She was really uptight. All business and no play.
But maybe I could change that. Everyone deserved to have a good time now and then, right? Maybe she just needed to be reminded of that.
I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Not again, I groaned. All day, it had been ringing off of the hook. I took it out of my pocket and glanced at the number flashing on the screen... Traci.
Again.
I frowned and put the phone back in my pocket. I looked up to see Oakley watching me with curiosity. Was she wondering who kept calling me? Could she be jealous?
Hmmm...
Harley came in from his outside activities, and I intercepted him to introduce him to Oakley and Hailey. They needed to work out some events for the wedding day with him, so this was perfect timing. There would be a variety of ages attending the wedding, and Oakley wanted age-appropriate events planned for everyone to participate in.
“Harley, this is Oakley Padin and Hailey Voortman. Oakley, Hailey, this is my younger brother, Harley. He’s in charge of most of the outdoor and fitness activities here at the resort.”
“Just the man we needed to see,” Hailey said joyfully, her smile bigger than I’d seen it, and aimed right at my brother.
Oh, no, I thought. Not Hailey and Harley. Not that it was any of my business, but he was kind of immature and could end up being a distraction to her. I was relieved when Harley didn’t notice her googly eyes. Business as usual and I was glad.
We discussed some events and how Harley would run them. He stressed that he would need Hailey and Oakley's help with the skiing events, more than likely since they were both avid skiers.
A list of events was decided upon as week as their relative times. We decided to let the guests decide on how long they wanted to participate in each event and to not force a timeline.
After everything was finished at the ski lodge, I offered Oakley and Hailey a ride to the dining room for dinner. I thought maybe a couple of drinks and a nice meal would lighten Oakley up some.
I was wrong.
“Hailey and I have planned on going on a hike before we eat dinner today. We’re going to order some room service later this evening. But thanks anyway,” she said before turning away and walking out the door.
I sighed. This was not going as I hoped it would.
Buzz... Buzz... Buzz...
Damn it. Not again. I pulled the phone from my pocket. Traci. Of course. But this time I hesitated before hitting the red button. Maybe I should go and meet up with her tonight to release some tension.
I almost hit the green button but at last second an image of Oakley popped into my head and stopped me. I couldn’t do it, not while there was any chance of being with Oakley.
The call automatically went to voicemail, and I put the phone back in my pocket. There had to be a way to change Oakley’s mind about me.
I knew she was interested.
She couldn’t hold out forever.
Oakley
I couldn’t believe the wedding was only a few days away. With it being so busy, the time had been flying. Thankfully everything was going as planned and was on track.
Working with Dax had become increasingly difficult, but it wasn’t his fault. It was mine. I realized this but couldn’t change it. I only had to get through the next weekend and all of it would be over. For both of us.
I thought about going to Brad and asking him if there was someone else I could work with. But what would the reason be that I could give him? That Dax was subtly hitting on me and making me feel uncomfortable? Even though true, Dax wasn’t going overboard. In fact, most women would find it charming. And he was easy to work with. He was really easy-going and had done everything I’d requested of him, no questions asked.
So what was the real reason I didn’t want to work with Dax? Because when I was around him, I could think of little else besides riding him like a bucking bronco at the rodeo.
No. The more time I spent with Dax, the more I genuinely liked him for who he was, quirky personality and all. And that desirability was making it damn hard to stay professional.
I’d done nothing but give him the cold shoulder the last several days, bordering on outright bitchiness. I’d kept it strictly professional, like there was absolutely nothing between us other than a working relationship.
At the end of the workday, we went our separate ways. There was no friendship. Just work.
He asked Hailey and me to come down to dinner with him the day before and it killed me to turn him down. I made up a story that Hailey and I had plans. And today, when we met up to go over the final arrangements and to make sure we had everything we could possibly need for setup the next couple of days, I couldn’t even look him in the eye. I felt awful for the way I was treating him.
