Chapter One

Andy downed his second martini and set the empty glass on the makeshift bar before he acknowledged Mrs. Mayer’s side-eye.

“You’re not driving tonight, Andy, are you?” She peered down the length of her nose at him, one bushy gray brow arched.

“No.” He braced against the inevitable shame he felt anytime someone reminded him he couldn’t be trusted. Lately, however, the judgment of a neighbor bent on shaming him also provoked his temper.

Yes, he’d gotten drunk at a happy hour two years ago, and, yes, he’d gotten behind the wheel and injured Grey Lowell. A plea bargain had reduced the felony charges to misdemeanors—contingent upon the completion of a lengthy probation. Following his final visit with his parole officer last month, he’d hoped the townsfolk would let him put that chapter behind him, even though, deep down, he probably never would.

And apparently, neither would they. His one shameful mistake had depleted any goodwill he’d built throughout his life, casting doubt on everything everyone knew about him. Now they watched, waiting for him to screw up again.

His criminal record also meant he faced an uphill battle when it came to getting back his old job as a ski instructor. And despite his many regrets about that night, and the fact he’d paid for his crime, his reputation might never recover in this small town. For the first time since the end of his sentence, he was having a drink. Yet people like Mrs. Mayer still looked at him as if he hadn’t learned his lesson.

Mrs. Mayer sniffed. “Glad to hear it.”

He smiled at her, unwilling to say anything that might disrupt Emma’s wedding reception. Emma Duffy, one of the best friends a guy could have. He’d given up his little crush on her once she’d become seriously involved with Wyatt, but he still worked for her here at her inn. He should be grateful that she’d given him this job when so many had turned him away, but, man, he missed his old life on the slopes and the crew of instructors.

Biting his tongue until it bled, he turned his back on Mrs. Mayer and wandered into the crowd in search of his twin sister, Avery. If it weren’t for her, he might’ve left Sterling Canyon as soon as his probation had lifted. Gone somewhere else to start over. Somewhere people didn’t watch his every move and whisper behind his back.

But he loved his twin, and she was pregnant. Anytime he thought about being a long-distance uncle, he decided to tough it out here at home.

He’d nearly made it out of the congested lobby when he bumped into the bride. Sheer joy tinted Emma’s pale skin with a rosy hue tonight, which made him smile.

She hugged him, her veil tickling his nose. “Oh, Andy, thank you. The place looks amazing.”

The temporary transformation of the old B and B had been his wedding gift. Emma and Wyatt weren’t flush, which was one reason they’d held the wedding reception here at her inn. She’d even prepared a lot of the food herself to save money. Personally, that made Andy happy because he’d always loved her cooking.

Still, he wanted some part of her wedding day to look and feel like a fairy tale. Although Andy wasn’t rolling in dough, either, he was handy.

With Christmas less than two weeks away, he went with that theme. Emma had always loved Christmas traditions, so he’d made use of the abundant fir trees in town and hung boughs of evergreen tied with red ribbon all around the first floor. He’d also dug through his family’s extra boxes of white Christmas lights and solicited his few friends for extras.

With hundreds of yards of strands in hand, he’d strung them throughout the lobby, parlor, and dining room. He’d hit the discount store to purchase dozens of white pillar candles, then driven up to Montrose to a wholesale florist. Abundant blooms and soft candlelight hid the defects of the array of mismatched vases he’d collected.

As a final touch, he’d swathed the banisters and decorative columns in shimmering white organza to give the old Victorian a look of bygone elegance. The entire first floor now twinkled, just as Emma deserved.

He kissed her cheek. “You’re welcome. But as nice as this all looks, it’s got nothing on you. I’ve never seen a prettier bride.”

Gorgeous would be the right word. Like the inn, she’d been transformed. She’d traded in her sweats and loose-fitting sweaters for a sleek, vintage-style satin sheath. Exchanged her standard ponytail for loopy red curls framing her face beneath a simple veil. A little extra eyeliner around those emerald eyes gave her a definite femme fatale quality this evening.

She squeezed his hand and smirked. “I won’t tell your sister you said so.”

“Speaking of Avery, have you seen her?”

Emma glanced around the crowd. “Not in a while. I’ve been busy making my rounds to thank people for coming.”

“It’s good to see you so ecstatic.”

“Thanks. Now we need to see you settled and happy.” She offered a hopeful smile and straightened his tie. No surprise it needed an adjustment, considering the last time he’d worn one had been when he’d met with his lawyer about the plea bargain.

Don’t hold your breath. “I’m doing okay, Em. Not to worry.”

“But I do. Hopefully you’ll end up under the mistletoe with someone special.”

She hugged him again, which he appreciated. Her trust in him had never wavered.

“Sorry, but I’ve got to make sure I get around to everyone. Try the parlor. I bet Avery’s in there. That’s where I have the healthy snacks.”

“Hmm. Then I’ll need a pit stop by the dining room first.” They chuckled before he waved her along.

