Exposed: New Adult Sport Romance (The Boys of Winter Book 5)

by Violet Vaughn

  Nika says, “Wait, she forgot one very important piece of information.” She looks expectantly at me.

  “Yeah, um… I have a business partner. Neal Morgan.”

  Casey gasps. “No. Way!”

  I notice Megan glare at Casey in what I guess is a warning look. I say, “I know his reputation. But this is strictly professional.”

  Megan squints a little and says, “Nika, you approve of this?”

  Nika answers, “Yes. I do. I know you guys think he’s a player, but if you spent time around him the way I have, you’d know that’s no longer true.”

  I pipe in. “Besides, the guy is crazy successful. He’s not going to let me fail.”

  Casey sits back with her arms crossed. “What does Christian think about this?”

  I say, “He supports it, and I trust him.”

  Lori reaches over and touches my arm. “We’ve so got your back, babe. If you and Nika think this is the right thing to do, then I trust him too.”

  Casey sighs, “You know I’m behind you. But if he screws you over, I can’t be responsible for my actions.”

  I smile because Casey’s thin body is far from intimidating. Petite Lori chimes in. “Me, too. I’m pretty handy with my ninja moves.” She gets up to demonstrate and we all laugh.

  Casey takes a sip from her martini glass, and after she swallows, she says, “I think the solution is to find you a boyfriend that can keep you safe from Neal. We’ve got some hot new instructors this year.”

  I have no intention of chasing after some guy, but I humor my friend. “Tell me all about them.”

  Megan sighs. “There’s one that’s blond and has the snowboard bad boy thing going on.” She looks at Lori. “What’s his name? I forgot because I was lost in his eyes.”

  She shakes her head with a smile. “Kyle, I think. I don’t know, blue eyes get me too.”

  Nika chuckles, and Casey says, “You two are worthless. The one I think would be perfect for you is the ex-racer from Maine.” My stomach lurches, and my blood turns to ice when she adds, “Trevor Sullivan.”

  The father of my child is in Breckenridge. I shouldn’t be so shocked. The ski world isn’t very big, and having gone to a private school for competitive skiers and snowboarders, I’ve seen more than one of my high school classmates in Breck. But I haven’t talked to Trevor since he cheated on me and set my world into a death spiral. What the hell am I going to do?

  Chapter 7

  The sixteen-year-old me was stupid. In love with Trevor, I believed him when he promised I wouldn’t get pregnant. He promised that skipping the condom just one time so he could feel me without a barrier would be fine. He said he’d pull out. Then apologized when he didn’t.

  Bright sun is shining and practically blinds me as it reflects off the fresh snow that fell last night. My plastic sunglasses are cold on my nose and fog up when I put them on. I pull out of the driveway, and my engine revs as I step on the gas with frustration. When I realized I was pregnant, I still believed everything would be okay. Maybe I would miscarry—it happens, and the Internet said it wasn’t uncommon. But as the weeks went by I got more and more scared.

  Then I placated myself with the idea that Trevor would be okay with us having a baby. We loved each other. If my mother could raise me on my own, surely Trevor and I could do it together.

  I didn’t smarten up until he cheated on me with another racer instead of coming over when I said we needed to talk. Apparently he thought I was going to break up with him. Devastated by his betrayal and emotional with pregnancy hormones, I turned to my mom. A month later she moved me to Colorado without anyone finding out I was pregnant.

  I’m about to turn to her again. At my mother’s for lunch, I’m going to share more than my new business plan. My stomach rolls as I imagine seeing Trevor again after all these years. But the one thing that has my heart racing knows I need to tell him he’s a father.

  I glance at the speedometer and immediately lift my foot off the gas when I notice I’m well over the speed limit. I don’t do this kind of stress well. Even when my business fell down around me I was even-keeled about the whole thing. But today, I’m an anxiety-ridden mess.

  Driving into the parking lot of a condo development, I spot my mother’s shiny Lexus. She’s doing more than well, and I’m not surprised. My mom is the kind of person everyone loves when they meet her. The way she listens to you, as if you’re the most interesting person she’s ever met, endears her to even the curmudgeons of the world.

