Chapter 6 Andri
Chapter six
Andri
I’m a stupid fuck. What in the hell was I thinking following her into the bathroom like some old crusty pervert? Of course she doesn’t want you to look at her naked body, Andri, she’s engaged to be married. Sure, the groom is a piece of shit, but she’s made her choice. That and you barely know her.
But that doesn’t explain this need in my chest, or why I thought my heart might explode when she took off her top.
It’s not the first time I’ve seen breasts.
Hell, I’m no virgin, monster or human female.
But something inside my psyche snapped for her.
Her smell, that citrus and cinnamon scent, I pick it up everywhere.
In the lodge, on the slopes, even as I run her vomit-covered clothing through the wash, it’s still the strongest note.
The way, when I saw her in the shower and she hesitated before she turned me down, I thought she might want me too.
I feel like I’m going crazy, and I don’t know what to do about it.
How on earth will I regain any kind of normalcy about Daphne before our lesson tomorrow?
I mean, at this rate, will she even show up?
I’ll be lucky if she doesn’t call the sheriff on me as her Peeping Tom.
God, I’ve fucked this up.
I slam my fist onto the industrial-strength washer and leave a dent on the stainless steel top.
“Whoa, buddy,” a familiar voice behind me yelps.
I snap my head around to see Lerana staring at me with mouth agape.
“What in the hell did the Speed Queen washer do to you?” She comes over and strokes one of her delicate hands over the damage I’ve left.
“It’s nothing, a guest got sick and I offered to wash their clothes,” I mutter.
“Something is wrong, Andri! You’re not one to freak out on anything, let alone this old reliable gal.” The faun mocks my affection for our workhorse of a washer.
“I’ll get over it, it’s not important. Besides, why are you here on a non-turnover day?” I look at my watch and realize then how much of the night has slipped away to my self-loathing.
“I left my bag with my good pens up here, and I can’t take another day of using Ted’s dried up ballpoints when I take orders at the diner. But now I’m glad I did because something strange is going on with you.” She narrows her eyes.
“Nothing, I’ve gotta go get ready for lessons.”
“Lessons? You haven’t taught in years! Now I know something strange is going on.” She steps in front of me, arms crossed, wanting more information.
With one finger on her shoulder, I push her aside.
“Just season opening fatigue, I’ll live,” I grumble, and open the dryer right as it dings. I grab the coats and shirts, throw them into a basket, and stomp to the side door.
“We’ll be talking about this later,” Lerana sighs behind me as she grabs a tote bag from her hook in the back office.
I trudge through the snow, barely acknowledging the staff who say hi or good morning as I make my way to Daphne’s cabin.
When I arrive at her door, I give one curt knock and hope that she won’t hate me when she opens it.
The door opens, and I have to lower the laundry basket to see her beautiful face. She smiles a little trepidatiously at me.
“Thank you again,” she says before grabbing the basket from me and turning inside.
“Of course, it’s nothing.” I duck under the entrance to the doorway. “And about—” I shut up as she stops and turns back to me quickly.
“No big deal, everything got a little heated but we’re cool now, right?” She searches my face for an answer.
“Yeah, totally.” I smile, glad my weird little outburst from last night hasn’t put her off of me for good.
Daphne gives me a curt nod and turns on her heel, making her way back to the cabin’s breakfast nook, basket in hand.
And that’s when I see him, Gerald, sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee. I wonder to myself if he ever looks happy as he frowns into the mug of dark liquid. Daphne stops and holds his freshly cleaned jacket up for him to appraise.
“Isn’t it nice that Andri got these cleaned for us?” She smiles and waits.
His eyes flit up, and he seems, as ever, unimpressed.
“Thank you,” he manages, looking almost disappointed that there’s nothing to complain about. “I was worried I’d be stuck in here all day.”
Oh, there it is.
“So, how ya holding up?” I dare to ask, even being so bold as to saddle up at the table, flipping the chair around so I lean on my arms over the backrest.
“I’m not entirely sure what you mean,” he says with a face that lets me know he’s not going to let me get the upper hand. This man knows I’ve seen him at his worst, and he doesn’t give a shit.
“Well, I was just curious as to where you went last night? I normally know all the great parties on the mountain, count me as sad I didn’t get an invite!” I keep it playful, but I know deep down this line of questioning is to catch my competition in a lie.
“Well that’s because it was a private party,” he says smugly before taking a large gulp of his coffee and standing to throw on his ski jacket.
“Oh, you went to a party?” Daphne peeps up from the corner of the room. She doesn’t ask why he didn’t invite her, or even who it was with. It’s almost like she knows he wouldn’t care to tell her, anyway.
“Yes, I had to find something to do while you were being a barfly, didn’t I?”
My jaw drops open, and I look at her as her eyes begin to glisten.
“I don’t know if I’d say Daphne was the barfly in this situ—”
“Oh Andri! Look at the time, we’re gonna be late for that free lesson you promised me!” And without a second to spare, she rushes to my side and pulls at my elbow to head out the door.
Gerald stands with a knowing stare, looking down on me. So I stand too, just long enough to puff out my chest and tower above the asshole human. He says nothing but turns and tosses his coffee mug roughly into the sink.
“I’ll be back in a bit, dear!” Daphne yells, and she attempts, poorly, to drag my much larger body out the door.
I eventually comply, somehow quelling the feeling of wanting to pop Gerald in the jaw. When the cabin door opens and the brisk air hits my face, I take a deep breath in, letting the air filling my lungs steady me.
I do slam the door behind me, but I mean, it’s my resort after all.
Daphne is already fifteen feet ahead, skis in hand, rushing her way over to the bunny hill. Luckily it only takes me a few strides to catch up with her.
“Why do you let him talk to you like that?”
“Like what?” she huffs, not looking in my direction.
“Like you’re as worthless as a snowball in hell.” I don’t mince my words.