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He wondered what it would take to melt it permanently.
“This is work. You’re getting to know Snow Crystal.” Jackson chose the table with the best view. “Sit down. The specialty of this place is the hot spiced apple cider.”
If they hadn’t been on top of a mountain, she would have argued. He saw it in the way she held herself, tense and poised for flight. But there was no flight because her only way out of here was on the back of his snowmobile, and he wasn’t going anywhere.
So she sat. “If it’s a local specialty I’d like to try it of course, thanks.” It was a signal that she wanted to get this over with as fast as possible. “I’m interested in—” She broke off, her expression frozen, as a pretty girl wearing a red ski jacket and a Santa hat skipped across the deck to them.
“Jackson! I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.” The girl flung her arms around him and Jackson almost drowned in blond hair and perfume. As he gently extracted himself, he saw that Kayla was already on her feet.
“This looks like a good moment for me to use the bathroom.” She smiled her most corporate smile, and Jackson sighed because she was back in hedgehog mode, complete with a full set of prickles. And they were aimed right at him.
“Kayla, this is Dana. Dana is my cousin.” He emphasized the word gently and saw Kayla frown slightly.
“Oh. I assumed—” She stuck out her hand, as if she was making sure she couldn’t be on the receiving end of the same effusive greeting. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Hi, Kayla.” Dana gave a friendly smile, shook hands and then turned back to Jackson. “Guess who I have in my kindergarten class this week. The Foster twins, can you believe that? I babysat them. Now they’re on skis.”
“That thought is close to terrifying. How are they doing?”
“They’re awesome. Overexcited about Christmas, but who isn’t? Hey, Cliff—” Dana leaned back and waved her hand to the owner of the restaurant “—starving to death and dying of thirst here. Any chance of some service?”
Cliff strolled over, eyebrows raised. “You just told me you weren’t eating because you couldn’t afford my shocking prices.”
“I can’t, but that was before Jackson showed up. He’s paying.” She peeped at him and Jackson gave a half smile.
“My debts are so huge one burger isn’t going to make a difference.”
“In that case I’ll have the mountain burger with fries, thanks. Unless I’m interrupting—” Her eyes slid to Kayla, who was still wearing her corporate smile.
“What could you possibly be interrupting? It’s great to have a chance to chat with someone who lives around here. It gives breaking for lunch a purpose.”
She had a smile for different situations, he decided. And he preferred the one she’d given him when he kissed her.
She looked a whole lot healthier than she had when he’d picked her up that morning. The fresh air had whipped pink into her cheeks and added sparkle to her eyes.
Or maybe it was the kiss that had done that.
He pulled off his gloves and put them on the table. “Do you ever do anything just because it’s fun?”
“I find work fun.”
Jackson spoke to Cliff and ordered the artisan cheese board and the charcuterie plate, along with a basket of fresh rolls and Dana’s burger.
Kayla stared at the food. “I’m really not hungry.”
“You’ll be hungry when it arrives. The food is sourced from local suppliers. The quality of food around here is exceptional. It’s a definite draw for the tourists.”
At the word tourist she relaxed. “So what would you say is the special appeal of Snow Crystal, Dana?”
“If I had to pick a favorite, I’d have to say dogsledding, but I’m biased because my parents run Snow and Sled from the farm right next to Snow Crystal. We have a huge network of trails, and when I’m not teaching classes, I help out in the kennels. We have eighteen huskies. Twenty-two if you count the four that are retired.” Dana sat back as Pete delivered their drinks. “I can guarantee it is the most fun you will ever have in your life. If you like, I could take you out. We run daily most weeks and at this time of year we run at night, too.”
Kayla sipped her cider. “You go out on the sled in the dark?”
“If there is enough moonlight we use that. If not, headlamps. Going out at night is special.”
“It sounds romantic.” Kayla’s gaze connected briefly with Jackson’s. Just for a moment they were both back in the forest, mouths hot as they’d feasted on each other. Then she looked away. “Romantic destinations are an important draw for the traveling public. We try to target a wide range of media so we’re always looking for a story that’s a little different. A new angle. Something that sets you apart. That way we get top-tier placements.” She paused as Cliff delivered the food to their table.
“One artisan plate, one charcuterie and a burger. Enjoy. And don’t forget to tell your friends how good we are.”
“I always do. In fact this burger should be free, given the number of people I send up here.” Dana bit into her burger while Jackson looked on in amusement.
