Chapter Thirteen #2
Jovi shifted from one foot to the other and fidgeted with her purse strap. “I know you’re in a pinch. It’s just that…selfishly, I’m not sure I want to spend all day chaperoning a ski trip.”
“Well, the good news is we’re just going to Winterhaven, so you’re spared the three-hour ride in a packed van.
” Sabrina’s blue eyes sparkled. “The resort instructors will handle the lessons. I just need people who are willing to hang out with the kids, ski with them and offer encouragement. This is an outreach for the parents, by the way. They’ll get a few hours to themselves, and we’ll get the kids outdoors.
They spend so much time on their devices these days, and we—”
“All right.” Jovi laughed and held up her palm. “Your sales pitch worked. I’m not working tonight or tomorrow, so I’ll be able to help.”
Sabrina’s face lit up. “Perfect! Thank you so much.”
“Do you need to see my driver’s license?”
Sabrina nodded. “I’ll take a picture of the front and back. I’m assuming you’ve passed a background check since you work in health care?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jovi pulled her license from her wallet and slid it across the counter.
“Good.” Sabrina picked up her phone and snapped a photo of Jovi’s license. “Put your current phone number in here, please.”
Jovi winced as Sabrina handed over her phone. “Sorry, I haven’t been great about keeping in touch.”
“No worries. I understand. I’m glad you’re back for however long you plan to stay.”
Jovi updated her phone number in Sabrina’s contacts and passed the phone back. “What do you mean?”
“Jovi.” Sabrina angled her head to one side and gave her a knowing look. “You never let too much grass grow under your boots. Aren’t you just here temporarily to help sell the candy company?”
“That’s the problem,” she said, lowering her voice. “We don’t want to sell. Isabel and I are trying to convince our parents to hold on to the company.”
“Oh?” Sabrina’s brows sailed upward. “How’s that going?”
“Not great.” Jovi sighed and leaned against the counter. “I had a rough conversation with my mom recently. She and Dad insist that they want to retire and deserve the financial security that comes with selling out.”
Sabrina scrunched her nose. “That’s tough. I’m sorry. I’ll be praying you guys get that all sorted.”
“Thank you.” Jovi squeezed Sabrina’s arm. “Enough about me. What’s new with you?”
“Not much. I’m a long-term sub at the high school this semester because one of the English teachers is out on maternity leave. Hopefully I’ll—”
“Miss Jovi. Hey!” A familiar little girl’s voice echoed across the atrium.
Several people turned as Darby Jane dodged around people milling in clusters, her boots thumping on the laminate floor.
An oversize red bow clipped to her ponytail flopped in time to her steps, and the hem of her skirt billowed around her legs.
Burke wasn’t far behind, his face a mask of uncertainty.
Jovi’s breath hitched.
“Well, well, what do we have here?” Sabrina said under her breath.
“Nothing.” Jovi gave her the side-eye. “They’re my new neighbors. That’s all.”
“He’s the hottest neighbor I’ve seen in the history of…well, forever.”
“Hush.” Jovi elbowed Sabrina. Warmth heated her neck as she sensed Burke’s gaze on her. Darby Jane rushed to her and hugged her legs. “Hey, Darby Jane.”
She straightened and then smiled at Burke. “Hey. I didn’t realize you were coming to church here.”
It was true. She hadn’t. Until the congregation had stood to sing the first song, and she spotted that dark hair and those broad shoulders from ten pews away. More blood rushed to her face. Yes, he was undeniably attractive, but that was the last thing she wanted to acknowledge right now.
“We needed to get plugged in somewhere,” Burke said, his smile guarded. “Darby Jane, give Jovi some space, please.”
“But I haven’t seen her in forever.” Darby Jane untangled her arms from Jovi’s legs and grabbed her hand. “Where have you been?”
Jovi’s smile faltered. “Working. Mostly.”
“Hi, I’m Sabrina Johnson.” She shook Burke’s hand. “Welcome to Evergreen Community Church.”
“Burke Solomon.” He tipped his head toward his daughter. “This is Darby Jane.”
“Sabrina runs the children’s program,” Jovi said, desperate to keep the conversation moving so she didn’t have to explain to Darby Jane that the real reason they weren’t spending time together was because Jovi had kissed Darby Jane’s handsome, brooding father.
“I hope Darby Jane can join us tomorrow. Since there’s no school, the youth will be skiing all day at Winterhaven. Did you get a flyer?” Sabrina pulled a light blue half-sheet of paper from a stack on the counter and handed it to Burke. “Here are the details.”
Frowning, he took the flyer and scanned it.
