Chapter Twenty-Two
Charlotte
The morning was slow even with opening late, so Charlotte and Evangeline worked on refilling salt and pepper shakers and rolling silverware so they wouldn’t have to do it after close.
“I have a question.” Evangeline paused in her work to give Charlotte a knowing look. “Why are there snowmobile tracks up next to the café?”
Charlotte flushed, fumbling with the silverware she was rolling. “How’d you, uh, how’d you know it was a snowmobile?”
Evangeline rolled her eyes. “I’ve lived in a ski-resort town for more than half my life. If I took a closer look, I might even be able to tell you what make and model it was.” Then she set the salt down very slowly, turning an incredulous expression on Charlotte. “Tell me, were you entertaining a gentleman caller while we were closed, young lady?”
“Luke came up Christmas Eve because he didn’t want me to be alone.” Charlotte pressed a fist to her mouth to keep from laughing. “You should’ve seen my face, Evangeline. I thought I heard a motor outside, and when he texted for me to look out the window, I just about died.”
“Good God, how sexy is that?” Evangeline gripped Charlotte’s wrist. “He legit drove up here—in a blizzard—to check up on you? Did you sleep with him?”
Charlotte made a shushing gesture. “Keep your voice down.”
Evangeline wagged a finger. “Stalling.”
“Okay, okay, I slept with him.” Charlotte choked down a giggle. “Four times.”
“That’s my girl.” Evangeline held out her fist, and Charlotte bumped hers against it. “So, how was it? I mean, you’ve been out of the saddle for a while. Was it everything you wanted?”
“And more,” Charlotte said, honestly. “I think I’m in trouble, though.”
Evangeline shot a look at Charlotte’s stomach. “Please tell me you used a condom. Otherwise, I know a drugstore—”
“Not that kind of trouble. I have a better-than-average working knowledge of biology.” Charlotte flushed, thinking about her “anatomy lesson” with Luke. “No, I think…I want to see what a relationship with him is like.”
“That’s good!” Evangeline gave her a side hug. “Why would that be trouble?”
“Because I’m not sure that he’d be interested. I mean, he says he is, but he also said something to make me think he hasn’t been serious about anyone, not really, before.”
“He came up here. On. A. Snowmobile. I think he’s interested in more than a quickie.”
“Yeah, but he’s looking to hit the world stage in SBX. If that happens, and I get into med school, we won’t see each other much, if at all. I’m….” Charlotte swallowed hard against a tide of frustration. “I’m not sure he’d do well with the long-distance thing.”
Evangeline leaned back in her chair, looking thoughtful. “I know why you’d think that, but…I don’t know. I think if you’re really interested, you should take it a day at a time. Besides, thinking that far ahead won’t do you any good. Live for now.”
Charlotte nodded. She wanted to do just that. “You’re right.”
So why am I so worried?
The bell over the door dinged at straight-up noon, and Charlotte didn’t have to turn around from the table she was serving to know who it was.
“Lovely Charlotte!” Mr. Bzdyl bellowed from the kitchen door. “Your young man is here!”
“Piotr!” Mrs. Bzdyl said, part laughing, part scolding. “Leave Charlotte alone.”
The mother of the family Charlotte was serving leaned around Charlotte to—presumably—check out Luke. Her eyes widened, and she smiled at Charlotte. “My goodness. We’re fine here. You need to go take care of that guy.”
“Mom!” The thirteen-year-old girl sitting to the woman’s right turned red and buried her face in her hands. “Do not check out boys when Dad’s here.”
The dad laughed. “Honey, I’d check that kid out.”
Biting her lip to keep from cracking up, Charlotte stowed her tray and went to the bar. Damn, Luke looked so good. His hair was windblown, and his eyes sparkled as his gaze caught hers. “Long time no see.”
“It felt that way,” she murmured, glancing back at the kitchen. “Evangeline totally guessed, though. Apparently her superpower is recognizing snowmobile tracks.”
“Useful skill.” He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I can’t stay long. Michael wants me to do a few runs today, and we’re hitting the SBX course tomorrow after they regroom it. Want to come watch?”
“If it’s after my shift, hell yes. You’re pretty sexy up there. I need to get a dose of eye candy before I go home.” She gave him a crooked smile. “I rebooked my flight for the twenty-eighth. I’ll come back on New Year’s Eve.”
“I’ll miss you, but you need to see your family, so I get it.” He took her hand. “Want to go out on New Year’s Eve?”
“It’s a date, especially since we’re closed New Year’s Day.” She swayed closer to him, even though she knew half the customers had to be watching. “I’ll get to spend all night with you.”
“That’s sounds great,” he said, with a hint of a growl.
Evangeline appeared at Charlotte’s right, beaming innocently. “Now, if you two are done steaming up the windows, what’ll you have, sir?”
Luke laughed. “My usual.”
“Usual?” Evangeline looked at Charlotte. “He has a usual now?”
“Egg white omelet, side of fruit coming right up.” Charlotte glanced at him over her shoulder as she went to put the order slip into the queue. He blew her a kiss.
And Charlotte’s heart decided—she was hooked.
“Hurry!” Evangeline poked Charlotte in the arm. “Kit’s up at the course, too, and I don’t want to miss him.”
Evangeline had been bouncing all morning now that the SBX course was open again. Luke had stopped by for breakfast to tell them, and to casually mention that Kit would probably be there. He’d winked at Charlotte when he said it, proving the mention was purely for Evangeline’s benefit.
“If you stop poking me, maybe I’ll ask Luke to introduce you.” Charlotte tightened her ponytail and put on her ski cap. The new skiwear Evangeline had taken her out shopping for looked great. Sky blue with silver accents, it fit perfectly and, more importantly, was warmer than the stuff she’d borrowed from Evangeline before. Even after the past several weeks, she still hadn’t adjusted from Arizona girl. She was going to be out on mountainsides more often now—she needed to look the part.
She turned to follow Evangeline out, but her friend was standing stock-still, her mouth open. “What?”
“You’d do that for me?” Evangeline asked, sounding like it was the best idea ever. “For real?”
Charlotte laughed at her friend’s starry-eyed expression. “I’ll see what I can do. Now, let’s go so you can watch the ass responsible for starting wars.”
They made it to the course in time to catch Luke, who was chatting with his trainer before taking the lift up. Charlotte wound an arm around his waist. “If I asked nicely, could you introduce Evangeline to Kit?”
Luke shot Evangeline an amused smile. She didn’t notice—Kit was about to take his run, and her eyes were glued to the starting gate. “That’s one hell of a crush. She’s not stalkerish, is she?”
“Not that I know of. I’ll vouch for Kit’s relative safety.”
“Speaking of safety,” Luke’s coach said, “be careful up there. It looks icy after all that snow. Follow your line, be conservative.”
“Who am I going up with?” Luke asked, watching as the buzzer went off and Kit shot out of the gate.
The coach snorted. “Tucker.”
“Tucker? Are you fucking kidding me?”
Charlotte almost recoiled at the look of loathing on Luke’s face. He looked…dangerous.
“Better get used to it. Odds are good you’ll race him next week, especially if you make the semis, and it’s almost a certainty if you make the finals.”
Charlotte touched Luke’s arm. “Will you be okay?”
Luke’s expression relaxed into a smile, even though a muscle ticked in his jaw. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”
He left her then, heading for the lifts. Charlotte’s pulse raced.
He didn’t look fine.