Chapter Two
Two
GRAYSON KELLER DID HIS BEST to stay out of other people’s business.
If it had nothing to do with him or the people he cared about, there wasn’t much point in getting invested.
He hadn’t always felt that way. His marriage, and the rocky divorce that followed, had closed off little chambers of his personality; made him choosier about whom to let in, mentally, physically, and socially.
But extending simple kindnesses wasn’t nosy or out of line.
When the golden-haired, beautiful-even-in-her-annoyance woman walked away from the reception desk, Grayson spotted her credit card wedged between the front desk and the floor, like she’d dropped it and then accidentally kicked it.
The space wasn’t big enough to pretend to ignore her irritation.
She had a soft tone that was calm and collected but her words were precise and hard.
It was a compelling contrast, like she was struggling to keep an ember from erupting into a full-blown fire.
The combination of her voice, her words, and her slightly out-of-place elegance made him smile.
Standing there, staring at the closed elevator doors, he mentally cursed himself.
What was he thinking, chasing after a woman, even in a populated, open area?
He had a sister and a niece. What if someone had done the same to them?
Definitely the wrong impression. He tapped the credit card against his palm as his phone vibrated in his hand.
Hers had buzzed so much on the front-desk counter, he’d thought it might dance its way off the edge. Whoever she was, she was popular.
For a split second there, he thought he’d seen a flash of mutual interest. It’d been so long since he’d felt a strong pull of attraction toward anyone, so he might have been wrong.
He might have misread her gaze. The P on the lights above the elevator lit up.
She’d gone to the parking garage. At least he knew better than to follow her down there.
Glancing around, he headed for one of the two leather chairs sitting against a wall, an ugly gold-and-marble table topped with magazines between them.
Sinking into the noisy leather, he set her credit card on the arm of the chair and pulled out his phone.
He had some time, so he could wait and hopefully she’d come back up.
The guys he knew from the outdoor expo being held the next day had invited him out for drinks tonight but he wasn’t into it.
Hanging out at crowded bars or pubs had long ago lost its appeal.
Both his brother and sister had texted him.
So had his niece, Ollie. Man, he loved that kid.
Swiping his thumb over the screen, he clicked on the picture she’d sent.
She wore a black suit with a lilac dress shirt.
Grayson had the same outfit hanging in his closet for his brother Beckett’s wedding at the end of the month.
Even though it was only the beginning of August, he knew the weeks would fly by and then summer would be over.
By the end of it, his brother would be a married man.
Grayson
You look good kid. Almost as good as me.
Ollie sent a GIF of someone laughing so hard they fell over and Gray laughed out loud.
He found one to send back that had an old man with a ridiculously long, bushy white beard saying, “Still got it.”
Ollie
Can you bring back the good popcorn from Costco? Pretty please.
She was ten now, going into fifth grade in the new school year, and had them all wrapped around her finger.
Gray wondered how Ollie would react to the news that her mom—his sister, Jilly—was pregnant.
She and her fiancé, Levi, were waiting to tell her until after the wedding.
She’d be a great big sister, but she’d had the spotlight from all of them for a long time.
Grayson
You got it. I’ll see you tomorrow. Keep an eye on things, okay? Don’t let Bernie start the painting without us.
Ollie
Too late. Levi, Uncle Becks, and Presley already helped.
Of course. He hated missing out on helping a man who’d become like family to all of them.
Bernie had shown up at the lodge two summers back, right when Gray had taken over.
Formally divorced and starting over in a completely new professional sphere—a hell of a jump from business management to running Get Lost Lodge—Grayson had been drowning.
And not just financially. Bernie had a childhood connection to the lodge and convinced them to let him buy one of the cabins, giving Gray an influx of cash and some breathing room.
Now, Bernie’s niece was coming to stay with him at the cabin and he wanted to fix up the spare bedroom.
From the minute Gray had taken over the lodge, his family had also gone above and beyond to support him.
Especially Ollie, his little pal. She’d followed him around from day one, like a mini manager.
She and Gray’s siblings were the buoys that pulled him out of the murky darkness that coming home with very little to show for his life had plunged him into.
Bit by bit, he came out of shock, reemerging into the world, into his family and his life.
