“I don’t know. I think we should check in to that sniffle she had.” Caleb Burke was frowning but that was nothing new.
Holly sighed and held a hand out to both of them. “She’s fine.” She looked to Michael. “A couple of us with babies rented a room and hired two babysitters so we could have a nice night out. Well, I’m having a nice night. Nell is protesting in the snow. But Poppy and Amelia are fine, as my husband knows because we went to check on them. Now we’re going to dance.”
“You will set up meeting?” Alexei asked as his wife started to lead him away.
Michael nodded. It would be better to get it over with. He’d been putting off selling that place for far too long. He’d avoided it, not wanting to think about the life he’d had there. The lie he’d lived there.
It would be good to divest himself of that baggage and move on with his life. He might even look into buying a proper cabin, one with working water and heat. Someplace cozy where they could be together and happy.
The problem was he was starting to miss his job. Being with Ty and Lucy made him realize he missed more than companionship. He missed his job, missed feeling like he was doing something important.
He studied the big ballroom that had been decorated like a winter palace. There were cozy conversation spaces and tables around the bar. A band played in the background, covers of bouncy pop songs intermingled with rock and country favorites. The lodge had tables where guests could learn about all the activities planned for the ski season and the many amenities the Elk Creek Lodge had to offer.
Ty seemed happy here. Lucy was excited about her job.
He didn’t want to live here, didn’t want to work here.
He wanted to be out in the field, working with local law enforcement, using his skills to hunt down the worst of the worst.
He stood there for a long while, contemplating the fact that by finding something good, he’d also started wanting the one thing that could blow it all up.
He watched as Trina put down her mug and stood, smiling Van’s way, but not the way she used to. Trina had been one of those bouncy, happy people who lit up a room when she walked in.
Was he punishing her for not recognizing the lies her sister told?
Like he was punishing himself.
He saw someone move out of the corner of his eye, a quick flash that let him know someone was running away. He turned and saw it was Ty, and Caleb Burke wasn’t far behind him. Both men were sprinting like their lives depended on it.
Or rather someone else’s.
He tossed aside all of his doubts. It was time to go to work.
* * * *
Lucy glanced over to where Michael stood at the back of the ballroom. He and Max Harper seemed to be having a stare off.
Otherwise, everything seemed to be going all right. Mostly.
“He keeps eating all the shrimp.” One of the servers huffed and put her now empty tray on the top of the table where Lucy had been coordinating service. She was set up behind the bar, out of the way of the guests. There was a discreet hallway that led to the kitchens and staff rooms. “I swear I step out on the floor and that one guy sucks up all the shrimp. Like he’s a whale and they’re whatever whales eat.”
“Sorry, that’s Long-Haired Roger. He really likes shrimp.” He was also a cheapskate who would find the highest value item at any buffet and eat as much as he could. And he’d probably come armed with plastic sandwich baggies to “take some home” to his dog, Princess Two, who also enjoyed high-priced snacks.
“He’s bald,” the server pointed out.
“Yeah, it’s an aspirational nickname.” Once Roger’s hair had been long and flowing, but she wasn’t getting into ancient history. “Why don’t you take a break and let him find the specialty cheese on the buffet? He’ll focus on that for a while if you let him, and maybe the north side of the ballroom can get some shrimp, too.”
The server picked up her tray. “Such a weird place.”
Van set three longnecks on a serving tray at the end of the bar. “Don’t listen to her. This is an awesome place. I mean, the town is. I’m not sure how much I love lodge life, but I do love the town.”
Something about his tone made her wonder what he meant. “You’re not thinking of leaving, are you?”
He shook his head. “Not at all, though I’m wondering if this is the right job for me. I’m thinking about asking Zane for a full-time job if one comes up. I know the housing here is nice, but it’s also seasonal for most of us. And Hale was not meant for a high-level service job, if you know what I mean. He does not suffer assholery in silence.”