So Poor Shane upped and left the country. He’d transferred his training and post-grad studies to Vancouver—and devised that new life plan. A plan that had no room for a woman to fuck it all up for him. And yet, he’d let his guard down with Zoey, foolishly falling for her dazzling smile and deep-green eyes. Beckoning. Enticing. Her sweet words about getting to know him better so intoxicating.
What a load of bullshit.
“Excuse me?” Krista turned to him.
Had he said that out loud? Shane cleared his throat. “I meant this swanky resort. I’d much rather be in a tent.”
“Me too.” With folded arms and a sulky mouth, Krista looked to the floor again. “My original idea for this vacation was to camp in the national parks.”
“Why did you all book into this place, then?”
“We had a group vote, and the majority wanted luxury—and no mosquitoes.” She shrugged. “I’d planned a whole bunch of day hikes with... Never mind.”
Ryan.
The blush on Krista’s cheeks told Shane that she’d been about to say his name. He’d often seen them together at the aquatics center canteen or leaving work in the evening. The assumption that Krista and Ryan were a couple had always wafted at the back of his mind. He hadn’t taken much notice really, but now, Shane fit the pieces together and saw the whole. Krista was in unrequited love.
It was so obvious by the pain in her eyes. Had she been expecting to do more than just hiking with Ryan? Was that what last night’s dressing up in heels and flesh-flashing clothes had been about? The image of her ass through the split in her trousers pinged in his brain. Recalling the strip of red lace, Shane scratched his chin.Well, yeah.It certainly looked like Krista had been hoping for sexy times with Ryan.
Just like Shane had been hoping for sexy times with Zoey.
He shook the thought away now.
Silly bastard.
When would he ever learn that women weren’t worth the pain?
***
Thirty minutes later, out on the road driving toward Lake Louise, Shane glanced at his new hiking companion.
She’d barely said a word since leaving the hotel and was now sitting rigid in her seat. Shane could practically feel her vibrating with all that restrained rage and injustice rioting in her eyes.
If only he could get the message across that affairs of the heart—or however else people referred to them—meant jack shit. One year on from his own heartbreak, he wasn’t that beaten up, soft-hearted loser anymore. He should hang on to that as a reminder that he’d never wanted to return to that state ever again.
And for the brain cells at the back, that means staying clear of women, got it?
Sex could be good—most welcome, actually—but love was a waste of time.
In fact, the new, level-headed, optimistic part of him would even go as far to say that Fiona had done him a favor.
He’d dodged a bullet when she’d called off their wedding.
And he’d certainly dodged a bullet catching Zoey pashing off with Ryan.
Getting hitched, being tied down?No, thanks.Having a girlfriend whine about him spending too much time in the pool?He’d pass.
No one but him put demands on his time. He was the captain of his own ship.
But too bad that ship currently contained a passenger whose face could sink a whole fleet.
Hoping to snap that scowl off Krista’s face, he asked, “Ever been to Lake Louise before?”
“No.”
“That makes two of us. You wanna do the lake shore trail first then head up to the Big Beehive?”
“Sure.”
