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“I guess I’m a morning person,” I admit. “I was forced to be while working in surgery. It’s hard to break the habit. Our first cases were always at seven a.m., and I’d usually round before then.”
“Are you a doctor?” he asks, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
I shake my head. “Physician assistant.”
We eat our food, and he asks more questions about my profession. Benji’s easy to talk to, and his hazel eyes are kind and engaging as I explain to him what it is I do on a daily basis. Ordid.
I push my empty plate to the side and warm my hands around my cup.
“I know you guys snowboard all winter, but what do you do when there’s no snow on the slopes?” I ask him.
“Wyatt and I work down at the rafting company, running whitewater tours a few days a week. Gotta make some money in the offseason. It’s expensive to live around here.” He glances out the window. “Housing is ridiculous.”
“I imagine so,” I agree. “Where do you live?”
“A townhouse close to the slopes. Wyatt and I share the place to offset costs.”
“What about Zane?” I ask, unable to help myself.
Benji looks amused as he shoves a forkful of scrambled eggs into his mouth. He studies me for a few minutes as I sip my coffee and try to appear nonchalant.
“You really don’t know who Zane is, do you?” he asks.
“I don’t know much about snowboarding,” I admit. “And why is it so weird that I’ve never heard of him?”
Benji slathers butter and strawberry jelly on one side of his biscuit before taking a huge bite. I watch him and wait for his answer.
He chews for a few seconds and swallows. “Do you know Zane’s last name?”
I shake my head.
“It’s Sullivan.”
Sullivan. Sullivan’s Way.
“His family owns this town?” I’m shocked as I start to piece things together.
“Well, not theentiretown,” he jokes. “But a lot of it.”
“So, he comes from money?” I ask.
Benji nods, finishing off his biscuit. “But you wouldn’t know it. He’s the least pretentious person I know. He lives modestly, mostly off the winnings and endorsements he had when he was competing. And from teaching lessons in the winter a few days a week. I guess that’s why I like the guy. He doesn’t mind slumming it with the likes of me.”
“Yeah, you’re so hard to be around,” I quip before pausing to sip my drink. “So, that’s why you guys think all the women are chasing him? Because he’s wealthy?”
“I mean, I’m not a woman.” He chuckles good-naturedly. “But I assume the fact that he’s a famous snowboarder and an athlete with a fat bank account doesn’t turn the ladies off.” He washes his food down with a drink of water and leans back in the seat, eyeing me from across the table. “I personally think he’s an ugly motherfucker … but from what I hear, a lot of females disagree with me.”
I snicker, and his face lights up.
He pushes the hair off his face. “What do you think?” he asks.
I lift my eyebrows. “About Zane?”
He nods with an easy smile, but I can see the underlying mischief there.
“I don’t think about Zane,” I lie, wondering if he told his two friends about our random kiss the other night.
“All right.” Benji grins, nodding slowly and pursing his lips. But I can tell he doesn’t believe me. “Whodoyou think about?”