“Technically that burger is free since I’m the one paying.”
“You’re still repaying the debt for all those snowballs you stuffed down my neck when we were growing up. So, are you flying back to the U.K. for Christmas, Kayla?”
“No, I’m staying here.” Kayla reached across the table and helped herself to a thin slice of cheese. “I’m living the Snow Crystal experience.”
“You couldn’t find a better place to spend Christmas. It’s magical.” Dana slapped Jackson’s fingers as he reached across to steal her fries. “If you wanted fries you should have ordered some.”
“I ordered these and paid for them.”
They played verbal tennis, the banter bouncing backward and forward between them as it always did and, as lunch progressed, other people drifted over and joined them until the table was crowded with a dozen people, most of whom Jackson had known since childhood.
Kayla was polite, factual and impressive as they encouraged her to talk about her work. She didn’t seem overwhelmed as she had with his family, and he decided it was because the conversation wasn’t personal.
He was surprised to discover how much he wanted it to be personal.
“We should go.” He rose to his feet, exchanged a few words with one of the instructors about snow conditions and the forecast for Christmas itself, and checked his watch.
Dana was on her feet, too, pulling on her gloves and still chatting to Kayla. “If you want a sled ride, let me know. It’s something everyone should try once in a lifetime.”
“That would be interesting, thank you.”
“Not interesting. Magical. And romantic.” Dana gave Jackson a meaningful look, and he shook his head. He would have laughed but he knew better than to encourage her.
“Go! And keep those Foster twins out of trouble.”
“Not possible. Bye. Love you.” She stood on tiptoe, kissed him and then winked at Kayla. “I do that because it increases my cool rating among people who don’t know we’re related.”
“Goodbye, Dana,” Jackson said mildly. “Leave, now, before I charge you for the burger.”
“I could give Kayla a ski lesson.”
He reached for his gloves. “Or you could go do your job and leave me to give her a ski lesson.”
Kayla didn’t smile. “Maybe we should leave skiing for another day. I could use some time alone with my laptop, and I was hoping to talk to your mother this afternoon.”
The words made sense. Her expression didn’t. He saw panic in her eyes. The same panic that had been there when he’d kissed her. The same panic that had been there the night before.
It all added up to one thing.
She didn’t want to be alone with him.
KAYLA PACED THE length of the cabin, trying to regain her balance.
She’d come here to escape Christmas, expecting to find calm and peace to work until the whole thing was over. She hadn’t expected to find a hot guy with no respect for boundaries. It unsettled her. He unsettled her.
It wasn’t just because of that kiss—although admittedly it had been enough to make a girl forget how to stay upright on her own two legs—it was the way he behaved around her. He wasn’t prepared to be frozen out, and he seemed to have no issues with blurring the boundaries between business and pleasure.
Kayla opened her laptop. She wanted to work, but now her head was a mess, her concentration shot and all coherent thought tangled up with images of Jackson.
Trying to focus, she phoned the office and spoke to Stacy.
“I took a look at those activity reports—thanks for that. Any news from the Wexford Hotel Group?” She listened while Stacy updated her, calmed by the familiarity of the routine. “I need to call Howard—I’ll do that from here—and ask Melinda to send me through the timeline, proposal and business deck for the airline pitch. I’ll look at it in a quiet moment.”
“Over the holidays?”
“I’m working.”
“Not right the way through, surely. What about Christmas Day? Do yourself a favor and at least get up close and personal with that gorgeous guy. Find mistletoe if you have to.”
They hadn’t needed mistletoe.
They hadn’t needed anything except each other.
She felt color rush into her cheeks and was relieved she and Stacy weren’t in visual contact. “I would never get involved with someone I work with.”
“Kayla, you work all the time. The only guys you are ever going to meet are people you work with, so unless you plan on leading a celibate life, you’re going to have to cross your own line at some point. Brett wants you to bring back maple syrup. His wife and youngest daughter like it.”
Kayla rolled her eyes. “He can buy it at the store.”
“It’s not the same as homemade in Vermont.”
Homemade in Vermont. She thought about the gingerbread Santas and the smell of baking.
“That’s it. I’m going to use that for our campaign. Homemade in Vermont. It’s all about traditional family values. A place you can share idyllic moments with those you love. Don’t most people want that?”
“Er—you don’t want that.”
