Finding Cupid

by B. E. Baker

  Braids shrugs. “You never know.”

  Their conversation transformed Geo’s scowl into contemplative reflection. I certainly approve of the upgrade. I lean toward Geo slowly, checking for her permission before scooping her up again. “Ready to head for the ER?”

  She purses her lips. “What about Charlie?”

  I shake my head. “You can’t really be thinking of hobbling in to finish the meeting?”

  “I need to get the final numbers he said he’d work up and try to haggle him down before I send them on to Luke and Mary. They need to make their decision quickly.”

  I laugh. “I’ll lean on Charlie, okay? And if the number isn’t rock bottom, I think Luke will survive.” I think about the joke he played on me and mentally want to add a zero or two to Charlie’s quote. “In any case, they can’t possibly expect you to negotiate injured.”

  “They expect me to do my job, and so do I. My poorly considered recreational activities should never work a disservice on my client.” Her brow is furrowed and I lean over and kiss it without thinking about it.

  She pulls back like I mauled her and glances at Braids sideways like she might be a card carrying member of the paparazzi.

  “Let’s just go to the ER,” she says.

  I slide my arms gently under her knees and around behind her back and underneath her arms to lift her up. Braids throws me two thumbs up on our way out the door. She’s more optimistic than I am about my chances just now.

  When I slide Geo into the passenger side of my Land Rover, she takes my hand. “I’m sorry I was so rude in there.”

  I meet her eyes. “It’s normal to be upset when you get injured. Believe me, I know.”

  “Have you ever torn your ACL?”

  I laugh. “You’re pretty literal. I haven’t had that exact injury, but I’ve had my share of broken bones and believe me, I always feel a mixture of embarrassment for some reason, and anger. It’s completely normal, and you don’t know me that well yet. Which only makes it even harder to be calm.”

  Her hand touches my cheek. “Thanks for being so forgiving. It was embarrassing. Especially when your friend Natalie skied by so adeptly. I’m obviously not the type of girl you usually spend time with.”

  I snort. “Neither is Natalie. She told you she’s a publicist? As far as I can tell all she publicizes is how much of her parents’ money she can spend. She has an apartment in New York she never stays at. She flies from one of her daddy’s cabins to the other. Non-stop. You could probably take a girls’ volleyball team to nationals with her frequent flier miles each year.”

  Geo’s gorgeous blue eyes narrow at me. “How do you know so much about her travel habits?”

  Is she jealous? Usually I hate possessive women, but this time I find myself hoping she is. I toss Geo’s backpack in the rear seat of the SUV. “She’s a shameless self-promoter on social media. Half of America knows her whereabouts. I wouldn’t be surprised if she took out ads.”

  Geo laughs. “Fine.”

  I slide the buckle toward her and she takes it from me, our hands brushing in the process. I want to kiss her, but I imagine her shutting down again if I do. Reluctantly, I cross to my side of the car and climb in, bound for the ER.

  The Vail ER shows us into a room almost immediately. After an x-ray, a tall, fit bald doctor comes in to talk to us. “Mrs. Polson, Mr. Polson, I have good news.”

  “We aren’t married,” Geo says. “He’s not even my boyfriend. We’re working together and he brought me in today when I was injured.”

  “Ah, okay. Sorry about that.” He redirects all his attention toward Geo. “Well then Miss Polson, the good news is that you likely only have a level one or two sprain. That means one of your ligaments is injured, and as far as injuries go, it’s pretty much the least severe. There’s nothing on the x-ray, but there’s no way to know for sure how badly the ligaments were injured or whether they’ll recover on their own. Judging from your current mobility, I’d say you’ll be fine in two or three days. We won’t know for sure until we’ve waited a bit. Have you heard of RICE?”

  This one I know, and I might be feeling a little left out, so I butt in. “Rest the joint, ice the area, compress, and elevate,” I say.

  The doc nods at me approvingly.

  I shrug. “I’ve skied for a long time.”

  He chuckles. “That would do it.”

  “I’m on the last flight out tonight,” Geo protests. “Will I be fine to make that? I can call the airline and arrange for a wheelchair, maybe?” She wrings her hands.

  The doc glances down at an iPad. “Are you sure about that?”

  “What do you mean?” Geo asks, her brows drawn together like a quotation mark.

