Charley watched Tyler go, wondering what he’d been thinking as he stared down at her. He unnerved her with the intense way he looked at her, as if he had a million things he wanted to tell her.

Cameron plopped down next to her on the sofa. “Holy sexy hotness, Batman.”

“Eww.” Charley covered her ears. “I don’t need to hear that about my own brother.”

“I’m not talking about Will, although he is crazy hot. I meant Tyler. Whoa. He’s totally into you.” Cameron nudged her with an elbow. “What goes on in the love nest up on the hill?”

“Your imagination is working overtime.”

Cameron took an assessing look at Charley that made her feel exposed. “I don’t think it is.”

Ella brought Charley a steaming cup of cider.

“Please tell me this is spiked,” Charley said.

“Mine is,” Ella said. “Yours isn’t. Not while you’re still taking painkillers.”

“Did Tyler tell you to say that?”

“Nope. I figured that out all on my own.” To Cameron she added, “Is she spilling any of the dirty details?”

“Not yet, but I think she was about to.”

“Think again,” Charley said dryly.

“That means there’re dirty details to spill,” Cameron said. “Come on! I’m an old married woman now. I’m living vicariously through you single girls.”

“Are you already bored with Will?” Charley asked.

“Hardly,” Cameron said, waggling her brows.

Charley rolled her eyes. “I’ll say again—ewww.”

Cameron laughed at the face Charley made at her. “There’s nothing ewww about it. More like ahhhh.”

“Make it stop, Ella,” Charley said.

“Cam, I think Hannah said she needed your help in the kitchen,” Ella said.

“I see right through this ruse, ladies,” Cameron said as she got up. “I’ll be back for the dirty details later.”

“Thank you,” Charley said to Ella when they were alone. Lowering her voice, she added, “I see potential pregnancy hasn’t done anything to quell her need to know everything.”

“I’m not even potentially pregnant—that I know of, anyway—and I need to know everything, too. What goes on up there on the mountain?”

“Oh, you know. This. And that.”

“Charlotte Abbott—tell me everything right now.”

She shifted her gaze down to her hands. “We’ve been, you know, fooling around. Some. As much as we can.” She gestured to the leg brace that represented a world of frustration.

“This is huge,” Ella whispered loudly—too loudly for Charley’s liking.

“Shush. I don’t want everyone hearing.”

“I think they’ve already figured out that something is up with him.”

“Still, I’m not ready to confirm anything.”

“You guys are like together, though, right?”

“No, nothing like that. We’re just hanging out. And fooling around. That’s it.”

“Does he know that?”

“Yes,” Charley said, beginning to feel exasperated by the inquisition. “He knows.”

“What specifically does he know?”

“Ella! Seriously?”

“Dead serious. What did you say to him?”

“I told him I don’t do serious and committed, and if he wants to hang out and have fun and fool around sometimes, I’m down for that. Anything more, not my vibe.”

“You actually said that?”

“Something like that.”

“And he actually went for it?”

Charley shrugged. “He was fine with it.”

Ella eyed her skeptically. “Really?”

“Really. Is there food? I’m starving.” She wasn’t even slightly hungry because Tyler had once again fed her an elaborate breakfast, but she was anxious to get rid of Ella and her questions.

“Yeah, there’s food. When is there not food at Mom’s house?”

“How about you go get me some?” Charley asked with a saccharine smile.

Ella got up. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on that.”

Her mother came into the room a few minutes later bearing a tray for Charley. “I hear you’re hungry,” Molly said as she set the tray on Charley’s lap.

“Thanks, Mom.” Though she didn’t feel particularly hungry, Charley’s stomach growled at the sight of chicken salad rolls, pickles, chips and two brownies. “This looks yummy.”

Molly sat next to her on the sofa. “How’re you feeling?”

“Better every day.”

“It’s weird that you’re up there with him rather than here with us.”

Charley laughed at her mother’s blunt statement. “Gee, Mom, tell me how you really feel.”

