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“Ow,” I muttered.

I blinked a few times. The cold was brutal. It was a physical force.

I walked to the main lodge, grateful for the cleared path. Inside, the dining hall was already bustling with crew members grabbing breakfast before the day’s shoot. I made my way to the coffee station first. I sipped and once again was grateful for the good stuff. The breakfast offering looked amazing. I loaded a plate with eggs, bacon, and toast.

I found a seat at one of the smaller tables near the window, away from the main crowd. I needed a minute to collect myself before facing the chaos of another shooting day. The dining hall wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t nearly as warm as my cabin.

The view through the window was all white and gray. It was genuinely beautiful. If someone had shown me a photograph of this place before the trip, I would have called it stunning.

It was different being physically present. Cold had a way of making everything feel slightly hostile. That and the many animals that wanted to kill you. A strong reminder that the frontier wanted to remain undiscovered.

I was halfway through my eggs when I heard footsteps approaching. Focus. I started running through what I needed to do. The thing I did best—work. I was a workaholic.

That lasted for about two seconds. I couldn’t get my thoughts away from Jeremy.

“Hey.”

I looked up. Jeremy stood there, looking unfairly put-together for someone who’d slept on a couch. His hair was still slightly damp from his shower. He was wearing a simple black sweater.

“Hey,” I said, hoping I sounded normal.

He gestured to the empty seat across from me. “Can I?”

“Sure.”

He sat down, but he didn’t have any food with him. That wasn’t unusual. Just a cup of coffee. For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence stretched, awkward in a way it had never been between us before.

“Look,” he finally said. “I didn’t mean to upset you this morning.”

“You didn’t upset me.”

“You seemed pretty upset.”

I sighed, setting down my fork. “I wasn’t upset. I was just… my brain was still asleep. I was confused. I reacted badly. I’m sorry.”

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “So we’re good?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.” He nodded slowly. “Good.”

Another pause. I picked up my fork again, pushing my eggs around the plate without actually eating them.

“But we probably shouldn’t do that again.”

“Do what?” he asked.

“Fall asleep together. On the couch. Or anywhere else.” I met his eyes, forcing myself to hold his gaze. “You’re my client, Jeremy. You’re paying me to be here. It feels like crossing a line.”

He sighed. “I know. You said that.”

“But you agree, right? I know we were both a little out of it this morning. I need to make sure we’re both clear on this.”

I wasn’t sure, but it looked like he was disappointed.

“Yeah,” he said. “I get it.”

“It’s not that I didn’t appreciate you bringing me food. I did. That was really thoughtful.”