16. One With The Mountain
Chapter 16
One With The Mountain
Liam
I should’ve gone into acting because keeping my face neutral when I mentioned Tessa to Archer? Oscar-worthy performance.
As I started down the slope, the memory of last night flashed through my mind—how I’d gone looking for Archer when he hadn’t returned to the cabin, only to hear Tessa calling out his name from his office. I’d walked away before I heard anything else, but the knowledge sat like a weight in my stomach.
Archer carved through the snow beside me, his technique surprisingly sharp for someone who claimed to be rusty. Show-off. He caught some air off a small jump, and I couldn’t help but match his move.
“Getting slow in your old age?” I shouted playfully, even though my chest was tight with conflicting emotions.
Here we were, acting like nothing had changed, like we were still those carefree college kids who’d torn up the slopes together. Meanwhile, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way Tessa had felt in my arms and how she’d trusted me enough to be vulnerable about her ex.
And now she was apparently hooking up with Archer in his office.
I hit another jump harder than necessary, twisting into a 360 that probably looked more aggressive than impressive. Landing smoothly, I caught a glimpse of Archer’s determined expression as he matched my pace.
“That the best you got?” he called out, his voice carrying a competitive edge. For a second, it was like the past decade melted away—back to when we’d raced down slopes until our muscles burned, trash-talking the whole way down while trying increasingly ridiculous stunts to one-up each other.
But those memories only made the present sting worse, knowing how much had changed between us since then. Because of a woman.
And now here we were again in the same predicament with a woman. I wanted to ask her out despite both Archer’s and Evan’s interest in her. I knew Evan had proposed we just go with it and keep whatever happened casual, but nothing felt casual about Tessa. Plus, we’d been distracted by ice cream and hadn’t discussed how sharing her attention would even work.
A sudden, vivid image of Tessa pressed between me and Archer flickered through my mind like a heatwave—her body warm and pliant, her breath hitching as my hands tangled in her hair while Archer’s strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind. My pulse quickened at the thought, a mix of jealousy and something darker, more possessive, curling low in my gut.
I could almost feel her skin against mine and the way she might arch into us, torn between who to give in to first. The idea was maddening, intoxicating, and utterly impossible to shake.
I forced myself to focus back on the slope, carving through the snow with more aggression than finesse. But even as I pushed harder, the image was still there.
It was the worst possible time to be distracted by carnal images.
The edge of my board caught, and suddenly I was airborne in a way that had nothing to do with skill and everything to do with the images that had invaded my brain.
The impact knocked the wind out of me, snow spraying everywhere as I tumbled down the slope like a crash test dummy failing spectacularly at his job. When I finally stopped rolling, pain shot through my ankle, and not the good kind that meant you’d had an awesome workout. This was the ‘you really messed up’ variety that promised days of ice packs and regret.
“Shit!” Archer’s voice carried over to me as he skidded to a stop, showering me with more snow. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I tried to stand up to prove it, but my ankle had other ideas, sending sharp protests up my leg. “Just catching my breath.” And my dignity, if I could find where it landed during the wipeout.
“Right.” His skeptical tone matched his expression as he loomed over me like a disapproving parent. “Is that why you’re as white as the snow?”
Before I could argue, a ski patrol member was making their way over, their red jacket jarring against the pristine white slope. Great. Just what I needed—to be hauled down the mountain like some amateur who’d forgotten which end of the board was up. So much for my reputation as the resident daredevil.
“Sir, please don’t try to move.” The patroller knelt beside me. “Can you tell me where it hurts?”
“It’s nothing.” But even I heard the strain in my voice, making me sound like a kid trying to convince his mom he didn’t need a Band-Aid. “Just twisted my ankle a bit.”
Twenty minutes and one embarrassingly slow sled ride later, I was still trying to assure everyone that I didn’t need an X-ray while Archer helped me hobble into the resort’s lobby.
We’d gotten my boot and sock off, and my ankle was swollen but hadn’t started to bruise. I could put light pressure on it and could have probably walked by myself if necessary.
“Liam!” Tessa’s voice came from the direction of the restaurant, and suddenly she was there, her face etched with concern as she offered her support on my other side. “Oh my God, are you okay? Jenny said you wiped out pretty bad.” Geez, news sure did travel fast at the resort.
Archer’s jaw tightened, his fingers digging into my arm where he supported me. Well, well, well. Wasn’t that interesting?
“I’m fine. Tweaked my ankle a little.” I leaned into her a little more than necessary because, hey, if I had to suffer through this embarrassment, I might as well get something out of it. “I zigged when I should have zagged.”
“You should see a doctor.” She helped Archer lead me to a couch. “What if it’s broken?”
“It’s not broken.” Though the throbbing and swelling suggested it might be a bad sprain.
“You need to get it looked at. For liability purposes.” Archer’s professional mask was firmly back in place. “I’ll drive you to urgent care.”
