“Lock up behind you!” Bill shouted from the railing.
“Get down here and help us carry something, then!” Jessica yelled back, and Whitney chuckled over the sound of several plastic bags crinkling together.
I followed Bill downstairs. Whitney was struggling to get out of her jacket.
“Here,” I said, taking her by the shoulders and reaching for her zipper, which was frozen solid and stuck on a piece of the inner fabric. She stood still as I bent my head, yanking on the zipper until it came free.
“Thanks,” she said softly, giving me a brief smile, her eyes meeting mine.
I smiled back, feeling another rush of heat bloom in my chest. We were standing close together as I helped her out of her sleeves and took her coat over my arm. She watched me, her eyes following as I hung the jacket on a hook and turned back to her to grab one of the bags of food off the counter. “What?” I chuckled. “Has anyone ever helped you out of a coat before?”
“Of course,” she replied, another smile touching her lips. “Just not you.”
“Was I terrible at it?”
“At freeing me from a frozen zipper?” Her laugh lit the room.
I found myself just looking at her, taking her in, watching the way her nose crinkled as she smiled up at me. “Hey, Professor.”
“Hey, Whitney.”
“So did you actually read the book?”
“Everyone keeps asking me that like I’m not a serious member of this book club I joined against my will.”
She smirked at me over her shoulder as I followed her upstairs. “Well, me and Jessica wouldn’t have joined if you or Bill were running it and making the book list. We already read enough philosophy and biographies for school.”
“And mafia romance is your idea of fun, then?”
“I don’t like it nearly as much as fantasy,” she admitted just as we reached the loft.
I set the bag of food on the low table where everyone had gathered. Jessica handed me a paper plate as I sat down beside Whitney. Beer and wine was poured to go with the wide variety of dishes Whitney and Jessica had picked up for us.
“So,” Bill said between bites, one arm draped over Jessica’s shoulders. “You’re all going skiing this weekend, then? Leaving me behind?”
“You could come.” Jessica beamed and nudged him. “I could sneak you into my room.”
“We do all get separate rooms,” Tyler cut in with a nod.
“The university really let Cassandra run with the budget,” Whitney said, serving herself some noodles. “I heard we’re staying in a huge private lodge near the mountain.”
Bill looked from Whitney to me. “Are you going too?”
“I am.”
He held my gaze for a moment before it slid back to Whitney, a playful, knowing smirk touching his lips. I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to say something I might regret.
Bill and I spent a lot of time together. We didn’t talk about my situation with Whitney much, but we didn’t need to. He knew something had happened between us that made us end our relationship, if we could even call it that.
He’d also spent Christmas with Jessica’s family, Whitney included.
He knew. He knew I was still pining and regretting ever letting her go.
“I’ll hold down the fort, I guess,” he sighed, faking his disappointment. “I hate peace and quiet.”
“Oh, please,” Jessica giggled, leaning against him. “You just don’t know how to ski.”
“I don’t, you’re right. I prefer the great indoors, reading books. But not whatever you chose for today’s meeting.” He rolled his eyes back to me. “What did you think of it?”