  “Last I heard, they were grounding all flights for the storm.”

  “Grounding flights?” She closes her eyes. “This can’t be happening.”

  “There’s a huge snowstorm hitting tonight,” he says. “I seriously doubt you’re going anywhere.”

  She groans. “I have an important meeting Monday that I can’t miss.”

  He shrugs. “Maybe it’ll clear up fast. Colorado’s pretty effective at clearing runways of ice and snow, as long as the blizzard’s done dumping precipitation. I’d be more worried right now about finding a place to stay. The nearby hotels are all full, from what I’m hearing. We’ve got patients requesting transfer to Denver and I’m not sure if we can arrange it before the storm hits. If your flight leaves from there, I’d head over immediately to try and stay ahead of it.”

  Geo’s jaw drops. “I was just outside. It looked fine.”

  The doctor shrugs. “Storm shifted about an hour ago. It’s barreling straight toward us.”

  Geo swears. The doctor leaves and she taps on her phone screen, her face falling. “My flight has been cancelled.” She swears again, and taps more on her phone.

  “Hello,” she says into the receiver. “This is Geode Polson. I was supposed to be meeting with Mr. Corning right now, but I’m afraid I’ve injured my knee.” She pauses. “Yes, I can hold, but more pressing is that I don’t have anywhere to stay. I was hoping you could—“

  She gulps.

  “No, I completely understand,” she says, and hangs up.

  She turns toward me slowly. “I hate to ask this, but any chance you can pull some strings with Charlie?”

  I grin at her. “I can call Charlie for sure, but with that knee, you’re going to struggle at the resort.”

  She frowns. “What are you suggesting?”

  I shake my head. “I’m offering, not suggesting. I’m happy to call Charlie and I’m sure he can find you a place, so there’s no pressure from me. But I have a cabin a few miles away. It’s where I’m staying tonight.”

  She opens her mouth and then closes it again. It looks like interest warring with fear.

  She’s afraid I’ll seduce her. I can’t quite help the grin that sneaks onto my face. “My sister’s staying there with me if that helps, and there are seven bedrooms. I promise to be on my best behavior.” I cross my heart, and the next words just pop out of my mouth. “I won’t even try to kiss you.”

  I have no idea where that came from. Gentlemanly isn’t usually a word people would use to describe me, but there I am, Trig Thornton, white knight. Now that I’ve promised not to, the only thing I can think about is kissing her.

  The doctor clears his throat. “Far be it for me to interfere, but if you have a cozy cabin like this, and there’s food and a generator for when the grid goes down?” He lifts his eyebrows and I nod. “I’d take him up on it before he changes his mind.”

  Geo nods. “Thank you, Trig. I’d really appreciate it.”

  “No problem. I should let my sister know and make sure I don’t need to pick anything up.”

  I text Brekka right away. I’M BRINGING GEO FOR DINNER. NEED ANYTHING?

  ROSA JUST BROUGHT SUPPLIES. SHE’S STILL HERE ACTUALLY.

  DID YOU OFFER TO LET HER STAY? I text.

  OF COU
RSE, BUT SHE LIVES A MILE AWAY. SHE’LL HEAD HOME ONCE I HAVE DINNER READY.

  PERFECT. I glance up at Geo, who looks at me nervously. “She says it’s fine.”

  Brekka always has a lot to say, so of course she keeps texting. WITH A STORM BARRELING THIS WAY. I’M GIDDY TO HAVE COMPANY. WHAT SHOULD I MAKE? CHICKEN PARM? FILETS? OR SOMETHING SIMPLE LIKE CHICKEN SOUP?

  I text her back. SHE’S SPRAINED HER KNEE SO SHE WON’T BE VERY SPRY.

  Brekka sends me a heart eyes emoji. JUST MY SPEED.

  OH PLEASE, I text back. YOU WHEEL CIRCLES AROUND ME.

  YOU GOT THAT RIGHT. CAN’T WAIT TO MEET HER.

  I grin. I MAY NEED YOUR HELP. SHE’S PRETTY UNDECIDED ABOUT ME.

  Little dots. I glance up and notice Geo’s ready to go. Brekka’s text comes through just in time to read before I need to carry Geo out. I’M UNDECIDED ABOUT YOU TOO. I’M NOT SURE I CAN HELP YOU MUCH.

