Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Pish-posh,” Bryan cuts in. “Bill it to my suite!”
I raise a hand. “Or—just a suggestion—we could help Makayla ourselves.”
She gives me a surprised look, and I’m not sure what to make of it. Does she want us to steady her on the slopes, or is she searching for an excuse to keep her distance after Oscar’s ice-cold rebuff? The signals are mixed.
“Great idea,” Kellan agrees, catching on. “We’ll help you get your ski legs back—keep you safe.”
Oscar narrows his eyes, nostrils flaring. I can almost see the million excuses forming, but to his credit, none of them leave his lips.
I smile at him, hoping to entice my brother back into the game. “We could all go.”
Oscar glances at Makayla and then at Callie. For once, I can’t read what he’s thinking. Bryan has already given him permission to skip the afternoon seminar, and there’s no way anyone will believe he would prefer to sit in a conference room. He’s out of options until Callie offers him a way out.
“Your brothers can help Makayla, and you and I can hit the grown-up slopes,” she says.
Oscar sighs. He’s clearly not on board with the whole “fun” thing. I almost feel bad for the guy. He’s trying a little too hard to be a wet blanket, but no one’s letting him.
“Okay,” he finally says. “I’m still not comfortable with it, though. You’d have more fun with your boyfriend, Callie.”
She looks over to Bryan and gives him a gentle pat on the hand. “Oscar’s right,” she says. “Are you sure you can’t reschedule Jan at all?”
Now it’s Bryan’s turn to look uncomfortable. I know he’s got a legitimate excuse. He’s one of the people who organized this whole trip and it might look bad if he bailed.
“Why don’t you ask Jan?” I suggest. “It’s worth a shot.”
“Alright,” he agrees.
“Then we’re set. See, that’s why we’re partners. We figure out ways to get along,” Kellan says.
Oscar chuckles, low and dry. “Or we just elbow Bryan into doing what we wanted in the first place, and he goes along because he’s a good guy.”
After the waitress collects our orders, the conversation drifts from topic to topic yet somehow always circles back to Makayla. Everyone is fascinated by her winery project, and we hang on every word as she shares her plans and daydreams.
I’ll give Makayla credit. She dreams big and she dreams smart.
The entire time she talks, I watch her—half tempted to scoop her up and carry her back to our suite, half savoring the slow-burn anticipation stacking between us, brick by brick.
Spotting a tiny piece of fuzz attached to her sweater, I pick it off without thinking. She glances over and flashes the prettiest smile I’ve ever seen.
“Where have you been all my life?” The words slip out before I can stop them.
Oscar clears his throat.
Reluctantly, I tear my gaze from the vision beside me and face my brother. He’s looking at me as if I’m about to pull a gun. I sigh, reaching for my water glass instead. I respect his protectiveness, but I’ll follow my heart. And the vibes I’m getting from Makayla tell me that she’s on the same page.
I sneak a glance in her direction and find her looking at Oscar. She gives him the same warm smile she gave me, and a quiet cheer rises in my chest. She’s the missing element. Oscar won’t be able to resist her forever.
12
OSCAR
“How’s your salmon?” Alex asks, halfway through the second course.
“It’s fantastic,” I tell him.
He stares at my plate with a mixture of doubt and confusion. Not that I can blame him. Molecular gastronomy plays with textures and flavors alike, so my dish doesn’t look anything like salmon except its characteristic pink hue.
“You sure that’s salmon, brother?” Alex asks.
“My taste buds don’t lie.”
I know he’s teasing, and the mood around the table is relaxed, but I’m still uncomfortable—and it feels like everyone knows it. Kellan and Alex keep shooting me sidelong glances—ones I do my best to ignore. While I am aware of the insane chemistry between us and Makayla, I need to make sure that my brothers want her for the long term. Our relationship history doesn’t speak in our favor, and I don’t want Makayla to suffer later down the road.
“My cream soup is incredible,” Makayla says, savoring every spoonful. She offers me a spoonful. “Want to try?”
“It might muddle what the chef’s doing with this salmon,” I say, shaking my head.
“Let me try,” Kellan says to her, giving me a sideways look.
I ignore him, spearing a toasted rice cup harder than necessary.
“Honestly, I had my doubts about the Jamón Ibérico element, but they nailed it,” Makayla says, licking honey glaze from the tip of her fork.
I swallow heavily. Watching her tongue flick out to chase that glaze sends tingles skittering down my spine. I don’t know if she’s doing it on purpose, but my mind plunges straight into the gutter. I can’t tear my gaze away until Kellan nudges my knee under the table.