by Jamie Beck
“Let me guess—you didn’t back down.” When Avery shook her head, Emma grinned and shook her head. “How’d it end?”
“Grey got him to back off, and then I ran out of the bar and went home.” Knowing how Emma felt about her interest in Grey, Avery decided not to share the details of the hot make-out session.
“Grey rescued you?” Emma tilted her head as if to summon more information, but then resorted to a direct question. “Has Kelsey really given up on him?”
“Seems so. Unfortunately, while I was dancing with Trip, Grey told her he has feelings for me.”
Placing a hand over her mouth, Emma winced. “How’d she take it?”
Avery shrugged one shoulder while caressing the steering wheel. “Not really sure. We haven’t talked about it.” She paused for a moment before looking directly at Emma, suddenly compelled to be honest. “The more I learn about Grey, the more I want to know. Now that we don’t work together, I want to see where things could lead. I know you probably don’t approve, though.”
“I don’t disapprove of him, you know.” Emma leaned into the open window. “I just don’t want any guy to mess up our friendships.”
“I’m meeting Kelsey for lunch today to feel her out.” Avery sighed and raked her hand through her hair. “It’s probably a pointless exercise since I’ll likely end up getting hurt one way or another.”
“If he’s so nice, why do you assume you’ll get hurt?”
“Well, there’s a good chance my family will hate him if they end up bankrupted. And, what if he’s not as great as he appears? I’ve been fooled before, you know.” Avery tried to ignore the sense of foreboding amassing around her like mist.
“You won’t get hurt,” Emma announced. “You’ll go in with your eyes open, like always.”
Like always. “Eyes wide open” hadn’t proven to be the best recipe for romantic success. Still, Avery didn’t know how to let go of her need to protect herself and her heart. In every other aspect of life, she had confidence and faith that things would turn out well. But not when it came to love.
“We’ll see.” Avery patted Emma’s hand. “Gotta go to work, Em. See you later!”
She drove to the clinic resolutely not thinking about Grey or Kelsey or Andy. Yeah, right.
At exactly noon, Avery watched Kelsey enter Boxcar Cantina looking stunning in a pair of beige linen slacks and lightweight, coral-colored sweater. Classic Kelsey maneuver—donning a killer outfit after a setback or romantic disappointment.
Squaring her shoulders, Avery waved while preparing for what she anticipated to be an awkward conversation.
“You look super!” Avery rested her chin in her hands. “I’m glad you’re here so we can order. I’m starving.”
Kelsey slung her purse around the back of her chair before sitting and pulling up to the table. After avoiding eye contact for a few seconds, she gazed at Avery and sighed. “Look, Avery. I know why you invited me to join you for lunch. This is about Grey, right? So let’s just skip to the heart of it. I liked him. He didn’t feel the same. He likes you. You two left together last night. Now you feel guilty about hurting my feelings. Am I close?”
Good gravy. Avery hadn’t expected Kelsey to fire the opening shot. Although a bit shaken by the surprise, she quickly regrouped.
“Sort of, but last night wasn’t what you think.” Avery sat back, resisting the urge to cross her arms and become irritated about having to defend her relative innocence. “Jonah got in my face about his getting fired. He was nasty, and fairly aggressive, so I took off. Grey followed me to my car to make sure I was okay, and then I went home alone. You know my rules.”
Kelsey pressed her lips together while thinking. The waitress stopped by to take their order, temporarily interrupting Avery’s explanation. After the waitress left them alone, Avery continued, “But you’re right. I do want to talk about him—or, more to the point, about him and me.”
Kelsey held up her hand. “Just stop. I know I can be a baby sometimes, and I won’t lie and pretend it isn’t a huge bummer that he rejected me because he wants you, but we aren’t in high school anymore. I hope I’ve grown up a little bit since then. I’m certainly not going to stand in your way if you want to date him, although I’m a little surprised you do considering how, when I was interested in him, you were firmly anti-skier.”