  OH SHUT UP, I text back. YOU LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT ME.

  LOVE AND LIKE AREN’T THE SAME, B.

  I roll my eyes and pocket my phone. I swing Geo up into my arms again, and my heart swells alarmingly. I’m just supposed to be teaching her how to loosen up. I’m not ready to get attached. I like my life too much to contemplate adding a wife.

  Don’t I?

  I think about my mom and dad, and I cringe. I won’t ever subject myself to that kind of misery. No, I’ll figure out why Geo doesn’t date, loosen her up a little and pass her along to someone else. Maybe Paul. I bet once he’s met Geo he’ll make time for her, new product launch or not.

  Thinking about Paul meeting Geo makes me want to slam my fist into the wall. I stomp down the hall and load Geo into the Land Rover. It’s already snowing as I navigate the familiar streets toward my family cabin.

  “On no.” I slam my palm into the steering wheel. “I forgot to grab your luggage. Is it at the resort?”

  She shakes her head. “That backpack’s all I brought.”

  “Your suit is stuffed in there?”

  She shrugs. “They’re doing amazing things with synthetic blend fabrics these days. Although, I don’t have any shoes other than those heels.” She shakes her head. “Maybe I can buy a pair of sneakers at the airport or something. I doubt I can even hobble in those right now.”

  “They’re made more with looks in mind than practicality, that’s for sure. I’m sure you can have a pair of Brekka’s.” She doesn’t really use them anymore, but I don’t mention that. I always let Brekka handle that part. She’s particular about it. “You look about the same size.”

  “Brekka’s your sister?”

  I nod. “My little sister. My best friend. And a pain in the neck, too. You’ll see soon enough. She’s making dinner now.”

  “She didn’t need to do that,” Geo says. “I feel bad. I really appreciate you putting me up, especially since I’m gimpy.”

  I wince. “You’re injured, but you’re not gimpy.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “It’s no problem, really,” I say. “Brekka’s been excited to meet you ever since I told her how you declined my offer of a ride here from Atlanta.”

  “Oh yeah?” Geo asks.

  “Yep.” I smile. “She thinks you lied to me, actually.”

  “Excuse me?” she asks.

  “Apparently round trip flights do cost more than one way trips.”

  “Oh.” Geo blushes. “I might have exaggerated that a little. But you were coming on a little strong.”

  “And you don’t date.”

  She nods. “Right.”

  “So what exactly were we doing earlier, if that wasn’t a date?”

  “Skiing you mean?”

  I grunt. “Skiing. And I seem to recall some memorable kissing.”

  Her face turns even redder. It’s unbelievably cute. “I think we agreed that was a mistake.”

  “Excuse me?” I brake for the turn onto Booth Creek Drive. “I never implied, much less said, any such thing.”

  She scowls at me. “Well, it’s not going to happen again. You said as much in front of the doctor.”

  “I said I wouldn’t try to kiss you,” I say. “I didn’t say you wouldn’t throw your gorgeous self at me. And when you do, I make no promises.”

  She rolls her eyes. “That happens to you a lot, does it?”

  “I’ve had my share of interest from the ladies.”

  “I bet,” she says.

  “What does that mean?”

  I pull into the driveway slowly, unsure how ice-free it is.

  “Holy wow, this is your ‘cabin’?” Geo’s eyes dart back and forth, taking in the wood beams and glass joined with copious amounts of stone. My mom may be crazy squared, but she and my dad got this right. Our Vail cabin has always been my favorite.

  “Expecting something different?” I ask.

  “Smaller, and maybe with logs?”

  “Logs are made of wood, and there’s lots of wood.”

  She shakes her head. “How big is this, exactly?”

  “I warned you it had seven bedrooms. You were expecting a Lincoln Log home?” I smirk and hit the clicker for the garage. The pine trees covering the mountain behind our house are snow covered now, and a decent dusting already covers the flagstone driveway. The wooden garage door shoves powdery snow out of the way as it lifts, and I pull into the clean garage space with relief. I like snow, but I hate being out and about during storms. I try to ignore the warm feeling in my chest at the thought of having Geo here with me, snowed in, at my favorite family cabin.

