Chapter 12
PARKER
She belongs here .
Reminding myself Delaney was not interested in dating, I pushed the thought away. She might fit perfectly in my arms, and smell like the first spring breeze after a long winter, but this was nothing more than a dance between friends. Or so I’d keep telling myself.
I was thrilled to see Cole, but I also didn’t want the conversation with Delaney to end.
“On a lighter note,” I said as we danced, trying not to focus on how, with one tug toward me, our bodies would be flush together, “tell me about your family. Have they always lived in Cedar Falls?”
“My parents actually moved here right after they got married. They came on a wine-tasting trip with some friends and loved it. Dad is an engineer. Mom is a dentist. I have an older brother who moved to Syracuse after college, and that’s pretty much it.”
I almost said something about attracting dentists’ daughters, but thought better of it. We’d talked plenty about our exes already, and more importantly, Delaney wouldn’t take kindly to hearing about my attraction to her.
“And your career?”
“I always thought I’d follow in my mother’s footsteps, having spent so much time at her work when I was younger.
I took biology and chem in college to prep for dental school, or maybe even med school, but changed my mind at some point.
I graduated with a chemistry degree and no idea what I actually wanted to do for a living.
My mother encouraged me to apply for a PharmD program, and when I got it, I figured it was as good as anything. ”
“But you don’t love it.”
“I don’t. If it were up to me, I’d have done something in the arts. Maybe started my own business or something. I love to paint, and make jewelry… stuff like that. Very impractical stuff.”
“A lifetime is an awfully long time not to enjoy what you do.”
“True. But I also wonder if I’d love my artsy stuff… that’s what my parents call it… if I had to earn a living with it. That would be a lot of pressure and probably would take away the enjoyment of it.”
Although it sounded a lot like Delaney talking herself out of making a career from what she loved, I kept my mouth shut. We weren’t close enough for me to offer an opinion she hadn’t asked for, and I wasn’t one to talk when it came to pulling the trigger on starting a business.
“Your turn.”
Unfortunately, the song ended which meant I had to let her go. The second I did, I wanted to pull her back. Instead, we walked off the dance floor, but instead of heading back to the bar, Delaney stepped off to the side.
I did the same.
“Not a lot to tell. Was born and raised in Hamlin, New York. Met the guys freshman year at University of Rochester. Majored in business. I have two brothers who both work for my dad’s car dealership, but I had no interest in that so I followed Mason and Beck back to Cedar Falls, started working construction, which I’d done a lot of back home while I figured things out. And here we are.”
“Pia said you’re a big outdoorsy guy?”
“I am. Love to fish, hike, ski… played ice hockey in college. Stuff like that.”
“You’re obviously still in great shape. Do you go to a gym?”
I couldn’t resist. “How can you tell?”
Her eyes meandered down to my chest but immediately popped back up to my face. I’d have to remember to wear tighter shirts around Delaney.
“Are you fishing for a compliment, Parker?” she teased.
“Damn straight I am.”
Delaney’s tinkling laugh made me smile. “I’m sure you get plenty and don’t need one from me.”
Pushing my luck, I said, “What makes you so sure?”
“Haha, there you go again.”
“What?” I asked with mock indignation. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Uh huh.”
“Crap. We’re being summoned.”
I turned back to the bar. Her friend Jules had rejoined the group, and it looked like they were all poised to do a shot. We were, indeed, being summoned. As much as I enjoyed having Delaney to myself, we headed back.
“What are we toasting to?” I asked, keeping the mood light, knowing at least one of the guys was likely to make a smartass comment about Delaney and me lingering on the dance floor.
“Cole finally quit being so mysterious and told us why he’s home. A professor friend of his gave him the keys to his ski chalet. We’re going tomorrow.”
That made absolutely no sense.
“Drink first,” Cole said, handing me a shot glass. “Ask later.”
Pia gave Delaney one too.
“To well-connected friends.” Mason lifted his glass. “And friends, in general.”
“Cheers,” everyone toasted. I didn’t turn around to watch Delaney even though I wanted to. I’d pushed it already, asking her to dance.
“Alright,” I said to Cole, “what’s going on?”