  When the version of what I’ll look like in sixteen years opens the door I burst into tears. Big, heaving sobs wrack my body as my mother pulls me inside and her arms squeeze tight. She coos to me and pets my hair, and her floral scent makes its way to my heart.

  Sniffing, I pull away and walk to the table by her couch for a tissue. My big inhale is shaky as I gather myself to speak. “Trevor moved to Breckenridge.”

  “Oh, sweetie. Tell me everything.” Mom leads me to the couch, and I plop down on cushions that wrap around my thighs as I sink into them.

  “There’s not much to tell. I heard through a friend he’s teaching at the ski school.”

  “So you haven’t seen him yet? What’s going through your head, baby girl?”

  “What we both know I’ve needed to do for years. I have to tell him he’s a father.”

  She purses her lips. We’ve had this discussion before, and there never seemed to be a good way to tell him. Now that I can do it face to face, it’s time. Mom says, “Yes and no. Sure, he has a right to know. But what purpose will that serve?”

  “Don’t you think he might ask me why I moved away so quickly without ever taking his calls or returning his texts? I mean, people must have suspected something was up.”

  While my mother told everyone we were moving to be closer to her dying cousin, I’m not sure the gossip mills were satisfied with the explanation. Especially by the odd looks old acquaintances have given me when we see each other again after all these years.

  Mom gets up and says, “I’m going to put on the kettle.” She busies herself in the kitchen, but I think she’s really trying to figure out what to do.

  When she comes back, she sits in a chair across from me. “You do need to tell him. But he broke my baby’s heart, and I’m worried for you.”

  “You know that closure thing you love to preach about? I think telling him is my closure for what happened.”

  Mom gets up and sits next to me again. Her arm wraps around my shoulders, and she kisses the top of my head. “You’re wise beyond your years, you know that?”

  I lean into my favorite person and say, “I had a good teacher.”

  My mother is amazing. I can imagine it’s been hard for her to watch me swear off men for the past few years the way she did when I was growing up. But not once has she ever bugged me to get a boyfriend, even though I can read her like a book, and recognize the glimmer of hope that flashes on her face whenever I mention some guy. I pull away and gaze into her pale blue eyes. I want to twist a strand of curly hair that has fallen out of her messy updo that mimics mine.

  “Mom, I think I might be ready to try dating.”

  A smile forms on her face just as the teapot starts to whistle. “Hold that thought, I’ll be right back.”

  I know she’s excited by the way she rushes to get our tea ready, and I hold back my laugh when she swears because she scalds herself spilling hot water. Two mugs clunk on the coffee table as she asks, “Have you met someone?”

  “Maybe. It might be nothing, but I’m actually attracted to someone, and it feels good.”

  “Honey, that’s so exciting. Tell me about him.”

  I take a moment to think about Neal. “He’s tall, with light brown hair and grayish blue eyes that make me melt. Oh, and he’s also going to be my business partner.”

  My mother’s eyes widen, and her tea bag dangles in mid-air a moment before she recovers. “Your business partner? Neal Morgan?”

  “Before
you freak out, remember it’s only a crush. I haven’t kissed a guy since I was sixteen, and I doubt this will go anywhere. I’m just happy I actually like someone. I was beginning to think I’d turn into a crazy cat lady.” The bottle of honey spurts as I squeeze some into my hot drink.

  She chuckles and then says, “Okay, I’m thrilled for you. Is that good?”

  “That’s great.”

  “Now, where are your sketches?”

  After my mother gushes over my new designs I tell her all about the plans for Ruby Raines. When I share that the long-term plan is to open a store in Vail and Aspen, she gets excited and is already insisting I let her work at the Vail store a few shifts a week.

  I leave my mom’s with enough food to last me a week and the warm glow of her love. While I’m still anxious about seeing Trevor and what his reaction will be when he finds out he has a daughter, I’ve needed to do this for a long time. I have faith it will work out the way it’s supposed to.