“I’m not talking about me.” Kayla felt the familiar rush of excitement that came with ideas, swiftly followed by relief that at least part of her was operating normally. “People lead busy lives. They don’t have enough time for family and they feel guilty about that, and then the holidays come round and they want something that reaffirms their values. Snow Crystal does that. It’s a perfect place for families. We’ll put together some packages. And maybe we should profile the O’Neil family. They’ve built this place, stuck by each other—it’s the sort of story people love.” Her brain working, she strode back across the cabin and scribbled notes on her pad.
“That’s great. Are you having any fun there?”
“Fun?” She thought about the snowmobile ride. She thought about the kiss. “Everything is fine. I need to go. I want to talk to Elizabeth O’Neil about cookery.”
“You don’t know anything about cookery.”
“That’s why I need to talk to someone with knowledge.”
THE AROMA OF cinnamon and spice hit her as she walked up the snowy path to the front door. From the artful twist of fairy lights in the trees to the elaborate wreath on the door, the place sparkled with Christmas cheer.
Through the door she could hear Elizabeth singing along to Christmas songs. It made her want to run a mile and then she decided she didn’t want to be a woman who could be unsettled by a few twinkly lights and someone’s cheerful rendition of “Jingle Bells.”
Nor did she want to be a woman who was unsettled by one man’s kiss, even if that kiss had been insanely good.
Trying to push that out of her head, Kayla knocked briskly on the door and was greeted by ecstatic barking. Moments later, Elizabeth opened the door and Kayla saw the puppy springing up and down like a child on a trampoline.
“That’s a warm welcome.” Kayla was relieved at least one person in the family wasn’t bearing a grudge. “I wondered if you had time for a chat? But if this is a bad time—”
“It’s a perfect time! Tyler was supposed to be bringing Jess over, but there’s no sign of either of them. Maybe they’ve gone shopping. You know how it is at Christmas.”
Yes, she knew.
That was why she’d agreed to a week here. It was just a shame it wasn’t quite turning out how she’d planned.
She stepped into the hallway, saw boxes of decorations laid ready and tinsel heaped high and backed away like a wild animal sensing danger. “I’m disturbing you.”
“You’re certainly not disturbing me. It’s lovely to have company. I have biscuits in the oven and then we’ll trim the tree together.”
Kayla felt a rush of horror. She’d rather hug a moose than trim the tree. “No! I mean—I’m no good at it. I have no eye for what makes a pretty tree.”
“It will be fun. You’re so much taller than me, you can reach the top. Come through to the kitchen for a minute.” Elizabeth removed several trays of freshly baked cookies, which she quickly and efficiently transferred to a cooling rack.
Kayla tried to work out how she could escape from decorating a Christmas tree without causing offence. “Are you feeding the whole of Vermont?”
“Sometimes it feels that way. We sell them in the café, and we put them in the rooms when we have new guests arriving. I think those little touches make it feel less like a hotel and more like a home. Let’s go through to the living room. I’m waiting for Jackson to bring one more box of decorations from Alice’s attic.”
Kayla followed Elizabeth into the living room, careful not to tread on Maple, who was running happy circles around her feet.
Through the windows she could see past the trees to the lake and, beyond that, the snow-covered mountains. A log fire blazed and a large Christmas tree stood in the corner, waiting to be decorated. Kayla stared at it with an ache in her chest.
“Big tree.”
“Isn’t it a beauty? Tyler and Jackson dragged it from the forest on the sledge.”
Kayla picked out a chair angled away from the tree. Unfortunately that put her in direct line of sight of the mantelpiece with its garland of twisted ivy and delicate fairy lights. Keeping her head down, she pulled her notepad out of her bag. “Do you have time to talk about Snow Crystal?”
“I always have time to talk about Snow Crystal. Walter has taken Alice down to the village to buy more yarn, so Maple and I are on our own here.” Elizabeth carried the boxes in from the hallway and opened one of them. “I pack these away each year and then can’t remember what’s in them. Does that happen to you?”
“I—No. I rent a small apartment near Central Park. There’s barely room for me. I don’t decorate.”
“Not even a small tree? That’s terrible.” Elizabeth opened the first box. “Still, I suppose you have all those glittering New York shop windows to enjoy. Michael took me once. We saw them lighting the Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center. I’ll never forget it, although I still maintain there is nowhere I’d rather be than Snow Crystal at Christmas. You’ll never want to leave.”
She didn’t just want to leave, she wanted to leave right now.
Coming here had been a bad idea.
She’d thought she’d be able to escape, but there was no escape when the thing you were trying to escape was buried inside you.
