Alaska Reunion

by Jennifer Snow

  She turned away quickly. “I should give you some privacy.”

  “Kinda late now, don’t you think?” he asked, reaching for his shirt.

  Ellie headed for the door. “I’ll just wait outside,” she said with another quick glance at him as he pulled the tight shirt over his head and struggled to pull it down over the contours of his abs.

  Damn, her coworker was hot as hell.

  Outside the cottage, she sucked in a huge breath of cooling night air. Overheated, she appreciated the slight breeze that blew her hair into her face. She’d always known Callum was attractive, but in the context of working together, it was easy to brush it aside. She’d thought of him as a coworker and friend for so long that thinking about him in a sexual manner hadn’t really entered her mind.

  This week would be different. Close quarters. Sharing personal space.

  Shit, how had she not really thought about what this meant before now? She’d been too preoccupied thinking about Brent and winning him back to focus much on the logistics side of spending time with Callum.

  He’d see her in her pajamas and with her overnight face cream on...discover her secret night guard... Maybe she’d skip her usual routine for a few nights.

  And he’d see her first thing in the morning with her crazy messy pillow hair and bad breath.

  Clearly, she hadn’t thought this whole thing through.

  “Okay, I’m ready,” he said, joining her on the step.

  She swung to face him. “Do you think this is really necessary? Maybe you should go now and I’ll tell everyone you had to head back...for an emergency.”

  “A bookstore emergency?” he asked with a smirk.

  She sighed. “Okay, fine. But I’m not sure how long I can keep this up.”

  He ran a hand through his still-wet hair, slicking it back away from his face. “Pretending to be attracted to me? Shouldn’t be hard based on the way you were drooling over the sight of my body five minutes ago.”

  “I was not drooling.”

  He teasingly ran a finger below her bottom lip and winked at her. “You sure about that?”

  Okay, maybe now she was drooling.

  The gesture had stopped her heart, and she was quite literally frozen on the spot.

  “Let’s go. You’re making us late,” he said with a grin to her openmouthed expression, grabbing her hand and leading the way to the lodge.

  CHAPTER NINE

  IT WASN’T HARD to see why these cottages normally cost over four hundred dollars a night. If Callum had thought their individual cottage was impressive, the lodge and shared areas of the campgrounds were even more so. The outside space had tennis courts, a basketball court, an infinity pool and two large hot tubs with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Nestled in the valley, with wildlife and trails all around them, it was an outdoor enthusiast’s dream vacation.

  Over four thousand square feet, the log cabin–style main lodge contained a restaurant and kitchen for meals, an expansive dining room, a games room, a library—which he was certain Ellie had been tempted to visit—a small lounge with a bar and piano, and a great room with a double-sided fireplace where the rest of their group were waiting for them.

  “Ah, there are the lovebirds now,” Alisha said as they entered. Dressed in a pair of jean cutoffs, a plaid button-up shirt knotted at her waist and hiking boots, she had this camping fashion thing figured out.

  Beside Callum, Ellie glanced at her sundress. He suspected this is what always happened around this group—she was constantly second-guessing and reevaluating herself. He wished she didn’t feel the need to compare herself to the others. Maybe by the end of the week, he could show her how they didn’t even compare to her.

  Callum grinned and tightened his grip on her hand when she instinctively tried to pull away. He sent her a look that said, That’s what we’re trying to make them think, remember?

  She forced a smile as she addressed the group. “Sorry we’re so late. Car troubles.”

  Nick winked over a glass of Scotch. “Car troubles. Sure. We’ll buy that.”

  Ellie blushed, and it took all of Callum’s strength not to allow everyone to think that car troubles was a euphemism and they were late because they’d been busy having wild sex all afternoon, having to pull to the side of the highway multiple times because they just couldn’t keep their hands off of one another.

  Instead, he came to her rescue. “Actually,” he added for good measure and because it was true, “we did have a slight accident on the way here.”

  “Oh no... Well, you guys are okay, obviously, that’s a relief. What happened?” Alisha asked.

  “A bear,” he said.

  “A Kodiak ran right out into the road. Callum swerved and luckily missed him, but we blew out a tire.”

  “Didn’t know how to change it?” Brent joined the group from the other room, looking like a puffed-up version of himself.

  Callum’s spine stiffened as he saw the flush of color the other man’s appearance brought to Ellie’s cheeks. Not so unlike the flush of color she’d had seeing him in a tiny towel. Unfortunately, he knew she’d blame the latter on embarrassment over the awkward situation.

  “Someone was driving on the spare already,” Ellie said chastisingly.

  A slight irritation crept up the back of his neck. He didn’t like it when couples berated one another in front of their friends. His father used to do it to his mother all the time at family events and parties, and it definitely had helped to chip away at their marriage. And sure, he and Ellie weren’t actually a couple, and sure, they were supposed to start acting like there was trouble in paradise, but it still didn’t feel right to him. And Ellie wasn’t the type to make someone else feel less than, so he knew this was all for show.