  “Not Lincoln Logs, no.” She sighs. “This is just a whole other level.”

  “It’s pretty basic for a Vail cabin in this area. A few living areas, a pool, a hot tub, another hot tub upstairs. I’d offer you the room that connects to that one, but I don’t think you’re supposed to heat that knee for at least twenty-four hours.”

  She looks a little shell shocked.

  I sling her backpack over my shoulders and open her door. I pull her out of the seat and carry her inside. Brekka’s sitting on the sofa, but she turns and waves. “Hey B, welcome home. This must be Geo?”

  I carry Geo into the family room and set her on the sofa. “Geo got in a fight with that knotty pine at the corner of the downturn by lift two.”

  Brekka shakes her head. “I hate that pine. It’s taken me out a few times. Hit the ice patch?”

  “You ski, I take it?” Geo asks.

  Brekka grins. “I spent every day of my childhood skiing that slope. The stupid light from that nearby light pole melts the snow and it re-forms as ice every night. Got me every time I wasn’t paying attention. Sorry that happened. How’s your knee?”

  She leans forward and pokes Geo’s snow pants delicately.

  “It’s throbbing, but I think if I get some ice on it soon, it’ll be okay. Doc thinks it’s just a sprain, thankfully.”

  “You sound like you know a little about injuries,” Brekka says.

  Geo bites her lip. “I cheered in high school. I tore my left knee and needed surgery. It was a bear to recover from. I’m just relieved this seems minor.”

  Brekka raises her eyebrows. “I bet.” I’m not even surprised that Brekka’s already getting more information out of Geo than I have. She hates being forced to interact with people, but when she does, she’s naturally adept. Introverts.

  And now thanks to her, I can’t get the image of Geo in a cheer uniform out of my head. Which only makes me want to kiss her even more. Thanks for that, Brekka.

  7

  Geo

  The ‘cabin’ Trig brought us to more closely resembles a palace, or a mansion at the very least. The lines are gorgeous, light streaming from oversized picture windows on every wall, with stone and rough hewn wood accents. A thirty foot tall marble fireplace stands at the center of enormous windows rising on either side and on the far wall. The trim is all shiny mahogany. The surfaces are painted in that greige that’s so popular everywhere right now. Pine trees spread their needles outside th
e family room as though they were designed to frame these windows. For all I know, they were.

  The furniture’s a complimentary mix of fabric, fur, and leather that looks expensive without being too heavy.

  “You need to change out of that ski suit.” Brekka’s such a tiny little person nestled in the corner of the large sofa. “I’m sure the pressure from it isn’t helping matters. Plus, there’s no way ice will permeate the fabric, which is kind of the point.”

  Trig’s sister reminds me of a china doll, resting on a throne. Perfect, dainty features. Dark, liquid eyes, and highlighted russet hair that falls forward to frame her face. She’s small too. It’s hard to tell with her sitting, but I’d guess she’s several inches shorter than me at least. Trig’s truly clueless if he thinks we’d wear the same size. Maybe in shoes. I glance down at her feet and he might be right. She could be a size eight, or close. I hope so.

  “I only have a pair of pajamas in case I got stuck, and my suit,” I say. “I was supposed to fly back to Atlanta later today.”

  Brekka tsks, a sound just like her brother makes. “That won’t do. You can wear your pajamas tonight if you’d like, but you’re welcome to anything in my closet. In fact, I insist on it. We’ll go shopping in my closet right now if you want.” She lowers her voice. “Are your pajamas decent?”

  I giggle. “Yes, they’re flannel, plaid flannel actually. I knew I was flying to Colorado in the winter.”

  She leans back, clearly relieved for me. “Oh good. Well, tonight Trig and I can wear pjs too, as a show of solidarity. But tomorrow you’ll get a tour of Brekka’s closet.”

  She talks about herself in the third person. I like her already.

  “Thanks,” I say. “Trig said you were great, and it sure seems like he was right.”

  She glances at Trig and rolls her eyes. “He’s prone to exaggeration in most areas, but he’s spot on about that one thing. I am fabulous.” She pats my good knee. “Trig can carry you upstairs to one of the guest rooms and you can get changed.” She freezes then, like a deer that’s just seen a human. “Unless you’d rather have my help instead?”