Chapter 13
HANNAH
The day goes on as normal. Maya is nowhere to be found inside the main building when Gift Card Guy catches wind that the Olympic snowboarding team occupies the lounge in the afternoon.
He tries to flirt with the twins, only to get shut down when he discovers both are under the age of eighteen.
I tell Maya that little tidbit, and she sends me a voice memo of her cackling like a witch brewing a potion.
Someone new shows up in a pristine blue suit, blond hair trimmed short on the sides, and a silver phone plastered to his ear.
Apparently, Noah invited his personal assistant to the event, wanting to keep track of the publicity that will be pouring in, in just a few days after the ads.
At least he’s giving us the traction we need to bring in more revenue.
Otherwise, I find him repulsive.
I end up taking photos of two of his teammates, chatting it up with Mark, and finding out he’s married and that his wife, Sophia, is pregnant with their first baby.
“What are you having?” I ask.
He smiles big, lighting up like the Christmas tree behind him. “A girl, and we’re naming her Lily, after Sophia’s grandmother.”
“Aw, that’s so nice!” I smile in return, already a big fan of how kind and conversational Mark is. We chat more about our families and my history with Snowy Peak.
He leans casually against a wall while sunlight filters through the window. “It’s a really nice place they have here. I hope our event saves it. I would love to bring my family here when it’s not on business terms.”
I ask him if I can take a picture of him posing casually by the window. He agrees, keeping his posture relaxed but still as I take a couple of shots. “It’s been my second home since I was twelve. We have to save it.”
Taylor is next, and I learn he swings for the opposite team and prefers rugged men chopping wood. The man is an open book, not afraid to broadcast his likes and dislikes. “I like an ideal lumberjack, you catch my drift?”
Shaking my head with a laugh, I have him pose in a chair, closer to the Christmas tree, lounging without a care in the world. “I can’t say I want the same, but I get the vision.”
He laughs, pushing his blond hair away from his forehead. “The world is our oyster, no point in wasting time. Experimenting is fun.” He ends our conversation with a wink and leaves me standing alone, staring dumbfounded at my camera.
What an interesting individual.
Cody is nowhere to be found.
So, that leaves me with Noah.
And I have no interest in doing a solo portrait of him…unless he keeps his mouth shut.
Instead, I take photos of Mark and Taylor speaking with other guests, laughing, and somehow, Noah catches my eye, watching every move I make.
He makes me grind my teeth.
Girls either sit next to him or on him, laughing as they twirl his hair, teasing or taking turns whispering in each other's ears. This family place has turned into a goddamn nightclub, pissing me off even more.
Noah catches my stare, smirking like he’s a little kid caught in the act of drawing all over someone’s living room walls with a Sharpie.
His eyes, a deep, rich brown, are haunting in a way; they send chills running through my body, keeping tabs on me as I weave in between groups of guests, kids running up to the snowboarders, asking for autographs.
Noah isn’t afraid to make his laser focus on me blatantly obvious, and that’s another irritating factor about him.
If I can just blend in with the rest of the crowd, then I’m in the clear to escape.
“Excuse me?”
His voice, smooth like butter, gives me an odd chill down my spine.
“When were you going to take my photo?” His manners are sickly sweet, leaving a gross taste in my mouth.
I cock an eyebrow, only giving him half my attention. “When you’re alone and not smothered in a female pack of hyenas.”
He pretends he’s wounded, holding a hand to his heart, then moves smoothly across the floor until he blocks my view, taking over my personal space. “How about now?”
Gosh…he is…overwhelming.
I look up, following his feet to his face, swallowing back a tickle in my throat. Our eyes lock, and heat rises up my neck to my cheeks. His smile reminds me of a Cheshire cat, sneaky yet charming, his dark curls inviting to touch. The idea that someone so…attractive can exist right in front of me…
“I can be shirtless if you like?” he offers, clearly impressed with himself.
The perfect image of him tarnishes in seconds after his gross comment. Then again, why did I ever think he was? “Find me when you get knocked down off your imaginary pedestal, k?”
Pushing past him, he chuckles like I told the funniest joke.
He’s so fucking arrogant.
I make it my mission for the rest of the evening to avoid Noah, and the girls gathered around his shit circle, while I stab aggressively at my salad, judging. I have to remind myself he’s here to help Maya’s parents, and after that, he’ll be gone.
