Chapter 27

Levi

Garrick and I were quiet on the walk to our room. I would’ve preferred my own room, but Val booked them and she thought it would be more romantic if they slept in separate rooms until their wedding night. She seemed to also think it would be fun for Garrick and me to room together until then, like her and Frankie were doing. We were humoring her.

The room was simple but elegant—two queen beds, a lounge area, and a desk with a generous spread of coffee and tea. It was nothing compared to the master bedroom Frankie and I slept in our last time here, but the view was good. I walked over to the window and looked out.

Our room faced the back of the property, just like the one I shared with Frankie had. We were above the tree line, and thousands of snow-covered pines stretched into the distance, undulating with the uneven terrain. Below me somewhere was the slope that had served as our sledding hill, but I couldn’t make it out from the rest of the great swathe of white.

Garrick started unpacking behind me. He put his tux in the closet first, breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn’t gotten it dirty between home and now.

I turned from the window and crossed my arms. The question that I’d been trying to ignore for the past several minutes spilled from my lips.

“Why do you think Josh was talking to Frankie?”

Garrick blinked in surprise. “Why do you care?”

“I’m just curious,” I replied.

“Sure you are.” His eyes sparkled with mischief and I wanted to sock him. Luckily for him, Val would kill me if he had bruises on his wedding day.

“Come on, Garrick. The guy’s a roach and he hates us,” I said. “What does he want from Frankie?”

“I don’t know,” Garrick replied airily, strolling to the window with his hands clasped behind his back. “Could it be that she’s a beautiful woman?”

My jaw tensed. “I don’t think it’s that simple.”

“You know what it sounds like to me?” Garrick leaned in close, smirking. “It sounds like you’re jealous.”

“Jealous? Of that idiot?” I snorted. “Not likely.”

“Then why does it bother you that he’s all over Frankie?”

“I never said it bothered me,” I replied haughtily. “I just asked what you thought his deal was.”

“Sure.” Garrick raised his brows.

“Don’t be a dick, Garrick.”

“I’m not.”

I forced a blank expression and stepped around him, hauling my suitcase onto the bed and opening it to unpack. Garrick went back to unpacking, and I tried to ignore the way his lips curled with amusement at his own private joke. I really tried.

“Josh is an asshole!” I said finally. “I have every right to wonder what foul trick he’s got up his sleeve regarding the wedding planner.”

“Oh, so you’re a knight in shining armor now, are you?”

“More like a concerned citizen.” I dropped my pile of folded shirts into one of the closet drawers and slammed it closed. “I’m going to get something eat.”

“Do,” Garrick said. “You always get grumpy when you’re hungry.”

I ground my teeth and grabbed my room key. Garrick’s chuckle chased me out into the hallway.

Again, he was lucky it was his wedding.

I headed toward the cafe. I realized about halfway to the lobby that I was storming and tapered my gait to appear more casual. Why was I so on edge? Garrick hadn’t helped matters, but I’d been pissed off from the second I first walked into the lobby and saw Josh Lendal practically dripping off Frankie. And she ate it up.

I made it about two steps into the cafe before I stopped, fists clenching at my sides.

Josh and Frankie were at a table by the window, laughing together like old friends.

As I watched, Josh leaned forward and placed his hand on Frankie’s arm. I couldn’t see her face but I knew her cheeks would be pink with an adorable blush.

Of course they were here. How could I forget about their little lunch date? My stomach grumbled angrily but I turned and left the cafe. Who needed lunch? I decided to grab a drink instead.

Ah, the hotel bar. It was just as I remembered it, right down to the wiry bartender that Frankie had swayed to her cause on our last visit. I didn’t think he would remember me, but the moment I sat down he happily traipsed down to my side of the bar and stood with his hand on his hip.

“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes,” he said. “Glenmorangie?”

“Please.” I scanned his name tag for the first time. Xavier. It looked like Xavier was going to be my best friend for the next five days.

He went to work pouring my drink, glancing over his shoulder at me. “Where’s your girl?”

I ground my teeth. Maybe we wouldn’t be best friends.

“She’s not my girl.”

He smiled and slid my glass across the bar. “She’s something to you.”

“Why does everyone think that?” I muttered, grabbing the glass and downing the whiskey in one go. Xavier started pouring me another.

“Because of the look on your face when I asked you where she was,” he replied.

“Do they pay you extra for that?”

Xavier picked up on my bitter tone and offered only a polite smile. He knew when to back away, at least. I didn’t fancy getting in another argument, not when I’d been here less than an hour.

“Holler if you want another,” he said, moving down the bar to check on his other customers.

I didn’t feel like sitting at the bar anymore. I snatched up my glass and stood, taking stock of the room. It was a quiet afternoon and only a couple tables were occupied. I decided the little one at the back by the window was the best option for drinking alone and made my way over. I sat down, ironed my features into ennui, and took a sip of my drink.

What the hell was I going to do for the next five days? I couldn’t sit around and stew about Valerie’s shit for brains cousin, that was for damn sure. Only problem was right now I couldn’t think of anything else. I kept seeing his hand on Frankie’s arm, that smarmy grin on his face like he thought he was the funniest person in the whole world.

I looked around the bar to distract myself. As I did, a pretty redhead came in and approached the bar, wearing a brightly colored ski jacket and matching headband. She looked like she’d skied in straight from the eighties, but it was cute.

As I made my assessment, she looked over at me. Our eyes met and she flashed a shy smile, batting her lashes. My invitation to approach. I broke contact, turning my gaze to the window instead.

I should go over there. Hadn’t I just been lamenting the fact that I was going to be bored out of my mind for the next few days? My parents would arrive later this afternoon, but I couldn’t spend the whole trip hanging out with them. I wasn’t that sad.

No matter what I told myself, though, I had no desire to get up. I didn’t feel like being charming right now. I wasn’t feeling sociable, and she probably wasn’t all that interesting anyways. Besides, did I really want to get stuck with some strange girl tailing me around for the next few days?

I stayed put, and soon the girl’s friends joined her and they took a table on the other side of the room. I felt her eyes fall on me a few times while I finished my drink, but my mind was made up. There were a bevy of reasons why I didn’t want to go over there. Tons of them. At least that was what I told myself.

I couldn’t admit that the only thing really holding me back was that no matter how beautiful and keen that girl was, she wasn’t Frankie.