Chapter Three #2
Hank moved over to flirt more with Nina, and Nina shut him down with practiced finesse.
Scott said nothing, but continued to watch Lily while trying to appear not to.
He told himself he should leave, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that, any more than he could bring himself to move away from her.
“We should go out somewhere nicer than this,” Hank said. He grimaced. “Someplace quieter, where we can talk.”
“I’m here with my friend Lily,” Nina said. “We’re celebrating a big accomplishment for her today.”
“Lily can come, too,” he said. “And Scott.” He looked across the women to Scott. “You can come out, can’t you?”
“Not tonight,” Scott said. He set his empty beer bottle on the counter. “Some of us have to be at work early in the morning.”
“I’d better go, too,” Lily said. “I can call an Uber to take me back to my place.”
“If you’re sure you don’t mind,” Nina said.
“Does that mean you’re up for going with me?” Hank asked.
Nina smiled. “Just for a few drinks. A game of pool, maybe.”
“Sure. Sure. Just friends.”
Lily bit back a smile. Scott had to fight back a laugh. Hank was as eager as a puppy.
“Is your car back at the resort?” Scott asked Lily.
“Shelby and I rode the shuttle in this morning.” The free shuttle ran a continuous loop between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. She checked her watch. “I don’t think I’ll make the last bus, though.”
“I’ll take you home then,” he said. “Where do you live?”
“The Ridge condos.”
“No problem. I live there, too.” The Ridge was a big complex, with four sections of buildings.
“Oh. Well, we’ll have to stop by patrol and collect Shelby.”
“We can do that.”
He led the way outside. “I didn’t say that about having to be at work early as some dig at you,” he said. “I don’t care how long you stay out as long as you’re on time in the morning.”
“I didn’t think you did,” she said. “I just didn’t want to go out with them.”
He glanced at her. “Why not?”
She shrugged. “I wasn’t interested. Why didn’t you go out with them?”
“Same reason,” he said. “I wasn’t interested. I did the bar scene in college and when I first got out of the army, but I don’t enjoy it now. I’d rather stay home with my dog. Guess that makes me boring.”
“Then I’m boring, too. I was supposed to babysit tonight and I was actually looking forward to it. Pepperoni pizza, Dr Pepper, and the rom-com of my choice after the kid went to bed. And Shelby on the couch at my feet, snoring.”
“Sounds like the perfect evening.”
She laughed, and he joined in. Her low, husky chuckle set a tremor through his stomach that startled him. Yeah, that was definitely some heat there. No surprise. He liked women, and she was an attractive one. Smart and interesting. But not interested in him. She’d made that pretty clear.
THE SCOTT LILY had seen tonight was different from the Scott she saw at work. Less uptight. Friendlier. He wasn’t her boss after hours—he was just another guy. A good-looking, interesting guy.
And full of surprises. Instead of crossing the street to the parking lot, as she had expected, he stopped at the curb half a block down from the bar. “Here we are.”
She stared at the black, brown and silver motorcycle parked at the curb. Clearly, the bike belonged to Scott—Hunter was standing in the side car, tail wagging. Scott patted the dog, then unlocked a compartment on the rear of the bike, took out a helmet and handed it to her.
“I didn’t know you had a motorcycle,” she said.
“The bike is easier than a car for getting around town. Cheaper, too.” He donned his own helmet and straddled the bike, then looked back at her. “Is something wrong?”
“No. I’m fine.” She shoved the helmet onto her head and fumbled with the latch.
“Come here,” he beckoned, then reached out to fasten the helmet’s strap. A shiver raced through her as his fingertips brushed the sensitive skin beneath her chin. She shook off the sensation and climbed on behind him, while Hunter settled into the sidecar.
“How are we going to get to my place with Shelby?” she asked.
“She can ride in the sidecar with Hunter. There’s plenty of room.”
He started the engine, and she steadied herself with one hand on his shoulder, aware of the hard muscle bunched beneath her palm.
She put as much distance between them as possible—a scant two inches—gripped the seat beneath her thighs, and stifled a squeal when the bike rolled forward and into the street.
They sped through the darkened streets of the resort town.
Once they turned off the main drag there were few people on the sidewalks.
Cold air stung her cheeks, but the sensation of scenery flying by was exhilarating.
Too soon, they turned into the ski resort.
But instead of heading to the parking garage, Scott steered the bike down a series of alleys and passages and came out on the snow beside ski patrol headquarters.
She was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to have a motorcycle there, but she didn’t say anything.
Maybe he wasn’t the total rule-follower she had pegged him for.
He opened the door to ski patrol headquarters, and Shelby barked at them from her kennel at the back. Lily retrieved her, Scott locked up, and they headed outside again.
Hunter jumped out of the sidecar to greet Shelby, and the two dogs danced around each other. “Let’s go, Hunter,” Scott commanded.
The Lab hopped into the sidecar and looked up at Scott expectantly. “Get in, Shelby,” Scott said.
Shelby looked up at him and wagged her tail.
“She doesn’t know that command,” Lily said.
Scott bent and scooped the dog into his arms. “Move over, Hunter,” he said, and deposited Shelby in the sidecar next to Hunter. “Stay.”
Shelby settled down next to Hunter, alert, but not upset. “Good girl,” Lily said.
They mounted the bike again and set off.
Shelby took her cues from Hunter and sat still, panting and glancing around her.
