20. Sierra
20
SIERRA
The next morning, I was too hyped up to settle down to write. I hadn’t been asked out on a date in a long time—at least not by someone I actually wanted to go out with. Some guys on a movie set were more than willing to invite me back to their trailer or a hotel room, but few wanted to take me on a real date.
I didn’t make much progress on my screenplay as I alternated between excitement about the date and anxiety about what I could possibly wear. It was sweet of Drew to say I looked good in anything, but that wasn’t how the world worked. I wanted to look my best for them. My best definitely didn’t include sweatpants, thick wool socks, a t-shirt, and god, no makeup whatsoever.
At least I could shower, wash my hair, and shave with a disposable razor I’d swiped from one of the guys. That was on the agenda for later in the afternoon while they were working out.
But right now, I was supposed to be writing.
Except that sure as hell didn’t seem to be happening.
I couldn’t stop thinking about my three dates for the evening. Tristan was in the kitchen getting a snack. Carter sat on the couch, his feet up on the coffee table while he swiped through his phone. It looked like he was just surfing the web, but I knew him better now. Judging by the look of concentration on his face, he was researching something work-related.
And Drew… I actually wasn’t sure where he was, so I asked Tristan when he came back with an apple and a bowl of chips.
“I think he took Zeus for a walk,” Tristan said.
“No, he didn’t.” Carter turned to face me. “You left your door open, so he’s taking a nap on your bed.”
I assumed he meant the dog, not the man, but I walked over to double check. Zeus had his shaggy head on my pillow, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him to get down. “I haven’t seen Drew in a while. Has anyone?”
Tristan set his food on the worktable. “I’ll check outside and see if he’s around.”
While he was gone, I stole a few of his chips. I regretted it instantly, both because I needed to watch what I ate since the press tour wasn’t that far off, and because my fingers got all greasy and I had to go wash them.
As I emerged from the bathroom, Tristan returned. He went straight to Carter. “His tracks lead down the mountain.”
Carter swung his legs off the coffee table. “Shit. Why would he go that way?”
The stolen chips formed a lump in my stomach. “Oh no. No, no, no. I think he went down to my cabin.”
“What?” Both men turned to stare at me.
“He knew I was worried that I didn’t have anything nice to wear tonight, so I think he went down to see if he could find some of my clothes.”
“I hope he took a chainsaw with him,” Tristan said, shaking his head.
Carter strode over to the door. “No, but he took the axe.” He shook his head as he pulled on his coat. “He’s either going to slip and break his neck, or chop off a few fingers. Maybe both.”
The worry on Carter’s face chilled me to the bone. I would rather attend our date in a garbage sack than have Drew do something dangerous. “This is all my fault.”
“No, it’s not,” Tristan said before turning to his best friend. “Want me to come?”
“No, I’ll be faster on my own.” He was already geared up and ready to go. “Keep Zeus here.”
He slammed the door shut behind him, and now I worried about two people’s safety.
“They’ll be okay,” Tristan said. He strode past me and looked out the front window. I joined him, and we watched Carter make his way carefully down the steep hillside until he was out of sight. Tristan put his arm around my shoulder and repeated his words. “They’ll be okay.”
The next hour was a very long one. Tristan’s snack sat forgotten on the table. Neither one of us got much work done. Every few minutes, I glanced at the clock on my phone, even though I’d barely bothered to check the time since I’d gotten here.
Finally, Tristan straightened up, peering at something behind me. I turned just in time to see two figures trudge past the window. Tristan put his hand on the back of the couch and leaped over it, a move that would’ve been impressive if I hadn’t been so worried. “Are they okay?” I asked as he looked out the window.
“Looks like it. Carter’s got the axe, and he hasn’t used it on Drew, so that’s a good sign.”
I forced myself to take deep, calming breaths as the back door opened and Carter came in. He looked grumpy, but Drew looked like his normal, upbeat self—though a little tired.
Part of me wanted to rush over there and hug them, but I wasn’t sure my knees would support me. Besides, I’d observed over the years that guys didn’t like to be fussed or worried about—perhaps because it reminded them that they, themselves, might have been worried?
Tristan went over and relieved Drew of a large duffel bag he was carrying. Then he hung up their jackets as they peeled off layers with cold fingers. Feeling the need to do something, I went into the kitchen and prepared two cups of coffee.
