Chapter Six

During the holiday season, red ribbons and enormous pine wreaths blanketed the interior of the Cliff Lodge, helping to mask the aroma of greasy food and spilled beer. By the time Andy finished belting out the old Journey song Nikki had selected as part of their bet, all of the employees had joined in to chant “Don’t stop . . . believin’.”

He didn’t exactly relish being center stage, yet hanging out with his friends in a party environment and somehow belonging again were about the best Christmas gifts he could’ve asked for—occasional off-key vocals be damned.

When the final note ended, he left the stage amid enthusiastic applause. People slapped his back, offering praise, but he wanted to get to Nikki. He’d seen the surprise in her eyes when he’d started to sing. He’d seen something else, too. Something that looked a little like admiration, which he hadn’t felt in forever, and maybe even a little like lust.

Lust was another thing he’d been missing in his life. Now reignited, that fire spurred him to action. In the back of his mind, he understood it could also get him burned. Right now he didn’t seem to care.

He breezed past the table where all the Secret Santa gifts were displayed. He’d been hired too late to participate in the team-wide tradition, but he’d anonymously slipped a little something there for Nikki. She’d know it was from him, no doubt. But he was sure she’d keep her poker face in place.

He crossed to her, palms out. “Well?”

“Pretty good.” Her lips twitched like she was fighting a smirk. “Nice to know we won’t need to cover our ears when you sing it again.”

“Same song? How about you let me pick the next one instead.” He pulled out a chair and sat back, stretching his legs.

Cindy, a fortysomething instructor who liked to work with the pre-K kids, leaned forward. “How about Bon Jovi?”

“What? Why are you guys so into the eighties?” Andy laughed.

“The best karaoke is from the eighties. How about Madonna?” Nik proposed.

“Vogue.” He framed his face with his hands, then shook his head. “You can do better. How about a classic, like Sinatra?”

His mother had loved Sinatra’s crooning because it reminded her of childhood days spent at her grandmother’s house. He’d heard “Fly Me to the Moon” so often as a kid he could recite it in his sleep.

“Maybe a country classic, like Willie Nelson.” Nikki swallowed a long gulp of beer.

“Okay, I can live with that.” He smiled at her, wishing Cindy and the others would make themselves scarce.

Nikki looked great in her comfortable jeans, fitted red sweater, and hair curling right above her breasts. When she laughed so hard she practically snorted, it only made her more appealing to him. He admired her lack of pretense. Most of all, her confidence in him had come along just when he’d lost faith in second chances, and that was the best Christmas gift of all.

Instead of everyone leaving them alone, Joanna, a resort daycare worker, popped up and extended her hand. “How about a dance, Andy?”

In his periphery, he saw Nikki press her lips together and look away. He’d rather dance with Nik, but this was a work party, Don was in the corner observing everyone, and chances were very high that even if Nik had any interest in him, she’d never express it in front of the crew. Especially not with Billy nearby, ready to gossip.

Joanna’s hand still dangled in front of him, so he said, “Sure.”

Jo had always been fun, so he followed her to the small dance floor and shuffled along to some Pitbull song, raising his hands in the air during the refrain along with everyone else.

“We’ve missed you, Andy.” She swiveled her hips and stepped a little closer. “It’s good to have you back.”

“Thanks, Jo.” Naturally, he smiled. Didn’t even take any effort, because those words were music to his ears after being exiled for nearly two seasons. “Good to be back.”

Then she performed some kind of slithery dance move that brushed up against his body. Objectively, Jo was a hottie in that all-American, Ralph Lauren–model kind of way. At another time and place, he might’ve followed her lead and enjoyed a fling without giving it much thought.

Not tonight.

Across the room, he caught Nikki’s eye. She turned to Cindy, said something, and then the two women went to the bar.

The stiffness in her demeanor telegraphed invaluable information. The good news: Nikki still liked him. He knew jealousy when he saw it, and Nik didn’t like watching him dance with Jo.

