Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
DAUSYN
G oing downhill beside Kendra, I’m careful as I get action shots of her. We aren’t going terribly fast, but my inattention is dangerous for both of us. When we get to the bottom of the run, I look through the stills that I got of her. With some simple editing, these are sure to be beautiful.
“How’d they turn out?” She asks as we make our way to the lift.
“They’re really good. When we get back tonight, I’m gonna go through some edits for you and upload them to the site.” I look down at the vast mountainside. It’s gorgeous out here. My eyes land on Maverick, because of course they do. I could always pick that asshole out of a crowd. Only, my brain doesn’t immediately jump to asshole. It likes to remind me of the crush I’d had on him since I first started working for the team.
I’d finished my run with the girls’ team, and he was the last male hockey player I needed pictures of for the trip. He makes my job so damn difficult day in and day out. Dropping out of the lift, Kendra sets off immediately and I snap some pictures and hang back. Maverick is with my brother Dylan, his best friend. They’ve been thick as thieves for as long as I could remember and my constant tormentors.
The boys push off down the mountainside and I follow, carefully getting candid shots of them.
At the bottom, as they’re taking off their snowboards and laughing, I snap another candid. Looking down at the screen, I can’t help but admire Maverick’s smile. His teeth are beautifully on display in his wide grin and the dimples in his cheeks are visible. I know for a fact my manager will love this shot. It might be the best candid I’ve managed to capture of Maverick.
Too bad there’s no appreciation for my artistry from him.
Just as the notion comes over me to try and show him, my face stings with a sharp and painful cold. A snowball falls from my cheeks, and I screech, pissed to the extreme. Maverick and Dylan cackle at my demise.
“I fucking hate you, Maverick Roday.” I unclip my snowboarding boots and take my wounded pride to the resort. At the top of the stairs I toss my snowboard, not caring where it lands or who’s watching.
I storm inside, eyes pricking with tears as I head toward the bathroom where I check to make sure I’m alone. When I confirm that I am, the floodgates let loose. I clean the snow and water from my face as I ruminate over the shit Maverick has put me through. He’s insufferable. From my food to my clothes, nothing has been safe from his pranks.
Usually, his pranks aren’t enough to get to me like this, but this week is different. We’ve been at this resort for four days and it’s been nonstop. Words fail me as I look at my face in the mirror. We leave tonight and make it back just in time for the holidays. I can go home, see my dog, my parents, and just forget. That is until he inevitably comes over at my brother’s request.
I have no encouragement to push me forward. My eyes are bloodshot and puffy, my face is red around my eyes, and there’s no denying that I’ve been in here crying over Maverick.
Raised voices outside catch my attention. I wipe my camera down and turn it off before I walk out of the bathroom.
I see the hockey teams gathered around the coaches and resort staff.
“We unfortunately won’t be able to make it back home tonight,” Coach Morrison is saying as the group groans. I avoid where Maverick and Dylan stand and keep to the outer edge. “A storm has set in and it’s not safe to drive through. We’ll be snowed in tonight and hopefully able to leave in the morning.” More groans emerge as I shoot off a text to my parents, knowing that Dylan won’t inform them, and I can feel eyes on me.
When I look over, it’s Maverick, because of-fucking-course it is. He eyes look between mine and his brows pinch together. On someone else, I’d say it was a look of concern, but that sadistic asshole is incapable of such an emotion.
I scowl, and I feel the tears well up, but just as quickly as the emotion comes up, I swallow it down. I shake my head and roll my eyes, turning away from him and heading toward the restaurant.
He’s done enough and I refuse to let him have any more of my time.