Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100202 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 501(@200wpm)___ 401(@250wpm)___ 334(@300wpm)
I nodded. “Officially roommates.” I could make this work.
“Deal.” He put out his hand and I shook it. His grip was firm and warm, and there was more than a little shot of awareness that zinged up my spine.
“Deal.”
“Excellent. Then I’ll start unpacking.” He walked off, pausing to pick up the jacket Sutton had thrown on the couch earlier and hang it up in the hall closet.
Oh. My. Clean. Freak. Gods.
We couldn’t be more opposite if we tried.
I stared at his retreating back and let the pen hover over the list I was going to have to rewrite, then let it fly. “Rule number fourteen,” I whispered as I wrote. “Remove the stick from Weston’s ass.”
So much for this being easy.
4
Weston
* * *
“We already have seven bookings for November,” Maria told me as I looked over her shoulder at our computerized scheduling system. “Four parties of four or five, and the other three are seven skiers.”
“It’s a start,” Theo said from across the room, where he was throwing a tennis ball up in the air and catching it, just like he used to do when we’d pull QRF duty. But there was nothing quick or reactionary about our jobs now. At least not at this stage.
I did the calculations in my head and muttered a curse. “We’re going to need more than that to keep the payments made on the bird and pay our salaries.”
“Well, aren’t you Debbie Downer,” Maria mumbled, pushing back from the desk.
Theo laughed. “That may as well be his nickname. Worried Weston.”
“Ha.” I rolled my eyes.
Stepping away to give her some space, I looked out the window, admiring the freshly fallen snow that coated the trees and ground. There was only about six inches, just enough to make the drive down the hill sporty before the road was plowed, but it was enough to change the entire atmosphere of the town. We’d already taken another flight this morning so we could orient ourselves to the landmarks now that they were covered in snow. As much as I’d skied and hiked the backcountry growing up, everything looked a little different from the air.
Now we just had to see if the weather was going to let the snow stick and hope opening day would come quickly.
“We all knew we’d need some time to build up the clientele,” Theo said, catching the ball again. “You don’t start a business like this and have it magically book out overnight.”
Logically, I knew that. Hell, we’d been here a week, and only started taking reservations about four days ago when we’d fired up our online marketing. Emotionally? I had not just my future on the line here, but Theo and Maria’s too. It was a different kind of pressure from anything I’d experienced, even flying combat missions. Those were short bursts of adrenaline and stress followed by an immediate sense of relief once we landed.
Starting a business? It felt like I was back in college and the homework just wouldn’t quit. There was always something I should be doing—running numbers, learning about new ways to advertise, thinking up promotions to get bookings. If I was this stressed out after a week, I wasn’t sure how I was going to have any hair left after the season.
“Once the guests arrive for the opening, it will pick up,” Maria promised with an encouraging smile. “From what I hear, the resort is always booked, and once people get here and realize we have this available, the word of mouth will take off.”
God, I hoped that was the case, or I would have given everything up for nothing.
“If you’re done glowering, I’m going to go work in the hangar.” Maria stood, tying her hair up as she came around the desk.
“Do you have everything you need in there?” I asked.
“Yep.” She nodded, pulling a clipboard from a hook on the wall. “Everything I asked for is here, now I just need to put it where I want it.”
“Need help?” Theo caught the ball and shifted, ready to stand.
“Oh, hell no.” She shook her head and leveled a stare on us. “I don’t need either of you two knuckleheads telling me where you think things need to be.” She gave us a two-fingered, mocking salute and disappeared into the hangar.
I sank into the chair behind the desk and drummed my fingers on the arms.
“Sitting around is going to drive you insane for the next month,” Theo commented.
“If we aren’t flying, and the slopes aren’t open, then what the hell are we supposed to do for the next month?” I’d never taken downtime well. Or maybe I was just agitated there hadn’t been any orange juice left after my run-turned-hike this morning. Or that there were definite specks of glitter on my boots when I pulled them out of the hall closet on my way to work. I hadn’t quite fallen into a routine with Calliope and Sutton yet, and I liked routine. I thrived on routine.