Chapter 1
Ethan
I was never bigon Christmas. Everything is too happy and too bright and too loud. Shops close, people go on holidays, the celebration spirit takes over… It makes my job harder. Yet here I am, stuck in a fancy hotel on Christmas week with nothing to do.
My brother, Charlie, will have a field day when he hears.
I prop my ass against the side of the nearest couch and look out the window, where a hint of condensation has already accumulated. Plains of pure white dominate the landscape as the snow keeps falling in massive rags. It’s tranquil. And it looks cold. Too cold. Retrieving my phone from the pocket of my custom-tailored dress pants, I look at the time. Five minutes have passed since the receptionist went off to make a call to the village hall hoping to sort out my predicament. I’m starting to get antsy.
“Mr. Ward?” the middle-aged woman with the half-shaven head says upon her return, aiming a sympathetic smile my way. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to get a car up here until the roads get cleared. The sheriff said that unless it stops snowing soon, it might take a while.”
I thumb my phone unlocked and press on the weather app. The forecast for this area of Canada’s Northern Rocky Mountains is more snow for the foreseeable future.
Amazing.
“Can we get a helicopter to pick me up?”
Her smile drops a notch, her green eyes growing even more apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Ward. For safety reasons, everything is grounded until the conditions improve.”
The snow keeps falling outside, adding to the uniformity of the white on this side of the mountain resort. I can’t even tell where the narrow road off this godforsaken place is anymore. I should’ve never come here. And not just because I packed lightly. Or, well,didn’treally pack, save for a couple pairs of socks and underwear. I was meant to be in and out as quickly as possible. The private jet I hired is waiting at the airport, scheduled to take me back to Miami in the evening. I was going to sleep on the way home.
I sigh, rubbing my temples. It doesn’t look like that’s happening. It’s very bleak outside with the snow continuing to fall.
The Christmas song playing over the speakers in the lobby ends. The forecast follows, promising more snow for the next four or five days, and then the radio host informs us that the small resort village of North Hut is currently cut off from the rest of the world. Edmonton authorities are working to plow through the obscene amount of snow and make the roads accessible, but the weather is waving the middle finger at them.
Fuck my life. I need coffee.
“Thanks. Keep me updated if the situation changes, please.”
She smiles, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. “Of course, Mr. Ward. And the North Paradise Hotel will do everything in our power to make your stay with us as pleasant as possible. Despite the unfortunate weather, our Christmasactivities and program will take place as planned. Make sure to sign up for the ones that you are interested in.”
I take the laminated brochure she hands me and head toward the hotel’s restaurant. I can’t believe I got stuck here of all places. Winter and I have a complicated relationship and the only reason I set foot in this icy part of the world instead of a warm beach down south is the business deal with Keiv Robotics. As the CEO of Ward Security, having the tech giant partner with us is a massive opportunity I can’t pass on. But then the universe decided to play a shitty joke on me. The representatives’ flight got delayed due to the weather conditions, so by the time they arrived, the roads were closed and they couldn’t even make it here.
Talk about a waste of a trip.
Tuning out the unfortunately catchy Christmas song the radio blasts, I approach the restaurant’s bar. Other than coffee, I am craving something sweet to go with my double espresso. But I’m not a breakfast person and have no idea what I want, so I’ll take the chef’s recommendation.
Speaking of the chef…
The guy manning the bar beams at me, his entire face smiling. He looks like he’s having a great day, despite our dire circumstances, but I let it pass. He has nice eyes. They are a rich brown that leans toward whiskey. The crown of wild black curls that frame his angular face make them pop.
“Hi there. What can I get you?” he asks in a smooth but slightly hoarse voice. It rushes right through me, making my skin tingle.
I claim a stool and lean my forearms on the counter. “A double espresso. And something sweet.”
He hums, rolling up the sleeves of his white uniform. His arms look nice,reallynice. “Someone’s feeling adventurous, Isee.” He dusts off his black apron, but I don’t catch his name embroidered above the hotel’s logo. “Allergies?”
“None that I know of.”
Still smiling at me, he crosses his arms and pins me with his intense gaze. I feel like a specimen under a microscope. But there’s really nothing interesting about me. Ethan Ward is just your typical hard-working CEO. When I’m not busy running my multibillion-dollar company, I hit the gym or pretend I know how to switch off and enjoy downtime. I do look good—both me and my brother take after our mother. Blue eyes, dark hair, full lips and straight noses. I’m a little bigger and taller than him, but similarly, putting on muscle has never been that easy for me.
“One mysterious breakfast with a double espresso coming right up, then,” the guy says and gets to work.
I watch the muscles along his arms flex and unflex. The motion is mesmerizing. I bet he’s strong. Maybe he works out too… or is it just the kitchen work that keeps him fit?
I reel back a heartbeat later.What was this? Whether this guy works out or not is none of my business.
The coffee machine is behind him, so he turns his back to me. His hands are quick and nimble, setting the cup and coffee beans and then pressing buttons until the hot liquid starts coming out of the machine. The aroma hits me immediately, waking up my tastebuds as anticipation for the bitter flavor spreads inside my mouth. I’ve had an awful morning so far, and this is exactly what I need.
