Chapter 2
Two
“ALL RIGHT, FOLKS. Here you go,” the pilot said, hovering just over the snow.
Joel leaned forward, taking in the pristine powder beyond Heath’s shoulders. “Where’s the other copter?” he asked.
“We do two separate areas,” the pilot said, “but don’t worry, they’re just on a parallel run on the other side of that thin tree line. You’ll all end up at the same place, or they can cross over.”
The excitement of untouched slopes raced adrenaline through Joel’s limbs—new slopes he’d never been on. He bounced his knee, raring to go, but everyone had climbed up to the door before him, save Cassie.
His chest squeezed. Cassie. He swallowed, aching for a distraction.
Any distraction, Lord.
“Have a blast,” the pilot hollered over the thwacking blades. “Be at our pickup point by four, or you’ll be tempting the blizzard blowing in tonight.”
“Roger that,” Heath, the first jumper, said, followed by Iz, Talbot, and Talbot’s extreme sports buddy, Brady, then Jayce and Mia, leaving Cassie and Joel alone.
“After you,” he gestured for her to go. He’d bring up the rear.
“Thanks.” A soft smile graced her lips. One that sliced right through him. How could he still love her after she’d left him with zero compassion?
She jumped, and shoving the consternation from his thoughts, he followed, hitting the powder, then rocking his snowboard and digging in sideways to a stop beside Cassie, who’d done the same based on her position.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah. No. I just wanted to say how sorry I am.”
He arched a brow. “For?” He knew darn well what for, but he wanted to hear it. Wanted to know why. The question had plagued him for three hundred sixty-seven days.
She dropped her gaze, then met his. “For leaving you at the altar with no word.”
“Why’d you do it?”
“I can’t explain.”
“Can’t or won’t?”
She bit her lip—pink lips he used to kiss. Lips he’d thought he’d kiss forever.
“Won’t, but there’s a reason why.”
“And that is?”
She shook her head.
“Gotcha. I’m not worth an explanation.” He pushed off without looking back, praying the brisk wind would slap his steadfast feelings for Cassie out of his mind as he gained ground on the first group, now less than a hundred yards ahead.
Heat seared my limbs, and I fought the urge to move. They’d talked. The two of them alone. What had she said to Joel? Told him why she’d left him? Told him she still loved him?
Biting my lip—clearly too hard as blood slipped across my tongue. I spit it out. Just as I’d spit them out.
Them. There was no them. Didn’t they understand that by now?
Gripping the binoculars, I tracked them down the slopes.
They needed to understand they’d never be together.
Messages hadn’t worked.
It was time for decisive action.