“The next time I catch you out in the cold, not properly dressed, you will find yourself over my knee. Do I make myself clear?”
She opened her mouth to speak but the words got caught in her throat. She ended up letting out an affirmative squeak and nodding her head.
He rolled his eyes then gestured to the handsome stranger beside him. “This is Jake Hill. Jake and his sister, Jillian, will be staying with us for a while.” Mr. Wolfe turned to Jake. “Coral will also be able to show you where to find anything you need. She knows the ins and outs of the lodge better than most. Isn’t that right, Coral?”
Both men stood assessing her now, but she still couldn’t get her voice to obey. She gave another affirmative nod. Jake let out a deep chuckle and Mr. Wolfe narrowed his eyes at her before he turned on his heel and walked away, muttering something about stubborn women and people falling down hills. Jake winked at her, then turned and followed Mr. Wolfe down the long corridor.
Coral heaved a sigh of relief. She had been prepared for another lecture, and although Mr. Wolfe ran his lodge with a heavy hand, he had never threatened to spank her before. The thought of it made her belly flip. And who was this beautiful stranger who had taken up temporary residence?
JAKE
Bertram Wolfe showed Jake into his office. It was lined in dark wooden panels and dark wooden furniture filled the room. Jake was a large man, but the furniture in the room demonstrated such strength and power that he felt a little nervous. Jake had the same feeling he had as a boy when he was called into the headmaster’s office to be taken to task for pulling the girls’ pigtails.
Bertram motioned for him to take a seat in a high backed chair across from his desk. Jake settled himself into it and looked at Bertram expectantly. He could already tell just from the way the rest of the staff and guests regarded Bertram that he was a kind man, but not one to be taken lightly. The poor girl he had just met seemed to be shaking in her snow covered boots after just a simple look from him.
“Intimidating, isn’t it?” Bertram glanced around at the surroundings and Jake smiled.
“A little,” he replied.
“My partner’s. I don’t have much use for an office. A little hoity-toity for my tastes.” He stopped and gave Jake a reassuring look. “I hope you will find yourself at home here,” Bertram began.
Jake let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. In some part of his brain, he did feel like he was about to be scolded for something. “I have no doubts I will be right at home.”
Bertram smiled at him. “The reason for your visit is unfortunate. But since you are here to wait out the blizzard, I want you to enjoy any amenities you have a desire for.”
Jake turned that over in his mind, “The girl you just introduced me to. Coral?”
Bertram’s features hardened. “She is not an amenity.”
“I wasn’t saying she was. I was just curious about her. She is so?—”
“Stubborn?” Bertram finished his sentence for him.
“No, I was going to say?—”
“Foolish?”
“I wanted to say beautiful. Enchanting.” Jake caught the wistfulness in his own voice and straightened his shoulders. He didn’t want to gush, especially not in front of Bertram.
The look on Bertram’s face said that he was already wise to Jake’s interest. “Oh yes, she’s those things too. Beautiful, enchanting, stubborn, and foolish. She can also be quite sarcastic and a bit exasperating.” He shuffled a few papers on his desk, then looked up at Jake with a crooked grin. “She’s one of my favorite employees.”
Jake smiled at the thought of the enchanting little fairy. She had long red hair that cascaded past her shoulders and a petite frame, but she had fire behind her sparkling blue eyes. He had no doubt of Bertram’s assessment. Her meek and chastened demeanor was probably not the norm for her.
“That’s why I brought you in here. I wanted to talk to you about that one,” Bertram continued speaking.
“You wanted to talk to me? About Coral?”
“Yes, your sister told me you were on your way to a matchmaker.”
“My sister has a big mouth.” Jake felt his hackles rising. Where did Jillian get off telling complete strangers about their plans?
“Yes, we can agree on that. I feel your sister may need some guidance, but that is a separate matter.”
Jake’s interest was piqued; if this man was crazy enough to try to keep his sister in check, then he may as well listen to what he had to say.
“Coral, she is a special girl,” Bertram began. Jake nodded,he could already see that and she hadn’t even said two words to him. “But I fear I have let her get a little out of hand.”
Jake raised his eyebrows at the man sitting across from him. He had a hard time believing Bertram would let anyone get out of hand.