But I couldn’t help it. This wedding could very well make or break my career and my business.
I wished this wedding wasn’t so important, that it was just some every day run of the mill event. Then I could let go and see where things would take us. But that wasn’t going to happen. I needed to suck it up and keep on working. No matter how much I hated the situation.
Today we were in the lodge doing a final chair count and adding the name tags. The Stones wanted each guest to sit in a predetermined spot. Family and close friends of the bride and groom up front, then relatives, then other friends of the family in the back.
We had ten stacks of white chairs for each of the ten rows. We couldn’t set the chairs out yet because there were other guests using the lodge during the week. We would set them up the day before the wedding. But to be as ready as possible, we could affix the name tags Dax and I had printed earlier that day.
Since Hailey and I had the lists of names and the order of the seating from the Stones, I told Dax we would take it from there.
“Thanks for all of your help, Dax. Hailey and I will stick the names on since we have the lists of guests,” I told him.
“Okay. I have to stock the bar, so if you need me, just let me know,” Dax replied, giving me a sexy grin before turning to go to the storage room behind the bar.
I gave him a sideways smile so I didn’t seem rude and turned to do my job. I noticed his look of disappointment as he put his head down and walked away. It made me feel really bad. What I really wanted to do was give him a sensual smile. To have a real conversation with him. To learn more about him. To open up.
I sighed and continued fastening the stupidly extravagant name tags to the backs of the super fancy chairs. We were also winding a string of flowers through each of the chair backs, and as I was struggling with my latest vine, I looked up to see two attractive young women come into the lodge. Guests, no doubt.
Both were decked out in the newest ski fashions. Designer ski jackets, hats, and boots. Fancy sunglasses. One was a blonde with long straight hair who looked just like a Barbie. The other was a brunette with shoulder-length curly hair that bounced with each step. They headed straight to the bar and ordered drinks. The bartender quickly went to work. When he delivered them, both girls sipped from the long straws, babbling and giggling together.
Dax came out from the back room carrying several cases of beer, stacked on top of one another. He was wearing a tight white t-shirt, and his biceps swelled out of the thin sleeves as he carried the heavy cases. He set down the cases on a cooler and began stocking the adjacent cooler in front of the two girls.
“Ooh, Mandy, look at those muscles,” the blonde girl cooed to the brunette, not even trying to be quiet.
“Wow! Dax, you must have been working out today. Your biceps are so hard. Come here and flex for us,” the girl called Mandy fussed over Dax.
The blonde fluttered her dark eyelashes at him and gave him a coy smile, sipping slowly on her straw, clearly trying to look sexy.
I rolled my eyes. No woman with an ounce of self-respect would ask their host to flex for them. And look at that blonde chick giving him that seductive stare! I watched, astonished, as Dax obliged the girls. H
e strutted his stuff, standing right in front of them and raising his arm to flex his bicep for them. Both girls oohed and aahed over his muscles.
I just stared. My mouth must have been hanging open because Hailey actually nudged me, giving me a “What are doing?” look. My cheeks heated with embarrassment, and sighing, I looked away.
Why was I so angry? I’d put off every advance Dax had made toward me. I had no right to be angry or jealous that he was flirting with other women. Women who were giving him the attention I refused to.
“What’s going on?” Hailey asked me, looking troubled.
I hadn't confided in Hailey about Dax like I usually did when I had a dilemma. Admitting that I liked Dax to Hailey would have made it too much of a reality for me. So, I avoided talking about it altogether. Now, I couldn’t avoid it any longer.
“I can tell that you like Dax. I just didn’t want to say anything. I know you can’t make any moves on him because of this wedding,” Hailey told me.
I stared at her for a moment. I glanced at the bar and watched as the two girls flirted with Dax and he flirted back. Jealousy filled my veins. I had an urge to go over there and put a stop to it. But I turned to Hailey.
