Chapter 11 Zoe
ZOE
The next afternoon, I was walking across the lobby. Then suddenly, I was sliding across the lobby. My feet slipped out from under me, and I let out a shriek as I fell.
But then strong arms caught me, right before my ass hit the marble flooring. I clutched at the red ski jacket as he hauled me to my feet.
It was Landon. I would’ve known that even without the red ski jacket. He just radiated calmness, while his twin radiated chaos.
His smile was warm as he made sure I had my balance. “Remind me not to go ice-skating with you.”
I looked over my shoulder. “Was that what that was? Ice?”
“Or a bit of tracked in snow. Over the years, they’ve tried everything to keep the foyer high and dry, but, well, this is snow country.”
He let go of me, and my arm felt cold at the loss of contact. “I’m sorry,” I said, looking into those bright blue eyes.
“It happens to everyone,” he said kindly.
“No, not that… about last night at the bar when I snapped at you. Kai said you were only trying to help.”
“Help? I’m not following. I could tell you were pissed off when you left, but I assumed that Kai had said something crass again.”
“No, it—” I frowned. I’d barked at him to stay out of staff scheduling or something like that, but perhaps he hadn’t heard me clearly as I stormed off. Which I’d been doing a lot of lately.
Landon put his hand on the small of my back, and I practically leaned into his touch. What the hell was with me today? If I were a cat, I’d be rubbing my face against him. “Come sit with me and tell me what’s going on,” he said.
I followed his gaze to the cream-colored leather sofas around the two-story high Christmas tree. But I was on the clock. The last thing I needed was for Mrs. Greer to catch me lounging around.
Landon, somehow, seemed to figure out the problem. “I know a better place.”
I blinked up at him as he nudged me forward. I’d heard that twins were supposed to have some kind of mental connection, but I wasn’t his twin. Yet he seemed to have no problem figuring out what was on my mind.
He led me up the stairs to the upper part of the lobby, keeping his hand lightly on my back, as if afraid I’d slip again.
I didn’t think that was going to happen now that we were away from the front doors, but for some reason, I didn’t want him to let go.
We paused along the railing. The Christmas tree looked even more amazing up here.
It was filled with gold lights and garlands and looked like it came from the world’s biggest jewelry store.
Landon led me through the hallways, past guests’ rooms, then a little coffee shop, then down another hallway until I was completely turned around.
But at the end of the hallway he held a doorway open.
Bright sunlight and lush greenery were just beyond it.
I stepped out the door, expecting to feel cold, but the little room had glass walls protecting us from the cold air.
“What is this? A greenhouse?” I breathed, looking around in wonder. There were plants everywhere, and even trees, though not huge ones.
Landon closed the door behind us. “I’m not actually sure. I think it used to be a balcony, but at some point, it was enclosed and all of this was planted. All I know is that it’s my favorite place in the whole lodge. I think of it as a solarium.”
“Mine too,” I said reverently, then realized that didn’t make any sense. “I mean, so far, it’s my favorite place in The Fraser, too.”
He chuckled. “But you haven’t even seen all of it.”
“Doesn’t matter.” There was a little path through the greenery, and I followed, passing a bench. When I rounded a curve, where was a little stone fountain with gurgling water.
“Come see the best part.”
“There’s more?”
He smiled at the awe in my voice. Then he slipped through the bushes, no longer on a path, heading toward the oversized windows.
I followed, though I wasn’t sure we were supposed to be making our own path like this.
But I shouldn’t have doubted him. He held back a branch and ushered me forward.
There was a porch swing there, a two-person bench seat that faced the gorgeous view.
Eager to admire the mountains, I started to sit down and then took in the details of the seat. “It’s from the chairlift.”
Landon grinned. “Want me to lift you onto it?”
I was pretty sure my face flushed, but the little room was far too serene for me to mind. I settled on the seat, grateful that it only swayed a little. “I thought ski instructors weren’t supposed to lift and tell.”
Landon shrugged. “We’re twins. We tell each other everything.” Then, after a moment, he added. “Almost.”
For one alarming moment, I thought maybe Kai had told him what we’d done in the gym, but the sadness etched along his face made me dismiss that idea. He was such a nice man. I didn’t know him well, but I knew he deserved to be happy.
