Chapter 10 Frost
Frost
Fuck. I’m rough as hell as I sleep off the world’s worst hangover at the front desk of the lodge. God knows what happened to Robin last night, but so far, I have had to deal with numerous phone calls and guests checking in and out.
The whole time, I wore my sunglasses to hide my bloodshot eyes. Robin will be pissed when he returns, since the Alpha believes in maintaining good eye contact with guests, so they’ll feel obliged to write a glowing five-star review online.
I’ll just tell him that the early morning sun glancing off the snow outside was hurting my eyes. It’s been a while since I got to see the sunrise, actually.
I’m just not as good with the public as he is, and I have no idea how he does it. Even when our guests are rude and entitled, his shiny white smile never falters, and darn, I miss him…
I take it he got caught up in that storm last night. It seems Shepard did, too, as he went out last night to find our resident cat, Snowball.
So, now it’s up to me to take the helm of the ship.
When a car finally pulls up in the parking lot outside, and the familiar blond shape of my brother materializes, I throw my head back in relief.
Thank fuck. I am still too hungover for this.
I expect him to scold me as he comes up to the front desk, spotting me in my sunglasses, but instead, he wears a shit-eating grin on his face.
For someone who spent the whole night caught in a storm, he sure looks pleased with himself.
“What are you in such a good mood about?” I ask.
The Alpha pauses for a moment. Then he turns toward an old couple who've come down to check out.
“I hope you both had a pleasant stay,” he says in his buttery voice.
The old lady gushes, and she’s flirting with my brother. Not that she flirted with me when she checked in last night.
I’m the good-looking one after all.
“Oh, it was our pleasure, sir. We will definitely be booking again for our anniversary next year.”
I pull a face as Robin and the old lady break into conversation. Apparently, it will be their golden anniversary, and I wish I could fake it like he does.
How the hell he manages to look remotely interested just astounds me.
“Goodbye and have a safe drive home,” Robin singsongs as the couple finally leaves.
Now he turns to me, and the smile hasn’t left his face. Still, as a precaution, I take off the sunglasses. “Seriously. What are you so happy about?”
But my brother ignores me yet again as he comes around the desk, checking our messages. We have many.
He doesn’t chastise me. He just continues grinning that shit-eating grin.
“Holy fuck. You got laid, didn’t you? Finally…”
Robin chuckles as he writes down the messages and numbers that were on the phone. “Even better.”
What’s better than getting laid?
That’s when the scent hits me, and I jump up in my seat, regretting it once my head spins.
Wow. Still hungover.
“Shit…you and Noelle?”
I’m not sure whether to be angry or intrigued. After all, wasn't he the one who told us to keep our distance?
Who would have thought that I’d end up being the sensible one where Noelle is concerned? Both of my brothers have pursued her now, trying to seek her forgiveness.
But I’ve been the same, regular Frost.
Robin shrugs. “We never meant for it to happen. It just came about naturally. However, I do have Mother Nature to thank…”
Seriously…what? Now I want to punch him in his shiny teeth.
I ball my fists. “What happened to keeping our distance?”
He looks at me again, smiling apologetically. “Oh, I understand the confusion. Noelle and I got caught up in the storm together, and… we kind of got to talking.”
What? Lucky bastard.
And here I was back at the lodge, miserable and hungover, while he gets to cozy up with the woman of our dreams.
“Wait 'til Shepard gets a load of this,” I say, throwing my sunglasses back over my face as I hand him the helm of the ship again.
I would tell him to get a shower since he’s been in the same clothes for twenty-four hours now, yet he smells of Noelle.
Meanwhile, I smell like regret and an old brewery.
Robin snorts. “Well, he isn’t really one to talk now, is he? It’s not as if I sought Noelle out on purpose. We just happened to be at the same place at the same time.”
Yeah, same here. Of all the Omegas I could have run into on the highway, the heavens decided to send me Noelle.
“Did you know she got a publishing deal?” Robin mentions now, trying to change the subject.
I did. And while I’m happy for her, I won’t deny that I’m a little jealous and ashamed—ashamed because we once vowed that we would chase our dreams together.
In an ideal world, I would’ve been bigger than the Beatles… and she would’ve become the next Emily Bronte.
But look at me now. A complete trainwreck.
Robin continues. “She may be coming up later. I gave her my business card, so keep an eye on the phone.”
He moves away from the desk again. I fret then. “W-where are you going?”
“To have a shower before she arrives.”
“No,” I shake my head. “I can’t spend another moment at this desk!”
But the asshole is already out of earshot, rushing up the stairs as he goes to rid his body of that magnificent scent.
“Asshole,” I mutter, grabbing my guitar. Now I start plucking at the strings of my instrument just as a car pulls up outside.
When I look out the fogged windows, my heart somersaults. I would recognize those flaming red locks anywhere.
Noelle.
I could curse Robin right now. I haven’t even had a chance to shower myself, but at least I get to be the first face that greets her at Wynter Lodge.
Should be fun.