“Yeah, I like him. You know my situation. But this,” I said, motioning to the girls. “This is too much. I can’t believe he would act like that right in front of us. In front of me. Like a teenager!” I whisper-yelled angrily.
Hailey grimaced as she watched Dax interact with the girls. “Hmm,” she said, shaking her head.
I tried not to stare, but I couldn’t help watching the scene.
“He’s obviously trying to make you jealous,” Hailey commented, looking at me as I jerked my head in her direction. “You know, you could lighten up a little around him. It really wouldn’t hurt.”
“I wish I could, Hailey. But I’m afraid if I do, I’ll lose my edge and end up doing something really stupid,” I confessed. “I can’t afford to let my judgement get clouded or my focus to be pulled in any direction but at this wedding. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t risk blowing it because I’m horny.”
“I know that, but the wedding will be over this weekend. Then, who knows?” she said, shrugging and grinning at me.
“I guess. I just don’t want to get sidetracked. I need to focus and make sure every single aspect of this wedding goes off without a hitch. That’s why the Stones are paying good money. They didn’t hire some schoolgirl who would put a man before their son’s wedding.”
She nodded, agreeing. “You are correct. But you’re really good at this. It’s not like you don’t know what you are doing,” she said. “And, I already told you I got your back. If I see something out of place, I’ll take care of it.”
“I know. You’re the best, Hailey. Maybe I’ll just lighten up a little bit,” I replied. “But I’m not too sure that I like what I’m seeing right now.”
Dax
Those two girls had the most perfect timing coming into the lodge from skiing. I couldn’t have planned it any better myself. Oakley dismissed me like she’d been doing the last few days. I almost let it upset me. But those two hot chicks had come in and hit on me right at the perfect moment. As Oakley was watching.
I saw her looking out of the corner of my eye. Her mouth dropped when I flexed my biceps for the girls, and I totally took advantage of the situation and flirted my ass off. Those cute chicks were “oohing” and “aahing” over my muscles. They were giggling and cooing at me and licking their red lips. Sucking on their straws seductively.
It was too perfect.
I had actually made Oakley jealous.
The look on Oakley’s face was priceless. Completely worth flirting and showing off my muscles to guests, which, normally, I would try to refrain from.
I know better than to act like that with guests. But, of course, guests hit on me from time to time. As long as it was all in good fun, I saw no harm in it. I had never, and would never, hook up with a guest, though. That was just bad business. Neither I nor my family needed the kind of drama that could bring with it. No, I kept my affairs off the mountain. There were plenty of eager girls in our town and the next to keep me busy.
I hadn’t wanted the girls to think I was serious, so I gave them one more quick, sexy grin before going back into the storage room. I stayed in there as long as I could, hoping they would realize I wasn’t coming back out and leave.
And while I was back there, I got an idea.
* * *
The next morning, I waited for Oakley’s call. I got up early, showered, trimmed and combed my beard, put on just the right amount of aftershave, and dressed in my best tight t-shirt and flannel combo.
Looking into the mirror, I was reminded that I’d never worked this hard to get a woman’s attention before in my life. I wasn’t trying to be conceited; it was just the way it was.
This whole thing with Oakley was driving me crazy.
My cell phone buzzed, and I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled it out. Assuming it was Oakley, I almost hit the green button without looking. Thank God I looked at the last second. It was Traci again. She was clearly getting desperate and not taking the hint. I would have to let her down sooner or later, but today was not that day.
Sighing, I looked at the clock. It was past 9 a.m. Oakley always called by now. Maybe she was mad at me and not going to call. I hadn't talked with her since my escapade with the girls at the bar the evening before.
Just when I was about to give up on her and go to my office to find something to do, my phone buzzed. “Hey Oakley,” I immediately answered.
“Good morning, Dax,” Oakley said in an oddly sweet voice.
“What’s going on today, boss?” I asked her, my tone light.