“I just did. What gives, Charlotte?”

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“As you well know, Vivienne and Dave Westcott are friends of ours. It would be unfortunate if our daughter were to hurt their son in some way.”

Charley wished it were possible to squirm without causing herself pain. “I’m not going to hurt him. We’re friends. I’ve been very up-front with him about what I want—and what I don’t want.” Images from the last few nights chose that particular moment to resurface in her mind, setting off a low throb between her legs.

“From all accounts, he wants everything from you. If you’re not feeling the same way, please don’t lead him on. He’s a very nice young man.”

“I know he is, and I like him—a lot. I’m not sure of anything else but that right now, and I’m not going to be pushed into calling this something it’s not just to make everyone else happy.”

“That’s fair enough I suppose.”

“Whatever it is, it’s new, and we’ll figure it out.”

The arrival of Megan and her sister, Nina, extricated Charley from the uncomfortable conversation. Why did everyone care so much about what was going on with her and Tyler? Why were they all so invested? And then another more unsettling thought took root—what would her brothers say to Tyler today while they had him up on the mountain?

Fresh powder, bright sunshine and fast runs made for a great day on the slopes of Butler Mountain. The Abbott brothers and their cousin Noah were a bunch of crazy bastards, though, so Tyler hung back with Gavin Guthrie, who had confessed to not being much of a skier. “My brother was like them.” From their vantage point on the chair lift, Gavin used one of his poles to point to Will, Hunter, Colton, Wade, Lucas and Landon Abbott, who flew down the mountain with Noah, all of them traveling at breakneck speeds.

“I’ve never seen anyone ski the way Will does,” Tyler said.

“He was this close to the Olympics in snowboarding when he blew out his knee.”

They took the lift up to the black diamond slopes, but unlike the Abbotts, who did two runs to their one, Gavin and Tyler took their time navigating the difficult terrain. Tyler wasn’t looking to injure himself when he had to take care of Charley.

“Speaking of blown-out knees,” Gavin said as the lift took them back up again, “how’s Charley doing?”

“Better every day. She’ll be off the crutches soon, and the physical therapist says she’s doing great. Of course Charley hates her guts.”

Gavin laughed. “Of course she does. That’s Charley for you.” He glanced over at Tyler. “I have to be honest . . . I was surprised to hear she was going home with you after her accident.”

“I think everyone was surprised to hear that, especially her.”

“So you guys are together now?”

“I wouldn’t say that. Yet.” Tyler hesitated for a second, trying to decide if he should “go there” with Gavin, who he’d known since Gavin’s logging company supplied the lumber for Tyler’s house. That he was about to confide in someone he didn’t know all that well was an indication of how desperate Charley had made him. “Let me ask you something.”

“Sure.”

“When a woman says she’s not interested in a relationship, but she seems to be interested in everything that goes along with a relationship . . .”

“By everything you mean . . .”

“Everything.”

Gavin smiled widely. “Ahh, gotcha.”

“What does that mean?”

Gavin tipped his head thoughtfully as he pondered the question. “Why doesn’t she want a relationship?”

“She says it’s not her thing. Apparently, she has no interest in marriage and kids and white picket fences.”

“But she is interested in you?”

“To a certain extent.”

“And you’re into her?”

“Totally. Have been for a while now.”

Gavin rubbed at his jaw. “Hmm. That’s a tough one.”

“I know, believe me. I have no idea what I’m doing here. She’s like a puzzle that refuses to fit together in any way that makes sense.”

“That’s got to be kind of frustrating for you.”

“It’s maddening. We take a step forward, and then she takes three steps back, leaving my head spinning.”

“It sounds like she’s afraid to get hurt maybe.”

“Charley’s not afraid of anything,” Tyler said with a laugh. “She’s tough as nails.”