“I need to elevate it and get ice on it. I can still move it and put my weight on it.” I tried not to wince as they settled me on the couch with my leg up. The lobby’s stone fireplace crackled nearby, its warmth at odds with the stabbing cold in my ankle.
“I’ll get the ice.” Tessa started to turn toward the restaurant, but I gently caught her wrist, noting how delicate it felt beneath my fingers.
I glanced at Archer, not even trying to hide my satisfaction as I watched his gaze zero in on where my fingers rested against her skin. The muscle in his jaw twitched. “You’re off tonight, right?”
Tessa nodded, her expression shifting from concern to curiosity at my sudden change in subject. “Yeah, why?”
“Well, I’m obviously not going to be much use around here and really don’t want to be alone.” I didn’t feel bad at all that I was playing it up since my ankle really did feel like it had gone ten rounds with a meat tenderizer. “I was wondering if you’d like to grab dinner with me? There’s this new Thai place in town I’ve been meaning to check out.”
Her cheeks bloomed with color as she glanced between me and Archer, fidgeting with the sleeve of her sweater. “Oh! I... um...”
“Liam, this is highly inappropriate.” Archer crossed his arms over his chest, doing his best impression of a disappointed principal.
Tessa made a strangled noise in the back of her throat and narrowed her eyes at Archer. The flash of defiance in her expression made me want to grin. “Is there a rule against going on a date versus other activities ?”
She’d handed me the perfect opportunity to push Archer’s buttons, and really, who was I to waste such a gift? The fact that I wanted to take Tessa to dinner was a bonus point in what was shaping up to be an entertaining game of chicken with my stoic friend. Plus, the way she’d emphasized “other activities” was wickedly clear as to what they’d been doing the night before.
“Dinner seems a lot more appropriate than clandestine office activities late at night.” I couldn’t stop my smirk if I’d tried, watching as Archer’s composed facade cracked slightly.
Tessa’s eyes went comically wide and her mouth dropped open, looking like someone who’d accidentally sent a spicy text to their grandmother. Fortunately for her, Evan was heading across the lobby right for us, his boots squeaking against the polished floor.
“Holy crap, you really did wipe out! I heard you were being carried down the mountain like a princess.” Evan looked down at my foot and let out a whistle. “Though I’ve got to say, the balloon animal look is really working for you.”
“It isn’t that bad, and I wasn’t carried.” I shifted on the couch to find a more comfortable position. “There was a sled involved. Much more dignified.”
Evan’s gaze darted between the three of us, his expression shifting from amusement to a concerned look. “Did I interrupt something?”
“I asked Tessa out to dinner.”
“Perfect timing!” Evan’s face lit up like he’d found a prize in his cereal box. “We’re going to dinner already. We can make it a group thing.”
Tessa made a sound that was somewhere between a squeak and a cough.
Evan turned to Archer with a dangerous glint in his eye. “You should come too. If Tessa’s okay with all of us taking her out?”
I watched as Tessa’s face went from pink to scarlet. Her eyes darted between the three of us before finally settling on Archer.
“I... if you all want to...” She wet her lips nervously, her gaze still locked with Archer’s. “Then yes.”
The muscle in Archer’s jaw twitched again, but after what felt like an eternity, he gave a short nod. “Fine.”
Victory surged through me, though it was tempered by the memory of another woman who’d come between us. It had been like a grenade going off in our friendship, leaving nothing but scorched earth and wounded pride.
But this felt different. We were all aware of what was happening with Tessa, even if none of us really knew what to do about it. And Tessa herself was nothing like Evelyn. Where Evelyn had been calculated and manipulative, trying to wiggle her way into our business plans, orchestrating each interaction like a chess master, Tessa was genuine and open, wearing her emotions like a colorful scarf.
“I should get that ice.” Tessa practically sprinted toward the restaurant, nearly colliding with a potted plant in her haste.
As soon as she was gone, Evan dropped into an armchair, the leather creaking under his weight. “So... this is happening?”
“Apparently.” Archer’s tone was resigned, like someone accepting an inevitable dental appointment.
Evan leaned forward, his demeanor turning serious in a way that always made me pay attention. “We’re all adults here. We can handle this like adults.”
I snorted. “Because we’ve been handling everything else so well?” The words came out more bitter than I’d intended, colored by memories of slammed doors and over a decade of silence.
Evan looked from me to Archer. “At least we’re talking about it instead of plotting behind each other’s backs.”
The truth in his words hung heavy between us. We’d grown up since college, learned from our mistakes, or at least, I hoped we had. But as I watched Archer’s rigid posture and caught the uncertainty in Evan’s eyes, I wondered if we were setting ourselves up for another spectacular crash and burn.
