23
ASHER
It was fucking heartbreakingto hear the little girl’s crying. Mrs. Martin had her arm around her daughter, but her own face was tight with fear. Her designer handbag sat forgotten on the floor beside the couch, and her hands were shaking.
Zoe crouched down infront of them, her voice soft as she patted the little girl’s hand. “I know you’re scared. But Landon is the best. He won’t stop until he finds them.”
“And Kai’s with him,” I added, for Emma’s sake. “He’s Landon’s twin. So it’s like getting two Landons for the price of one.”
Emma nodded after considering those odds, but Mrs. Martin didn’t appear to have heard. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she glanced out the window. “It’s getting dark.”
“They have flashlights. Emergency equipment. Everything they need.” I kept my voice calm, authoritative. “Let’s go somewhere more comfortable. Have you eaten?”
She shook her head.
“Come on.” I gestured toward the stairs that led down to the restaurant. “Let me get you two something.”
Dinner service wasn’t supposed to start for another hour, but my staff was already prepping in the kitchen. I stuck my head through the door.
“Everyone out. Take a break. Thirty minutes.”
There were a few surprised looks, but no one questioned me. They filed out, and I held the door open, watching them go. When I turned back, Zoe was watching me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. Not the irritation I’d seen when we first met. Not the heated longing from our recent encounters. Something else, perhaps? Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.
I pulled out chairs for Mrs. Martin and Emma at a table up front. Emma was sniffling, her small hands clasped tight in her lap.
Zoe sat beside Mrs. Martin and reached out to hold her hand. Just that simple gesture was important. She was offering comfort, connection, and support. I saw Mrs. Martin’s shoulders relax slightly, saw her squeeze Zoe’s hand back.
“They’ll be okay,” Zoe said softly. “Try to breathe.”
But I noticed the way Zoe kept glancing toward the stairs, toward the door. The way her free hand was clenched in her lap. That distant look in her eyes like she was seeing the mountain in her mind.
I leaned in slightly, keeping my voice low so only she could hear. “Landon’s done this a lot. He’s trained for it. And Kai’s an amazing skier. They’ll find them. They’ll be okay. They’ll all come back.”
Her eyes met mine, and I saw the fear there. Fear for Henry and his father, yes. But also fear for our friends.
“You’re sure?” she whispered. For a moment, she sounded as young as Emma.
“I’m sure.”
She nodded, some of the tension leaving her shoulders. There was genuine concern in her eyes—not just for the family in front of her, but for the men out there on the mountain. This wasn’t the uptight, by-the-book intern I’d resented driving up here. This wasn’t even thegorgeous woman who’d been driving me crazy with desire these past few days.
This was someone with a good heart. Someone who knew how to be present for people who were hurting.
And all at once, it hit me how hard I’d been on her. Over a fucking review she didn’t even remember. A review from years ago when we were both just starting the path toward our careers.
I’d been a petty asshole. And for what?
Emma was pacing now, unable to sit still. Her mother watched her without truly seeing her.
“Hey,” I said to the little girl. “You want to help me in the kitchen?”
“Really?” She looked up at me, surprised. Maybe she thought men didn’t cook much. Or maybe she was just wondering why the fuck I was going to give a cooking lesson during an emergency. But having something to do was better than just waiting and wondering.
“Yeah. Come on.”
I led her through the swinging doors into my domain. The stainless steel gleamed under the lights, everything in its place, organized and ready. This was where I felt most at home. Most myself.
“Ever made scrambled eggs?” I asked.
