“I saw some deer from the lift. You would’ve loved it.” Collins adds from beside me.
“I wish you could ride the lift without boarding down the mountain. That would’ve been a sight to behold.” I grouch.
“Hello, I’m Leigh. I’ll be your waitress today. Can I get you started with some beverages or appetizers?” A petite, college aged girl interrupts from behind Bella.
We all put in orders for waters and assorted beverages while Tatum orders mozzarella sticks and spinach artichoke dip for the table. Giving our thanks, the waitress walks away, and we resume our conversation.
“What do you think you’re going to order?” I ask Collins below the rest of the conversation taking place around us.
“I’m thinking a burger and fries.”
“What sauce?” I quirk an eyebrow knowing the answer but hoping he’ll change his mind.
“Mayo.” He flushes and Dominic immediately gags.
Time to play dirty, he’s been doing it this whole trip–teasing me with touches and looks, calling me Baby, holding me close. Now it’s my turn.
“If you keep dipping fries in mayo like a psychopath, I won’t do the thing you like and refuse to watch the rest of Lord of theRings with you, at minimum mix it with ketchup.” Loud enough that the others clearly hear me, all heads turn to us.
“Oh shit,” Nik mutters.
“Damn.” Conrad adds.
“Got his ass.” Mace chuckles while Enid smacks her younger brother and her boyfriends arms simultaneously.
“No, she didn’t.” Darcy squeaks.
“You wouldn’t dare,” Collins says, mouth hanging aghast.
“Oh, I would. Just try it…” I flutter my eyelids towards him, “for me.”
“Ugh fine.” He concedes. Small cheers of victory flit throughout the table that I might have finally broken this behavior that never should have started in the first place. “What are you eating?”
“French onion soup and chicken avocado club,” I respond.
“That sounds delicious. Can I have a bite?” Sin asks from my other side.
“For you… always.” I wink at my best friend. The waitress comes back by dropping off our appetizers and drinks. We order our meals and then we wait, it’s surprisingly quick how fast they bring our food out, given it’s the Christmas season and the slopes are packed outside.
“Give it a taste.” I shove the perfected ratio of mayochup toward Collins, waiting with bated breath for him to give it a try. I’ve been making this mixture since I was a child and know exactly what amount to mix to give the perfect dipping sauce.
I watch as he grabs a fry, dunking it in, then bringing it up to those perfectly plump lips.
“Final verdict?” I ask once he’s fully finished his bite.
“Eh. I didn’t hate it.” He shrugs and shock paints my features immediately.
“I’m kidding, Peppermint. It was delicious, I think this is my new favorite dipping sauce, but only ifyoumake it.” He winkscasually at me before continuing to eat, and rather than focus on the flutter that happened in my lower belly at his wink, I dig into my food. Lunch goes by with continued stories of snowboarding, bullying the guys into stopping back into the lodge shop, and then back to the cabins to rest before family dinner.
Chapter 9
Quixotic
Collins
“Quixotic. That’s going to be twenty-six points.” Darcy smiles smugly from across the table in the main cabin.
“What does that even mean?” Dom grumbles, dropping his head into his hands.