“Hailey and I are hungry. We’re thinking of heading over to the restaurant to get something to eat. Do you want to meet us?” she asked.
I was slightly surprised, but pleasantly so. Of course, I wanted to meet her. “Yep, I haven't eaten yet. When are you heading over?”
“In about fifteen minutes,” she replied.
“Okay, see you there. Do you want me to pick you guys up?” I offered.
“No,” she replied, a laugh in her voice. “We’ll be fine walking. Thanks though.”
“Alright, see you there.”
Maybe my little show last night had its intended outcome. With one more look in the mirror, I grabbed my truck keys and headed down to the resort.
I went to converse with Brad for a bit before Oakley and Hailey showed up. Everything was looking good for the upcoming weekend and events.
Breakfast went well, too. Oakley was friendly, and I put on all of my charm. I didn’t take it overboard and flirt, except for making eye contact and giving her my best smiles, but I was friendly more than anything. My idea had been to simply lay off trying to get her. Maybe if I just acted normal, as if I wasn’t interested in her anymore, she would pick up on it and change her attitude.
As we finished eating, we planned to go over the wine and spirits list for the wedding, but my phone buzzed again.
Shit, I thought. I knew who it was. Not Brad because I had already talked with him this morning. I had the phone ringer on silent but could feel the buzzing. I didn’t want to put Oakley off, so I just ignored the buzzing in my pocket until the voicemail picked up.
About fifteen minutes later, Kelly, the front desk attendant, walked into the dining room and announced that I had a guest.
Oakley looked up to see who it was just as Traci walked into the dining room. Oakley looked flabbergasted when she saw Traci, and I saw her and Hailey exchange a quick glance. Both Oakley and Hailey recovered swiftly and covered their surprise, turning their eyes back to their papers. But Oakley glanced at Traci again.
Traci was wearing her normal ensemble of a tight, red mini skirt and a black, off the shoulder sweater. Knee-high, black leather boots adorned her lower legs. Her boots clicked into the dining room floor.
Shit! Shit. Sh
it.
To avoid Traci coming up to our table and announcing she was my girlfriend, I quickly got up and trotted to the doorway to intercept her. “Traci.”
She put out her arms for a hug. I wasn’t quick enough to avoid it, so I accepted a quick one and patted her on the back to suggest she was a good friend I hadn’t seen for a while. I ignored Traci’s look of confusion.
“Come on in here,” I said, trying to lead her into the common room. I didn’t want Oakley to overhear any of this conversation.
Traci looked over my shoulder at Oakley and Hailey. “Who’s that?” she asked as I walked out of the dining room.
“I’m in a business meeting,” I told her, standing in front of the fireplace in the common room.
“Oh. I’ve been trying to call you, you know? Where have you been anyway?” she asked me, concerned.
“We have a huge wedding coming up this weekend. All week I’ve been working with the wedding planners and getting the lodge ready,” I told her. “I’ve been really busy. Maybe you’ve seen it on the news or read my article in the local paper? Congresswoman Stone’s son is getting married here.”
I’d hoped the explanation was enough to get rid of Traci. It, in fact, wasn’t a complete lie.
“I don’t watch the news or read the paper,” she replied, eyeing me suspiciously.
Of course, she didn’t watch the news or read the paper. She wasn’t exactly the scholarly type.
“Well, grab a newspaper and check out the article I submitted to them this week. It’s all about the wedding. A good article, if I do say so myself,” I said, giving her my most reassuring grin.
“Okay,” she said. “Well, you still owe me one, you know?”
“We’ll hang out next week when all this is over,” I reassured her.
“Okay,” she repeated.
“Let me walk you out,” I offered. “I have to get back to the meeting.”
I took her arm and walked her to her car, which was parked in front of the porch. I didn’t think Oakley could see me from this angle, but I kept my distance from Traci so she wouldn’t try to kiss me or anything. Once she was in the car, I turned and headed back into the resort.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 40