“A colleague came to find me this morning in my office with the strangest request. He owns a house at Crystal Peak and is apparently having some workers come to take a look Monday morning. Apparently the property management company came out for a routine inspection and found some roof damage to the garage, probably happened during that big storm last month. He arranged to have it looked at Monday morning and planned to be there, but something came up. I don’t have classes Monday so I told him I’d go up, maybe stop here and drag a few of you assholes with me.
” Cole smiled. “The guy’s loaded. Wife’s family. Doesn’t need to work but…” He shrugged.
“Say no more,” I said. “Odd professor types. I get it.”
“Which means what, exactly?” Cole asked.
“That you’re a bunch of weirdos,” Mason said.
I peeked to the side. Delaney was huddled with Pia and Jules at the bar.
“You guys off tomorrow?” Cole asked us.
“I’m forcing him to step back for a few weeks with inn renovations,” Mason said. “Otherwise Parker would work himself to the bone.”
“It’s true,” I said. “He fired me.”
Mason laughed. Something he did more and more often these days. When he first came home in the fall when his dad died, it had been awful. To everyone’s surprise, innkeeping had been good for the former cop.
Or more like Pia had been good for him. Maybe both.
“I didn’t fire you,” Mason pointed out. “Hard to fire someone who works for free.”
“So you’re off tomorrow?” Mason asked. “Can you get off Monday too?”
I never took days so it shouldn’t be a problem. “I can arrange it. What about you?” I asked Mason, who immediately turned to Pia.
“All are welcome,” Cole said. “It’s a huge house, apparently.”
Mason smiled. “Pia, girl? Wanna hit the slopes tomorrow? We can have Esther hold down the fort for the day, and there are no guests Monday.”
She turned to the group. “And be stuck alone with you clowns? Only if my girls can come,” she said to Jules and Delaney.
“I’m out,” Jules said. “I have a class tomorrow and deadline on an article I’m behind on. Rain check me.”
It was too bad she couldn’t make it, but the one person I was most interested in coming on this overnighter still hadn’t said anything.
“Don’t leave me hanging,” Pia said to Delaney. “I know you’re off Monday.”
“Right,” she said. “But not sure what I can do about tomorrow. I’m opening.”
“What time do you work until?” I asked.
“Supposed to be until three, but maybe if I can’t get the whole day I can at least get out early. I’ll see what I can do.”
“I was planning to hit the slopes for the day,” Mason said. “Beck is off tomorrow too.”
Every strike brings me closer to the next home run .
Alright, Babe Ruth, let’s see which one it’ll be. A strike or home run.
“I’ll wait for you,” I said. “I can work in the morning, and whenever you’re ready, we’ll leave and meet the gang there.”
Ignoring Mason’s small smile, and Pia’s too, I waited to see how badly Delaney didn’t want to date again. She was attracted to me, for sure. And I sure as hell was attracted to her too. But that didn’t necessarily mean much, especially given her situation.
She looked between me and Pia, as if trying to decide.
“But that’ll kill your skiing day,” she said. “By the time we get there?—”
“Doesn’t matter. I don’t ski.”
She laughed. “That is a bold-face lie.”
Nabbed. “True,” I admitted. “But honestly, it’s not a big deal.”
“Come on,” Pia urged. “It’ll be so much fun.”
“There’s a hot tub,” Mason said, obviously picking up the vibes.
I’d thank him later.
“How can I resist a hot tub?” she asked. “You sure you don’t mind?”
Our eyes locked.
There was a shift between us, as if we’d just crossed over into new territory.
“Not at all,” I said.
“OK. I’m in.”
“This will be so much fun.” Pia took out her phone. “I’ll start a list. We’ll need wine, obviously. Hot cocoa and Baileys, for the hot tub. Maybe I’ll grab some bagels and cream cheese for Monday morning. We’ll probably be eating out tomorrow night, right?”
“Woah, slow down, ghost rider,” Mason said. “It’s only one night.”
“Right.” Pia kept putting things into her phone. “But we’re gonna make it an epic night.”
After tonight, getting to know Delaney more, I’d begun to hope that maybe there was some wiggle room in her thinking on the “not dating” thing. Because being stuck in a ski chalet with her for two days, and not touching her at all, was going to be all but impossible.
I’d take a first kiss with Delaney Thorton over skiing any day.