The others are digestible, and it surprises me that Mark and Taylor join me for dinner.
Instead of letting Noah get to me, I brush off what I can’t control and engage in lighthearted conversation with them.
“Tell me, Hannah, are you a skier or a boarder?” asks Mark, eyeing me over his plate of spaghetti.
Taylor leans in, completely enthralled, waiting for my answer.
“Snowboarder born and raised,” I declare, getting a high five from both men.
Mark twirls his spaghetti and says, “Single or taken?”
Taylor’s eyebrows raise, his eyes flickering back and forth between us.
I laugh, not quite sure where he’s going with this twenty-question game. “Single.”
Mark hangs his head low, and Taylor celebrates, smacking his teammate’s shoulder. “You owe me twenty!”
I backpedal. “Did you bet on my relationship status?!”
Mark pulls a crisp twenty out of his back pocket, tossing it at Taylor. “In my defense, and I am a married man, mind you, I thought someone as nice and pretty as you was taken.”
Taylor waves the bill away, tucking it under his plate. “From the way you’ve been grilling the shit out of Noah since his arrival, I assumed you hated the male species and thought you were against penises.”
I frown. Clearly, it’s no fault of their own for not having any idea of my dating history, but damn, am I that obvious in my hatred for the man? “Well, glad that was such a hot topic for you both.”
Taylor takes a deep sip of his water. “Hannah, it’s all in good fun. Speaking of fun, where’s your spunky friend, Maya?”
Appetite gone, I push my half-eaten meal aside. “Hiding out from Gift Card Dude.”
“Who?” they say in unison.
“Some guy she went on a first date with decided to use a gift card.” Now my stomach is twisted in knots.
Taylor nearly chokes on his spaghetti, tears streaming down his face from laughing. Mark has to smack his back to control his fits.
They both get dessert, but I decline, remembering I already had my sugar for the day, while envying everyone who orders dessert, because they’re the best here.
Mark and Taylor devour a skillet chocolate-chip cookie, polishing it off in minutes, then relax in their seats.
Taylor rubs his stomach. “I’m gonna have to hit the gym later tonight to burn this off.”
Mark rolls his eyes. “God forbid you enjoy a dessert every once in a while.”
“This body is built to perfection; I must maintain it.” Taylor lifts his shirt up to show us his well-sculpted abs.
Mark smacks them.
I snort. At least they’re entertaining. They seem more like brothers than teammates, and it’s nice to watch their exchange.
Eventually, they head out, wishing me a good night, leaving me in the dining hall until I’m kicked out by the kitchen staff.
Standing outside the dining room, across the lounge area, Noah has a girl’s back against the wall, his arm above her head, lips inches apart.
Heat rises up my neck as I try to sneak out, avoiding anything that’ll make a sound, when I trip over my own two feet, stumbling towards the door, trying to get my footing.
Squeezing my eyes shut to block out the horror, I slam my side into the door, rattling it.
“Fuck,” I hiss, rubbing my shoulder. That’s going to be a huge bruise in the morning.
Silence follows after my tumble, and I look around to find Noah and the random girl gone.
Well, she’s gone.
Noah stands behind me, looking down like I’m a cockroach and his foot is seconds away from squashing me to death. “Stumbling into people and doors? There should be a hazard sign around you at all times.”
I get to my feet and brush myself off. “Girls straddling your lap at a family resort? That warrants an arrest.”
He recoils, then recovers in seconds, resuming his nonchalant demeanor. “I’m only here to do one thing: perform at the event and get out. What I do in my downtime shouldn’t be up for discussion.”
Our bodies somehow gravitate toward one another, barely a couple of inches separating us as we stare one another down. “That’s fine, but keep it behind closed doors. I’m trying not to barf every time I walk by the lounge.”
“You’re rather hyper-fixated on my extracurricular activities.” His eyes dart down to my mouth, then back up.
Our height difference is staggering; he towers over me with ease, overtaking my space and making me a little nervous. But I refuse to cower. “As long as you do your job, then we’re done here.”
“Are we?” he moves a millimeter closer, our chests barely touching. His eyes smolder, trying to size me up.
I shake myself out of his trance, reminding myself this man is nothing but a playboy with a rude mouth. “Just stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours.”
Noah reaches forward, moving a loose piece of my hair away from my face. My heart almost drops in my stomach. “Fine by me, Red.”