Delaney’s tinkling laugh made me smile. “I’m sure you get plenty and don’t need one from me.”
Pushing my luck, I said, “What makes you so sure?”
“Haha, there you go again.”
“What?” I asked with mock indignation. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Uh huh.”
“Crap. We’re being summoned.”
I turned back to the bar. Her friend Jules had rejoined the group, and it looked like they were all poised to do a shot. We were, indeed, being summoned. As much as I enjoyed having Delaney to myself, we headed back.
“What are we toasting to?” I asked, keeping the mood light, knowing at least one of the guys was likely to make a smartass comment about Delaney and me lingering on the dance floor.
“Cole finally quit being so mysterious and told us why he’s home. A professor friend of his gave him the keys to his ski chalet. We’re going tomorrow.”
That made absolutely no sense.
“Drink first,” Cole said, handing me a shot glass. “Ask later.”
Pia gave Delaney one too.
“To well-connected friends.” Mason lifted his glass. “And friends, in general.”
“Cheers,” everyone toasted. I didn’t turn around to watch Delaney even though I wanted to. I’d pushed it already, asking her to dance.
“Alright,” I said to Cole, “what’s going on?”
“A colleague came to find me this morning in my office with the strangest request. He owns a house at Crystal Peak and is apparently having some workers come to take a look Monday morning. Apparently the property management company came out for a routine inspection and found some roof damage to the garage, probably happened during that big storm last month. He arranged to have it looked at Monday morning and planned to be there, but something came up. I don’t have classes Monday so I told him I’d go up, maybe stop here and drag a few of you assholes with me.” Cole smiled. “The guy’s loaded. Wife’s family. Doesn’t need to work but…” He shrugged.
“Say no more,” I said. “Odd professor types. I get it.”
“Which means what, exactly?” Cole asked.
“That you’re a bunch of weirdos,” Mason said.
I peeked to the side. Delaney was huddled with Pia and Jules at the bar.
“You guys off tomorrow?” Cole asked us.
“I’m forcing him to step back for a few weeks with inn renovations,” Mason said. “Otherwise Parker would work himself to the bone.”
“It’s true,” I said. “He fired me.”
Mason laughed. Something he did more and more often these days. When he first came home in the fall when his dad died, it had been awful. To everyone’s surprise, innkeeping had been good for the former cop.
Or more like Pia had been good for him. Maybe both.
“I didn’t fire you,” Mason pointed out. “Hard to fire someone who works for free.”
“So you’re off tomorrow?” Mason asked. “Can you get off Monday too?”
I never took days so it shouldn’t be a problem. “I can arrange it. What about you?” I asked Mason, who immediately turned to Pia.
“All are welcome,” Cole said. “It’s a huge house, apparently.”
Mason smiled. “Pia, girl? Wanna hit the slopes tomorrow? We can have Esther hold down the fort for the day, and there are no guests Monday.”
