Somehow, it didn’t surprise me. Reed had a bubbly and outgoing personality. He was as far from introverted as a person could get.
“Music is fine,” I said. “Just nothing crazy, please.”
“Define crazy.”
“Heavy metal.”
“Do I look like I listen to death metal, Mr. Sawyer?” Reed grinned at me before focusing back on the road.
“Well, I didn’t expect you to nerd out at renaissance festivals either. People can be surprising.”
“First of all,” he said, holding up a finger, “I don’t nerd out at them. I go to support my friend, who is a total geek when it comes to medieval shit. And second of all… yeah, I don’t like death metal.”
I chuckled, much to my surprise. It was to his surprise too, if the shocked look he tossed me was any indication.
“I need to work a little,” I said, reaching behind my seat for my laptop. I had charged it the night before, so it had a full battery and was set up to the Wi-Fi hotspot on my phone. I needed to type up a few reports, but it was mainly a reason to distance myself from him for a while. “Listen to what you want.”
I intentionally reverted to a neutral tone and expression. Just because we were stuck together didn’t mean I had to be overly friendly. It was best to keep our relationship as professional as possible. No more getting to know each other.
Because dammit, the more he talked to me about his life, the more I liked him.
Reed chose an indie playlist on his phone and hooked it up to the stereo. The songs were mellow and easy to listen to. I glanced up at one of them, seeing it was called “Love Like This” from a group called Kodaline.
“Is this okay?” Reed asked, glancing between me and the stereo. “I can turn it off.”
“No need.” I looked back at my computer. “I like it.”
Two hours into the trip, I started feeling a little sick from staring at my computer screen while the car moved down a long stretch of road with twists and turns, so I put it away and stared out the window instead. We had officially left the coast and were deep in the forests of Washington, surrounded by trees so tall they looked like they touched the sky.
A flurry landed on the windshield.
“Is there more snow in the forecast?” Reed asked, glancing up at the sky. Not that he could see it that well through the dense trees.
“I’ll check.” I clicked on the weather app on my phone. It had changed drastically since I had checked it early that morning. “Another storm is on its way.”
“Think we’ll make it back before it hits?”
“I’m not sure.” I put my phone away. “If it gets too bad to drive in, we can stay at a hotel for the night and drive home tomorrow.”
That was worst-case scenario, though. Snow was very common in Blue Harbor, and I was comfortable driving in it. Staying overnight somewhere wouldn’t be necessary.
“I hope I didn’t jinx us yesterday when I mentioned a blizzard.” Reed chewed his bottom lip.
“It’ll be okay.”
A little snow was nothing we couldn’t handle.
***
It most definitely was not okay.
By the time we arrived in Greenville, a thin layer of snow covered the grassy areas and was accumulating on the roads. Not bad enough to make them undrivable, but we still had a meeting to get through, plus a four-hour drive back. If it continued to snow that long and that much, we very well might need to stop for the night.
My mind instantly went to the narrow, two-lane roads we’d had to travel through to get there, the only way in and out of the area. If they iced over, it would be unwise to drive until they were cleared.
“Yep. I jinxed us,” Reed said, angling his head up toward the white sky after we parked at the resort. Snow flurries gathered in his light brown hair and stuck to his lashes as he closed his eyes.
God. He was beautiful.
“It’s just a little snow,” I told him, grabbing my briefcase from the back seat.
“This is kind of awesome.” He stared in awe at the scene before us.
The main building was built like a cabin but way bigger. It had walls of windows and an arching roof. Other luxury cabins surrounded it, as well as a dining area, one for recreation, and woodsy décor that hit all the right notes for travelers wanting a relaxing stay in the mountains. Appearance-wise, it was on point. Very aesthetic and pleasing to the eye.
Much like the man at my side.
I quickly looked away from him. “It’s still under construction right now. I’m sure it’ll be even more awesome once it’s finished.”
Reed cocked his head toward me and grinned.
“Can I help you?” a young woman greeted us once we entered the lobby. She had a round face and bright, youthful eyes. She looked no older than twenty. The owner’s daughter, perhaps, or a niece. No other employees were around since it wasn’t set to open until spring.
“Yes.” I approached her, holding out a hand. “I’m Daniel Sawyer. I have a ten o’clock meeting with Vivian Parks.”
“Oh, good. You made it,” she said, her smile widening. “We weren’t sure with the weather. I heard it’s supposed to turn nasty soon. I’m Jamie Parks, her daughter. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
Normally, our clients came to us or we traveled a short distance to meet with them. This client was different. Vivian Parks came from a family well known all over the country for their high-class five-star resorts. When she announced opening the Mountainside Inn and Spa, we had jumped at the opportunity to work with her.
Along with her wealth, she also had a reputation for being hard to please.
“She’s waiting for you in her office,” Jamie said after walking back into the lobby, her heels clacking on the hardwood floor.
“Thank you.” I turned to Reed, who was staring around the room with curious eyes. “Wait here.”
He had come with me, but the meeting was between me and Vivian Parks. I played over my introduction in my head and how I’d sell the pitch. Our team had worked day and night getting this campaign just right. If she hated it, I had a plan B. Hell. I’d come up with a plan C and D too on the spot if I had to.
“Mr. Sawyer?” Reed said as I started to walk away. I glanced at him, and he gave me a warm smile. “Breathe.”
I exhaled and gave a sharp nod. “I shouldn’t be long.”
I followed Jamie around a corner and into a large office with a cream-and-gold color scheme. The floor-to-ceiling window gave a view of evergreen trees and the falling snow. Snow that was, regrettably, falling even heavier now.
“Mr. Sawyer,” Vivian said, standing from her chair and walking around to the front of her desk. She wore a pinstriped pantsuit that hugged her petite frame, and her bleach-blonde hair was styled in a pixie cut. Her red lips curved in a smile. “I’m glad the weather didn’t delay your trip. I’ve been looking forward to it.”
“I’m honored you think so highly of our company.”
“The company. Yes.” She rested a hip against her desk and crossed one leg over the other, showing a peek of her ankle and the five-inch red stilettos. “Please have a seat. Can I get you something to drink?”