Defying Gravity

by Kendra C. Highley

  Funny how obvious his feelings were to anyone but her. “Let’s hope.”

  Chapter Two

  Zoey

  Zoey’s cheeks steamed in the cold, more from embarrassment than the chill. Lovebirds? What was that guy thinking, calling them lovebirds? Sure, Parker was cute and sweet and pretty much everything she’d want in a guy, but he was her best friend.

  Lovebirds. Pshaw.

  Why wouldn’t her cheeks cool down? Parker had her back, utterly, completely, no doubt. He was the constant in her life. Her fixed point, her conspirator, her North Star. She couldn’t imagine being as open, as brutally honest, as she’d been with him with anyone else. You don’t risk a friendship like that, not ever.

  Luke, though… She’d like to get closer to him—assuming she managed to catch his attention long enough for him to see how she felt about him. She’d probably have to take a freaking number, what with all the snow bunnies following him around Snowmass.

  Zoey sighed, heart aching a little. While she was always glad to see Parker, she needed this trip to figure out if Luke could maybe feel something for a girl he’d watched grow up. She wasn’t a kid anymore, not a tagalong or too young to do all the things he wanted to do. She was his equal—strong-willed and able to take on anything he could dish out.

  But would he notice?

  Luke would be at the bottom waiting for them…for her. And she’d made sure she was ready—though she hadn’t counted on having to ride down the mountain before he saw her. Most of her hard work would disappear once they hit the run. Was mascara wind-resistant? Her hair certainly wasn’t.

  Ugh. This was so not the first impression she’d hoped to make this winter. When they’d left Aspen last summer, Luke had made a point to squeeze her arm and look right at her with his striking hazel eyes—green and brown and gold—and say, “I can’t wait to see you again.”

  And people wondered why she didn’t bother with dating guys at Alderwood. If they met Luke, they’d know.

  “You coming?” she called back to Parker from the edge of the run.

  “You waiting for an audience?” He skated toward her, then bent to fasten his back binding.

  “No, I’m waiting for backup in case I have a total yard sale down there.”

  He smiled and joined her at the edge. He had a great smile, one she loved to see. The kind that told her she was important to him. “You aren’t that rusty. I’m sure you’ll keep your gloves and hat when you fall.”

  “As if.” She sniffed. “I won’t fall.”

  He slid back and forth. “Then what are we waiting for, Miller?”

  He barely got the words out before she flung herself over the side. Chuckling, he launched after her, passing her, then taking languid cuts that put him behind her. It never failed to amaze her just how spectacular the Madison boys were on the snow. All the locals knew who they were. A fixture on Snowmass—handsome, athletic, talented. The guys every girl wanted, and every snowboarder watched.

  Zoey wasn’t a total slouch herself, despite the lack of practice time. The snow crunched in a satisfying way as she streaked down the hill. She’d been worried about her leg-strength—she’d taken it easy on the jogging after spraining an ankle last month—but it was like she’d never left Aspen. Her balance was spot on, and she took nice, clean turns as she made her way down Creekside trail. Something unwound inside her chest, a loosening of tension that always unspooled when her feet touched ground in Colorado.

  It was a good feeling, but it nagged her nonetheless. Why didn’t she feel this comfortable in her own skin at home? At home, her armor was flat-ironed hair and perfect makeup, great clothes and new shoes. She loved to dress up, but doing it every day, day in and day out, was wearing her down. Why was showing—even being—herself so hard?

  She rolled her eyes. Because her place in the pecking order had been sealed in eighth grade when her bra filled out and her legs grew long. After that transformation, changing her look would’ve sent a wave of gossip from one end of Alderwood to the other. People would assume she was depressed if she showed up in leggings, a baggy shirt, and no makeup.

  What would any of those poseurs think if they saw her now, streaking down the mountain like some kind of skater-culture fangirl? Or if they saw her pretend to talk in an Aussie accent for an entire day, just to confuse people when they asked where she lived? “Texas, mate!” tended to make people give her the eye, and Parker laughed every single time.