The subtle taunt made Avery frown despite Kelsey’s otherwise levelheaded attitude about the situation. Had she been hypocritical? She fiddled with her silverware for a few seconds.
“Thanks for being understanding.” Avery dipped a blue corn chip into the fresh guacamole. “I know what I’ve said about skiers and maybe I’ll regret this, but I’ve gotten to know Grey and I think he’s different from the others.”
“Which is what I said from the get-go, if you recall.” Kelsey’s “told you so” expression would have been comical if the situation weren’t so awkward.
Avery nodded then leveled a pointed stare at her friend. “You did. However, your opinion was rooted in a first impression and a crush, not from months of getting to know him.”
“Don’t get testy just because I’ve got better instincts than you.” Kelsey crossed her legs and sipped her water while Avery tried not to choke on her chip or begin to enumerate all the examples of poor judgment her friend had exhibited through the years. “Listen, I don’t want to get into an argument. I’m fine. It’s not going to be a problem between us. All I ask is one favor.”
“Dare I ask?” Avery grimaced as she reached for another chip. “What favor?”
Kelsey leaned forward with one hand on the table. “Since I’m being so gracious and all, don’t blow it by being so closed-off. If you’re going to go for it, then really go for it, okay? Try to be a little romantic. Seriously. We aren’t getting any younger.”
Avery studied Kelsey. For the most part, her friend looked pretty much the way she did every other day, excepting the extra glam. But there was a new glint in her eye—a determination Avery hadn’t seen in the past.
“What happened last night after I left?” Avery narrowed her gaze, suddenly attributing Kelsey’s generous outlook toward another possibility. “Did something happen between you and Trip?”
“No.” Kelsey scowled and adjusted her sweater.
Avery waited for an explanation, but Kelsey fell suspiciously quiet.
“No? Why not?” Avery leaned forward. “Did you end up reconnecting with those guys from Montrose?”
Kelsey paused while the waitress delivered their food, maintaining a pensive silence as the waitress set their meals on the table.
“I left soon after you did. Something did happen to me, though. I’m not sure I can explain it exactly. I was dancing with Trip—” Kelsey broke off to sample her taco salad. “And by the way, that guy is the world’s biggest flirt. Too bad he’s so shallow, because he’s flippin’ hot. Anyway, while he was laying on the charm, I noticed all the other guys in the bar doing the exact same thing with other women. For the first time, I saw the futility of it all. I mean, really saw it.
“How many nights did I waste hoping to make some kind of genuine connection with some guy I met in a bar—like with Grey—and worse, the hours I’ve wasted practically begging for crumbs of attention. The sudden revelation made me a little queasy.” Kelsey paused and then tilted her head as if about to deliver sage advice. “Let’s face it, few people ever find love at a ladies’ night.”
“Wow. I’m not sure what to say.” Inside, Avery danced a happy jig in thanks for her friend’s epiphany.
Kelsey waved her fork at Avery, her eyes intently studying her lunch as she speared another bite. “Nothing to say. Bottom line, I’m changing my whole MO. I’m thirty. It’s time to get smart. Use my head.” She nearly poked her skull with her fork. “Time to find a good guy who values me. One who isn’t just out for a couple of weeks of fun with me and my girls
,” she announced, peering at her ample breasts.
Avery felt a huge smile spread across her face until she thought about how using her own head hadn’t been any more successful than Kelsey’s former tactics. “I bet something in between your old approach and mine is probably best. Can’t hurt to try something new.”
“Oh, yeah, something new is right. Talking to those construction guys about Mitchell’s project made me think about all the clients I’ve met through work. The single older men and divorcees have never been on my radar, but older guys treat younger women well. It’s high time I dive into that pool and see what happens.”
“Gold digger!” Avery teased before sipping her iced tea.
“There’s that, too. Heck, I could be a trophy wife.” Kelsey winked. “I’m not saying I’d go after someone for money, but I think it’s time I considered the whole package, not just the wrapping, y’know?”
