Page 10 of The Christmas Accomplice

How could he resist that offer? “Do I have to sing?” Welton asked.

“Do you want to sing?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Then you won’t have to,” Edward assured him.

Welton let out a breath. Maybe it would take his mind off Dean. “Fine. I’ll stay.”

“Perfect!” Edward turned and had just started to say something to the small group Welton had interrupted when a few more people arrived. Welton saw his chance. “Okay, looks like you’ve got an even number now.”

Edward grabbed his arm to stop him. “If you leave, it will be an odd number again. How about you go over and team up with my assistant?”

Welton looked in the direction Edward had indicated, and his mouth suddenly felt too dry.

Edward’s assistant was the man who had driven him to the cabin earlier. And damn it all if suddenly his name hadn’t gotten lost inside the tumult of Welton’s mind. The man looked as stunned as Welton felt, and a little ball of nervousness spun to life low in his belly. It was like middle school all over again, where he’d been assigned to a team during gym class and the handsome and athletic classmate who’d gotten stuck with him first looked surprised, then resigned to his fate.

“You know, I really didn’t intend to get involved in…”

Welton watched Edward move away, completely ignoring his protest. He breathed a cloud in front of his face, then stomped through the snow to where Edward’s assistant stood watching him.

“Hello,” Welton said, giving him a small wave. “We meet again.”

“That we do.” He looked Welton over with a cute half-smile. “You’ve got snow on you.”

“Oh? Where?” Welton turned his head side to side.

That half-smile again before the man waved a hand around his own upper body. “Like, all over.”

Welton felt a blush creep up his neck. “It’s dandruff, not snow. I have an extremely dry scalp, but thanks for pointing it out.”

The half-smile blossomed into a full one, followed by a laugh that was so deep and sounded so natural, Welton wanted to hear it again right away.

“My apologies,” the man said. “But your dandruff is melting.”

“It does that,” Welton said. “I have very delicate dandruff.”

“I see.” He held out a hand. “I’m Reece, in case you might not remember.”

That’s his name!

Welton sniffed and shook Reece’s hand. “Of course I remember. You gave me a ride to my cabin after all.”

“Travel can be tough on a person’s memory,” Reece said. “And the high altitude takes some getting used to.”

Before Welton could respond, Edward called for everyone’s attention. He stood in the middle of a loose circle of a dozen pairs of people and smiled at each of them.

“For those who may have just arrived, welcome to Snowcapped Mountain Lodge and Resort. I’m Edward Salva, the activities director, and this is Reece Donaghy, one of our guest services representatives. He’s assisting me today, and since we have an odd number, I’ve paired him up with… I’m sorry, I didn’t get your name after you burst out of the trees like a yeti.”

“Welton Monroe.”

“Welcome to Snowcapped, Welton. Today we’re all going to be building snow people. I’ve got some accessories you can use once you get the body put together. You can assemble a traditional snow person out of rolled balls, or something a little more involved. There’s a coupon for free appetizers at the lodge restaurant up for grabs for the most original design. You’ve got forty-five minutes until I come around and judge your creations. Ready? Go!”

Welton was surprised by the other participants suddenly rushing to open areas and getting to work rolling balls of snow. He turned to where Reece had been standing, but found he’d run off to an open space as well and was busy packing snow into a ball.

“Come on!” Reece said with a smile so big and adorable it made Welton smile himself.

He marched through the deep snow and watched as Reece started rolling the snowball along the ground. It had been years since he’d built a snowman. Did people still do it the same way?