He’d never be the same, but maybe he wasn’t supposed to be. Older and wiser and all that shit.
“I certainly hope your amusement isn’t at my expense,” a strained but soft and warm voice he already recognized said at the same moment pointy-toed high heels filled his vision.
Grayson lifted his head slowly, his gaze going from his phone—and her shoes below it—up to meet her worried hazel-green eyes.
No, he didn’t need to know other people’s stories but he couldn’t help being curious about hers.
She was prettier up close. Even with a frown on her full lips.
Her blond hair was thick and shiny, falling in waves around her face and over her shoulders.
She had a delicate, if hard-set, jaw. Her eyes were expressive and, in this moment, a little unfriendly.
“It’s my niece making me laugh, actually,” he said honestly, wondering why she was so angry and mistrusting. Not your business.
The woman leaned in when Gray turned his phone, held it up to show Ollie in her suit. A smile broke free and he could tell that it surprised her as much as him.
Her guard seemed to drop with an exhale. “She’s adorable. And very fancy.” The woman’s gaze, much softer now, met Gray’s. Speaking of fancy. Everything from her shoes to her soft voice whispered sophistication. Which made her staying at the Wily Wolverine all the more interesting.
“My brother is getting married at the end of the month. Ollie and I are his groomsmen.” Grayson picked up her credit card. He held it out to her. “This is yours. I didn’t use it at the gift shop or anything.”
Humor and something vulnerable flashed in her captivating eyes, making them more green, and Gray’s heart muscles constricted. He rubbed his free hand against his chest. What the hell was that?
“Thank you. Though that must have taken some restraint. I saw the stuffed wolverines and they’re pretty cute.”
Gray laughed, surprised to learn that she was funny. It softened her seriousness. He leaned forward. “I already have one.”
The unease in her eyes disappeared with her genuine laughter. Her shoulders seemed to relax and Grayson felt his chest puff up like he’d conquered some sort of unimaginable feat.
Pulling out her wallet, she focused on getting the card back into the slot. “Thank you. Sorry I took off like that.” She glanced up. “I’m not usually so scattered. In fact, I’m rarely ever scattered.”
So something had happened. Grayson stood slowly, trying to quell the interest building in small degrees.
“We all have those days,” he said gently. She smelled like sunshine and flowers.
The harsh burst of laughter didn’t seem to suit her. “Something like that.”
“I’m Grayson. I hope your day gets better from here,” he said. He should go. Walk away and not wonder about the pretty woman who clearly had a lot of weight on her elegant shoulders.
“It’s nice to meet you.”
She didn’t give her name. Intentional? He had a feeling that, today notwithstanding, this woman said and did only what she meant to.
“No problem. I realized too late that chasing after you wasn’t my best look.”
She gave him a soft smile. “I’m overly sensitive at the moment. Thank you again, Grayson.” She held out a hand to shake his.
Grayson slid his palm against hers and felt the little snaps of electricity spark along his skin. His pulse sped up. “What’s your name?”
She held his gaze, hesitating like she wasn’t sure she should share. “Charlie.”
“Nice to meet you, Charlie.”
Interest and attraction flickered in her gaze, matching his own.
At least he hadn’t imagined it. He dropped her hand.
This woman had trouble written all over her in a variety of ways.
Grayson didn’t need to travel down any unmarked trails.
It’d taken too long to find himself again in the rubble of his divorce.
He’d finally dusted himself off and grown steady on his feet as a single man.
“You, too,” she said in a low voice.
The air thickened between them, like summer heat mixed with humidity. It was intense and magnetic, making it harder to pull away. Charlie broke the spell first. She stepped around him and walked back toward the reception desk.
Grayson couldn’t help watching her go, a wistful smile on his lips.
It was nice to know he still had the capacity to feel the intoxicating buzz of attraction.
His ex, Lana, had broken something inside of him when she left.
Until this moment, the idea of dating hadn’t even been on his radar.
Not that he’d be planning any dates soon, but it was freeing to know that piece of himself wasn’t one more thing he’d lost. The desire to see if Charlie got her room squared away, to ask her to go for a drink, simmered under his skin.
But just because he was intrigued didn’t mean he wanted to go down that road. Tempting, though.
Good thing he wouldn’t see her again.