Leah skidded to a stop next to him and followed his gaze. “You could just marry her, you know. Then you’d both be happy.”
Jared turned away from the hill. “She seems plenty happy to me.”
“Is she?” Leah jabbed her ski pole into the ground and gave him a hard stare. “Look, you know I love Peyton like a sister, and I love you, too. Clearly, you two are not over each other. But if you can’t marry her and give her the life she deserves, then you need to let her go. Let her start again. It’s not fair to her if you don’t.”
“I can’t marry her, Leah.” Jared pushed off, making his way toward the lift.
“Then you know what you need to do,” Leah called from behind him.
Yeah, he did know what he had to do.
He just didn’t know how to do it.
Chapter 5
“Again?” Sawyer shot Peyton the same impish grin he’d given her after every run so far.
Every muscle in her body ached, but she nodded, a return grin stretching her own cheeks. She was having way too much fun to quit.
Skiing with Jared had always been fun, too. But after she’d broken her wrist that first year, he’d hovered so much, always afraid to let her go too fast or get too far in front of him, in case she got hurt. It’d made her feel safe and protected. But it’d also kept her from experiencing the thrill of taking a hill at full speed.
Besides, she’d made more than a dozen runs already this morning, and she hadn’t wiped out once. Clearly, Jared had underestimated her abilities. If it weren’t for Sawyer, she would still be on the beginner slopes Jared had convinced her to stick to.
Sawyer grabbed Peyton’s gloved hand as the chair lift swept under them. Of all the things Peyton missed about being in a relationship, holding hands was near the top of the list. Having her hand in another man’s felt odd but not necessarily in a bad way.
“Want to grab some lunch after this?” Sawyer’s grip tightened on hers. “We can go to one of the small reception areas that aren’t being used. Have some privacy.”
“Sure.” To her surprise, Peyton didn’t have to think about the answer. She’d had a nice morning with Sawyer and had even successfully managed to avoid watching Jared most of the time. Lunch with Sawyer—where Jared wouldn’t be around to distract her at all—sounded nice.
“Race you down this time.” He tugged her hand as they slid off the lift.
“You’re on.” She had to laugh at herself as she followed him. She never would have expected to enjoy his fun and fast style. But she felt fearless this morning.
Sawyer led her past the head of the blue trail they’d been taking all day to the edge of the hill, where the slope steepened sharply.
Peyton sucked in a breath as she caught a glimpse of the black diamond symbol on the sign off to the side. Was she really up for this advanced trail?
She shoved down the apprehension. If Sawyer thought she could handle it, then she was willing to give it a try. Besides, it was right next to the blue. How much harder could it be?
“Ready?” Sawyer winked at her, then lowered his goggles.
She blew out a quick breath, then pulled hers down and nodded.
“Set.”
Peyton’s shoulders tensed, and she tightened her grip on her poles, bending her knees so she’d be ready to push off.
“Go!”
At Sawyer’s shout, Peyton shoved off, hard. Within seconds, she was flying down the hill, the snow biting at her cheeks. She angled her hips and crouched lower. She needed more speed if she was going to beat Sawyer.
Her heart thundered in her ears, cutting off all other sounds. The speed was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. She wasn’t sure she liked it, but she wasn’t about to back off now. She’d started this challenge, and she was going to finish it.
Halfway down, she chanced a glance to the side. Sawyer was a few feet in front of her, but if she went a little faster, she might be able to catch him.
She let out an involuntary scream as she accelerated. She’d never gone this fast before outside of a vehicle. But she was gaining on him.
He looked back and shot her a smile, then started to inch ahead.
Oh, no, you don’t.
She pushed her weight forward and concentrated on leaning her knees and ankles to the inside, the way Sawyer had explained. Her heart rate accelerated with the skis, and she let out a wild cackle. She was really doing this.
But just then her right ski caught an edge, and she felt her body jerk off balance.
Instinctively, she shifted her weight, but it was too late. Her feet were no longer under her. Her hip hit the ground first, then an explosion of pain shot through her ankle as her body twisted without her foot.
She laid still, trying to pull in a breath. But her lungs seemed to have frozen in place. She tried not to panic as she waited for them to start functioning again. Finally, she was able to gulp at the air, and she sat up, unable to hold back the moan as she reached for her foot. But before she could free it from her boot, the unmistakable zip of skis on the snow sounded above her. She whipped her head around to see a skier barreling toward her. There was no time to roll out of the way. She lifted her hands to cover her head and braced for the impact.
But only a gentle spray of powder landed on her, accompanied by the swish of skis skidding to a stop.
“Are you okay?”
She should have known it would be Jared. He’d been there to help every time she’d been hurt since they’d met. Including the day they met, when he’d rescued her from a rip current that had dragged her toward the breakwater the first time she’d ventured into Lake Michigan. She’d called him her hero then, and here he was again.
She uncovered her head and laid back in the snow. “It’s my ankle.”
“I’ve got it, man,” Sawyer called, jogging up the hill in his ski boots.
But Jared was already releasing her foot from the ski and sliding off her boot. She sighed in relief as he lowered her foot to the snow but winced as his hands probed her ankle.
