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There’s another message, but I don’t bother opening the text from my roommate. She always has something to complain about. When I told her about me heading out of town at the last second, she even complained about that. I thought she’d be happy that I wasn’t going to be there for a while. Then again, who’s going to clean up after her? She has a built-in maid. I’ve tried to let her messiness go, but I can’t. She leaves her crap everywhere. Our place isn't giant, so I don’t have much of a choice but to clean up after her. It’s going to be a vacation in itself being away from her.
I suck in a breath when the cold air hits me. Sometimes I forget how cold it can actually get here. I don’t hate it. I just didn’t keep that in mind when I left for the airport. I was in such a hurry that I forgot my winter coat altogether.
When Grams doesn’t text me back, I glance around to see who she might have sent. My heart stops when I catch sight of Knox. I quickly look away. I’m not even in Reindeer Valley yet, and I’m already running into him! Why the heck is the universe so cruel? He’s the main reason I never come home to begin with. Not that I would ever in my life admit that out loud to anyone.
I turn to give him my back, knowing he likely won’t recognize me. He barely gave me the time of day in high school. He’d been a few grades above me and ran with the rich crowd. All the girls loved him, and all the boys wanted to be him. I hated that I had also fallen into that category. There was always something about Knox that drew my eyes to him no matter how hard I tried to look away.
Then he’d gone and broken my heart. I hadn’t even realized how in love with him I was back then. Not until I’d overheard him speaking badly about me. His words had crushed me. It hadn’t helped that a few days prior he’d actually been kind to me. I had this small flame of hope that he might like me, too.
I was a silly girl then. I might still be, because it’s taking everything inside of me to not turn back around and take another glance at him for old time’s sake. He’s bigger than I remember. The years have been good to him. I didn’t think it was possible for him to be any handsomer than he was in high school, but I was wrong.
It doesn’t matter. If I’m lucky, I won’t run into him again. Once he picks up whoever he’s waiting for—I ignore the twinge of jealousy that ignites at the thought of him waiting for a girlfriend or, even worse, a wife—he’ll be gone, and then I can find my ride. Problem solved.
“Ruby Lane.” My stomach plummets at the familiar deep voice. I try to convince myself that he didn't just say my name. I don’t turn around. Maybe if I ignore him, he’ll go away. I pretend to be seriously invested in my phone.
“Red,” he calls again. This time his voice is closer than before. I can actually feel him come up behind me.
“What’s so interesting on your phone?” he asks. Before I know what’s happening, he has it in his hand.
“Hey!” I spin around and try to grab it back from him.
I jump for it, but it’s pointless. He holds it up over his head where I’ll never reach it in a million years. Not that I don’t still try. I probably look like an idiot.
“Where is your coat?” He glares down at me.
Of course the first time I run into him I look like crap. I’m in sweats and sneakers. My hair is piled on top of my head, and I don’t have a speck of makeup on my face. He looks as handsome as ever, but something is different. His hair is a bit unruly, and I don’t think he’s shaved today. In high school, he was always so put together all the time. Ofcoursehe’s more handsome this way. It’s a bunch of bullcrap that he doesn’t even have to try to look good.
“I have a sweater on.” I make another jump for my phone when it starts to ring in his hand.
“You need a coat.”
“Give me my phone.” I hold my hand out.
“Why? I was rather enjoying you jumping up and down against me.” He smirks.
I gape at him. He did not say that. Nope. Didn’t say it. I’m clearly hallucinating from the cold. But what if he did? I’m not just some dope who’s going to fall for his stupid charm. “Don’t you have enough girls trying to jump all over you?”
“None that I want.”
“Right,” I grit out. How could I forget?
Knox was always too good for any of the girls from Reindeer Valley. None of them met the standards he’d set. I think that’s partly why the girls in school were always throwing themselves at him. They wanted to be the ones to claim they’d gotten Knox into bed. Oddly, he wasn't a manwhore. At least not around here. There was always talk in high school that he only slept with college girls. I have no clue if that was true. Not that I care. Because I definitely don’t.
“Your boss is calling,” Knox says before he clears the call. How the heck does he even know it’s my boss? He hands me the phone back.
“It was nice seeing you,” I say dryly before I turn back around, giving him my back.
“You sound like you haven't missed me,” he responds as he takes my roller right out of my hand and begins to take off with it.
“What are you doing?” I have no choice but to chase after him. Before I can even get to his fancy sports car, he’s already putting my suitcase into the back.
“Your grandma sent me to pick you up.” He opens the passenger side door. “Get in. It’s warm.”
Grandma sent him?Et tu, Lorraine? I sputter.
“You’re freezing out here. Come on.” He gives me that same smile that used to melt my heart and do inappropriate things to my panties. Not that I think about it. Ever.
“Fine,” I growl before I stomp over and get inside his vehicle. He shuts the door behind me before jogging around the front and jumping into the driver's seat. It’s an hour drive to get to Reindeer Valley.
