Reuben, not Roo.
Looking wounded, he sinks into the back of the couch.
Fuck, why did I resign? Currently, I have no job to go to, not unless Elias takes me back. And at the minute, there’s no way of knowing just what, exactly, he knows. And I desperately don’t want him to know his lack of faith in me was warranted.
And anyway, I want to be at Chateau B in Aspen. I want to return home. And I want the fat promotion.
Annoyed and frustrated, I look at them in turn. Where has all that obliging sentiment gone? That behavior that was easy-natured, relaxed and equal? When things don’t go their way it’s replaced with manipulations and threats.
They’re playing hardball. Luca’s words about playing dirty for things they want repeats in my head. And these are some fucking dirty tactics, and although I’m incensed, I’m also quietly thrilled. Is this what they’ll do to keep me? Can I accept that?
“Do you think Elias cares about who I’m screwing now he’s sold up?”
“Maybe not,” Roo answers. “But we know the rumors about you at WM upset you. You want to avoid repeating that. And anyway, we’ve yet to do our review. Not sure we can go as high as a hundred points,” he trails off, not needing to finish his point. Because not only do Inotwant Elias to know, I desperately want to go out on a professional high having been given the most points possible.
They’re such skilled negotiators; they have an argument for everything. Their mothers would be so proud that they’ve truly become the motherfucking kings of the business world.
“You bastards.”
At a loss for what to do, I storm into the kitchen. My mind darts to the lost property room where there are several options for just about everything I need. Ski jackets, pants, socks, boots, helmets, and skis.
I turn to my guests. “I’m going out. I’ll be back to serve your lunch at two.”
And then I march out of there.
CHAPTERTWELVE
Thoughts whirlaround in my brain like someone’s stuck a cake mixer on max speed in there and is having a fun time with it.
What the hell do I do?
Keeping my head down, not wanting to bump into Elias as I enter the main hotel, I grab my bank card out of my staff locker and head upstairs. On account of my unusually-colored hair, everyone recognizes me, so trying to move around incognito is a pointless task. Still, they don’t need to know my plans to hit the slopes, and as long as I can avoid Pothole, I’m golden.
The lost property cupboard is on the first floor, down a side corridor that guests don’t have access to. The thought of wearing someone else’s clothes isn’t that appealing, but I know for a fact that there are some brand new packaged thermals in here. I dig them out, pleased they’ve not been claimed, and start riffling through the shelves and hangers for everything else I need. Wearing musty-smelling outer layers for some momentary escapism is something I can deal with.
I try on some boots. They’re a bit big, but two pairs of ski socks will help. A helmet that has something that looks suspiciously like mold growing in the inner material is a situation I’m going to have to suck up. Leaving my clothes tucked up in a corner, I put my cell in the inner pocket of the jacket and put everything on. On the way out, I grab some head-height skis and suitably long poles and open the door.
Merging with some tourists out at reception, I lug my skis and boots to the stairs, heading to the ski-in, ski-out floor.
“Can I help you carry something?” Emily asks clearly, not realizing it’s me.
Relieved to hear a friendly voice, I turn, lowering a black snood that was covering my hair.
“Winter!” Her blue eyes scan me up and down several times. “What’s going on?”
“I’m going skiing. For a couple of hours or so.”
“Why?” she asks. “Is everything okay?”
“Not really. I just need some air and space and solitude.”
Her eyes soften. “You need to escape that cabin stuffed with temptation, right? Three men are a lot to handle,” she says wisely. “Should I cover for you?”
I give that zero thought. “No. They don’t care to be waited on most of the time. They’ll sort themselves out.”
“Okay, well, have you got your mobile on you?”
“Yeah.”