“I’ll try not to judge you for living in filth. Is there a throw pillow out of place? A pizza box you didn’t recycle?”
“Screw off,” Caden clipped.
I chuckled, but the sound didn’t quite ring true. “I’ll be there in a few.”
I glanced in my rearview mirror and then threw a U-turn. The path was one I’d taken a million times before. Caden’s family lived on their massive resort property nestled in the mountains. It was one of those places where the wealthy elite went toget away. In the winter, most guests had to arrive by helicopter because the mountain passes to get to Cedar Ridge could be snowed in. But that just added to the allure for some people.
Pulling up to a guard gate, I rolled down my window. The guy manning the station eyed me dubiously. “Is there a problem, officer?”
“Nope. I’m here to see Caden Shaw.”
The man straightened. “Name and ID.”
I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I was in my police SUV. Did he think I’d stolen a cop car just to get on resort grounds? “Nash Hartley.” I handed him my driver’s license.
He studied it carefully. “All right. Do you need a map to Mr. Shaw’s residence?”
“I’ve got it.”
He nodded, handing back my ID and opening the gate.
I took my foot off the brake and eased through the massive wrought-iron gates. The Peaks resort was out-of-this-world luxury set in one of the most rustic locations imaginable—private cabins with pools and hot tubs nestled into the mountainside with enough space between them to ensure privacy, a huge lodge with several restaurants, a spa, a movie theater, and a bowling alley. There was even a nightclub.
Mr. and Mrs. Shaw had their own home not far from the center of things, as did Caden’s brother, Gabe. But Caden had opted for a bit more privacy. My SUV curved around the resort road. I passed a golf course, the gym, and the stables, climbing even higher on the mountainside.
Finally, I caught sight of a narrow drive. I turned off and got my first glimpse of Caden’s place. He’d started construction on it not long after graduating college, desperate for some distance from his family. The place was a stunner.
A mixture of dark wood and glass, it somehow managed to be both rustic and modern. The windows on the front of the home were treated with something that meant you couldn’t see inside, but I knew the ones at the back of the house were clear as water.
Pulling to a stop behind Caden’s G-Wagon, I turned off my SUV. By the time I’d climbed out, Caden was opening the front door.
“It’s good to see you, man.” He pulled me into a back-slapping hug.
“You, too. It’s been way too long.” The last time I’d seen Caden was for a beer at Christmas.
“Well, you’ll be sick of me now.”
I raised a brow at that.
Caden waved me forward. “We can talk inside.”
As I stepped in, I gaped. Boxes were piled everywhere. “Did you move back?”
He shrugged. “I’ve still got my place in New York, but I’ll be here for at least a year.”
“And you didn’t think that warranted a text?” What was with my best friends making monumental moves without even a heads-up?
Caden winced. “It was super last minute. You were on my list to call today.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Caden clapped me on the back. “Don’t pout. I’ve got some of Miss Pat’s famous dip in the kitchen.”
I brightened at that. Caden’s chef from childhood was the best cook in the world. “Seven-layer?”
“You know it. She took it upon herself to stock my fridge so I wouldn’t go hungry.”
“You’re forgiven.”
