slipping frames back onto her nose. “I have another pair in my office. I just have to fetch them.”
“I’ll go,” Maci offered.
“Where’s Rory?” Josie asked with a start.
“Back at the inn with Ryder.” Ali hugged Josie and stroked tear-dampened hair from her cheek as Maci slipped into her office for the glasses. “Ryder’s tossing together a pot of his soon-to-be famous chicken gumbo for the guests braving the storm.”
“Sounds yummy.”
“Yes, it does.” Maci returned with the sassy floral frames and leaned in, handing them to Josie. “The symphony’s concert has been canceled for tonight. I say we all head toward the inn and take a break from this craziness. What do you think?”
“I don’t know…I still have a lot of work to do.” Josie’s gaze drifted over the mess of coffee splatter, stacked magazines and unopened boxes. “And I should probably go in search of a new coffee carafe.”
“Stock can wait, and coffee, too.” Mason stepped forward to take Josie’s hand. “I’ll mop up this mess for you and then work is done for today. I think heading back to the inn is a great idea.” He handed Josie her boots. “My SUV is loaded down with sleds I picked up from Peterson’s Five and Dime on the way into town this morning.”
“Let’s break them in.” Hunter handed Maci her jacket. “Remember that giant hill back behind the inn, Mason?”
“The one with the wicked dip and hairpin curve?”
“Yeah. We used to grab some huge air there.” Hunter’s comment was embedded with a dare. “Bet I can still fly higher than you.”
“You’re on.” Mason handed Josie her mittens, winking. “If I remember right, our two-person sled used to race the fastest. Think you’ve still got it in you?”
“You’d better believe it.” Josie rose to the challenge. She swiped her tears and watched as Mason wadded paper towels and knelt to mop up the coffee mess. “And, as I remember, I lobbed a pretty mean snowball, too. Good aim. If I’m going to pack up work for the day, I might as well make it worth my while.”
“Have you just issued a challenge?” He tossed the soiled towels into a trash can.
“Take it or leave it.”
“Perfect.” Maci flipped her braided long, black hair over her shoulder and tugged on a thick, wool hat. “My violin’s in Hunter’s Land Rover. After we sled and wage all-out war with mounds of packed slush, we can enjoy a little after-dinner music. Ali’s asked me to play for the inn’s guests.”
“And we have several who’ve decided to extend their stay through the storm because they aren’t used to these mountain roads.” Ali tugged the zipper on her jacket and slipped her hands into leather gloves. “Come on, Josie. Rory will love seeing you again.”
7
Josie burrowed into the couch, the flames of the inn’s oversized great room fireplace nipping at her toes. Music from Maci’s violin soothed, and Josie sighed as Mason settled in beside her.
“How are you holding up?” He placed an arm around her shoulders.
“My body aches, and I’m not sure if it’s from Simms’s flailing or the snowball thrashing I took from you.” She turned and leaned into him. “It might take a month to thaw out. It’s a good thing Ali had a change of clothes ready for me.” The jeans were a little long and she’d cuffed them at the ankles, but the sweater fit and the argyle wool socks were fuzzy and warm.
“You toss a pretty mean curve ball, yourself.” Mason lifted a crocheted throw blanket from the arm of the couch and smoothed it over Josie before drawing her closer. The subtle scent of his aftershave mingled with wood smoke and apple cider. The murmur of voices amid the crackle and pop of firewood was a melody that played along with the violin as guests lounged, sipping their drinks and enjoying each other’s company. Across the room, Ryder and Ali snuggled together on the loveseat with a sleeping Rory. “Can I get you
“I’ll go,” Maci offered.
“Where’s Rory?” Josie asked with a start.
“Back at the inn with Ryder.” Ali hugged Josie and stroked tear-dampened hair from her cheek as Maci slipped into her office for the glasses. “Ryder’s tossing together a pot of his soon-to-be famous chicken gumbo for the guests braving the storm.”
“Sounds yummy.”
“Yes, it does.” Maci returned with the sassy floral frames and leaned in, handing them to Josie. “The symphony’s concert has been canceled for tonight. I say we all head toward the inn and take a break from this craziness. What do you think?”
“I don’t know…I still have a lot of work to do.” Josie’s gaze drifted over the mess of coffee splatter, stacked magazines and unopened boxes. “And I should probably go in search of a new coffee carafe.”
“Stock can wait, and coffee, too.” Mason stepped forward to take Josie’s hand. “I’ll mop up this mess for you and then work is done for today. I think heading back to the inn is a great idea.” He handed Josie her boots. “My SUV is loaded down with sleds I picked up from Peterson’s Five and Dime on the way into town this morning.”
“Let’s break them in.” Hunter handed Maci her jacket. “Remember that giant hill back behind the inn, Mason?”
“The one with the wicked dip and hairpin curve?”
“Yeah. We used to grab some huge air there.” Hunter’s comment was embedded with a dare. “Bet I can still fly higher than you.”
“You’re on.” Mason handed Josie her mittens, winking. “If I remember right, our two-person sled used to race the fastest. Think you’ve still got it in you?”
“You’d better believe it.” Josie rose to the challenge. She swiped her tears and watched as Mason wadded paper towels and knelt to mop up the coffee mess. “And, as I remember, I lobbed a pretty mean snowball, too. Good aim. If I’m going to pack up work for the day, I might as well make it worth my while.”
“Have you just issued a challenge?” He tossed the soiled towels into a trash can.
“Take it or leave it.”
“Perfect.” Maci flipped her braided long, black hair over her shoulder and tugged on a thick, wool hat. “My violin’s in Hunter’s Land Rover. After we sled and wage all-out war with mounds of packed slush, we can enjoy a little after-dinner music. Ali’s asked me to play for the inn’s guests.”
“And we have several who’ve decided to extend their stay through the storm because they aren’t used to these mountain roads.” Ali tugged the zipper on her jacket and slipped her hands into leather gloves. “Come on, Josie. Rory will love seeing you again.”
7
Josie burrowed into the couch, the flames of the inn’s oversized great room fireplace nipping at her toes. Music from Maci’s violin soothed, and Josie sighed as Mason settled in beside her.
“How are you holding up?” He placed an arm around her shoulders.
“My body aches, and I’m not sure if it’s from Simms’s flailing or the snowball thrashing I took from you.” She turned and leaned into him. “It might take a month to thaw out. It’s a good thing Ali had a change of clothes ready for me.” The jeans were a little long and she’d cuffed them at the ankles, but the sweater fit and the argyle wool socks were fuzzy and warm.
“You toss a pretty mean curve ball, yourself.” Mason lifted a crocheted throw blanket from the arm of the couch and smoothed it over Josie before drawing her closer. The subtle scent of his aftershave mingled with wood smoke and apple cider. The murmur of voices amid the crackle and pop of firewood was a melody that played along with the violin as guests lounged, sipping their drinks and enjoying each other’s company. Across the room, Ryder and Ali snuggled together on the loveseat with a sleeping Rory. “Can I get you
Similar Books