The bad news: Nik was his boss, and he was still on work probation. She might as well be married for how off-limits she was right now. Well, how off-limits she should be. If he were smart, she’d be totally, 100 percent, off-limits. If—a word that had never been his friend.

When the song ended, a fellow instructor, Greg, whistled and beckoned Andy to a table of guys who’d ordered a round of shots. So far this evening, Andy had only downed one beer. He’d also eaten at least a dozen wings and two pulled-pork sandwiches, which meant he must have been the soberest person in the room.

He knew he shouldn’t risk drinking that shot here, while on probation, but he also didn’t want to ostracize himself just when he’d finally been welcomed back into the group. Resigned, he slouched onto a chair while Greg pushed a shot glass in front of him.

“To your triumphant return!” Greg raised his glass, and the others, including Billy B, did, too.

He couldn’t very well sit out a toast in his honor, so he saluted them with his glass and tossed back the tequila. He’d barely enjoyed it when he noticed Don watching him with a grim expression.

One shot and he was getting the stink-eye; meanwhile, Billy B sat there slurring his words and slouching in his seat.

Andy pretended to be chuckling along with the guy talk, but inside, he counted to one hundred in a concentrated effort not to lose his shit. How many more years would it be before he could enjoy a few social drinks without calling attention to himself? How many times and ways would he be forced to prove himself before people would stop reminding him of his mistake? Funny how there was a statute of limitations on most crimes but not on judgment.

Greg’s large hand landed on his shoulder, breaking his train of thought. “Another round?”

“Nah.” He wasn’t exactly in the mood for tits-and-ass conversation or fish tales about out-of-bounds cliff jumps and couloir runs nobody else witnessed. Abruptly, Andy stood. “Excuse me.”

He went to the bar and ordered a soda, then tossed back two fistfuls of nuts and willed himself to shake off the bitterness and get back to enjoying the party.

“What’s wrong?” Nik asked, having sneaked up alongside him.

“Nothing.” He snatched another handful of nuts, hoping she wouldn’t make a crack about his drinking. It’d kill him to learn that she didn’t trust him as much as he thought she did.

“You look pissed.” She glanced back at the seat he’d vacated, then right back at him, brows lowered with concern. “Did Billy say something to tick you off?”

Phew. Emotional crisis averted.

“Nope.” Some kind of spicy perfume filled his nose. Her height gave him a good view of her square jaw and the sparkling red-hoop earring in her ear that played peekaboo through her shiny blond hair.

“Did Joanna?” Now her gaze veered away, as if she didn’t want to see him respond.

“No, Nik. I said I’m fine.” He turned to face her fully, which put Don in his direct line of sight and reminded him to tread with caution. “Let it go. I don’t need another sister.”

Not that he thought of Nik like a sister. Nope. Not at all.

“Well, you need something, that’s for sure,” she muttered before tossing back the rest of her bottle.

Yeah, he did. To hell with Don and everyone else’s opinions.

He leaned close so that his mouth was an inch from that cute little ear. “Actually, maybe I do. Are you offering to give it to me?”

She went deadly still. He could practically hear her heart beating its way up into her throat, where her pulse throbbed so hard her skin pulsed.

In the ensuing moments, the surrounding conversation, laughter, and blaring music faded, thanks to the heavy sound of his own breathing. Everything blurred like an out-of-focus picture as his eyes dipped to her mouth when she licked her lips.

When she finally met his gaze, her turquoise irises made him a little dizzy.

“The DJ’s taking another break, so it’s time for you to make good on your bet.” She put her hands on his shoulders and twisted him toward the stage. “Go do Willie Nelson proud.”

He nodded, slowly returning to the present, the tingling sensations that had arrested him now dissipating. Before he left to take the stage, he leaned close again and whispered, “Chicken.”

At least she didn’t deny it, he thought as he stalked off and picked up the mic. There was definitely something brewing between them here. Now he just had to decide if pursuing it would be brave or stupid.