  “Guilty,” he said, but then turned to her. He wasn’t ready to move on to part two of their plan just yet. He brought her hand to his lips and stared into her eyes as he said, “But it was actually nice. Sitting there together, listening to the rain on the roof of the car. Just the two of us.”

  Ellie’s look was a mix of annoyance and a hint of confusion, as though sensing there was truth in his words and not quite sure what to do about it.

  “Awww...” Alisha said, tipping her head to the side. Then she slapped Nick playfully. “Why don’t you say nice things like that?”

  “’Cause I’m a dude,” Nick mumbled.

  Ellie forced a laugh and tugged her hand away. “Anyway, we made it.” She crossed the room and sat in a chair near Brent.

  There were no more available seats, except one across the room from her—too far away—so Callum sat on the floor at her feet.

  “Yes, and you guys are just in time,” Cheryl said.

  “For what?”

  “We were just about to play some board games.”

  Alisha turned to the game shelf in the lodge. She grabbed the Couples Trivia box. “Let’s play this one. It will be fun.”

  Cheryl nodded. “I love this game.”

  “Sounds like a great way to end up in the doghouse to me,” her husband, Mitch, said. “Amirite?” he asked Callum.

  Callum nodded his good-natured agreement, but he reached for Ellie’s ankles and wrapped her feet around his body, gently massaging her arches. He felt her stiffen slightly at first, then relax her feet.

  No lady could resist his massages. Magic hands, he’d been told on more than one occasion. The night of their staff party, he’d massaged Ellie’s feet in a corner booth at The Drunk Tank after hours of dancing. She hadn’t complained that night either.

  “You’re in the doghouse because you don’t rub my feet like that anymore,” Cheryl told her husband.

  Nick shot him a look. “Seriously, man, stop making us look bad.”

  If the other men appeared lacking because Callum knew how to take care of a woman and tr
eat her the way she should be treated, that was on them.

  “Okay, so couples partner up. And, Brent, I guess you can be the host since you’re on your own?” Alisha asked him as she opened the game box and took out the whiteboards where they’d each write their answers. She handed them out, and Ellie removed her feet from his lap and tucked her legs under her on the chair.

  He knew Ellie would rather be playing this game with Brent... She’d claim they knew each other so well, and maybe they had. But he knew her well too—the Ellie she was now. This game might give him a chance to prove just how much he did know about her, how much he paid attention when she spoke and how much he cared.

  She may have a game plan for the week, but he also had one of his own.

  * * *

  AS THE GAME STARTED, Ellie took a moment to check out Brent. Wearing khaki shorts and a light blue polo shirt, his slightly longer hair combed to one side and his face free of any scruff along his jawline, he looked just like the preppy, popular jock she’d fallen in love with years before. He’d barely aged at all. Except for a few lines around the corners of his eyes, he was the mirror image of his high school self. He was still incredibly hot. Hot enough to erase the image of Callum’s partially naked body from her mind.

  That was it. She just needed to focus on Brent. Callum’s body and the kiss that had replayed in her mind since the reunion would vanish from her thoughts the more attention and time she spent with her former flame.

  And as long as Callum quit doing all of this extra-attention stuff like massaging her feet. Because damn, that had felt good. Too good.

  Maybe once all of this was over, they could be better friends. Ones who exchanged midday break room foot massages?

  She watched as Brent got up and approached Alisha, taking the game cards from her. His sandy hair fell into his eyes, and she remembered how she loved when he’d look at her through that messy hair and how she’d brush it away from his face right before she’d kiss him.

  Yep, Callum who?

  “Okay, rules of the game,” Brent said. “If you get an answer right, we go to the next question, presented to the partner who didn’t answer the first one. Game play moves on once we hit a mismatch.”

  Everyone nodded their agreement.

  “Who’s up first? Alisha and Nick?” he asked the group as he wrote their names on the large whiteboard behind him.

  Ellie stared at the board. It should be their names up there—Ellie and Brent—instead of hers and Callum’s. Brent had spelled Calum with one l.

  On purpose maybe? She didn’t want to get her hopes up, but there’d definitely been jealousy in his gaze the night of the reunion when Callum had lied and said they were engaged. And when Callum had grabbed her for a kiss...

  If Callum noticed, he didn’t say anything.

  Alisha sat on Nick’s lap and nodded. “We’re ready.”

  Brent took the first question from the box. “Okay, ladies first. Alisha, what is Nick’s alcoholic drink of choice?” He flipped the sand timer on the table.

  Alisha and Nick scribbled their answers on the whiteboards.

  That would have been an easy one. Callum hated anything fruity or sweet. Tequila was his favorite. Straight, on the rocks. Expensive brands. He’d spouted the health benefits of the alcoholic drink numerous times. Why couldn’t she have gotten that question? Definitely something a couple should easily know about one another.

  Brent looked at the timer as the sand ran out. “Reveal.”

  He was really good as the host. Then again, he’d always been comfortable in front of a crowd or in the spotlight. A sporty kid who wasn’t afraid of exploring other interests, he’d been active in the drama club for two years, and his part as the lead in the senior play had been Oscar-worthy in her opinion. Of course she’d gone to see the young-adult romance/drama every night in the high school auditorium. Watching him kiss the female lead had been difficult, but it had been art...