“I know,” he soothed. “I need to check how bad it is.”
“That was an awesome run.” Sawyer dropped into the snow next to her, grinning. “You almost caught me.”
Jared aimed a glare at Sawyer. “What were you thinking taking her on a black diamond?”
“What were you doing following us?” Sawyer shot back.
Peyton watched Jared, who didn’t look up. Had he been following them?
“I’ve been on the black diamond for a couple hours now. I happened to see you guys head that way and thought I better keep an eye out. Good thing, too.”
Sawyer waved him off. “She’s fine. You always were a wimp about this kind of stuff.”
Peyton’s mouth fell open. The last thing she’d consider Jared was a wimp. Cautious, yes. But the man had run into burning buildings, for crying out loud.
Jared ignored Sawyer and continued to push on her ankle, drawing a sharp hiss when he pressed below it.
“I think it’s just a sprain, but we’ll keep an eye on it. You should get some ice on it right away.”
“Does this count?” She gestured at the snow where her foot rested. She had no desire to get up and go anywhere else right now.
Jared gave her that gentle, easy laugh she used to love. “Afraid not. Come on. I’ll help you to the lodge.” He squatted at her side and reached to put a hand behind her back.
Sawyer jumped to his feet. “I’ll help her. We were about to grab some lunch anyway.”
Peyton hated the look on Jared’s face. Hated that she’d put it there.
But there was nothing she could do about it. He’d chosen this for them.
“Thanks.” She gave him a quick smile before accepting the hand Sawyer held out to her.
Jared turned away as Sawyer draped her arm over his shoulder and wrapped his arm firmly around her back.
“Try not to put any pressure on it.” Jared called behind them as she hobbled next to Sawyer.
She nodded but resisted the urge to look over her shoulder at him.
By the time they got inside, her ankle was throbbing so hard she could feel her pulse in her whole foot.
“I think I need to sit,” she managed to puff to Sawyer.
He steered her to the sunken couches around the fireplace and settled her in, tucking a pillow under her foot.
“I’ll go grab you some ice.”
Peyton laid back against the couch, closing her eyes. How did she always manage to get herself into these situations? Her mom was the most elegant person she knew, but her dad had always teased that gracefulness skipped a generation. Then he had tweaked her cheek and said her clumsiness was part of what made her so endearing.
She sighed. Maybe it would endear her to Sawyer. It had apparently worked with Jared. He’d come to check on her a few days after he’d saved her life, and they’d gotten to talking. Before they knew it, they were dating seriously.
And look what came of that.
“Here we go.”
She opened her eyes as Sawyer passed her an ice pack.
A stab of pain sliced through her foot as she settled the ice onto it, but after a second the throbbing eased.
Sawyer passed her a sandwich and a soda. “Figured I might have to take a rain check on our private lunch. How about dinner instead?”
Peyton ran her hand down the cool side of the soda can. “I don’t know.” She liked Sawyer, but her insides churned with guilt over the way Jared had looked as she’d walked away with Sawyer’s arm around her.
Sawyer settled on the low table in front of the couch. “Come on, it’s just dinner.” His phone rang, but he clicked it off, leaning forward and bracing his elbows on his knees, as if nothing in the world mattered more to him than her answer.
No was on the tip of her tongue. But the whole point of coming here was to move on. “Okay. Dinner it is.”
“Great.” Sawyer tucked a loose hair behind her ear.
The move that had felt so familiar whenever Jared did it caused an uncomfortable prickle in her belly. She wasn’t quite ready to have Sawyer touching her hair like that.
But he was only being friendly.
She forced a smile as he waved and walked away.
She was still trying to sort out her feelings about the idea of spending time with a new man when Leah charged into the seating area a few minutes later.
“Are you okay?” Her friend’s cheeks were pink-tinged, and snow crusted her hat. She must have come straight from the slopes.
“I’m fine.” Peyton gestured to her foot. “Aside from a serious lack of grace and a terrible habit of demonstrating my clumsiness in front of a man.”
Leah dropped to the couch next to her and leaned over to give her a hug. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I decided to try the blues on the back side of the hill for a bit. They’re a little tamer.”
“That’s okay. Sawyer was there.” She hesitated a second. “And Jared.”
“Yeah, he found me and sent me in here. He said it was sprained?”
Peyton tried to ignore the warm glow that came from knowing Jared had been worried enough to send Leah to check on her. And the pang that he hadn’t come himself. “He’s the expert, so I guess so. He said we’d have to keep an eye on it, but I think the ice is helping already.”
“That’s a relief. Remember how long the drive to the hospital is?”
Peyton groaned. “That was the longest car ride of my life.”
“Your life? I was the one trapped in the car with you and Jared, listening to him apologize a bajillion times and you tell him it wasn’t his fault a bajillion and one times.” She broke off and covered her mouth with a hand. “I’m sorry. That was a dumb thing to say.”
Peyton shook her head. “No, it’s okay. Anyway, at least he doesn’t blame himself this time. Pretty sure he blames Sawyer, though.”
Leah’s forehead creased. “Did Sawyer do something to make you fall?”