Avery lifted her glass, feeling lighter than she had a mere hour ago. “To unwrapping the package!”
“Cheers!” Kelsey clinked her glass with Avery and they both chuckled.
Grey sat at his desk, rubbing his palm against his chest to douse the fire stirring every time he thought of kissing Avery—thoughts which were occurring nonstop since last night. Then again, pent-up desire proved to be a powerful motivator. In order to have her, he needed to settle these lawsuits as soon as possible, which meant he had to power through the spreadsheets, no matter how painful.
He stared at the columns of numbers he’d amassed: medical expenses and rehabilitation costs, his own wages, and extra salary expenses on the books for replacement guides. And that didn’t even include intangibles like pain and suffering, time spent in therapy instead of focusing on building Backtrax, and on and on.
“What’s got you by the short hairs?” Trip entered his office, chomping on an apple.
“I’m trying to figure out the minimum settlement I can accept and still guarantee making the loan payments so I don’t lose the business.”
Trip frowned and sat across from Grey. “Is it really that bad?”
“Take a look.” Grey passed the worksheet to Trip. “I knew I’d never get rich in this line of work, but I don’t want to lose everything, either.”
Trip pushed his cowboy hat back a bit, his brows pinching together as he concentrated on the numbers.
“Okay, that’s a bit grim. However, I think you’ve underestimated the income side of the equation. Next ski season business will pick up, especially if you improve your social media presence.” Trip stretched out his legs. “I keep telling you not to micromanage the money. Think long-term.”
“I need to get through the present in order to have a ‘long-term.’ This injury has affected my ability to build the business these past few months. And thirty percent of whatever I get from Randall or the OS goes to my lawyer. I hate this. All I want to do is ski and climb and have a good time with clients. All this other shit sucks.” Grey chucked his pencil at the worksheet.
“Didn’t you keep any of your inheritance for personal use?” Trip tossed the apple core in the trash and leaned forward.
“Not much. I needed to apply most of it toward the purchase price of Backtrax in order to qualify for the small-business loan. I only kept about fifteen grand in my personal account.” Grey scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’ve dipped into it a bit, but am trying to save it in case I need it to cover a loan payment or two if the business account runs dry before I recover any money from Andy Randall. Problem is, that could happen before next winter unless we drum up a lot more business in a short time frame.”
Grey scratched the back of his neck and blew out a long breath. Had he not been sidelined in February, he’d have some extra funds to buy a couple of snowmobiles and maybe upgrade the snowcat, too. Now those things would have to wait. “If only this accident happened two years from now, after I’d reserved more capital, it might’ve been less problematic.”
Trip cleared his throat. “Listen, if you really get into a squeeze, I might be able to come up with some extra cash.”
“Oh, really?” Grey grinned. “You got some sugar mama I don’t know about?”
“Something like that.” Trip’s typical teasing tone was noticeably absent.
“Cryptic.” When Trip didn’t respond to Grey’s prompt, he dropped the subject. “Well, thanks for the offer. But setting aside your sugar mama, I think if I can clear about one hundred grand, I can make it all work.”
“That’s not right, Grey.” Trip pointed at the wage-and-tip column. “Avery advised you to sit out a full year, which means you can’t count on skiing this coming season, at least not until late spring.”
“I’ve got to be back on the mountain come Thanksgiving or the expenses jump.” Damn it, he couldn’t entertain another ski season without more income and tips. Granted, guides barely broke the poverty level in terms of wages, but something was better than nothing. “If I want to stick to my plan of taking as little from the business as possible for the first three years, I can’t afford to pay another guide and take an income for myself.”
“The worst thing you could do is be shortsighted and end up blowing your knee out again.”
“I’m the face of Backtrax. I’ve got to get back out there to buddy up with the customers. I can’t just throw in subs and hope to build repeat business from behind a damned computer.” Grey kicked the desk.