Pushing past a cluster of Mrs. Duffy’s cronies, he spotted his sister and Grey in the corner of the parlor, as Emma had suspected. He beelined for them, having little interest in socializing with the masses.

“What’s wrong?” Avery asked when he approached.

“Nothing.” He sent Grey a questioning look.

“You’ve got a blank look on your face like you’re not really here,” she pressed.

Andy shrugged, putting Mrs. Mayer and his frustrations aside. “I just saw Emma but haven’t caught up to Wyatt.”

“I think Trip’s dragged him off to the bar again,” Avery said.

“Huh.” He’d go join them, but he didn’t need more scrutiny.

Grey cleared his throat. His brother-in-law had been pretty friendly for Avery’s sake, although Andy couldn’t claim they were close. That wasn’t Grey’s fault. Andy couldn’t look at the guy without remembering what he’d done and how Grey had suffered. Fortunately, after knee surgery and a long stretch of physical therapy—which also netted Grey his wife—he’d made it back on the slopes and kept his mountain-expedition company afloat.

“Expecting big snow this week,” Grey said before chugging some beer. No one gave him the side-eye.

“I hope to get out at least once.” Andy tucked his hands in his pockets.

Grey, Trip, Wyatt, and their clients hiked into the backcountry to ski and snowboard. Andy enjoyed that on occasion, but he’d preferred working with the tourists on resort terrain. He loved moguls and trick parks, and he really, really wanted to be out there on a daily basis.

“Have you done anything about getting your old job back?” his sister asked.

Andy shook his head. The Sterling Resort had a prohibition against hiring instructors with criminal records. It’d be a serious long shot, so he had to figure out the best approach.

“Nikki’s here tonight,” Avery said.

“I know.” Andy had been seated three rows behind her at the ceremony. It had taken him a second to realize who she was because of the fancy way she’d tied up her blond hair with some flowers. He’d stared at her back—those powerful shoulders and sculpted arms on display in her sapphire-blue strapless dress.

No one would call Nikki Steele classically feminine or beautiful. She was tall, muscular, and one of the fiercest skiers he’d ever seen. Tough as hell, having bounced back from many accidents, including the blowout back in high school that left an angry scar across her cheek and up to her temple.

He always liked Nik and loved her attitude. She’d been a good boss—fair, fun, organized. They’d been friendly; he suspected she’d been genuinely sorry to let him go after his arrest. Her sympathy was his only hope of being rehired. If she hadn’t lost all faith in him, he might get the chance to rebuild the trust they once knew.

“Why don’t you go talk to her? She’s bound to be in a good mood tonight.” Avery pushed at his shoulder.

Avery made it sound simple, but his relationship with Nikki hadn’t been quite that simple. Several years back she’d made a little play for him. She’d been drunk, and they’d worked together—not a wise combo—so he’d put her off as gently as possible. Fortunately, she didn’t act weird afterward, which he decided meant she’d been too drunk to remember. Thank God.

At twenty-five, he’d been far more interested in keeping his options open. Ski instructors had no shortage of interest from all the pretty women who came to town to vacation. Besides, Nikki had been his buddy—one of the boys—since high school, and he’d never seen a “friends with benefits” relationship end well.

When she got promoted a few years later, he’d been doubly glad he hadn’t crossed the line, despite having finally taken notice of her Angelina Jolie lips and throaty laugh.

He’d been young and dumb, and then a convict with nothing to offer anyone, let alone Nikki. Now that he was mature enough to really appreciate her, it was too late. He’d be an idiot to risk screwing up his one chance at getting his old job back by making a pass at her. With no college degree and a dearth of other job opportunities, his earning her trust took priority over lust.

“I will when I’m ready.” He playfully pushed her back. “Don’t mother me, Ave.”

“Sorry. I just know how much you want your life back.” She sipped her sparkling cider. “No time like the present.”

They were twins, but opposites in nearly every way. She’d been the straight-A student, while he’d focused on sports. She was ambitious and organized; he flew by the seat of his pants. She completed her to-do list every day; he never saw much point in a to-do list.

Grey wrapped an arm around Avery’s shoulder and squeezed her, then shot Andy a sympathetic look. “Sometimes it’s easier to give in. Of course, you know that already.”

“Hey.” His sister frowned at her husband, then shooed Andy away. “Go on. You’re overdue for a Christmas miracle.”

Miracle was about right. He couldn’t admit to her that as long as he didn’t ask Nikki to rehire him, he could hold out for hope. If Nik turned him down flat tonight, it would not only ruin the party for him but pretty much ruin his winter.

“Remind me why I love you?” he asked.

“Because we’re two halves of a whole.” She patted his cheek. “Now quit stalling.”

He inhaled, knowing that he couldn’t put it off forever. On the plus side, he wouldn’t mind spending time getting reacquainted with Nikki tonight. “Wish me luck.”