  A yawn escapes as I get closer to Frisco. Awake most of last night, worrying about Trevor, I didn’t get much sleep. I turn my thoughts to Neal and my crush. While Nika insists he likes me, the way he’s been when talking about the business has been nothing more than friendly.

  Sure, he was super flirty in the past, but I think our relationship has become more professional. And that’s good, because I can crush from afar in a safe way. If we grow closer as we work together, all the better. If not, then I’ll practice what it’s like to want a boyfriend. Because once I talk to Trevor, I think it’s time to work on getting a man back in my life.

  Chapter 8

  Now that I’ve come to terms with telling Trevor about his daughter, I want it to be done. There’s a local bar in town where the instructors tend to hang out, and I’ve decided to walk over after work to see if I can find him.

  My cowboy boots clunk on the frozen concrete sidewalk as I make my way to the Gold Pan. The light of late afternoon is dim, matching my mood, knowing I’m about to give my old boyfriend the shock of his life.

  The door squeaks when I pull it open to enter the dark interior. Stale beer wafts toward me as I take a moment for my eyes to adjust. I thump across a warped wooden floor that makes me think this place has been here since the town was founded. Not sure if I’ll recognize Trevor, I sigh in relief when I see Casey’s boyfriend, Jason.

  I walk toward him, and he sees me before I get there. He asks, “Hey, what are you doing here?”

  The two guys he’s standing with look at me in a friendly way, but I’m not up for small talk. “Hey. I’m looking for someone and thought you might be able to help. Do you know who Trevor Sullivan is?”

  “Yeah, he’s right over there.” Jason points across the room to a guy that’s bigger than I remember.

  “Thanks.” I walk off before he has a chance to reply.

  Trevor is talking to another guy, and it makes it easy for me to check him out before he notices me. His shoulders have gotten broad, and his thighs are thicker. It could be the low lighting, but his blond hair is darker, too. Feelings of lust flood my mind as sadness creeps in like an old injury that sometimes aches.

  When I get to him he looks at me with curiosity, and I watch recognition spread across his face. I’m glad to see a faint smile form. “Ruby?”

  I nod and smile back. “Hi, Trevor.”

  “Wow, Ruby.” He’s grinning now, and I let him hug me. The scent of his clean fleece isn’t familiar, but a hint of something else is. “You still live here?” He chuckles at himself.

  “Well, I did go off to college, but yes, I live here in Breck.”

  Trevor combs his fingers through his hair and turns to the guy he was talking to. “Ruby and I went to high school together. She was my girlfriend.” My heart warms at his words.

  The guy nods, and Trevor turns his attention back to me. He’s remained closer than a casual acquaintance would be, and I can’t decide if I like it or not. He says, “This is wild. So what do you do? Are you still racing?” He shakes his head, and I think he might be nervous. “Stupid question, I would know if you were on the circuit.”

  I save him and say, “I manage a clothing store and ski when I’m not working. I heard from a couple of my friends that you were a new instructor.”

  His face is stronger-looking than I remember, and darn if it doesn’t make him appear sexier. “Yeah, I retired from racing. I gave it all I had and, well—” He shrugs and lifts up one eyebrow in that smirk I remember so well. The one that used to make me want to slip my hands under his shirt as I kissed him. It kind of still does.

  I take a deep breath. Here goes nothing. “If you have time, I need to talk to you. There’s something I’d like to tell you.”

  His brow furrows and he says, “Oh, God, Ruby, I’m so sorry—”

  I shake my head. “No. Don’t apologize. High school was a long time ago, and I’ve forgiven you for—” My initial courage fades, and my palms get sweaty. “That’s not what I want to talk about. If now’s not a good time, we can do it later.”

  “No. Now’s fine. I was going to go home after one beer anyway. Where should we go?” He sets his drink down on a shelf littered with empty cups against the wall.

  “Um, my car is right around the corner.”

  Trevor gives me a questioning look as he lifts his eyebrow again. My cheeks flame because I realize he’s remembering how we used to make out in my car. I revert right back to the sixteen-year-old version of me, and want to do just that. Instead, I ask, “Is that still all you think about?” And when I do, the pain of what happened because of our back seat sessions tweaks at my guilt.

