Chapter 2
Parker
The resort we’re staying at is nice, nicer than any place I’ve ever visited, but my sister would say that’s because I’m a cheapskate.
I’m not cheap, I just like to save money, which means I’d never pay for a place like this with my own money.
I watch as Blair and Juliet—Jules—make their way to the check-in counter, careful not to watch Juliet’s hips as she walks.
I fail miserably. They still sway just like they used to.
But she’s got more muscle now, in her legs and her shoulders, than she did in high school, and I’m thanking whatever gods of Christmas are up there that she’s an athlete who likes to wear leggings and tight sweaters to show off her glorious body.
I wonder how soft her hips would be under my hands, or if they’d be firm since she’s always playing soccer.
I shouldn’t be thinking this. I definitely shouldn’t be noticing.
Having a crush on my older sister’s best friend always made me feel a bit dumb.
She’s so out of my league and never looked twice at me.
I was a geeky, nerdy little brother, and I still am the geeky, nerdy little brother.
I’m twenty-four and already have my master’s degree in mathematics.
I’m currently teaching at UNC in Greeley while pursuing my doctorate in mathematics.
I’m a certified nerd, and she’s the pretty, cool athlete.
In no world would she ever give me a second glance.
But she did. You saw her checking you out earlier. She tried to hide it, but her gaze definitely lingered on you. And her eyes when she saw you? Yup. She’s interested. Or at least thinks you’re attractive.
I try to ignore the thoughts in my head.
I need to ignore them. I cannot feed the dumb, misplaced boyhood crush I had six years ago.
I told myself then that I had to get over Juliet Morgan.
I tell her that every time I watch one of her games on TV.
She’s not mine to want, and the fact that she told Blair it was “totally okay” that I came with them on this trip doesn’t mean a single thing.
It is precisely why I brought three one-thousand-page fantasy novels to keep me occupied this week.
I’ll be here, but I can’t hang out with Jules.
Just seeing her made my heart go wild, and the crush I thought I was over came back in full force.
No way will I last a week of hearing her talk and laugh, watching her ogle all the attractive male athletes who are sure to be at this event.
I’m a nobody; I do best when I’m invisible or in front of a classroom full of college freshmen.
There’s no chance she’ll ever give me another glance, even if she did check me out.
And even if she did, I don’t do flings, which is the only thing we could have since we don’t live in the same state and both have careers. I’ve got to shake this crush; nothing good will come from letting these feelings stew.
“This one is ours,” Blair calls out as she takes the two steps up to our cabin door. It doesn’t look huge, but maybe it’s bigger on the inside? The resort has a huge lodge as its main building, then little cabins sprinkled along the mountainside. We’re staying in a cabin instead of the main lodge.
She unlocks the door and Juliet disappears in after her.
I take a deep breath of the cold mountain air before following them inside.
The cabin is stifling. I look at the heat dial on the wall next to the door—it’s turned up to almost eighty, so I turn it down and hear the furnace shut off.
In the front room, there’s a love seat and a tiny TV over a fireplace and a half-size kitchen with a mini fridge and a microwave.
Guess they want everyone to eat at the resort, which makes sense—more ways for them to earn money if the guests have to eat at their restaurants.
Blair disappears down the hall. “There are two rooms, one with a twin bed and one with a queen. You get the twin, Parker.”
I haven’t slept in a twin bed in years. I’m not exactly a small man, but for this week, being able to shut the door and have some space from Juliet, I can handle it.
“Sounds good,” I call back.
“Sorry,” Juliet says. “They said the cabin sleeps three, but I didn’t realize that one of the beds would be small. I can take the twin.”
“Nope.” Blair reappears. “I am not sharing a bed with my stinky brother.”
“Ha ha,” I say, not laughing. At least I’m not actually trying to impress Juliet, because Blair would be ruining that for me.
She’s ruined it with every single girl I’ve tried to date over the years.
Or maybe it’s just me; I haven’t figured that out yet.
But Blair likes to meddle. “I’ll have you know I haven’t been your stinky brother since elementary school and didn’t know what deodorant was. ”
“Some things linger in the brain forever.” Blair shudders. “And I do not want to sleep next to you.”
“It’s fine,” I say, moving my suitcase past her.
“I’ll take the room with the single bed.
” Makes everything less awkward that way.
It’ll be a room I can retreat to when I need a minute to myself, which I’m sure I’ll have plenty of, since Blair has talked nonstop about all of the events that Juliet has to be part of, so I can just enjoy the holiday in the cabin.
Away from everyone. Peaceful and quiet, just the way I like it.
“Hurry, though,” Blair calls out from the room with the queen bed. “We’ve got to get to the welcome thing that Jules needs to be at.”
I hear a muffled groan. “Why did I let my manager talk me into this? I’m not meant for all this socializing.”
“It’s for the children!” Blair calls out in a sing-songy voice, making Juliet laugh.
Gosh, I love the sound of her laugh. In high school, when she was at our house, I lived for the moments I could get her to laugh.
Unfortunately for me, the crush raging in my heart wants to make her laugh again. This is not good.
“Do you think I should change into some of the Mynt apparel I got?” she asks.
“Do it,” Blair says, and that’s when I realize I’m still standing in the doorway of my room, just listening to them talk like some sort of creep.
I step into my small room. There’s a small dresser on one side of the room and a twin bed on the other.
I could unpack my stuff, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it.
I’d rather live out of my suitcase. It’s just easier that way—I know where everything is and won’t have to remember which drawers I put everything in.
I grab the first novel in the new trilogy I hope to read this week and plop down on the very stiff bed.
Maybe I’ll sleep on that tiny couch out in the main room; it could be more comfortable than this.
I’ve read the first page when there’s a knock on the doorframe.
I look up, expecting my sister, but it’s Juliet, in a bright green hoodie that has a peppermint above her chest. Not that I’m looking at her chest. Just her hoodie.
Which makes her green eyes seem to pop more than usual.
I swear I could get lost looking into her eyes, not that I’d ever have the chance to look at her for that long.
“You coming?” she asks, breaking up my thoughts.
I wasn’t planning on it, but if she’s asking? Then yeah, I’m coming. “Yup.”