  “Martini on the rocks,” Alisha said confidently, turning her board around.

  Nick frowned. “Since when?”

  “Since always. It’s what you always order when...” Alisha’s voice trailed off as her eyes widened.

  “You mean that’s what Arron used to order,” Nick said, a slightly annoyed but mostly amused grin on his face as he turned his own whiteboard around. “Gin and tonic is the correct answer, Pat.”

  Everyone laughed as Alisha snuggled into him. “Sorry, honey, you know I knew that.”

  New relationship. They were still getting to know one another...but six months seemed like a pretty good length of time to know a lot of things. Ellie’s favorite part about relationships was just that—the long into-the-night conversations learning about one another, getting closer and sharing secrets... Knowing the little things about one another that no one else noticed, which meant you were paying attention, that you were truly invested.

  It was the true intimacy part of being with someone that she was really missing right now. She could date around, but she wouldn’t feel fulfilled. She was ready for a real relationship again...and there had only been one man who’d ever made the effort seem worth it.

  The one turning his attention to them now. “You two ready?”

  She nodded and Callum moved closer.

  “We will start with the lady. Ellie, who is Callum’s favorite author?”

  “Not fair—they got an easy one. They work in a bookstore together,” Nick said.

  “Luck of the draw,” Brent said with a shrug, flipping their timer.

  It was an easy one. Ellie scribbled her answer on the whiteboard and a second later they revealed the same answer—Ernest Hemingway—to be the first team on the board.

  “You pay attention,” Callum said.

  “Nick’s right, we were basically given that one,” she said.

  “Okay, so we stay with you guys for the next one.” Brent read the card and grinned. “Finally, an interesting one. Callum, what is Ellie’s bra size?”

  Her cheeks flushed, and she frowned seeing Callum immediately writing on his board. He knew that answer? He looked fairly confident as he sat there waiting for her to write on her own board.

  Well, she wanted to think of herself as a good sport, but she wasn’t revealing that detail to the group. She’d always been smaller than the other girls and it hadn’t really bothered her, but this wasn’t the moment she wanted to reveal her embarrassing “trapped between an A-cup and B-cup” dilemma that always made bra shopping a total nightmare. Especially when Brent’s Instagram consisted of double D’s.

  Their team would lose this one. Fine with her. She scribbled her answer quickly before the timer ran out.

  “Reveal,” Brent said with a quick grin at her that said he knew this answer.

  Her tongue felt swollen in her mouth as they turned the boards around, and then her mouth dropped open seeing Callum’s response. Exactly what she’d written on her own board. “PASS.”

  The group laughed.

  “That shouldn’t count,” Nick said.

  “Yeah, they didn’t answer the question,” Cheryl said.

  Brent shrugged as he picked up the game rule sheet. “Says here, the couple needs to have the same thing written on their whiteboards. They do. That is another point and back to Ellie for the next question.”

  She wiped her board clean, still slightly reeling from Callum’s matching response. He was a respectful guy, she knew that, but this was just a silly game so she’d expected some smart-ass answer from him. He was really decent, and if they were actually dating or engaged, that gentlemanly response would definitely have earned him bonus points.

  Which wasn’t a good thing, given their circumstances.

  What had happened to acting like things were rocky between them? He was acting like the perfect man instead. They needed to talk this evening. Get on the same page with
her plan.

  “Ellie, what is the one item of clothing that Callum hates to wear?” Brent asked.

  A tie. Simple. He detested the things. Claimed they were metaphors for the business world. Choked the life out of people until they woke up dead one morning.

  She started to write but then paused. Getting another right answer wasn’t working in their favor. If the group thought their relationship was rock-solid, trying to convince everyone—especially Brent—that things were over in a couple of days would be much harder.

  She wrote “dress shoes” instead, knowing Callum wouldn’t completely know that she’d thrown this one. Dress shoes weren’t his favorite either. He preferred to be barefoot. She often caught him walking around the bookstore that way when there were no customers in the store.

  “Reveal,” Brent said.

  As she suspected, Callum had written a tie. “Oops, got this one wrong,” she said, showing hers to the group. She avoided Callum’s suspicious, unfooled look as she wiped her board clean and Brent turned to Mitch and Cheryl.

  “You got that wrong on purpose,” he whispered.

  “Maybe I don’t know you as well as you think I do,” she said casually with a shrug, but they both knew she was lying. They knew one another very well, oddly well, but that was natural for coworkers who spent a lot of time together.

  Hell, she spent more time with Callum than anyone else in her life.

  That was what she was here to change. Her coworker couldn’t be the one person in her life she could confide in or trust or depend on. She wanted to share that connection with a lover.

  The next rounds continued on, and Nick finally scored a point for their team by knowing Alisha’s favorite food—but Cheryl and Mitch still weren’t on the board yet. Not many late-night conversations were happening at their house with a new baby.

  The game returned to Ellie and Callum, and they were still in the lead.