Colton's Rescue Mission. Karen Whiddon

“And I really was hoping to ski Pine Peak once it opens. As long as I’m up here…”

      “I’ll be there in five,” he replied. He could tell she wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed asking for help from anyone. “We’ll go grab a cup of coffee or something to drink and I’ll see what I can do to find you a place to stay.”

      Sounding relieved, she agreed to wait for him.

      “Save my number in your phone,” he told her. “This is my cell. You can call or text me anytime.”

      She promised she would.

      Hanging up, Remy walked out into the still-too-quiet office and told everyone they could take the rest of the day off. Despite The Chateau being booked to capacity, the PR department took it easy over the holidays. With so many already on vacation or personal days, they weren’t getting any work done anyway, and if the snow continued to fall at the same rate, the plows would have trouble keeping up. They might as well go home and stay warm.

      His good-natured order was met with cheers. He stood near the door and watched everyone gather up their coats and head out. A few people high-fived him and one of the older women gave him a hug. Hiding his impatience, he wished they would hurry up so he could lock up the office and go spend the rest of the day with Vanessa.

      The rest of the… The realization should have shocked him, but he could barely get past his eagerness to see her.

      Finally, everyone had gone. He busted out the door with an unusual spring in his step before he reminded himself to slow down. Vanessa needed a friend, not a suitor. Plus, with Seth so volatile, he didn’t want to take a chance of doing something to set him off.

      Before heading out into the lobby, he decided to get a breath of fresh air. Mostly so he could get a handle on the conflicting emotions that filled him when he thought of spending time with Vanessa.

      Stepping outside, he stood for a moment, letting the snow swirl around him, barely feeling the cold. He took several deep breaths, letting the icy air fill his lungs. He’d always found winter exhilarating, which made living high up in the Rockies perfect.

      Glancing at the street and the tire tracks left by his employees, he decided he’d go ahead and walk around to the front entrance of The Chateau and go in that way.

      As usual, when he strolled around to the front of The Chateau, a sense of pride and contentment filled him. He loved the structure, inside and out, and loved the people who worked there and made it one of the top vacation destinations in the United States even more.

      Stepping into the lobby, he stuffed his gloves into his pocket and caught sight of Vanessa seated on one of the ornate chairs under the skylight, sunlight illuminating her dark hair. Scrolling through her phone, she didn’t see him until he’d gotten a few feet away. When she looked up, their gazes met and locked. Once more, something intense flared between them. One-sided? he wondered. Or did she feel it, too?

      “Hey.” Vanessa stood, greeting him with a smile and an outstretched hand. “Thanks so much for meeting with me.”

      When his fingers connected with her slender ones, he fought the completely ridiculous urge to pull her up against him. Instead, he managed a civilized handshake and reluctantly released her.

      “Let’s go get something to drink and see what we can figure out,” he offered.

      “Here?”

      He debated with himself, weighing the chances of Seth walking in, since the last thing he wanted to do was provoke some kind of scene. Deciding that possibility highly unlikely, he nodded. “There’s a wonderful little coffee shop right off the lobby,” he said.

      “I saw it. It was very crowded, though. I don’t think there was any place to sit.”

      Which wouldn’t be surprising. “Let’s go check it out.” But even before they were close, he could tell they’d need to make another choice. “I tell you what,” he told her. “Since the slopes are closed right now, everywhere downtown is going to be packed.”

      She nodded, eying him. “How about we take a walk? Or are you averse to a little snow?”

      Unable to help himself, he laughed. “I love to be out in the snow and cold. People are always acting like I’m crazy when I say I want to go out for a stroll in the winter.”

      Eyes sparkling, she nodded. “I have snow boots in my car. How about you?”

      “Of course,” he replied. “In my back seat.”

      Impulsively, she took his arm. “Then let’s go.”

      Side by side they hurried out of the hotel. He felt giddy, as if he was seventeen again and a love-struck teenager. While rationally, he knew he had to get a grip, for now he decided to go with the flow and simply enjoy the day.

      She led him to her vehicle first, a practical and sturdy Subaru. “Four-wheel drive,” she said, grinning as she unlocked the doors. “She also gets great gas mileage.” Grabbing her boots, Vanessa sat down on the front passenger seat to put them on.

      “She?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you named your car.”

      “Of course I did.” Boots in place, she hopped out and tugged on her gloves. “Your turn.”

      Her infectious enthusiasm made his heart pound. Slipping and sliding, he took off for his Jeep, hoping he had an extra pair of socks, too, since his were already soaked.

      Luckily, he’d had the foresight to tuck a pair into his snow boots. He motioned her to hop inside, front or back—her choice. She chose the front passenger side, which probably was a good thing. He got in the back seat and closed the door to keep the blowing snow out while he peeled off his wet socks and slipped his feet into a pair of dry ones. Once he’d laced up his Sorel Caribou waterproof boots, he gave her a thumbs-up. “Ready.”

      She hopped out, pulling on a jaunty ski cap with a pom-pom on top. “I’m hoping the storm has driven most of the people inside,” she said. “But with this being a ski resort, you never know.”

      Debating, he gave in to impulse and took her arm. “I’m sure there’ll be a few other hearty souls, but I guarantee it won’t be anywhere near as crowded as inside.”

      “Good.” Her teeth flashed as white as the snowflakes. For someone with nowhere to stay, she seemed awfully chipper. Maybe she was one of those people who never worried, and simply figured things would always work out. He’d often wished he could be like that. Instead, he planned and scheduled, feeling as if he had to have control over every aspect of his life.

      Walking side by side with Vanessa, he realized it felt amazing to be able to let that überpreparedness slide, if only for a little while.

      After a few steps, she pulled her arm free, turning this way and that, surveying the picturesque downtown area with wonder. Bright lights shone from inside the shops and cafés, and in most of the eating and drinking establishments, it appeared to be standing room only. Quite a bit different than the normally bustling sidewalks.

      The heavy snow and blowing wind had discouraged most of the tourists from venturing out. Those few people they encountered were bundled up so much that they were unrecognizable. Glancing at Vanessa, he saw she’d pulled out a scarf and wrapped it around her lower face. He reached into his pocket and did the same. They needed to talk, but for now he wanted to simply enjoy being with her like this.

      When they reached the end of the commercial part of Main Street, she turned. “I guess we can go back down the other side,” she said. “Though I wouldn’t mind going in somewhere and warming up a bit.”

      Since the chill had begun to seep into his bones, too, he nodded. “There’s another coffee shop one block back on the opposite side of the road. Maybe since everyone seems to be frequenting the bars, it won’t be as bad.”

      She nodded, her long lashes white with snow. “I’ve reached my limit on coffee, but I can get hot cider or tea.” She missed