Nikki ordered an ice water to cool down before she returned to her friends at the table near the little stage. She didn’t have much experience with flirtation, but her exchange with Andy sure seemed like more than two friends joking around.

Then again, there’d been other nights, before that accident, where she’d thought the same thing, which was why she’d made that pass at him. But even if he had been flirting tonight, this was neither the time nor the place to test him. Not with Don in the corner and a drunken Billy B looking for dirt.

As the familiar piano notes of Willie Nelson’s “Always on my Mind” rang out, Billy B shouted, “Sucker!”

A round of snickers preceded Andy’s vocals, but he sang, undaunted. He didn’t stare at her the whole time, but throughout the song there’d been moments where it’d seemed he was singing to her.

Nikki almost wished Amy were at the party because her sister was the Sherlock Holmes of detecting the difference between friendly banter and flirting. Of course, then Nikki would’ve had to admit her crush, which she couldn’t bring herself to do.

Why, she couldn’t quite say. She loved Amy, and even if Amy also had a little crush on Andy, her sister would only try to be helpful if she knew of Nikki’s long-standing feelings. But as Mama always said, if you want something to be a secret, don’t tell a soul. That’s what Nikki had to do with her secret feelings for Andy—never tell a soul—because she didn’t want to ruin their friendship or be the object of everyone else’s pity.

The mellow Willie Nelson song somehow settled the crowd, and Andy’s voice did justice to the lyrics, too. How completely unfair that a person should be born with those looks, that easygoing nature, and a decent voice.

He finished to another round of enthusiastic cheering, which caused one of his signature grins to appear. The kind that always made her belly flip.

Don used the pause in action to let out one of his short, sharp whistles, which gained everyone’s attention. He’d donned his floppy Santa cap and made his way to the gift table. “Before it gets too late, why don’t we pass out the Secret Santa gifts?”

Another round of clapping made its way around the room as people found their seats. Tradition meant Don would call up people one by one and make them open the gift in front of others, then he’d call for the Secret Santa to take credit. With few exceptions, most folks revealed themselves.

They had a twenty-five-dollar limit on the items. Some gifts were gag gifts, especially when the guys exchanged with each other. Other times they were practical, like ski wax, a ski-shop gift card, or lip balm and sunscreen. One of her favorite gifts had been a T-shirt that read “Black diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”

When Don called Nikki to the front, she opened a soft package that contained a handmade red-wool cap with a faux-fur puffball on top. She pulled it over her head—a perfect fit.

“I love it!” She smiled, looking at her female colleagues. “Who made this?”

Cindy stood to take credit and met another round of applause. Several more gifts were distributed, each with a little show-and-tell. Nikki tried not to feel bad that Andy wouldn’t be participating in the event. Chances were he didn’t really care.

She’d thought about throwing something on the pile for him, but with Billy B raising suspicions, she hadn’t wanted to call any more attention to her friendship with Andy.

Cindy nudged her. “Earth to Nikki.”

“What?” Nikki asked.

Cindy pointed toward Don, who was holding up an oblong box. “Looks like you’ve got an extra package.”

Nikki looked at Cindy. “Did you make me something else?”

“Nope.” Cindy shrugged. “Maybe you have a secret admirer.”

That comment set off a round of whistles and catcalls that made Nikki’s whole body hot. Don handed her the box and crossed his arms, waiting for her to unveil this mystery.

Despite her shaky hands, she managed to unwrap it without dropping it. When she opened the lid, she pulled out a wind chime made of mismatched antique spoons. She stared at the gift, refusing to look up because she knew her gaze would go straight to Andy, and she couldn’t take that risk.

Don called out, “Okay, who’s the secret admirer?”

Please don’t speak! She willed Andy not to say a word at the same time she forced herself to paste on a cheery smile and look up. It’d be best if she shut this down quickly.

