Page 6 of Wrapped in Winter

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“I like this one,” I say, picking up the light gray hat with a fluffy teal bobble on top. “It’s been calling out to me every time I come in here. I’m finally putting myself out of my misery.”

“Calling out, huh? What exactly does it call out to you?”

“Yo bitch, come buy me, you crazy hat lady.”

Emily cackles. “You know, that makes you theMad-hat-tan, right?”

“Oh good one,” I compliment. My Manhattan years seem worlds away from the Rocky Mountains, and I don’t miss them at all. Besides, the mountains are where I feel closest to my family.

Shadows the size of mountains drape over large swathes of the town as we head to our bijou apartment. Once inside, we throw off our coats and head into the tiny kitchen. The small surroundings feel constricting some days; I think that’s why the expanse of the mountains is so appealing.

Over coffee, Emily fills me in on the plans for when her sister visits. Sometimes, I envy Emily. My last surviving grandparent died last year, and I don’t have any other family. Aside from college friends who are geographically nowhere near me, and the friends I’ve made in Aspen and Vail, I’m a little thin on the ground of supportive figures in my life. I used to call my grandmother for some wise words, garnering her perspective on problems I didn’t seem capable of tackling. Sometimes, you need to be able to ask someone for their advice and trust it. And as much as Emily and Betsy are capable, reliable humans, there’s nothing like the selfless, judgment-free love of a family.

I miss them.

“We should start at Mayer’s, then move on to Hexenbar, and finish up at Brown Cow,” Em continues. “They do the best cocktails there.”

“And you’ve tried every single one,” I remind her. “Several times.”

“That was the bar staff,” she retorts with a salacious wink. “They also have the best-looking guys working there.”

“Everyone looks hot after four hours of shots.”

She snaps back her head and laughs. “I have their Instagram account details,” she drawls. “God, I’m living my best life right now. I get to ski and skate, I rent my own place with amazing friends. Don’t you feel the same?”

“Not really,” I say honestly. “I do like it here, but I preferred Aspen. You’re three years younger than me.” She also hasn’t royally fucked up her career prospects by banging the wrong people. “You’ve got a bit more time to live it up. I’m not sure how much longer I can stand to be customer-facing. I belong behind the scenes, making business decisions and seeing profits increase because of them.”

Her face drops. “So what’s the plan?”

“I’m going to get back to a management position at Stein’s, and then I’m going to look for a similar role. Either here or back in Aspen,” I admit.

She nods because she understands the hold Aspen has over me, even if it’s bittersweet, tragic, and tainted. Slender arms wrap around me, squeezing gently. “I hope you stay, but I get that you can’t.”

I let her hold me for a while, indulging in her warmth and affection, trying to avoid thinking about what the next seven days will bring.

Nerves haveme bolting out of bed as soon as my alarm goes off. I hardly slept a wink last night but there’s not a lot I can do about it.

I shower and blow dry my hair before pulling on my work uniform. All things considered, I quite like it. It’s practical. The navy pants are close to being form-fitting, but the cotton and lycra fabric helps with the more physical aspects of the job. There’s a short-sleeved cream t-shirt in a similar fabric with a scoop neckline. It’s sensible and a little bit revealing all at once, which is why we have the option of a thin-knit wool sweater to go on top. Everything has the forest green Stein Hotel logo, either on a rear pants pocket or adorning the breast.

Doing my job in dresses and skirts would be uncomfortable and restrictive. And even if it’s relatively unsexy, it’s probably a good thing. Several times, unwelcome hands have drifted onto my ass since I started here, and the VIPs are the worst offenders.

In the kitchen, Emily and Justin are already on their first coffee. They greet me with over-excited faces.

“Shut up!” I say before they can get a word in.

Emily ignores me. “It’s the big day!”

Turning away to pour me a coffee, Justin is still smiling when he passes me my special Sexy Cow mug. “Best of luck,” he wishes.

He and Emily have lived together for about two years now. Blond and shaggy-haired, Justin looks like he surfs in the summer and snowboards in the winter.

My phone buzzes and I check the screen, hoping it’s not an emergency message from Elias.

Betsy:Good luck today! Any questions ask, but I’m sure you’ve got this!

Thank you! You’ll be back to the VIPs before you know it. Rest that leg, woman

Heading to the fridge, I grab a yogurt and some melon before taking a seat at the breakfast bar with the others. We eat in relative silence; it’s too early for conversation. A short while later, decked out in winter coats and boots, we walk to the closest bus stop. The shuttle drops us a minute’s walk from the hotel, close to the cable car which is not operational this early.


Tags: Penny Asher-Darke Romance