“Good point.” We clinked glasses. “Cheers to a surprise ski weekend with new friends.”
“Cheers to that,” he said.
We drank. And ate. And drank some more. By the time we were done with our second glass, I was having a hard time re-claiming the “men suck” feeling I’d managed to drum up in the bathroom.
My phone buzzed. Looking down on the counter at it, as I suspected, Pia’s name popped up.
“She’s wondering when we’re coming,” I said.
Parker had just finished clearing the counter. He looked at me. I looked at him.
Was he thinking the same thing as me? I couldn’t be the one to say it. Not after making such a big deal about not dating and all that. But 100 percent of me wanted to stay here, open another bottle of something, and keep talking. He was honestly one of the easiest guys to talk to, and it felt like we were becoming fast friends.
Well, with the exception of the fact that I wanted to climb into bed with him. That part felt anything but friends to me.
“We could just go tomorrow.”
Yes. Yes, yes,yes!
“Hmm.” I pretended to think about it. “I’m not sure if the others are planning to ski tomorrow. Cole is meeting the contractor, right?”
“Yeah, he is. Up to you. I honestly am fine either way, skiing or not.”
I’d ask why he was here if he didn’t care about skiing, but I already knew the answer. It was the same reason I’d jumped at the chance to come, despite myself.
“Skip it and day drink?” I asked it as if I could care less either way. At least, I hoped my tone sounded neutral.
For a second, I thought he was going to change his mind. Maybe he really just didn’t care either way and was being nice, thinking I didn’t feel like skiing.
Shit. My man-reading radar was so fucked up.
Thanks, Makis.
“Sounds good to me. Although I think I’ll switch to beer. How about you?”
“I packed a bottle of Tito’s, and Pia was supposed to bring club soda.”
While Parker looked through the cabinets for a glass, I texted Pia back. She must have been in the lodge because a wink emoji came right back at me. I turned the phone around so Parker wouldn’t see it.
“Thanks,” I said as he mixed my vodka soda. And just like that, the two of us were in the great room, fire started, also courtesy of Parker, looking out onto the slopes with drinks in hand.
“I could get used to this,” he said, sinking into the couch. I was already sitting cross-legged on the loveseat caddy-corner to him.
“No kidding. This place is incredible.”
“So are you.”
It took a second for his words to penetrate.
My first instinct was to remind him that we were just friends. Thankfully, something held me back. A little voice inside my head that reminded me I was very unlikely never to kiss another guy in my life. That as much as I wanted to stay single, to never get hurt again, that was probably not realistic.
A little voice that found itself forming words which could very likely get me into trouble, the two of us alone in this big house day drinking while the others were skiing.
“Thank you,” I said, knowing I should leave it at that. Except, I didn’t want to. God help me, I wanted more from him. “I feel the same about you.”
14
PARKER
