Page 17 of The Christmas Accomplice

“You’re in it now, Frosty,” Nick said. “You may as well tell us both what happened.”

“Fine, but keep this between the three of us. Okay?”

“Scout’s honor,” Ursula said, holding up her fingers in a scout’s salute.

Reece hesitated then described the activity and the snowman building and the fun he’d had getting to know Welton a bit more. He finished the story with Edward giving everyone a coupon.

“Then what?” Ursula asked.

“Then nothing. He headed here into the building, and I had to pack up all the props.”

“That’s it? All that flirting, and all he got was a free appetizer?”

“I wasn’t flirting,” Reece grumbled. “I was doing my job.”

And flirting. Welton definitely gets me to shift to flirt mode. And maybe sometime while he’s here we can meet up for cheese sticks, and there will be even more flirting.

“And as the potential future assistant activities director, is it part of your job to show guests of the resort a good time?” Nick asked.

Ursula chuckled, but when she saw Reece’s dark expression, she held her hands up as if in surrender and headed for the door. “Okay, I’m out of here. You two let me know how this ends up.”

A small rush of guests approached the desk, and even though his shift had ended before the activity, Reese logged in to help Nick out. When there was another lull, Nick turned to him.

“What’s going on inside that tousle-haired head of yours?”

Reece frowned and ran a hand through his hair. “Tousle-haired?” She waved his comment off so he braced a hip against the counter as he faced her. “Nothing. I guess I’m nervous about this promotion thing. I feel like I botched the perfect opportunity to show Edward the kind of leader I can be.”

“Dude, you’ve got this job in the palm of your hand.”

“But Graham—”

“Is a big, stupid jerk, and Edward knows it.”

“I’m not so sure.”

“I am.” Nick lowered her voice. “Look, you’ve got a lot on your mind this week, I can see that. But the job promotion shouldn’t be at the top of the list. You know how to get people involved. You’re a natural with the guests. And you turned in some killer activity ideas.”

“Yeah, which Graham will get to lead.”

“Exactly, which will be a point in your favor, because the activities themselves and the directions you provided will ensure he can’t screw any of them up.”

Reece frowned. “So, if he does better at managing an activity, that’s a good thing for me?”

“Yes, because they’re your ideas and planning. And you’re going to wow Edward’s socks off when you take the complete drivel Graham has turned in and make it shine like silver and gold.” She waggled her eyebrows. “And then you can see how things go with your hot nerdy guy.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know about that.”

“Uh oh, you suddenly getting cold feet?”

“No. Well, I guess. Maybe?”

She gave him a look. “You’re so definitive.”

“It’s ridiculous. We just met today. We’ve only spent, maybe, an hour together in total. He lives in Michigan, which is quite a way from Colorado.”

“Which is why they invented airplanes and moving vans.”

“For God’s sake, Nick. Moving vans? Seriously?”