  She neared the bottom, which was more thickly populated with skiers and boarders, so she pulled her head out of the clouds and searched for tall, dark, and handsome in a red ski jacket.

  She slid to a stop and took off her board. Luke had to be around there somewhere. Surely he hadn’t taken off again, not when he hadn’t even stuck around to say hi in the first place. Being with Parker had relieved that sting, but now she was impatient. She got up on her tiptoes to look over the heads of the crowd, but not even the fact she was fairly tall helped. It was like Aspen shipped in six-foot-plus tall men in special for scenery.

  “Find him yet?” Parker asked, coming to a stop next to her. His slightly shaggy hair was windblown under his helmet and his cheeks were red, but he looked so alive. She wanted to feel as alive as he looked. When was her confidence going to kick in? She’d done her hair—and even worn makeup, which she never did up here—to impress Luke, knowing he liked put-together girls. She thought having her armor in place would help her nerves, but her stomach swooped at the thought of him checking her out.

  She clasped her hands together to keep them from trembling. “No. Think he ditched us?”

  Snow skidded in a trail behind her, a little bit nipping at her cheek. She whipped around, and there Luke was in all his dashing glory. Grinning, he said, “I didn’t ditch you. I saw you on the lift, talked my way toward the front of the line, and came down after you, but you had a head start.” Luke’s smile made all kinds of promises and Zoey’s chest prickled with heat. “So how’s my best girl?”

  She stepped into his arms gratefully for a hug, hoping she wasn’t hanging on too long. Parker laughed like it was the funniest thing he’d heard. “Best girl. For how long? Today?”

  Luke let her go and slid down to Parker, giving him a “shut up, little bro” look. Standing together, there was no doubt they were brothers: same dark brown hair, same hazel eyes, same nose, but that’s where the similarities ended. Luke was six feet tall and compact, with the well-defined muscle, sharp jaw, and predatory gaze of a lady-killer. Everything he did was with economy of motion. Zoey defined it as “cat-like poetry” in her head, knowing full well Paige would fall over laughing at the very idea.

  Parker, on the other hand, was taller than his brother, and long and lean, with slightly softer features and an open, friendly face. Quiet, sensitive, but no pushover, mothers around the world would sell the family silver for a chance at nabbing him for their daughters. Both Madison boys were smart, but one was direct and hardheaded, and the other was good-humored and artistic. Park would make a girl really happy someday.

  Maybe as happy as she and Luke could—would—be.

  “Guys, please don’t argue.” She gave them both an exasperated look. “It’s my vacation, and I want to be happy. Everyone behaves when I’m around, remember?”

  Both of them deflated a little. “Okay,” they said in unison, then cracked up.

  “Only Zoey,” Luke said, “could say that to us with a straight face and expect us to listen.”

  Parker nodded. “Only Zoey.”

  Now everything was right with her world, having one Madison on her right, and the other on her left. “Who’s taking me to Two Creeks for coffee?”

  “After only one run?” Luke’s tone was slightly teasing, but something a little more dangerous lurked underneath. “Surely you’re up for something more exciting?”

  She shivered inside her ski gear, doubting it was due to cold. “Maybe.”

  Parker was looking back and forth between them, a tiny li
ne creased between his eyebrows. “Not a black diamond on day one. It’s too much.”

  Luke shrugged. “I’m up for it.”

  “And you grew up on this mountain, asshat.” Parker scowled at Luke. “She just got here. Let her take it easy today, and tomorrow we’ll head up to the Headwall for a real run.”

  “Stop being so overprotective,” Luke drawled. “She’s not made of porcelain.”

  Zoey rolled her eyes and stepped between them. “She is right here, and capable of making her own decisions, thank you very much.” She turned to Luke and smiled. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, but maybe a black is too ambitious for today.” As much as she wanted to rise to the occasion, her ankle had started to hurt, and she worried the boys would have to carry her back down if it gave out on her. “You two can show off tomorrow.”

  “Show off, huh?” Luke gave her a lazy smile. “What are you hoping to see?”

  She widened her eyes in pretend innocence, hiding how much that smile undid her. “How your new board handles.”