Lily was less relaxed, the rumble of the motorcycle engine vibrating through her.
Scott drove faster out on the highway. Lily tried to keep her balance by holding on to the seat, but ended up with her hands on Scott’s waist, the rest of her pressed against his back.
The Ridge condos had been constructed ten years previously as affordable housing for workers.
Most importantly, the complex allowed pets.
Lily had been lucky to snag a vacant unit, though it was a single-bedroom space on the third floor.
Still, she had great views and no upstairs neighbors, and it was enough for her and Shelby.
“Which building are you in?” Scott asked as he slowed and turned the bike into the main entrance.
“Building Two,” she said.
“I’m in Building One.” He stopped the bike in the parking lot for Building Two. Lily dismounted, and Shelby sprang out of the sidecar after her.
“Thanks for the lift,” Lily said.
“You did a good job today,” Scott said. “With Shelby. If I didn’t say so already. I’m not always good about that. Giving praise where it’s due, I mean. I’m trying to do better.”
“Um, thanks,” she said. “That means a lot.”
She started to turn away, but he called after her. “Don’t forget my helmet.”
“Oh. Sure.” She fumbled again to unfasten the buckle, but her fingers seemed to have lost all dexterity.
Scott reached out and gently pushed her hands away, then unfastened the buckle himself. He lifted the helmet off her head, then reached out to smooth her hair.
The gesture was unexpected, almost tender, and sent a shiver of awareness through her.
Which just proved how exhausted she really was.
She took a step back. She had learned some things about Scott tonight—that he cared more than she gave him credit for.
And that she was more attracted to him than she wanted to be.
THE NEXT DAY—Saturday—was the usual mixture of crowds and chaos.
Lily scarcely had time to exchange a few words with the rest of the crew between morning meeting and heading up the slopes to begin work.
She responded to three minor injuries before noon.
She was starting up the mountain for a last run before lunch when she heard a familiar voice hail her as she waited to board the lift to Top of the Mark.
Jackson Endicott skied up to her. He was dressed in black pants, a blue jacket and a black helmet plastered with stickers form the various resorts he had skied. “Can I ride up with you?” he asked.
“Sure.” She moved over to make room, and they skied forward when the liftie waved to them.
“How’s your dad doing?” Lily asked when they were on the lift chair.
“Have you seen his eye?” Jackson swiveled toward her.
She pretended ignorance. “What happened to his eye?”
“He tripped and fell coming out of the restaurant last Friday. He’s got a black eye that looks like something out of a horror movie—all green and purple and yellow. I told him it would make a great Halloween costume.”
“Is he okay?” she asked.
“Oh yeah. He’s here somewhere.” He waved a hand to take in the resort. “I’m supposed to meet him for lunch.” He turned back to her. “How’s Shelby?”
“Shelby’s great. She passed her Level B certification test yesterday.”
He frowned. “Is that like, a math test or something?”
“It’s a test of how well she can find people buried in the snow. She had to find two people within twenty minutes, and she did it.”
“That’s great. If I was buried in the snow, do you think she could find me?”
“I bet she could. But don’t go burying yourself to see.”
“Okay.” They approached the top of the lift, and he faced forward. “See you!” he shouted as he sped away.
She spent the rest of the day patrolling at the terrain park and beginner areas, took Shelby out for a patrol midday, and did a safety demonstration—with Shelby’s help—for a ski school class.
She kept an eye out throughout the day for Denny or Jackson Endicott, but saw neither of them.
The image of Denny, torn jacket and beaten face, stuck with her.
The radio attached to her pack strap crackled to life. “All patrollers report to patrol base,” Scott’s voice was urgent. “I need you here now.”
Lily straightened her line and crouched over her skis in a racing stance.
She sped past Shelby, who barked and ran after her.
She crested the hill above the base and slowed only slightly to avoid the clusters of tourists lingering at the bottom of the run, and skidded to a stop outside the door marked Patrol.
As she was stepping out of her skis, Chase, Connor and Livi Rasmussen—known to all as Raz—arrived. “What’s going on?” Chase asked.
“No idea,” Connor said, and the others shook their heads as well.
Inside the patrol office Anders Iverson, handler of the team’s second black Labrador retriever, Darth, was pulling out stainless steel dog dishes and filling them from one of the barrels, a half circle of attentive dogs focused on his every move.
Scott stopped Lily just inside the door. “Have you seen Jackson Endicott this afternoon?” he asked.
“Jackson? I rode up to Top of the Mark with him before lunch, but I haven’t seen him since.”
“You haven’t even caught sight of him in the distance on a run or while riding the lift?” Scott asked.
“No. Why?”
Scott looked at the other patrollers. “Do any of the rest of you know Jackson Endicott? Nine years old, a little over four feet tall, sixty-nine pounds, light brown hair and blue eyes. He’s wearing black ski pants and a blue Spider jacket and a black ski helmet. Atomic skis.”
The very precise description alarmed Lily. “What’s going on?” she asked.
“Have any of you seen a kid like that this afternoon?” Scott asked.
The others shook their heads. Lily tugged on Scott’s arm. “What’s going on?” she asked again. “Has something happened to Jackson?”
His gaze met hers, worry deepening the lines at the corners of his eyes. “He’s missing. Someone reported seeing him going through the backcountry gates a little before three o’clock. He hasn’t been seen since.”