Chapter 9
Cade
I woke to an empty bed.
A ray of sun streaked in through the window, cutting a rude path directly across my eyes. I threw my arm over my face and groaned.
What time is it?
And where the hell is Daria?
The house was quiet, not a peep to be heard.
Fuck. Did she leave without me?
I whipped the covers off and sprang out of bed, taking the stairs two at a time in a panic. When I got to the bottom, I found Daria staring out the kitchen window, her hands wrapped around a mug.
“Everything okay?” I asked.
She jumped. “Shit. I didn’t hear you come down.”
“Sorry.” I raked a hand through my hair. “How long have you been up?”
“I don’t know. Maybe an hour.”
“What time is it?”
“About seven, I guess.”
The smell of coffee wafted through the air. An almost-full glass pot sat on the counter, so I helped myself. Daria stayed put, not saying a word. Once I fixed my coffee, I walked over and stood beside her as she continued to gaze out the window.
Yesterday’s blizzard had turned into today’s winter wonderland. Tree branches bowed under the weight of heavy white powder, icicles glistened from eaves, and the ground sparkled with a pristine canvas of snow.
“Wow,” I said. “I’ve wanted to paint the world with color since I picked up my first can of spray paint at ten years old. But some things are art without trying. Goddamn, Mother Nature is a showoff.”
Daria smiled. “Yeah.”
We stood that way for a long time, just sipping our coffee and appreciating the beauty. Eventually Daria’s cup was empty. “You want a refill?” I asked.
“I got it.” She spoke as she poured. “I checked the weather. There’s a break in the snow until tonight.
The last of the flurries are supposed to taper off soon.
But another heavy band is coming in around midnight.
So if we want to get out of here, we should hit the road as soon as they’re done plowing. Otherwise, we might get stuck here.”
My eyes stayed locked on her. “I can think of worse places to be.”
She smiled, but it was weak. Her face didn’t join in on the action. “Listen, Cade. About last night… I need to apologize.”
“For what?”
“I had too much to drink, and I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Because we work together.
Because we don’t even like each other. Because you were drinking.
Because I was drinking. Because we are at our boss’s in-laws’ house, where we’re supposed to be working our shit out, not making things more complicated.
” She shook her head. “Do I need to keep going?”
“I wasn’t that drunk.”
Daria sighed. “Do you think we can forget it ever happened?”
Considering it was the best kiss of my life, I doubted it would be erased from my memory anytime soon. But if that’s how she wanted to handle things, I wasn’t going to be a dick. I shrugged. “Sure.”
The worry lines in her forehead smoothed out. “Could we also keep what happened between us? I’d rather not have everyone at work know I drunk-mauled you.”
“Of course. But for the record, I kissed you back. You weren’t the only one doing the mauling.”
She held out a hand hesitantly. “What happens at the ski cabin, stays at the ski cabin?”
“Whatever you want.”
For the next couple of hours, we pretty much kept our distance.
I went outside, shoveled a path, and dug the car out, while Daria cleaned up everything inside the house.
Once the plows came by and cleared the street, and the weather report said the main roads were passable, we decided it was time to go.
Daria stood in the living room, looking around. “So did Billie’s evil plan work? Do you think we’ll be able to keep our truce once we’re back at the shop?”
“I don’t know. I kinda like fighting with you.”
She smiled. “Maybe we can go a round every once in a while, for old times’ sake.”
“Sounds good. Though I should probably let you in on a little secret about our fights.”
“Oh? What’s that?”
I lowered my voice and leaned over to her. “They turn me the fuck on.”
Goosebumps ran up Daria’s arms, and she bit her bottom lip. “Same.”
I groaned. “Sounds like work might be a lot more fun from now on.”
Our differences settled, it felt like time to go.
Yet neither of us made a move for the door.
I knew it was stupid, considering Daria wanted to pretend last night had never happened, but part of me wasn’t ready to burst the bubble we’d been in.
I liked it here. It felt warm and fuzzy.
I liked the Daria who opened up to me, and I was glad I’d let her in, too.
I felt closer to her now. Though I knew in my gut that once we walked out the door, things were going to change.
Sure, some of it would be for the better—we probably wouldn’t brawl at work all day long, and our boss wouldn’t be close to firing us—but maybe I wanted more from Daria.
More getting to know her. More laughing together. More of that kiss…
Daria sighed. “You ready to go?”
“Sure.”
We walked to the door. But the minute I opened it, panic washed over me. What if this is all I get with her? I pushed the door back shut.
“What are you doing? Did you forget something?”
“What happens at the cabin, stays at the cabin, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then there’s one more thing I need to do before we go.”
“What?”
I cupped the back of her neck and pulled her to me. “This…”