He was silent for a long moment, his eyes on the spectacular view, and then he sighed lightly and turned to me. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
I blinked, because I’d been on the verge of asking him that. But then I realized he meant about last night.
“Kai told me that you two asked Mr. Pierce to get my schedule changed to the later shift.
“We wanted to help.” Landon said automatically. Then he studied my face, then sat down next to me with a sigh. “Except we didn’t, right? That’s why you were mad.”
“My boss yelled at me for it,” I admitted, though the last thing I wanted to do was to make him feel bad.
“She yells at everyone, if it makes you feel better.” His tone was light, but his face was still trouble.
“I’m sorry. Kai suggested it, but I admit, it sounded like a good idea to me.
The idea was that if we kept you up, you could hopefully sleep in in the morning.
And before you asked, I tried to get them to be quieter the last couple of nights, but it’s like trying to herd really loud cats. ”
“I know you meant well,” I said honestly. Him, yes. Kai? I wasn’t sure about that.
Landon seemed to read my mind again. “I wasn’t thinking.
I should’ve asked you if that was what you wanted.
But it actually seemed like Kai was trying to do something nice for someone, so I didn’t want to rain on his parade.
So to speak.” He gave me a faint grin. “Every time I come to this place, I start picking up the expressions that the baby boomer guests use.”
I smiled at that. It was kind of funny to hear a young, hot guy talking like a senior citizen sometimes. “I’m sorry I got mad. I should’ve known you were trying to help. You, especially.”
“Kai, too. He’s not a bad guy, Zoe. I think you and he just got off on the wrong foot. Though I’m not sure he’s figured that out yet. You may have noticed that he has a pretty high opinion of himself.”
I laughed. “I’d gotten that sense, yes.”
Landon returned his gaze to the horizon. “Ash is the one I can’t figure out. Why he’s acting like that. Did you two spend much time together back at your university?”
“I’d never even met him before we drove up here.”
That seemed to surprise him. “Really? Are you sure you didn’t have any classes together? Or accidentally insult his mother or run over his puppy or something?”
“Fairly sure.” I hesitated, not wanting to insult Landon’s friend—even though that friend was practically begging for it. “He’s really not like that all the time?”
“Not at all. In the kitchen he’s a tyrant, sure. Not like that British guy on TV who yells at everyone, but he runs a tight ship.” Landon winced, perhaps at the use of that expression. “But outside of the kitchen? He’s actually a lot like Kai.”
Great. Just what I needed—two Kais and a Landon for roommates. Too bad it couldn’t be three Landons.
“Anyway, I get the sense that things aren’t particularly easy for you right now, and I’m sorry that my brother and I added to your problems. And I’m also sorry that Ash is acting like a pompous ass for some reason.”
“A pompous Ash,” I said, laughing a little.
“Yeah, that too.” He leaned back, lifting his arm as if was going to put it behind me along the back of the seat, but at the last moment, he just stretched and put it back down. Which was a bit of a disappointment. “What are you going to do after you graduate?”
“If I graduate,” I said glumly, and then I told him a little about it.
How I needed a glowing report from this internship both to complete the semester and to line up interviews with other top-notch resorts.
When he proved to be a good listener, I told him a little more.
About how hard I’d worked to keep up my scholarship and my grades.
About how awkward I’d felt around students who were so used to wealth and privilege that they didn’t even notice it.
And even about the coffee shop I managed back on campus, even though it was small, often overlooked, and only had one employee, Mia.
He nodded, listening sympathetically. I didn’t even know if he and Kai had been to college—possibly not since it sounded like they’d spent most of their waking moments on skis.
“You have a lot riding on this. No wonder you’re stressed.
Not sure if this is your thing, but if you need to relax, the spa here is excellent.
They do all kinds of massages and treatments. ”
“Thanks.” The corner of my mouth twitched upward. “Your brother also had some suggestions for how to help me relax.”
“I bet he did,” Landon said wryly, sounding two thirds embarrassed and one third amused. “But I have another one, and it’s completely G-rated.”
“What’s that?”
“If you come back here in an hour, you’ll have a perfect view of the sunset. Best view in the whole place.”
“I’ll do that sometime,” I said, smiling at him.
And I sure as hell hoped he’d be here when I did.