A good reason. Despite the fact that Mason had succumbed, the truth was… the pact had been a good idea. A reminder to remember how things ended when clouded by the euphoria of how things began. I shook away the thought. For now.
“We didn’t differentiate,” Mason said. “You don’t stay the night because of where it leads. Simple. I tossed it in the first time I stayed with Pia.”
“I’ve contributed a few hundred myself,” Cole said.
“Right. Same here. But that was different,” I argued. “We’re not together. Delaney and I are only staying because of the storm.”
“Sure, and I’m Peter Pan,” Cole said. “You two are Lost Boys, and we’re not really at Crystal Peak but Neverland.”
“Does that make Pia a mermaid? Or Tinkerbell?” Mason asked. “She looks more like a mermaid to me.”
“Who looks like a mermaid?” Pia asked from the kitchen. Mason didn’t seem surprised she was behind us. He was always aware of everything, even if it didn’t show. As he often said, once a Ranger, always a Ranger. That plus his experience in the NYPD made him impossible to sneak up on.
“You. Long story,” he said as she poured herself a coffee.
“I bet. Cole, what time do you want to head out?”
“Sooner the better. I might as well go up and drag Beck’s ass out of bed now. If we wait for him to get up we’ll be snowed in.”
Beck typically kept bartender hours, which meant he wouldn’t be up on his own for a few more hours.
“Alright,” Pia said. “One coffee, with this view, and I’ll get ready to go.”
Within the hour, all four of them were packed and getting ready to hit the road when Delaney made her way downstairs. She wore black leggings and a sweatshirt, hair in a ponytail. She didn’t have makeup on that I could see, but Delaney didn’t need any. Perfectly arched brows and pink cheeks, she was sexy and cute all wrapped in one fine package.
“Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Pia said, smiling.
“How long have you all been up?”
“Not long,” Beck said. “Cole wanted to hit the road early. It’s already starting to flurry.”
“Last chance to escape me,” I said to lighten the mood. The two of us had been staring at one another for long enough to be noticed.
“You don’t think we’ll have a problem getting out tomorrow?” she asked.
“Nah. Not with the truck.”
“Alright. Then I’m going back to bed,” she teased. “With some coffee.”
With some final packing up and after a round of goodbyes, Pia and the guys headed out. Seconds ago, the house was full of voices, but now… just the two of us.
“You really going back to bed?”
“Nah,” Delaney said. “Although it’s tempting. You should see the view from my bedroom.”
I’d like to.
Keeping that thought to myself, I asked if she wanted breakfast. “They left most of the food. Bagel?”
“Sure.”
A knock at the door interrupted us. The roofing guy.
“I’ll grab the bagel myself,” Delaney said. “Are you still interested in hitting the slopes when you’re done?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “After staring at them all morning, I’m ready to get out there.”
“Alright. I’ll get ready so we can leave as soon as you’re done.”