“Whoever’s trying to get on my good side, know I absolutely love this.” Truth be told, it would likely be her favorite gift this year. She hoped Andy understood her tactic when she looked at Billy B to deflect attention. “Doesn’t mean I’m going to give you premium assignments, though.” Billy was too buzzed to form a coherent denial, so everyone laughed. Mission accomplished. “Okay, Don. Who’s next?”

With that, Nikki picked another box off the pile and handed it to their resident Santa, then scooted back to her seat. On her way, she let her gaze wander to Andy, who’d quietly stood by the bar.

He winked, which almost made her stumble. Thankfully, she managed to take her seat without making a scene. A true Christmas miracle.

“Do you really think Billy B gave that to you?” Cindy asked, inspecting the chimes more closely.

Time to ward off further questions. “Maybe. He’s been begging for an upgrade to private lessons. Perhaps he’s resorting to bribes.”

Cindy looked over her shoulder at Billy, whose eyes were glazed over from too much alcohol. “He’s so drunk, no wonder he didn’t answer. He probably didn’t even realize you opened it. Odd choice, though. Do you like it?”

“I love it.” The fact that Andy had done this for her made her want to break into the Snoopy dance.

Cindy shrugged and set the box back on the table, then returned her attention to Don. Thank God.

Shortly after the gift exchange, the crowd started thinning out. Nikki had said good-bye to several coworkers and was grabbing her coat when she saw Andy at the bar with Billy, Greg, and the other guys. That sight caused her guilty memory to resurface from the last time they’d been in a bar together.

“What’s with the smirk?” She noticed Andy’s mouth quirk. Hard not to notice almost everything about him, especially this afternoon, when he’d spent almost all his time hanging with her instead of the guys.

“No smirk. Just wondering if there’s anything you don’t do better than me.” Andy laughed and took the darts from her hand, setting up to throw his round.

If he were sober, he’d probably be able to beat her, but his game had steadily faltered with each draft beer he downed. Now he hovered between tipsy and drunk. She wouldn’t complain, because it’d made him flirty and fun. Even if it were only beer goggles on his part, she’d enjoy it for a while longer.

A gaggle of attractive younger women, including her sister, Amy, walked in. Oh, joy. Amy’s friend Robyn’s bachelorette party.

Every guy’s attention vibrated with interest as the sexily dressed ladies made their way to the bar. Even Andy’s attention wandered, his gaze roving over their exposed legs and every other body part.

Before Andy threw his next dart, Greg breezed by, nodding at the group of mostly single women. He slapped Andy’s shoulder. “Come on, dude. Doesn’t get any easier than a bachelorette party.” Then, as if noticing Nikki only as an afterthought, added, “Sorry, Nik. You know how it is. But we promise, we won’t bother Amy.”

It wasn’t the first time she realized she’d always be seen as one of the guys.

“Gee, thanks.” Nikki hoped Andy wouldn’t leave her standing there.

Andy hesitated, scratching his chin while Greg waited, then handed her the darts. “To be continued.”

He winked and ruffled her hair like she was some kind of child, then wandered off with Greg to the round of shots being set up on the bar.

Humiliated again, Nikki set the darts down and slipped away without saying a word. Hours later, she heard about the accident—about Andy’s punctured lung and Grey’s torn-up knee—and cried.

She’d wanted to thank Andy for the gift tonight, but now, that opportunity was lost. Rather than waste time feeling sorry for herself, she went to thank Don for another great party. While they were talking, Billy B’s voice grew louder from the other side of the room.

“I’m fine!” He shrugged Andy off.

“Give me your keys.” Andy held out his hand.

“Dude, back off.” Billy shoved at Andy’s shoulder but threw himself off balance instead.

Andy then hitched his arm under Billy’s shoulder. Nikki could hear Andy grumbling, “Come on. I’m taking you home. You can get your car tomorrow.” He used those powerful thighs to counterbalance Billy. Using all his height and strength, Andy was able to drag him toward the door despite resistance.

“Maybe we should help?” Nikki said to Don.