  It was a gamble, she knew it, but Luke loved showing off his skills. Parker was a better boarder than he let on, and maybe this would soothe his ego some, too. The Madison boys loved nothing more than trying to one-up each other. Didn’t matter what: boarding, basketball in the driveway, darts, SAT scores, who could hit the trash can with a wadded up napkin from the farthest away—everything was a contest between them. She didn’t like encouraging it, but sometimes setting up rules made them back off a little bit.

  “Deal.” Luke punched Parker in the arm. “How about it?”

  “Yeah, okay.” Parker didn’t sound too happy about it, but at least he agreed to come. “Let’s hit some more blues, then coffee’s on me.”

  “Have I told you I love you today?” Zoey said, leading them to the lifts. “Because Parker, I truly, madly, deeply do.”

  “Uh, yeah, you did tell me.” Parker sounded suspicious. “You aren’t going to order one of those crazy-expensive lattes, are you?”

  “Mayyyybe.” She grinned at him over her shoulder, making sure to catch Luke in the crossfire.

  He winked back at her. “You have him wrapped around your little finger, don’t you?”

  “It’s mutual, and you know it. Peanut Butter and Jelly, as you like to say.” She linked arms with Parker. “Let’s go have some fun.”

  And if she could manage to “accidentally” brush into Luke at some point, all the better. Because, as of right now, her plan to land Luke was progressing nicely.

  She just needed to make sure she succeeded before he went back to Arizona.

  Chapter Three

  Parker

  The crowd near Two Creeks was thinning out by the time they came down the hill one last time. The sky was fading to dusk, and the mountain threw shadows in strange designs on the snow. What would he give to create a ski resort like this? He could only hope his drawings were good enough to get him admitted to the Architecture college at Colorado State. He wanted to design it all, from ski huts to chalets to big resort hotels.

  “What’cha doing?” Zoey called.

  Parker realized he’d stopped to stare at the design of the café and the flow of traffic around it. “Just looking at buildings.”

  “Thought so. You had that analytical look on your face.” Zoey was pink-cheeked and grinning, already looking more at ease. She’d also found time to put on more lip gloss, and he wanted nothing more than to figure out if it was flavored or not. That was a science experiment he’d volunteer for. First hand raised.

  He swallowed a sigh. What would she think if she found out how much he thought about her? Probably tease him mercilessly. Still, he wished she could live here full time. Not just so they’d be together all the time, but because he thought she’d live a more chill life in Aspen. He hated how stressed out her school back home made her. She deserved to live in a place that made her feel complete, not pulled a thousand directions.

  “So, Luke…” Zoey slowed to force Parker to wait on his brother. “How’s life?”

  Luke laughed. “That’s a pretty broad question, Z. Care to narrow it down?”

  She bit her lip and giggled.

  Parker frowned. She…giggled? Zoey didn’t giggle.

  “Okay. Any girls we need to know about?” She tossed her blond hair over one shoulder, and her ears turned pink.

  What the hell?

  Luke bumped his shoulder against hers. “Not at the moment. Why, you know some?”

  Zoey giggled again and playfully smacked his arm.

  Parker’s eyebrows knit together. Okay, this wasn’t right. Why was she flirting with Luke? Did she like him? And what the hell was his brother doing flirting back? He needed to figure out what was going on before he made a colossal jackass of himself, confessing feelings she might never return.

  The thought was pretty miserable, but pessimism wasn’t his thing.

  They dropped off their boards and tromped into the café. It was full of adult skiers having martinis and glasses of wine, but the baristas were still working overtime at their espresso machines behind the bar. Zoey would have her fancy latte even if he had to help make it.

  After ordering—with Zoey asking for a quad grande vanilla cinnamon soy latte, a phrase that made Parker’s eyes cross and Luke laugh outright—they went to one of the round wooden tables in the corner of the café. Snow blew against the windows, but inside it was warm and quiet. Parker relaxed his shoulders and neck. Maybe he’d imagined the flirting. What if he hadn’t, though? Would that change anything?