Trip stood and paced, his forehead creased with concern. “Listen, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’ve got to consider what happens if your knee never fully recovers. What if this injury takes you off the big mountain slopes permanently? Don’t you want to be compensated for that possibility, too? It’s not just about the nuts and bolts of your actual losses. We’re talking about your entire future. Don’t be so quick to lowball the money you need to cover yourself.”
Holy shit! Never cutting freshies in backcountry chutes would be like losing an arm. Grey didn’t even want to entertain that thought.
“The most I can get from the OS is one hundred and fifty grand, which—best case—translates to one hundred grand in my pocket. Andy Randall’s got nothing but the twenty-five grand insurance policy.” Grey inhaled slowly, trying to stave off the headache at the base of his skull.
“I thought your lawyer said Randall’s house would sell for more than half a million bucks.”
“Yeah, but I’d be screwing over Avery. She doesn’t deserve to be stuck in the middle of this nightmare.” Grey looked at the ceiling. “It’d screw her parents, too. Apparently they didn’t just give their kids the house. They just never formalized the loan with documents. If I get a judgment lien, they’ll be screwed, too.”
Trip whistled. “Just ’cause it sucks for them doesn’t mean it’s your fault.”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s not my fault.” Grey unwrapped a grape sucker. “If I hurt her family, it’d pretty much kill any relationship we could have.”
“I know you like her. Hell, you may even be halfway in love with her despite never having been on a single date.” Trip drummed his fingers on the desk, shaking his head in apparent dismay. “Bottom line, you’ve made no promises and have no commitment to or from her. You’ve got to look out for yourself. Don’t ignore the worst-case scenario or you could end up with nothing—no business, no money, and no Avery.”
“Did someone mention my name?” Avery popped her head in the doorway, surprising both Grey and Trip.
Trip bowed and tipped his hat. “Look how pretty you are—like a daffodil and ball of sunshine mixed together.”
Grey rolled his eyes at Trip. He grinned as he rose from his chair, scanning Avery’s yellow-and-white ensemble. Yellow must be her favorite color, because she wore it often.
“Thanks, Trip.” She glanced at the papers spread out on the desk. “Am I interrupting something important?”
“No, ma’am.�
�� Trip stepped toward the door. “I was just getting ready to head out.”
“Should I warn all the single women in town?” She playfully punched his bicep as he passed by.
Trip folded his hands in prayer. “Please don’t.” Then his expression transformed to something more sober. “But do remind Grey of the importance of not pushing that knee too early.”
She nodded as he exited the office. Grey liked her smile. Liked the waves of energy she threw off when she talked. Liked the way her eyes reflected her intelligence. Damn, she was pretty perfect.
He waited, frozen in place by a mix of wonder and surprise at her visit, rolling the remains of his Tootsie Pop around his tongue. “What’s up?”
“Is this a bad time? Kinda sounded like I interrupted something serious.”
Grey waved his hand and threw the bare lollipop stick aside. “It’s fine. We were just having a difference of opinion on things related to the business.”
“Oh, sorry.” Avery grimaced. “Trip’s right about your knee, though. The more time you take to build strength without pushing it, the better.”
“Appreciate your advice, but ultimately it’s not your decision.” Grey stood and stepped closer, somehow refraining from grabbing her waist and pinning her against a wall or chair or other object in the office. Her cute smile made him stupid, and made the crotch of his jeans feel a little snug. “I’m happy to see you, though. Did you come by for any particular reason?”
“Well, I brought you a present for rescuing me last night.” Avery reached into her purse and pulled out a bag of lollipops.
Grey chuckled. “Thanks. I can never keep too many of these around.” He set the bag on the corner of the desk. “Anything else?”
Her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink as she tugged at her earlobe. “I wanted to let you know I spoke with Kelsey.”
Hmm. She came by instead of calling. A good sign. He stepped a little closer and reached out for her hand, twining his fingers in hers. “And?”
Her gaze drifted from their clasped hands to his face. “And if the offer still stands, I’m up for that date.”