  The low rumble of his laugh reverberates through me and grips my heart. He answers, “No, sometimes I think about skiing.”

  Yeah, well, I’m about to give you something else to think about. I lead Trevor across the street to the parking lot behind Rhinestone Cowgirl. When we get to it, the ice buildup crunches under our feet, and I ask, “So how do you like teaching?”

  “I love it. I had no idea I would be so good, but last year I worked at Sugarloaf and decided to move out west. I might even coach a bit, too.” He shoves his hands in the pockets of his open fleece, and I remember how he never used to get cold.

  I notice Neal’s BMW next to Nika’s Land Rover and then my practical Honda. The lock clicks open when I push the remote. “I believe it. You’re a patient guy.” The kind of guy that would make a good father.

  Trevor climbs in, and his door slams before he asks, “Are you still drawing?” I flash back to the pictures of him I sketched and hung on my bedroom wall. And the hundreds of pictures I drew when I was pregnant, still holding on to the hope he would come and save me from giving our daughter up for adoption.

  My car roars to life as I turn it on to run the heat. “Yes, I’m a clothing designer now.”

  “Sweet. Did you go to art school?”

  “Uh-huh, in Rhode Island. What about you? Are you a mad scientist?”

  He grins at me. “Naw. I did major in chemistry and might go back to get my teaching degree. But I gave the Olympics a shot. Didn’t make it, though.”

  The air from the heater is lukewarm, and I adjust the vents so they aren’t blowing directly at us. I take a deep breath and get to the point. “Trevor, first I want to apologize for leaving without ever saying good-bye.”

  “Oh, Ruby, you don’t have to do that. I was such an ass to you. I’m so sorry. Did you read my texts and e-mails?”

  Shrugging, I say, “Yeah, I couldn’t answer you, though.” Because I couldn’t have kept my secret. “You broke my heart.”

  He reaches over and takes my hand. His is warm, and my throat gets thick in response. My intention wasn’t to make him feel guilty. Trevor says, “My heart broke, too. I was in love with you, I never lied about that. I made the biggest mistake of my life when I cheated.”

  “I’ve forgiven you. We make mistakes like that in high school.” I take my gloves off and place them on the center console.


  I smile, but my heart isn’t behind it. My stomach is clenched, and I’m afraid I might throw up. “I’m about to tell you something that’s going to make you hate me.”

  Trevor’s eyes are lighter in shade than Neal’s, and I’m suddenly wondering if maybe my mother was right, that there isn’t any point in what I’m about to do. “You know how we moved to be closer to my mother’s cousin who was dying?”

  “Yeah.” Trevor shifts in his seat as if he wants to bolt.

  “That’s not why we moved.”

  I watch the muscles in Trevor’s jaw start to work, and imagine he might want to throw up now too. I say, “I was pregnant.”

  Trevor closes his eyes and breathes deeply through his nose. He opens them, and his voice is hard. “That time I came inside you, right?”

  He confirms the rumors I suspected probably happened, because he’s definitely thought about this. I nod. “That’s what I wanted to tell you the night you thought I was going to break up with you.”

  His hand is combing through his hair, and this time I think he might yank some out. “Shit. Did you—are you telling me I’m a father?”

  “Yes. I gave our daughter up for adoption.”

  He whispers, “Daughter?”

  Damn it. My eyes well up with tears, and I bite my lower lip to keep them from falling. I whisper back, “I’m the one that’s sorry. I should have told you years ago. You had a right to know and have say in what I did. I was so scared, and when you cheated I couldn’t face you.”

  Trevor opens his mouth to speak a couple of times, looking like a fish gasping for air, until he finally says, “I don’t know what you want me to say, or what you want.”

  “I don’t want anything, and you don’t need to say something. I just thought you should know.”

  He nods. “Okay. Yeah.”

  His numb reaction is the best I had hoped for, and I focus on getting him out of my car before he gets mad. “I know this is a shock. Take time to process it, and contact me if you want to know more.”