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I jumped in surprise at the masculine voice and spun around to see Liam standing near the entrance. He raised a hand and smiled.
“I am happy,” I told him. “Today was much better than yesterday. Hang on a sec.” I told my colleague I was heading off and checked to make sure I had everything I’d brought with me. “Thanks for organizing a ride. You didn’t have to do that.”
His eyes flicked up and met mine, and he smiled. “I wanted to.” He winked. “I’d like to get to know you better, so this is totally selfish.”
I shook my head. Somehow, I doubted he was selfish. He seemed like a good guy, through and through. “Thanks.”
“This way.” He strode outside. I followed him to a dirty Ute that was well-kept but had seen better days. He unlocked it, and I got into the passenger seat and buckled up. When he started the engine, the heater purred to life. I thrust my hands in front of it, eager to defrost my fingers.
“I’m not used to the temperature here,” I confessed. “I knew it would be chilly, but I underestimated just how cold it could get.”
He nodded. “Fair enough. It’s a pretty big change from Los Angeles.”
“It sure is.” I glanced at him as he steered us through the parking lot and onto the road. “Have you ever been?”
He looked surprised. “To L.A.? No, and I have no desire to. Traffic, smog, people everywhere, and cityscape as far as the eye can see.” He shuddered. “Sounds like my kind of hell. Not to mention how far it is from my family, and the fact that, from what I can tell, half the people there are phony and self-obsessed.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to be anywhere but here.” He shot me a look, his eyes unreadable. “I grew up in Destiny Falls, and I’ll be happy if I never leave.”
I pursed my lips, wondering whether to be offended by his obvious disdain for my hometown, but from his tone, I imagined he’d say much the same thing about any place that wasn’t Destiny Falls. I was actually a little envious.
“That must be nice.” I wished I was so certain of my place in the world. I’d always been restless, and had the sense that I wasn’t where I was supposed to be, but hadn’t known how to change that.
“Yeah. It is.” He took a turn with more speed than I expected, and I flinched, but we rounded it smoothly. “So, why did you fly all the way from L.A. to New Zealand to work at a resort in a tiny town in the mountains?”
I felt a telltale prickle that probably meant I was blushing. Thanks to my fair skin, it happened easily. “I’ve always wanted to see New Zealand, and I didn’t know what to do after I graduated high school, so I decided to take a year off from making any major decisions. I chose Destiny Falls because it had an opening for a barista and looked about as different from home as possible. I wanted a change.” My cheeks heated further. “But, as has been pointed out, I didn’t come very prepared.”
He smiled sympathetically. “You’ll get there. For what it’s worth, I think it’s brave as hell to get a job on the other side of the world and just go for it. Not many people would do that.”
I laughed. “I don’t feel brave.”
Maybe I had when I arrived at the airport and collected my luggage, but no longer. I’d been sure that getting some space from my parents and siblings—much as I loved them—would help me gain some perspective on the future. I had a few career ideas, but I’d had it drummed into me over the years that I needed to make responsible decisions. While that approach might have helped me get good grades and be a positive role model for my little sister and brothers, it had gotten to the point where I was out of touch with what I actually wanted.
“Have you made any friends yet?” he asked.
“I’ve hardly met anyone.” I thought on it. “Grace, who’s renting the cottage to me, seems nice. So do the people at the resort. And you. But I haven’t actually made any plans with anyone.”
“Grace is great. She’s my brother Nate’s best friend.”
I should have realized he’d know her. It seemed like the kind of town where everyone knew everyone.
“What are you doing this weekend?” he asked.
Flutters erupted in my stomach. I pressed my palms to my jeans and, with an effort, managed not to stare at him. “No plans.”
“You do now,” he told me. “I’m taking you skiing.” He looked across the car. “If you’d like to, of course. No pressure.”
“I would.” The words were out of my mouth before I had time to think them through. Then, when I did, I panicked, wanting to take them back. I couldn’t ski. I’d never skied before in my life. I’d only seen snow once before I arrived in New Zealand.
“Perfect.” He sent me a smile, his eyes crinkling at the edges. “Can I pick you up at eight on Saturday morning? It’s best to get there early to beat the rush.”
Ugh. I bit my tongue. Should I tell him? Getting invited out with him was more than I’d hoped for, and I didn’t want to make a fuss when he was trying to be nice. Perhaps I could just figure it out as we went along. I’d watch a few instructional videos ahead of time. It couldn’t be that hard, and I could hardly say no to a gorgeous firefighter who’d pulled me out of an upturned car. Strip off a couple of layers of clothes, give him a puppy, and he would pretty much qualify for Mr. January in a smutty charity calendar.
“It’s a plan. I’ll give you my number in case you need to get in touch.”
I really hoped he would.
ChapterFour
LIAM
