Chapter Sixteen
Charlotte
“How is Luke’s father?” Mr. Bzdyl asked. “Will we see your young man today?”
Charlotte started to correct him on the “your” part, then decided she didn’t want to. It was too early to call Luke “her” anything, but she liked how it sounded. She was also nursing some tiny butterflies in her stomach, hoping she would see him today. Luke had texted her yesterday to tell her his dad had been moved to a regular room and was doing well. “Probably. He thinks he’ll be able to come over.”
Mr. Bzdyl beamed over the bell peppers he was chopping. “Good. And how about your trip?” He set down his knife, his face sobering. “I know you worry about your mama.”
“She’s doing okay.” She’d spoken to her little sister last night. It sounded like mom was resting, but Emily sounded strained, and Charlotte needed to go home and assess the situation. “But if I could get off at eleven on the twenty-fourth, that would be great. My flight is at three.”
“Done.”
Charlotte nodded in thanks and went out to check on the coffeemaker. Full, good. She poured herself a quick cup, then headed to the front door to turn on the open sign and flip the lock. Cars were already pulling into the lot down at the main lodge. It would be a busy day. Like usual. She was getting used to it, though. She hadn’t been exhausted after her shifts the last few days. She’d even been studying. When she could keep her mind off Luke, that is.
Charlotte’s face grew warm. He was pretty distracting. She’d seen just enough of his muscular chest the other night to stoke a thousand daydreams that would be rated M for Mature if anyone read her mind.
She felt sort of guilty about it, though. She was studying…some. But she could always study more, especially since this was her last-ditch attempt. She also felt bad for being even a little happy when her sister was so worried. Her focus had been so divided since Luke dropped into her life, but pushing him away would be too hard.
Still, she needed to figure out how to make time for everything else.
The morning rush hit, and she didn’t have time to think, but she caught herself watching the door as the hours flew by and lunchtime came. To her disappointment, the party that arrived at noon wasn’t Luke—but the snotty teenaged girl who had complained about her coffee the day she’d met Luke, and a gaggle of her equally snotty friends.
Charlotte held in a groan and walked to the front. “Table for four?”
“Oh, it’s you.” The girl turned to her friends. “This is that bitchy waitress I told you about.” She glanced back at Charlotte, her nose turned up. “Can we sit in someone else’s section? I was hoping you’d be off today.”
“I work here six mornings a week.” Charlotte cocked her head. “So, table, or no table?”
“Come on, Philippa, I’m starving,” one of her friends whined. “Just deal with it.”
With a huff, darling Philippa said, “Fine.”
Fuming, Charlotte led them to a table. She would say it was a rich-kid thing, but her family lived in Scottsdale for God’s sake—and her childhood friends had parents who were general counsels, chief operating officers, partners in consulting firms, or executive engineers like her dad. None of them had acted like the world owed them everything.
The door dinged while Charlotte was taking their orders. She got to Philippa, but the girl was no longer paying attention. Instead, she got up, tossing her hair, and made a beeline for the door. Eyebrows rising, Charlotte turned.
Luke stood in the doorway, Philippa attempting to hang off his arm.
Charlotte snorted. I’ll give darling Philippa credit—she’s persistent.
“You were so amazing at practice the other day,” she was saying as Charlotte walked over. “You’re a god out there. Look, my friends and I are having a party tonight. It’s going to be hot—you should come. The booze will flow like milk and honey.”
“Aren’t you a little young for alcohol?” Charlotte asked. She wanted to clobber this girl with a coffee urn. “And were you going to order, or not?”
“Can’t you see I’m talking to someone?” Philippa rolled her eyes dramatically, showing off her purple eyeshadow and cat’s-eye eyeliner. “Anyway, Luke, I’d totally love it if you’d join me.”
Luke arched an eyebrow at Charlotte over Philippa’s head, and Charlotte’s stomach fluttered. This was about to become awesome.
He gave Philippa a dose of movie-star smile. “Sorry, but I’m a little old for you. Besides, I already have plans with someone.”
Then he sidestepped the little brat and swooped in to wrap an arm around Charlotte’s waist. He kissed her cheek and said, more loudly than necessary, “How’s my girl?”
Charlotte barely kept from cracking up. “Fine. How’s your dad?”
“Better. I’ll be able to go out tonight. But you’re busy, and we can finalize our plans later. I’ll go find a seat at the bar.”