“Everyone is afraid of something, Tyler. No matter how tough they may appear to the outside world.” They got off the chair lift and skied to the side, out of the way of others exiting the lift. “Right now, I’m afraid of that,” Gavin said, gesturing to the steep slope. “My brother used to tell me I was the world’s biggest pussy when it came to skiing, but I never have been able to just say to hell with it and let go of the fear of crashing into something while standing on two sleds and going ninety miles an hour down a hill.”

His commentary had Tyler chuckling. “Gotta say I agree with you.”

“Caleb and the Abbotts and so many of the guys we grew up with never worried about crashing, but I always did. Still do. I guarantee there’s something Charley is afraid of, too. You just have to figure out what it is.”

Gavin had given Tyler plenty to think about, but the slope demanded all his attention as he followed Gavin down the steep trail. Despite what he’d said, Gavin was a more than competent skier, but he was right about the difference between those who were afraid of what might happen and those who weren’t.

The metaphor wasn’t lost on Tyler. Gavin’s insight had helped to clarify a few things for him.

Much later, as the sun began to head for the horizon as it did far too early this time of year, Tyler joined the others for a beer in the lodge after the last run of the day. The Abbott brothers and their cousin Noah drank the way they skied, with hilarious abandon and nonstop bullshit.

“One more week, big brother,” Landon said as he raised a mug to Hunter. “There’s still time to run for your life.”

“I’m not running anywhere.” Hunter’s small, satisfied smirk told the story of a happy man counting the days until he married the love of his life.

Tyler knew a moment of pure envy. What must it be like to finally have the woman you most desire and to know she’d be with you for the long haul? After what Charley had said to him the night before, Tyler had good reason to believe that would never happen for him. And that was a profoundly depressing thought.

“How’s it going in your home rehab facility?” Wade asked Tyler, making him realize he’d zoned out.

“Good. Charley is getting better all the time.”

“Dude, we’re nominating you for a Purple Heart for taking her on,” Lucas said.

“No kidding,” Landon added. “Maybe a Purple Heart and an award for meritorious service, too.”

While the others laughed, Tyler smiled and shook his head. “No awards necessary. It’s been fun to take care of her.”

They stared at him, slack-jawed and stunned.

“Fun?” Will finally said, breaking the silence.

“Well, yeah. Other than the surgically repaired knee that’s given her some grief, she’s been fun to have around.”

“Wow,” Colton said, “can we urge you to please marry her since there’s not another man alive who will ever like her as much as you do?”

“That’s not a very nice thing to say, Colton,” Wade said. “She is our sister, even if she can be a pain. Have a little respect, will you?”

Tyler couldn’t have said it better himself.

“I don’t mean any disrespect,” Colton said sincerely. “You know I love Charley. We all do. But we also know how she can be, and all I’m saying is it’s going to take a special guy to . . . you know . . . take her on. Tyler might just be that special guy.”

All eyes turned to him, and he wasn’t sure if they expected him to say something or what.

“Leave the poor guy alone,” Hunter said. “He doesn’t need us piling on.”

“Spoken by the love-drunk future groom,” Lucas said, making gagging noises.

Hunter just smiled and flipped off his younger brother. “Someday, my friend. You just wait.”

Lucas shuddered at the thought.

“Better you than me,” Noah said with a bitter edge to his voice. It was well known in town that his wife had left him under mysterious circumstances a couple of years ago, and he’d thrown himself into his contracting business ever since.

“What he said,” Lucas said, pointing his thumb at Noah as his eyes landed on a table full of young women who were watching their table. “As long as there’re snow bunnies in need of company, there’ll be no ring on my finger. Are you with me, Landon?”

“I’m so with you.”

The twins got up and took their mugs of beer with them when they moved to the table full of women. Chairs were rearranged and the women could be heard asking if they were twins.

Tyler watched the scene unfold with a sense of detachment. Not that long ago, he might’ve joined them, but he was no longer interested in random hookups. They’d lost their appeal for him a while ago. He couldn’t say exactly when he’d set his sights on Charley. It had been a series of encounters—once in her family’s store, a couple of dances at the Grange, at a party for a mutual friend’s birthday, at Kingdom Pizza when they’d both been picking up takeout, in the produce aisle at the grocery store. Every time he saw her, he wanted to see more of her until images of her and her many expressions had crowded out thoughts of any other woman.

