An Extra Pump of Sugar

Chapter 21

Theo smiled at me from the opposite end of the hot tub, and his eyes traveled to my orange swimsuit top, where falling snow kissed my skin and rolled down my chest. I kicked at him for overtly checking me out, but he immediately hooked his foot around my ankle and tugged, nearly pulling me under the water—like the absolute dungeon troll he was. I yelped, scrambling to place my ass back on the seat, and I splashed at him for laughing.

"I'm not interrupting, am I?" Walker asked from the edge of the tub.

Theo and I quickly unraveled our feet so he could join us. "Just a murder attempt," I huffed, and the barista grinned into his can of sparkling water.

After skiing, the five of us picked up some pizzas and drove over to Van's rental in South Tahoe. I'd been expecting the likes of a shack or a toolshed when we pulled up the driveway—simply based on the price bracket for lakeside property and vacation homes, not to mention Van's humble lifestyle. But to my pleasant surprise, the house was newly renovated, possessed a fully functioning furnace, and Van shared it with three sane, well-endowed roommates.

And most notably, it came with a hot tub for mid-winter soaks.

The hot water soothed my aching, overworked muscles, while the cool air provided the perfect contrast to our boiling cauldron. Above us, the sky shed fat, lazy snow flurries, and we even had a view of Big Blue through the trees.

Well, the alpine lake was more of a metallic silver at the moment, but it was still as magnificent as it was deep.

Despite living so close to the popular tourist destination, I only made it up to the lake once or twice a year. But every time I drove up to the east shore for an ice bath or a day of sunbathing, I never left my camera behind; the national wonder always promised a gorgeous landscape. It didn't matter how many times I'd gazed upon her—the lake never disappointed.

"Good job out there today, Mona," Walker said, lifting his glasses on top of his head so he could see through the steam. The two of us had skied together after I'd encouraged Theo to tackle the more advanced runs, and we'd had a blast weaving gracefully around children and other beginners. "These white people enjoy the thrill of chutes and double blacks, but I'll settle for the bunny hills. I just want to enjoy my day off, you know? Maybe drink a beer on my way down." He winked at me. "Just know you have a skiing buddy if you ever need one."

I smiled, sensing Theo's attentive eyes on me. "Thank you. I might take you up on that."

Commotion rang from the kitchen, and I spotted our competitive duo kicking back shots. Van cackled at something Baker said, shaking his head at us through the sliding glass door. Get a load of this kid, his expression conveyed. But Baker was already pouring herself another drink and challenging him to a second round.

"So," Walker draped his arm across the tub rim behind me. "Theo tells me you're about to start your last year of school. What happens after that? Any plans?"

I spared an apologetic glance in Theo's direction, aware that he'd heard this all before, but it wasn't boredom that tainted his expression right now. It was something else entirely.

"I'm not sure," I admitted, expecting judgment, but all I found in Walker's eyes was curiosity. "For so long, I thought I wanted to get the hell out of this town. Cut my roots and abandon ship, you know? But when I try to look that far into the future, I don't see anything clearly." My shoulders dropped. "There's just...no vision. Nothing."

Walker sighed, and he leaned closer to me, halving the distance between us until our faces were a few inches apart. But unlike most men I'd had the displeasure of speaking with, he'd created an intimate space that was actually comfortable. It felt friendly, and innocuous, and disarming. And I instantly knew that his proximity was not intended to trap, but to invite.