“No.” Peyton leaned forward to pull off the ice, examining her ankle. It had turned an ugly purple-black and was definitely puffy. She hoped Jared was right about it only being a sprain. “He doesn’t think I should have been on that hill in the first place. If it was up to him, I’d stay on the bunny hill the rest of my life.”
“Well.” Leah leaned back against the seat and kicked her feet up onto the table Sawyer had been sitting on a few minutes ago. “There are worse traits in a guy than wanting to keep you safe.”
“Yeah. Like not wanting to get married.” The bitter words were out before Peyton could hold them back. But she didn’t want to talk about Jared anymore. “Anyway, I’m having dinner with Sawyer tonight.”
Instead of the triumphant look she expected from her friend, Leah gathered her long hair into a ponytail with her hands, then let it fall.
Peyton knew Leah well enough to recognize that the gesture meant she had something to say but didn’t want to say it. “Out with it.”
Leah’s eyebrows drew together. “I don’t know if you should be hanging out with Sawyer.”
Peyton stared at her friend. “Why not? Aren’t you the one who’s been trying to get me to move on?”
“I know.” Leah played with the zipper of her jacket. “But Jared doesn’t think Sawyer is the best guy when it comes to women.”
Peyton snorted. “There’s a surprise. He doesn’t want to be with me, but he doesn’t want anyone else to be with me either.”
Leah shook her head. “I know, so I’m trying to take what he said with a grain of salt. But maybe it’d be best if you hung out with Sawyer in a group first.”
Peyton couldn’t stop the eye roll. “Yeah, because that wouldn’t be awkward, trying to talk to Sawyer with Jared hanging over our shoulders.”
“I’m sure Jared wouldn’t—” Leah stopped. Considered. “Okay, yeah, he would. But that might be better than being alone with Sawyer until you know him better.”
“And how am I supposed to get to know him better if I don’t get a chance to talk to him alone?”
Why was Leah making such a big deal about this? Sawyer was one of the most charming men Peyton had ever met. It’s not like he was going to attack her.
Leah shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess in high school Sawyer had kind of a reputation for going through girls pretty quickly.”
“High school was a long time ago, Leah. And I don’t know that Sawyer. I only know this guy who bought me a book he knew I’d like and who took me out on the slopes and showed me what I was capable of. Now he wants to have a nice quiet dinner with me where we can talk without worrying about my ex being right there. Sounds like a good guy to me.”
Leah’s forehead was still creased, but she nodded. “I know, Peyton. I just want you to be safe.”
Peyton patted Leah’s leg. “I know you do, and I love you for it. But I’ll be fine.”
Better than fine, maybe. If having dinner with Sawyer could help her forget about Jared for even a couple hours, it would be worth it.
So far, nothing else had worked.
Chapter 6
Jared had told himself that the next run would be his last of the day at least five times already. But every time he got to the bottom of the slope, he considered the alternative: go inside and see Sawyer and Peyton together.
No, thank you.
He really did have to make this his last run, though, or he would miss dinner with his friends.
The line for the chair lift was still plenty long, and Jared fiddled with the small chain Peyton had given him for their first Valentine’s Day as he waited. At first, he’d thought it was weird. Why would he want to wear a necklace? But now it had become a part of him. So much so that he couldn’t bring himself to take it off.
“Excuse me.” The woman in front of him turned, long dark hair poking out from under her hat to frame her face. “Do you know what time it is?”
“Sure.” Jared dug into his zippered jacket pocket and pulled out his phone. “It’s almost
six.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a friendly smile.
“Sure.”
“I’m April, by the way.” She held out a hand and delivered another smile.
He shook it, letting himself smile back. “Jared.”
“That last run of yours was pretty amazing.”
Jared lifted his head. She’d been watching him? “Uh, thanks.”
He gestured ahead of her, where the line had moved forward, leaving a large gap between her and the group in front of them.
She moved up to fill the gap, then angled back to him. “You want to take the next one together?”
Jared blinked at her. Was she flirting with him? It’d been so long since he’d had to decipher any woman’s actions besides Peyton’s. And she’d always been so easy to read.
“I was going to— I mean it’s my last run, so—” Why was he so tongue-tied all at once?
“So?” She raised an eyebrow. “Make your last run with me. Or are you afraid you can’t keep up?”
Jared laughed. She was spirited, that was for sure.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” She glided ahead again.
Jared followed more slowly. What had he just agreed to?
Dude, it’s just skiing. Chill.
He skied up to the lift right behind April. On a whim, he grabbed her hand as they sat. She looked over and smiled.
But the hand in his felt wrong, and he let go as soon as their feet left the ground.
“So where are you from?” April’s voice had an easiness to it that Jared wished he could imitate.
“You’ve probably never heard of it.”
“Try me.”
“Hope Springs. It’s a little town on Lake Michigan, just—”
“You’re kidding.” April shoved his arm. “My grandma lives there. I love it. That little ice cream shop with the weird name. The Chocolate something. Chocolate Cow?”
“Chocolate Chicken.” Jared chuckled. “Don’t ask how it got its name. No one knows. Or if they do, they’re not telling.”
Not Until This Moment: Novella (Hope Springs Book 2) Page 3