“Don’t mind if I join them,” Wade said as he got up to leave the table.

“I’m with them,” Noah said, decamping for the women’s table.

“Ahhh, the single life,” Colton said. “So overrated.”

“Got to agree with you there,” Gavin said with a satisfied smile that again sparked envy in Tyler.

He wanted to know what it was like to have the answers to life’s most important questions. But even after all the time he’d spent with Charley lately, he was no closer to answers than he’d been at the beginning, which was another profoundly depressing thought.

“The secret to Charley,” Will said, picking up the earlier conversation, “is to let her think she’s in charge while you steer her in the direction you want to go.”

“I don’t know if I agree with that,” Colton said. “She’s apt to come out swinging if she figures out she’s being managed.”

“You have to manage her carefully,” Hunter said. “Subtly.”

Will nodded in agreement. “That’s what I mean. You know what they say about kids—if you want them to do one thing, make them think you want them to do the opposite? Then they do what you want because God forbid they should go along with your plan. That’s how Charley is.”

Tyler drank in the insight, trying to make sense of it in the context of the woman he’d come to know quite well.

“Will is right,” Colton said, nodding in agreement. “Child psychology. Make her think you want one thing when you really want something else altogether. Her contrary nature will make it impossible for her to go along with what’s expected. She’ll need to be, well, contrary.”

“So you guys are suggesting he play games to get what he wants?” Gavin asked, his tone tinged with skepticism and maybe disapproval.

“Not games so much as strategy,” Hunter said.

“What do you think?” Gavin asked Tyler.

“Knowing Charley, what they say does make a certain bit of sense, but I’m not really big on deceit.”

“No one is suggesting you deceive her,” Hunter said. “She is, after all, our sister, and we do love her even if we want to muzzle her sometimes. We’re suggesting you approach your dealings with her the way you would a business deal. You negotiate terms and strategize to get the most favorable outcome. I assume you want her or you wouldn’t have stepped up for her the way you have. Do I assume correctly?”

“You do.”

“Then you have to play your cards carefully,” Hunter said. “There’s no way in hell Charley would be staying with you if she wasn’t into you, too. So you’ve already won the first round. She’s in your house. Now you have to figure out a way to keep her there without appearing to be desperate or anything.”

“No desperation,” Will said gravely. “That’ll drive her right out the door. Charley doesn’t like to be backed into corners. She comes out with her fists swinging.”

“You guys make her sound like a feral beast or something,” Gavin said with a laugh.

The brothers exchanged glances.

“There have been times,” Colton said carefully, “when her behavior might be considered feral by reasonable people.”

Tyler laughed at that. “She would kill you if she heard you say that.”

“What happens on the mountain stays on the mountain,” Colton said gravely. “Bro code.”

“No worries,” Tyler assured him. “Your sister will never hear from me that you used the word feral to describe her.”

“Oh good, thanks,” Colton said with obvious relief. “She’s little but she’s scrappy, and she fights dirty.”

“Also good to know,” Tyler said, more amused by this conversation with every passing minute. Then he took a glance at his watch and saw that it was approaching five. “I need to go. Charley is due for meds that are at my house, so I need to go pick her up. Anyone need a lift back to town?”

“I’ll come,” Gavin said. “I left my truck at the barn.”

“Hey, Tyler,” Will said. “We’re having Hunter’s bachelor party Thursday night up on Colton’s mountain. Would love to have you join us if you’re game for some cold-weather camping.”

“I won’t be able to camp, but I’ll definitely come by. Thanks for the invite.”

“Sure thing,” Will said. “Good luck with Charley. Not that I think you’ll need it or anything.”

After everything they’d said, Tyler was quite convinced that it was going to take a lot more than luck to win Charley Abbott’s heart. It was going to take military-level strategy, too.