But my heart’s still pounding, and I can’t convince myself it’s not because of him.
The chair easesinto the docking bay at the bottom, the lights of the resort glowing warm against the dark mountains. My legs feel shaky when my boots hit the ground, but I keep my chin up, refusing to let Sterling see.
Of course, Levi’s already waiting. Leaning casually on his board, grinning at us.
“Well, well.” His eyes jump from me to Sterling and back again. “Thought you two got eaten by a yeti or something. I’m surprised Maisy didn’t scream the whole mountain down when the lift stopped.”
My jaw drops. “Did you stop it on purpose?”
He doesn’t say anything but the devilish smirk on his face is answer enough. “Did you two get some good bonding time in?” Levi asks, stepping between me and Sterling and resting his arms on our shoulders as we start walking. “Are you two finally friends again?”
Friends.
“I don’t know that we can ever be friends,” Sterling mutters under his breath, loud enough for me to hear, and it hurts to hear.
“Of course you can.” Levi laughs, clapping Sterling on the shoulder. “Anyway, you’re both coming to Lodge Night. No excuses. Everyone’s heading down to the staff lounge for dinner and drinks. It’ll be super chill.”
I open my mouth to decline, but Levi barrels on. “Sterling, you’ll love it too. It’s a good crew. You’ve been gone too long, man.”
Sterling looks like he’s about to say no too, so I cut in first because I know how much my brother wants his best friend to come. “We’ll be there.”
Sterling shoots me a side-eye glare, but Levi nods in approval. “Perfect. Go get changed and meet me in the staff lounge. Maisy knows where it is.”
He releases us and walks off toward the lodge, leaving me and Sterling in the quiet.
Sterling exhales through his nose, clearly annoyed. “Is there a reason you accepted the invite on my behalf?”
“Someone had to,” I say, brushing past him toward the parking lot where my truck is. “You were about to chicken out.”
SEVEN
STERLING
The familiar scentof Maisy’s fruity-floral perfume hits me straight away when I join her at the front door of the chalet, along with hundreds of memories of us. I’m not surprised she still wears it, it’s been her signature scent for as long as I’ve known her, but it’s been so long since I smelled anything remotely similar that it leaves an aching sadness in my chest that I have to literally rub away.
“Did you intentionally match with me, or?” she asks, eyeing me up and down as she reaches for her chocolate brown plaid coat that hangs on the metal hook.
I’m wearing a beige knit sweater and chocolate brown chinos, while she’s wearing a matching beige chunky sweater and pants set. We always had similar tastes in fashion, but I just thought it was a side-effect of being a couple that spent almost all hours of the day together when we weren’t working.
“I can change,” I say, ready to run back to my room.
“No,” she says quickly, stopping me mid-turn. “You look…good.”
I can’t help the cocky grin that spreads on my face as I turn back around to face her. She rolls her eyes and sighs as soonas she sees my expression, snatching my coat off the hook and shoving it into my arms.
“Maisy Hart,” I purr as I put my jacket on. “Was that a compliment?”
She ignores me as she stomps out of the house, and toward her truck. I let out a low chuckle as I follow her, locking the front door behind me.
“Do you still know how to drive?” she asks, turning to glare at me. “I assume you don’t get much practice anymore in that beach town you’re living in.”
“Yes, Maisy. I still know how to drive,” I deadpan. “Any more ridiculous questions?”
She fishes for something in her coat pocket before pulling out her keys and tossing them at me. I quickly snatch them before they hit the ground, looking at her in confusion.
“Good,” she says, rounding the truck to the passenger's side. “Because I plan on drinking tonight so you’ll need to drive us home.”
Maisy drinking?