“Daddy, I really want to go.” Darby Jane twirled in a circle. “Can we, please?”
Burke shook his head. “Pumpkin, I can’t go skiing with a sore wrist.”
“You don’t have to come,” Sabrina said. “It’s a day trip to our local ski resort. Jovi and I learned to ski there. It’s great! Not to mention a reasonably priced outing.”
“No experience required?”
“None. There will be instructors offering lessons, and plenty of grown-ups to hang with the kids.” Sabrina clasped her hands in front of her. “Think it over, but please let me know by tonight so I can make arrangements. My phone number’s on the bottom there.”
“That’s very kind of you. Thanks.” Burke offered a tight smile. “We’ll talk it over.”
“Please, Daddy.” Darby Jane stared up at him with the most adorable gaze. “I love the snow.”
Jovi bit her lip to keep from smiling. She was a persuasive little thing. “If it helps at all to ease your worries, I’m going along as a chaperone.”
His gaze toggled from Darby Jane to her. “Oh?”
“If your work schedule is flexible, you can come and sit in the lodge.” Sabrina bounced up on her toes. “The view is stunning, and there’s good food and delicious coffee.”
Jovi silently willed Sabrina to stop with the encouragement. Chaperoning she could handle, but being near Burke? Not a wise choice.
“Sounds like an offer I can’t refuse.”
Burke’s charming smile made her heart turn cartwheels. Oh, wow. She shouldn’t be feeling this way. But her mind and her heart clearly hadn’t forgotten that kiss.
Or her family’s concern that she’d spent time with Burke.
She wanted to believe there was a good reason for the feud, but she couldn’t shake off the doubt gnawing at her. Or keep dismissing her growing feelings for him. How could she uncover the truth without betraying her family?
* * *
He so didn’t want to be that parent—the hovering, anxious dad who pelted the volunteer with a dozen questions.
But he couldn’t help it. Any shred of calm he’d clung to had evaporated when they drove into the ski resort’s parking lot and he’d been forced to claim the only vacant space at the end of the last row.
Burke glanced out the crowded café’s window again. Gray clouds billowed overhead, obscuring the mountain peaks. He’d forgotten to check the forecast. What if a storm swept in and Darby Jane got separated from the others?
Skiers of all ages filled the bunny hill. If she fell down, would anyone even notice? A long line snaked across the packed snow as people waited for the chairlift. Why had he assumed a youth group outing on a Monday might have the resort to themselves?
“Will someone show her how to get on and off the chairlift?”
“I promise we’ll take good care of her.” Sabrina gently patted Darby Jane’s shoulder. They lingered beside the table Burke had scored next to the window inside Winterhaven’s café. Sabrina had patiently tolerated his questions.
“She’s going to have a blast.”
A blast. Right.
“I’m sure you will.” Burke swiped his damp palm on his jeans and forced a smile. “It’s just that she’s never skied before and—”
“Daddy, stop.” Darby Jane punctuated her groan with a dramatic eye roll. “If I don’t hurry up, I’m going to miss my lesson.”
Shame swept in. “All right, then. Have fun and be careful.”
Sabrina offered an empathetic smile and then whisked Darby Jane toward the exit.
Burke eased into the closest empty chair and sagged against the hard wooden spindles.
One visit to a new church and his girl had already gotten plugged in.
He should probably be grateful for the invitation to come skiing with the other kids in the children’s program, but honestly, he had a serious case of FOMO right now.
Not that it would be safe for him to ski, anyway.
His wrist still throbbed, despite his regular use of the splint.
Probably because he’d spent several hours on Saturday editing the last fifty pages he’d just written.
Darby Jane sure looked adorable. He spotted her walking beside Sabrina. Somehow he’d had the presence of mind to order her ski gear before they’d left Charleston. Of course she’d picked neon green and hot pink. Certainly wouldn’t be hard to locate her in the sea of skiers and snowboarders.
Regret twisted his insides. Man, he hated that he couldn’t be a part of teaching Darby Jane to ski.
Part of him suspected he could handle an hour or two on the bunny hill, but the thought of reinjury if he fell or someone else ran into him kept him glued to his chair.
So here he sat, sentenced to a day of watching from the wings.
He slowly unpacked his laptop and set it on the table, worn and scraped and repolished from years of use.
Overhead, rustic unfinished beams ran the length of the dining area’s vaulted ceiling, making the place feel much larger than it was.
The swish, swish, swish of people’s snow pants as they walked by, the clinking of silverware against plates, and the aroma of hot cocoa mixed with fried food coming off the grill reminded him of his last ski trip in Utah almost eight years ago.