I shifted in the back seat of Archer’s SUV, my ankle propped up on a pillow Tessa had insisted on bringing. The throbbing had dulled to an annoying ache, but that wasn’t what had my stomach in knots. It felt like for the first time since we’d arrived at Sterling Pines, we were all in agreement about something— even if that something was taking the same woman to dinner. It usually took a miracle to get us to agree on anything these days.
Archer adjusted his rearview mirror for the fifth time in as many minutes, checking on Tessa in the backseat with me. As if sensing eyes on her, she looked away from where she had been watching the scenery pass us by and let out a squeak of surprise that reminded me of a startled mouse. Archer cleared his throat and loosened his tie like it was trying to strangle him.
“So!” Evan’s voice was way too cheerful, like a TV show host who had too much candy. “This is fun, right?”
“Super fun.” Tessa had returned to staring intently out the window, her reflection showing she was biting her lower lip. “Just four adults going to dinner. All of us together. Going to dinner. Like normal people do. Because this is totally normal. Nothing weird about it. Plus, it’s not like I haven’t seen all of your—” She slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide with horror, and I had to admire how quickly she could shift from composed to catastrophe.
I burst out laughing, unable to help myself. The tension in the car had been thick, and her verbal stumbles were like a pressure release valve we desperately needed.
“What was that?” Archer’s eyes snapped to the rearview mirror again, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. The man looked ready to snap it in half.
“Nothing!” Tessa’s voice hit a pitch that probably had dogs howling three towns over. “I was thinking about... ducks! Yes, ducks. Did you know male ducks have corkscrew-shaped?—”
“Please don’t finish that sentence,” Archer groaned, while Evan dissolved into giggles from the passenger seat. I caught Tessa’s mortified expression and had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from losing it completely.
“Speaking of things that are shaped like corkscrews,” Evan managed to get out, wiping tears from his eyes.
“I will push you out of this moving vehicle,” I threatened, though I couldn’t keep the grin off my face.
Evan turned in his seat and looked at my foot propped in Tessa’s lap. “You can barely walk. Besides, I was going to talk about the path to Eagle Point. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
“Says the man who demonstrated a coital technique with his bathrobe,” Tessa mumbled, then immediately turned the color of a fire truck. I made a mental note to ask about that story later, preferably when Archer wasn’t behind the wheel.
Archer accelerated, and the rearview mirror got another workout. At this rate, he was going to wear out the thing before we even reached the restaurant.
“The what technique?” I had never heard of it, but judging from her facial expression and knowing Evan, it was sexual.
“Nothing!” Tessa practically shouted, her hands flailing in panic. “I actually searched for it because I thought he was full of shit, but it’s real and called the CAT technique for short. You know how cats stretch? Like, really long and... oh God, someone please stop me from talking.”
“I don’t know, Tessa.” Evan was clearly enjoying himself, practically bouncing in his seat. “I thought my explanation in the steam room was pretty thorough. Especially later when I?—”
Tessa launched herself forward between the front seats to put her hand over Evan’s mouth, and I sucked in a sharp breath as her body pressed into my foot. The pain was worth it for the view, though I’d never admit that out loud.
“Oh! Shit. I’m sorry!” Tessa sat back, her hand slipping under my jeans to my ankle. Her touch was cool, and my skin broke out in goosebumps. “I completely forgot your foot was there. Did I hurt you?”
“No.” I shut my eyes as her fingers stroked my skin, trying not to focus on how good it felt or how much I wanted her to continue.
“This doesn’t have to be awkward, you know.” Evan turned forward in his seat, suddenly serious. “We’re all adults here.”
“Adults who’ve all seen my—” Tessa started, then caught herself again, looking like she wanted to melt into the leather seats. “My... professional cooking skills. In the kitchen. Where cooking happens. And nothing else.”
Archer made a strangled noise that might have been a laugh. Coming from him, that was practically rolling on the floor.
“Right.” I fought to keep a straight face, remembering certain moments that definitely didn’t involve cooking. “Just like how we’ve all experienced your stargazing abilities.”
“And your massage appreciation.” Evan snorted.
“And your ice cream-eating technique.” Archer spoke so quietly I almost missed it, but the tips of his ears were red.
Tessa slumped down in her seat, covering her face with her hands. “I think I liked it better when you were all trying to pretend nothing happened. Can we go back to the awkward silence?”
“Nope!” Evan rubbed his hands together. “This is way more entertaining. Tell us more about those ducks.”
“I hate all of you.” She tried her best to sound annoyed but failed.
“No, you don’t.” I reached over and put my hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “You like us. That’s kind of the problem.”
“The problem is that I apparently have the impulse control of a squirrel on espresso. And now I’m going to dinner with three men who’ve all seen my?—”
“Look!” Evan shouted, pointing wildly out the window like he’d spotted Bigfoot. “A duck!”
It was a mailbox shaped like a duck. I caught Tessa’s eye, and we both lost it, our laughter filling the car as Archer muttered something about needing new friends.