The guys were on the sofa when I set the mugs down in front of them. Then I gathered every blanket I could find and piled them over them while Tristan made a fire.
“We’re okay,” Drew said.
“You could’ve been hurt,” Tristan scolded.
Carter was silent as he sipped his coffee. I had a feeling he’d chewed Drew out already.
Now it was my turn. “You shouldn’t have gone down there. Not for me.”
Drew smiled. “I wouldn’t have done it for anyone else.” Beside him, Carter rolled his eyes.
“I mean, you shouldn’t have risked your safety for me. Or Carter’s.” Carter met my eyes, and I knew we were in agreement.
“It was nothing.” Drew scoffed. “Can’t have my girl wearing a hoodie on a date.”
His girl? I studied Carter and Tristan to see how they’d react to that, but they had bigger fish to fry.
“Yes, you could, especially if the alternative is doing something risky,” Tristan said. Suddenly, I envisioned him chiding an employee of his future corporation the same way.
“You don’t go that far on your own again,” Carter said flatly. “And certainly not without telling someone where you’re going.”
“Yeah, next time you pull a stunt like this, at least give us the chance to talk you out of it,” Tristan said.
“Or knock you out,” Carter muttered.
“Guys, it’s no big deal. I got there, I got back.”
“With help,” Carter pointed out.
Drew nodded and grinned. “And I got what I went for.”
“You did?” I glanced over to the door, but all I could see was the large bag he’d carried stuff in.
“Yep.” Drew started to extract himself from the blankets piled on him, but I pushed him back.
“Just stay there and get warm.” Like the others, I was irritated with him for taking a risk, but I couldn’t help being touched that he’d done it for me.
As I walked over to the door, I wondered what he might’ve found. Surely most of my clothes had been ripped to shreds by the branches by now. Still, there might be something I could wear, even if it was damaged. Frankly, I was pretty desperate, and about one step away from trying to make an outfit out of the curtains.
The duffel bag was heavier than I’d expected, and I carried it back to the living room rather than crouching down among the puddles from the snow the two men had tracked in.
I dragged an old beanbag chair over in front of the fireplace, and balanced the the duffel bag on top of it. I sat down on the hearth and undid the strings at the top of the bag.
At first, I couldn’t figure out what I was looking at. There was a rectangular shape in a familiar-looking shade of rose gold. As I peeled down the sides of the duffel, I managed to free the small suitcase.
I stared at it in disbelief. “Where’d you find this?” I asked Drew.
“It had fallen in that little hallway off the kitchen. None of your other stuff was there, just that,” he said. “It was all I could reach, except for a few things from your bathroom.”
Shaking my head, I stared at the case. “I’d completely forgotten about this.” Most of my clothes and possessions had been brought up in trunks. Those things had been unpacked and stored on shelves and in the dresser in the cabin—and I suspected I’d never see most of them again. But I hadn’t even opened this suitcase, because it wasn’t for my stay at the cabin—it was for after.
“My friend, Kylie, lives in Denver. I was going to spend the weekend with her and her men after my stay ended here,” I explained to the others.
“Her men?” Tristan asked, but I didn’t answer as my excitement grew.
“They were going to take me out for a night on the town at this little bar they love. I packed an entire outfit just for that night out. I knew I wouldn’t need it while I was at the cabin, so it wasn’t even in my bedroom. I never even opened it.”
“That was a pretty lucky break,” Tristan observed.
“It was.” I stood up, a huge smile on my face. “And I’m so glad I’m not going to have to wear ill-fitting sweats for our date tonight.”
“Care to give us a preview?” Carter asked.
I laughed as I picked up the heavy little suitcase. “God, no. I want it to be a surprise.”
“I have a feeling it’s going to be a great surprise,” Drew said, his dark eyes gleaming.
I walked over and ran my fingers through his hair. It was sticking up in all directions from the stocking cap he’d worn outside. “I’ll make sure of it.” I fisted his hair and pulled until his head tilted back and our eyes met. “But if you’d fallen and broken your neck, I would’ve killed you.”
“Fair enough,” he said.
Letting him go, I straightened up. “Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I’ve got some unpacking to do.”