boys, then I'd be set.

He points towards the counter. 'The owner's advertising a room here. There's a sign over there.'

'There is?' I ask, surprised that I hadn't noticed it earlier. I walk over to the till and spot the hand-written sign taped to the counter.

'Hey, Jenn?" I shout through to the back of the café.

'Hold up, I'm comin''

'You want another tea?' she asks, walking up the till.

'No, thanks. That was really good tea, by the way. I was actually wondering about your room to rent?'

'Oh, really?' her eyes light up. 'Are you interested'?'

'As a matter of fact, I am. But all the ads I've seen are a bit too far out of town.'

'I'm kinda looking for someone that can watch the café if I need to go and run some errands.' She explains. 'I figured I might be able to get someone that wanted a room and a job?'

Bugger, I think. 'In that case, I'm probably not the right person. I don't have a work visa.' I shrug, before explaining my situation: 'I've got a bit of money saved, so I'm not desperate for a job. It would be a bit unfair of me to take work away from someone who really needed it.'

She puts the cloth over her shoulder, giving what I've just said some thought. 'Well, why don't you take a look at the room and let me know what you think? It's a shame about the visa thing, but we might be able to work something out, eh?'

'May as well.' I smile, pleased to get an invite. She beckons me to follow her as we walk through to the back of the cafe. I turn to see Dan giving me a thumbs-up. It's surprisingly spacious as I pass through the doorway and into a bright and airy kitchen. There's a back door that leads out of the kitchen and to what looks like a wooden deck area at the rear of the house. Jenn turns to her left and starts walking up a dark staircase, which must lead up to the room.

'Wow, it's much bigger than I thought back here.' I say, following her.

'Yeah, it's a great space. And with the yard in the summer, it's just super. Let me give you a tour.'

I find myself standing in a good-sized room that instantly reminds me of old Heidi movies I used to watch when I was a kid. The walls are wood-panelled, apart from one large section of uneven brick where a wood-burning stove is nestled in a fireplace. There's a tatty-looking sofa, a desk with a chair and a lamp by the window and a small double bed in the corner, covered with a patchwork quilt. Jenn fidgets around me, picking things up and putting them down again before she moves to the sofa and starts plumping up one of the cushions. A small cloud of dust rises in the air.

'It might seem a little dark', she explains, smoothing down the quilt on the bed '...but the curtains are made of heavy fabric, so they really block the light out and keep the warmth in. And I know what you're thinking – where's the heating system, right?'

Actually, I hadn't been thinking about that at all, but now that she's mentioned it there don't seem to be any radiators.

'We've got a log pile out back and you can help yourself to as much firewood as you need to keep the burner going. Once it's lit, the room gets real cosy.'

'Wow.' I reply, not quite sure what to think. It's not a bad space, but alarm-bells are ringing in my head about potentially cold nights huddled by the stove as my fingers turn blue.

'You look a little worried?' She smiles, apparently reading my mind.

'Am I that transparent?" I grin. 'No, it's a great room. Very cosy. I'm just a bit worried about leaving my comfort zone. You've got to remember I'm a city-girl from London – this is a bit....' I search for the right word, anxious not to offend her ...'A bit rustic.'

'You'll be fine!' She chuckles. 'Don't let locals scare you with talk about how cold it gets here. Once you're inside, it's nice and cosy.' She smiles and pats me on the arm. 'Come and see the bathroom?'

'Sure, absolutely.'

We go through another wooden door, which leads to a small but perfectly clean bathroom with a bath, sink and toilet. No power shower, but long, luxurious soaks in the tub will ease my snow-weary limbs. I walk back into the main room and test out the bed. It seems pretty soft but as I sit down and look around me, I get a sudden feeling of contentment. I could definitely make this place into a nice home for six months. It's really near the centre of town and my new friends, and it's in my price-range. I remember my new mantra – I'm supposed to be the new, braver version of me. I can't imagine Henry's reaction to a place like this... If only he could see me now.

'I'm guessing I can use the kitchen to cook in, as long as I don't get in your way?'

'You really like it?' Jenn asks, clapping her hands together happily. She seems genuinely thrilled.

'Yes.' I grin back. 'I really do.... But if I freeze to death I'm blaming you.'

She laughs.

'What about this visa issue?' I ask. 'I don't mind looking after the café if you think I might be the right person for the job. I'm trustworthy.' I add.

'You seem like a nice lady.' Jenn grins and I have to chuckle at her directness. 'Plus I like the fact you're a bit older, eh. There's nobody else asking for the room, so why don't I talk to Terry about it when I get home?'

'What if we came to an agreement where you didn't pay me any wages, but I got slightly subsidised rent and some food thrown in for my time?'

Surely that won't upset the immigration people too much and a free muffin every morning would be bloody marvellous as far as I'm concerned.

'I can't see that being a problem.' she replies. I can tell she thinks it's a good idea. 'Give me 24 hours?'

'Terry's your husband?"

'Yeah. We bought