He nodded and then went with her out to the parking lot, where they found Andy struggling to get Billy to cooperate.

“Billy.” Don’s sharp voice echoed down the canyon.

Andy and Billy stopped in their tracks and swiveled.

“This is no way to behave, especially at a work-sponsored event. I suggest you let Andy see you home without causing more of a scene.” Once Billy acquiesced, Don asked Andy, “Which car is yours?”

Andy gestured toward his beat-up silver Subaru. “That one.”

Don opened its passenger door and helped Andy situate Billy. “Thanks for making sure Billy didn’t make the mistake you once made, Andy. You’ve learned from that accident.”

“Yes, sir.”

“See you tomorrow.” Don shook his hand, wearing something that resembled a smile. He then said a final good-bye to Nikki before climbing into his Jeep and driving home.

Andy glanced at Nikki and gave her the thumbs-up. “I think I scored some points with the big boss.”

She grinned, taking a lot of joy in his evident pride.

“With the not-so-big boss, too.” She raised the box of wind chimes. “Thank you for this. I’ll hang it up tonight.”

“You’re welcome.” Andy peeked into his car to see that Billy had already half passed out. After confirming that they were effectively alone, he drew nearer, which made her body shiver all over. “Where’s your car?”

“Back there.” She hitched her thumb over her shoulder.

“Let me make sure you get there safely.” He linked arms with her while they crossed the lot to her car.

She wanted to draw out the time longer, but anyone could waltz out of the bar at any time. She opened her car door, tossed her gift on the seat, then turned. “Why’d you get me a present?”

He shrugged. “Think of it as a thank-you for going out on that limb for me.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that. I figured I sort of owed you.”

“How so?” He looked curious, which surprised her. Had he never thought about the relative culpability of all the friends who let him get behind the wheel that night?

“You know, that night . . .” She didn’t need to elaborate. “I wish I’d done for you what you’re now doing for Billy.”

“And I wish I’d kept playing darts instead of getting sidetracked by a bunch of girls who don’t hold a candle to you.” He leaned against her open car door, boxing her in between it and her car.

Despite the snow beginning to fall and the door between them, she felt warm all over. “That’s sweet, Andy.”

“Don’t mistake me, Nik. I don’t mean to be sweet. In fact, my thoughts are anything but sweet.” The slight roughness in his voice sent tingles to her tummy.

Even she could tell that this was not just friendly banter. Instinctively, she turned her bad cheek away. Fumbling for something to say, she blurted, “I’m sorry I didn’t think to get you a gift, too.”

“You can make it up to me.”

“Oh?” She glanced up. “How?”

“With a kiss.”

When she didn’t faint, he cupped her jaw and brushed his lips against hers. He started gently, like he did a lot of things. He traced the seam of her lips with his tongue until she opened her mouth; then his tongue slipped inside, filling hers with a mixture of tangy barbecue, sweet soda, and something uniquely Andy. He deepened the kiss, despite the door between them, and suddenly her hands were in his hair. His awesome, overgrown hair.

She might as well have been floating for how lightweight she felt, but then the bar door slammed open as people spilled out into the night, abruptly ending her bliss.

“Close call.” He wiped the corner of her mouth with his thumb. Did he not want others to see them, or was he protecting her from scrutiny? She didn’t want to ask, because she didn’t want to know. “Merry almost Christmas, Nik.”

“Merry almost Christmas.” And then, because that was dumb, she added, “See you tomorrow.”

“Bright and early.” His eyes twinkled. He waited until she was seated, then shut the door and banged on her roof. “Drive safe.”

When she started her engine, he strolled back to his car, where Billy remained passed out.

Adrenaline coursed through her body, but she managed to put the car in drive and head home. It seemed too impossible to believe that anything good could come from that kiss. That kiss that invited all kinds of trouble and chaos, two things she didn’t need at work. Things Andy couldn’t afford while on probation.

Things she wanted more than she’d ever wanted anything else in a very long time.