Holden flicked an index finger toward the ceiling. “Sounds like I’m being paged. I need to check on my business partner really quick, but while I’m gone, if you could fill out the information on this form”—he slid the sheet over the counter—“that would be great.”
He passed her a pen, and the way their fingers brushed when she took it from his grip had him dizzied. He spun around, needing to catch himself on a rack of men’s snowboarding pants so he wouldn’t topple completely over.
Momentarily steadied, Holden inhaled for five solid seconds before rushing to the back room, but even that wasn’t long enough to get any oxygen into his clouded brain. What was happening to him?
“Sorry,” Lance apologized as soon as the door cracked open. He had his heel elevated on a metal folding chair and a pant leg rolled up clear to his thigh, a bag of melting ice draped over his knee. “I left my phone out there, otherwise I would’ve texted. Just wanted to remind you we’ve got that guy coming in after closing for an interview. I forgot to mark it down on the schedule. Wanted to make sure you knew.”
“Got it.” Holden shot two thumbs in the air. “Anything else?”
Lance shimmied in his seat, trying to peer out the door. “You got someone out there?”
“Just a woman I met at the Coffee Bar. We’re heading down the slopes to stock up on mistletoe.”
Lance’s eyebrow made an impressive arch that almost touched his hairline. “You’re going on a date?”
“It’s not a date. Just helping her with a little research for her work assignment.”
“Her work assignment involves kissing under mistletoe?”
Holden’s chin jerked back. “What? No. We’re not kissing. Just gathering mistletoe.”
“To do what with?”
“To study.”
Lance snorted. “Buddy, I know it’s been a long time since you’ve taken a dip in the dating pool, but this really isn’t how you do it.”
“I’m not dating. Seriously. I’m just taking her to collect some mistletoe. Completely innocent.”
“If you say so.” The ice pack slipped from Lance’s knee and Scout shoved up from her curled position on the floor to collect the baggie with her mouth. She trotted up to Lance and passed it off. “Good girl.” He patted her appreciatively and gave his friend a devious look. “And you be a good boy.”
“Are we done here?”
Lance just smirked and Holden hightailed it out of there before the guy could get in another aggravating word.
His new friend from the coffee shop had her back to him, her eyes tracking over the apparel portion of their store. When she made a full rotation, she faced Holden. “You’re back,” she said with a warm smile, no longer wearing the frustrated expression from earlier.
So much for asking her name. He wasn’t going to chance landing back in awkward territory, not when she looked almost excited to see him again. He’d have to find out some other way.
“Sorry. That took longer than expected.”
Her hands ran up and down her biceps. “It’s not a problem.”
“Are you cold?” He noticed a small shiver jostle her slender shoulders.
“No. I’m not cold,” she said, dropping her arms to her sides. “If I can be honest, I’m a little nervous.”
“Me too!” Holden blurted before any sort of filter could dam up the words. “I don’t know why being around you makes me feel that way.”
She didn’t blink. “I meant I was nervous about riding a snowmobile.”
“Ah.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Right.” All saliva evaporated from his mouth and he forced a parched swallow. A cough cleared his throat. “If it would make you more comfortable, we can ride tandem.”
“Like…together?”
“Yeah,” he said. “That’s what tandem means.”
She gave a wary pause. “I don’t know.”