He winked at her and went to the bar without a backward glance. Philippa watched him go, so Charlotte waved her order pad in front of the girl. “What will you have?”
Philippa shot her a malevolent look. “Just coffee.”
She stalked back to her table, and Charlotte went to put in the order, rolling her eyes. She felt a little sorry for the girl…but not that sorry. Learning when a guy’s not into you was a skill every woman needed. Philippa had that lesson coming.
Evangeline was waiting for her at the pickup station, her eyes gleaming. “Oh my God, that one’s a keeper, girl. He both put that little diva in her place and ensured she’ll never eat here again, all in one sentence. If I weren’t lusting after Kit, I might give Luke a second look.”
“I’ll let him know.” Charlotte grinned at her. “God, that felt good. I never realized how many assholes mistreat servers until I became one.”
“Yeah, national pastime to some people.” Evangeline hefted a tray full of club sandwiches. “Good luck out there.”
“You, too.”
Charlotte had four tables to tend before she could head to the bar, where Luke was lounging on his barstool, watching her every move. “Coffee, sir?”
His gaze could melt all the snow on the mountain. “Please.”
Charlotte flushed. He’s seducing me over coffee, now? And it’s working. Am I pathetic? She filled his cup and pulled the pencil from behind her ear. “What can I get you?”
He raised an eyebrow. “I seem to remember you saying you weren’t on the menu. Does that still stand?”
“During working hours, yes.” She leaned against the counter, brushing her arm against his. Her insides were playing tag, and even that brief touch sent a thrill up her spine. “After? Depends.”
He trailed a finger along her forearm. “Then I’ll have an egg white omelet and a side of fruit. For now.”
Charlotte stood, arching her back a little bit, and his eyes drifted down to her chest while he still traced her arm. She really wished she didn’t have to work.
Dazed with longing, she said, “I’ll, um, just put it in.” She screwed up her face in embarrassment. Oh, for Christ’s sake. “The order. I’ll put the order in.”
He sat back, smiling. “I know you’re busy. I’ll quit torturing both of us. But, my offer to teach you to snowboard still stands, if you’d like to go.”
“Won’t you be training?”
“I’m working on form today, mostly. I can do that on any run at Snowmass.” He cocked his head. “Want to come?”
The chance of Charlotte making a fool of herself was off the charts. But…the idea wasn’t terrible, especially when she imagined Luke’s arms around her, holding her up. “Oh, what the hell. Sure.”
“Excellent. I’ll eat, then do a few runs and come back around three.”
She nodded, backing away toward the kitchen. “Sounds good.”
“There.” Evangeline zipped up Charlotte’s borrowed jacket. “You look great.”
Charlotte checked out her reflection. Evangeline had dressed her in lavender bibs with a darker purple jacket, all of it made of thin, thermal fabric. The jacket strained across her chest, showing off more than Charlotte had guessed from skiwear.
Evangeline had conceded to a french braid rather than down when Charlotte reminded her of the high possibility of falls. She pulled a purple-and-white cap onto Charlotte’s head, then stepped back to admire her work. “Definitely. He’s going to have trouble concentrating on his board.”
“I sure hope not. Otherwise, I’m going to crash into a tree.”
Evangeline made a pooh-poohing gesture. “There aren’t many trees on the easier runs. You’ll be fine.”
Charlotte nodded, clomping forward in the ski boots Evangeline had lent her. “These are really stiff.”
Evangeline laughed. “That’s what she said.”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “Ha, funny. Why can’t I move my ankle in the boots?”
“I like more support when I ride.” Evangeline shrugged. “You aren’t planning to ride any rails, are you?”
“Rails?”
“Exactly.” Evangeline pointed at the boots. “Those are good for a beginner. They’ll support you better.”
Charlotte’s phone buzzed, and she checked the screen. “He’s here. I better go.”
“Have fun!”
Charlotte walked carefully down the stairs and let herself out of the café. It was frigid but clear outside, and the sun highlighted a few blond streaks in Luke’s hair. They looked natural, and Charlotte knew about twenty women who’d kill to get that look without the salon’s help. He looked good, though. He always did—his skiwear fit him like it had been tailored for him. And, knowing what his parents’ business was, his jacket probably had been.
Luke grinned at her, obviously noticing her thorough inspection. “You ready?”
Her stomach did a flip. Nerves? Lust? Both probably. “As I’ll ever be.”