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From my perch behind the bar, I watch as a small group approaches Ryder and Hailey, swapping hugs and slaps on the back. He’s the reason we’re sort of busy. Everyone wants to celebrate his first official race since making his comeback on the snowboard circuit. For a minute there, we weren't sure he'd ever ride again, let alone recover from the death of his brother. Hailey deserves a lot of credit for his recovery since she helped him get back on his feet. What they've accomplished is inspiring, yet I can’t bring myself to erase the bitter that accompanies the sweet when I look at them.
It's not fair and I know I shouldn't be jealous, but when Hailey moved here less than a year ago, I envisioned us becoming close. Two single girls living their best life in a resort town that sees its fair share of hot single guys passing through. Not that I’m loose or a wild child, I just wanted someone to have some fun with. But before a friendship could materialize, she fell for Ryder, and now the happy couple is a stark reminder that I’m not thriving.
You wouldn’t know that to look at me. I’ve got a steady job, and I doubt there’s a face in town I don’t know. But I have no career, no significant other and, until recently, no place to call my own. I finally fixed that by renting my boss, Lennon’s, old place. She and her boyfriend finished renovating the house they bought together just outside town and she nearly begged me to take it off her hands. Aside from my new home, I’m in the same rut I’ve been in for years.
I need a change. A new direction. Some excitement. It won’t happen, though. Not in this town.
Laughter echoes around me, and I snap back to the present in time to see Cade and his wife Cora approaching the bar.
“You let Lennon schedule you tonight?” Cade admonishes.
“Gotta make rent.” I fill a glass with his favorite beer and pass it to him with a casual shrug.
“As if Lennon isn’t giving you a deal.” He rolls his eyes and takes a sip as I hand a similar glass to Cora.
The truth is, she is giving me a deal. And it’s not like I’ll make a ton of cash serving the local crowd tonight. But at least behind the bar I can find something to do to look busy, so I don’t look out-of-place.
The irony is, this is more my place than most of the people in the room. Born and raised here, I’m as much a staple of this town as the mountain itself. That’s the problem. I’m doomed to be forever seen as the little girl with a bow in her hair. The child that could do no wrong.
Sometimes it’s easier to work than to suffer through that, especially since most of them don’t even realize they do it.
“Cade, why don’t you take over for Tiff for a few minutes?” Cora suggests. “Give her some time to mingle.”
I know what she’s trying to do. Lennon hired a new line cook about a month ago, and the girls have been trying to make a love connection ever since. Since the kitchen is closed, he’s mixing with the crowd, and Cora’s trying to play matchmaker. There are two flaws with her plan, though.
One, any matchmaking can’t happen in front of Cade. He’s too protective of me, so it won’t go anywhere. Two, I’m not interested in the line cook.
He’s cute, I suppose. And he’s a nice enough guy. But there are no fireworks. Nothing. Less than zero. I've felt more of a spark plugging in my old toaster than with him.
Cora means well. All the girls do. But when I asked them to stop treating me like a little sister and help me find someone to date, I meant help me find aman. They keep trying to get me interested inboys. Like I said, it’s basically ingrained in everyone’s subconscious to treat me like a little kid.Thanks Mom.
“It’s okay, really,” I insist. “Besides, I’ll probably do more mingling behind the bar since everyone needs a drink, right?”
As if on cue Blake, Jace and Becca take seats at the counter, saving me from Cora’s attempt at playing Cupid.
“What’ll it be guys?” They call out their orders and I fill them one by one, leaning my elbows on the counter after I’ve served them so we can chat without having to shout.
“Have any plans for the off-season or will you jump right into work?” Blake and Becca run the bike park on the mountain—or what will be the park when they’re finished building it—so they’ve got a busy summer coming up. But around here it’s not uncommon for people to take a vacation before the next tourist season begins.
“Depends on how fast the snow melts.” Becca shrugs.
“It’s not melted yet,” I point out.
“Exactly,” Jace agrees. “I say we ditch the cold weather for a few weeks and head down to Costa Rica.”
“Belize,” Blake interjects.
“The biking is better in Costa Rica.” Jace sips his beer.
“It’s not better than here, so why bike? Why not surf? Or snorkel?” Blake retorts.
“We can’t take two weeks.” Becca elbows Blake. “I’m not even sure we can take one. There’s a lot of work to line up if we want to add two more runs by July.”
“We can’t do any work while there’s still snow on the ground.” Blake threads his fingers through hers and gives them a little squeeze.
“My point exactly,” Jace adds before nuzzling her neck, eliciting a tiny squeal.
“Oops, we’re low on wine.” I hold up the bottle I just emptied in the sink. “I’m gonna head to the back and grab some.”
