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She puts her pen down on the paper and sighs. “I have research to do, and I only have a limited window to do it. Are you pulling people off the ski tracks because of the snow? Telling them to head back to the lodge or their houses?”
“Look, the ski tracks are not as dangerous as the other side of the mountains. They’re maintained and monitored. Besides, most people won’t ski or snowboard when it’s snowing heavily. It’s common sense.”
She shakes her head and scribbles her name on the bottom of the waiver. “I feel like I’m being discriminated against.”
“You’re not. I advise you to head to the place you’re staying and to start tomorrow.”
She bites her lip. “Maybe.”
I scrape my chair back and grab my keys. “Where are you staying? I’ll drive you there myself.”
My colleagues look at me with confusion. I never offer to personally escort tourists to their vacation rentals, but this is different. I need to keep an eye on Emily. She looks like the kind of girl who’d ignore my warnings otherwise, and I don’t want her to get in trouble.
I mean, look at her, in her cargo pants with pockets, her cute coat, and her pink backpack. She wouldn’t last a day alone up the mountain, even though she thinks she would.
“It’s a cabin I rented online. Wait, I have the address here somewhere,” she says while rummaging through her backpack.
“I’ll be back before you guys know it, okay?” I tell my colleagues before they can press me about why I’m doing this. “Call me on the radio when we need to head out on a rescue mission.”
“Sure thing, Brody,” Owen says.
“Don’t get lost in that brunette on the way,” Justin jokes quietly so Emily can’t hear.
I roll my eyes. “Shut up. This is purely professional. I’m just looking out for her.”
I turn to Emily. “Let’s go.”
She scurries to her feet, hoists her backpack over her shoulders, and follows me to the parking lot where I parked my truck.
She hands me the address. I glance at it, then pocket it.
“You know where it is?” she asks.
“Yeah, it’s not too far from here. A few miles past the luxury ski lodge. It’s isolated, but it’s perfect if you’re looking for a quiet place to stay, away from the busy ski resorts and bars.”
She smiles as she climbs into the passenger seat. “That sounds nice. Exactly what I wanted and what the ad said. But you can never be sure about an online advertisement, right?”
“True. So, tell me about that research of yours,” I say while backing the truck out of the parking spot and joining the traffic on the main road.
“I work at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Montana. It’s a great way to get some experience and make some money while I’m in school. I’m here to research bird feeding patterns in winter. It’s a requirement for my bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology,” she says with a lazy smile that clues me in on the fact that this topic is her true passion.
“Sounds great. And you were able to take the time off from work?”
She nods. “Yeah. My boss, Grizz, is a kind man. Most people say he’s a grump, but I know better. He’s got RSF.”
I frown. “RSF? Is that contagious?”
The sound of her laughter filling my truck causes my heart to skip a beat.
“No, it means Resting Scowl Face. I think you suffer from the same condition,” she says with a blush.
“Me? I don’t scowl.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Keep telling yourself that, Brody.”
“Are you sure you want to offend the man who works for the local Search and Rescue Team? You never know if or when you’ll need my help.”
She bites her lip again and an image ofmebiting her lip flashes before my eyes. I should know better than to take an interest in her. Lots of women pass through Frosty Crest every year, and I’ve never so much as skipped a heartbeat for any of them. Are some of them good-looking? Sure. But I’m not the kind of man who lets himself get swept away by beauty alone. A girl needs to have substance to win my heart. Kind of like Emily has with her teasing remarks and the passionate way she talks about her degree and birds.