  Watching her sip her ridiculous coffee with unabashed pleasure, he wasn’t sure it would. So what if Luke picked up girls faster than a black sweater picked up lint? Zoey hadn’t flirted with him before, at least as far as Parker knew. They weren’t even particularly close, with Luke wandering off with his friends most of the time. Maybe she was being goofy. She had a habit of that—one of her more endearing qualities. It wasn’t every day you found a model-gorgeous girl willing to wear the world’s ugliest Christmas sweater or intentionally cross her eyes at ski patrol.

  But…what if she wasn’t being goofy? What if she really was flirting with his brother?

  His stomach clenched and he sat up taller. No. He wouldn’t let that stop him. He’d promised himself that he’d tell her how he felt, and he would.

  It might be a little harder now, was all.

  Zoey licked a stray bit of foam off her bottom lip. “What’s the plan for tonight?”

  Luke’s eyes followed the move, and Parker wondered if he’d be arrested for putting his brother through the window. Ignoring Luke’s obvious leer, he said, “Your family is coming over for dinner. We could do a movie or something after?”

  “Works for me.” She smiled brightly at Luke. “Sound good?”

  He shrugged. “I might have plans. We’ll see.”

  Zoey’s smile faded, then returned, but it had a forced quality to it. “It’s my first night in Aspen. You have a moral obligation to hang out with me.”

  “Us,” Parker said firmly. “You have a moral obligation to hang out with both of us.”

  Luke’s gaze shifted to him. “Really? Because I thought PB&J were fine on their own.”

  There was a challenge in those words somewhere. Fine, if that’s how he wanted to play it, then Parker could, too. “We wouldn’t want to ruin your plans. I can keep Zoey entertained all by myself.”

  Zoey choked on her drink. “C-can you n-now?”

  He leveled a lazy smile her way—Luke wasn’t the only one with that particular superpower. “Pretty sure I can, if you’d give me a chance.”

  Confusion flitted across her features. “Must be one hell of a movie we’re watching.”

  Luke cleared his throat, bemused. “Mom said we’re eating at seven. We better go home.”

  “Give me a lift?” Zoey asked. “I came on the tram because Dad wanted the car.”

  “They really should rent you a car of your own while you’re here,” Luke sai
d. “Then Parker wouldn’t try to steal my Jeep.”

  “For the next week I think the term is ‘our Jeep,’ asshat. Last time I checked, Dad was still making the payments on that beast.” Parker held the door open for Zoey. “And I put gas in it, so what’s the problem?”

  “It’s my Jeep. That’s the problem.”

  Zoey groaned. “You two aren’t going to argue for the whole week are you?”

  If Luke was going to toy with Zoey all week, they damn sure were going to argue. Luke smirked at him, almost like he knew what Parker was thinking. Parker took one, deliberate step towards him.

  Throwing up her hands, Zoey snatched the keys dangling from Luke’s fingers. “I guess that’s a yes. Look, I’m cold. I’ll be in the car when you’re ready to go.”

  “That girl.” Luke shook his head as Zoey stalked over to the Jeep and let herself in—intentionally climbing into the driver’s seat. “She’s got our number, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “I like strong-willed girls—they’re hot. Which complicates things.”

  “How?” Parker noticed a growl creeping into his voice. This wasn’t going anywhere good.

  “I think she has a thing for me.” He shot Parker a slightly smug look. “Weird, huh? She’s like a little sister, then, boom, suddenly she’s not.”

  Parker stiffened. “She’s still like a little sister to you.”

  Luke scoffed. “Oh, come on. You can’t tell me you don’t notice how gorgeous she is. She’s not that pigtailed girl we grew up with.” He let out an appreciative sigh. “I wonder if I should do something about her little crush.”

  Parker’s hands fisted inside his gloves. Luke made dating Zoey sound like an amusing side-hobby. “I think you should leave well enough alone.”

  Luke shrugged. He shrugged. “I didn’t say I would do something. It was a hypothetical. Why are you so pissy? Worried I’ll break up your little sandwich?”

  Parker turned and stalked for the car. “I’m worried you’ll break her heart.”