Colton's Rescue Mission

“Would you like a cup, too?” he asked. “You look like you’re about empty.”

Though she rarely had more than two coffees per day, she liked the idea of sharing a cup with this man. Maybe they could talk and get to know each other a little bit better. As long as that’s all they did, that should be safe.

“Sure,” she answered.

“Cream and sugar?”

“Yes, please.” She smiled as he did a double take. “I know, black coffee is better. According to Seth, you can best taste the coffee that way.”

“I agree with my brother on that.” Remy made them both a cup, then carried hers over to her before taking a seat at the table. “You seem to know what you’re doing,” he commented. “Do you cook professionally?”

“No.” She risked another glance over her shoulder. “I’ve thought about it. Though I’m afraid if I started doing it for a living, that would take some of the joy out of it.”

Just then the front door blew open and Seth burst inside. He shook off snow before removing his coat and barreling through to the kitchen. At the doorway, he stopped short, staring at the two of them.

“What are you doing?” he asked as he came up behind Vanessa and gave her a huge kiss on the side of her neck. “That smells interesting. Why are you cooking for my brother?”

At his touch, she froze. Again, she had the sense of barely leashed violence, though she managed to shrug lightly. “He was hungry, so I thought I’d make him something to eat while he waited for you to get back. There’s plenty, if you’d like some, too.”

Instead of immediately answering, he leaned around her and peered into the pan. “What is that?”

“Hollandaise sauce. I’m poaching some eggs and serving them on English muffins with cheese, topped by this sauce.”

“You know, eggs Benedict,” Remy chimed in, his tone dry. “I’m pretty sure you’ve had it before.”

Though Seth didn’t respond, judging by the hard set of his mouth, he wasn’t pleased.

Why Remy was pushing his brother’s buttons, she wasn’t sure. But she sure as heck planned to stay out of it. She kept busy, putting the English muffins under the broiler now that the poached eggs were in the water. “Seth, why don’t you get some coffee and sit?” she suggested. “Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes.”

Seth narrowed his eyes and glared at her, then stalked over to the coffee maker. Relieved, she relaxed her spine slightly, though she couldn’t help but wonder if coming here for closure might have been a huge mistake.

The eggs were done just as the English muffins turned the perfect shade of brown. She tossed a few thick slices of ham in a frying pan and when they’d begun to crisp, she put everything together and ladled the hollandaise on top. Perfect, she thought, suppressing the urge to snap a quick pic with her phone. Instead, she smiled and carried the plates over to the table.

“Here you go,” she said, placing the meals in front of each man. “Enjoy.”

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Seth asked, eying his food. “Seems like you went through an awful lot of trouble for my brother.”

Still smiling, she ignored the snide tone. “I had scrambled eggs and toast earlier, while you were asleep. And you know how much I like to cook. This wasn’t any trouble at all.”

“Thank you,” Remy said, and he dug in.

Seth eyed his brother, using his fork to move things around on his plate. When he finally cut a piece, he got only the egg and ham, leaving the English muffin and most of the sauce on his plate. He chewed and then set down his fork. “You know,” he mused, “I think it’s time I hired a professional chef.”

When he glanced at Vanessa, she wondered if he was actually going to offer her the job.

“One who can really cook.” He pushed his plate away. “Nice try, Van.”

Stunned, she could only stare. To her horror, she felt tears prick the back of her eyes. She turned away, ostensibly to clean up the pans. The casual cruelty coming from a man she’d always regarded as a friend hurt. Clearly, Seth hadn’t gotten over the breakup, and they couldn’t go back to being friends. In fact, as soon as the roads were clear, she needed to pack up and go. Maybe a room at either The Chateau or The Lodge would have become available just for one or two nights, so she could ski Pine Peak. Heck, she’d even take a room in one of the chain motels on the edge of town.

She ran the water, then scrubbed out the pans and placed them in the dishwasher. Seth had gone silent, making her wonder if he might apologize. She glanced back at the table, only to find him glaring at her, his expression furious.

“What were you two doing here alone while I was gone?” he demanded, including Remy in his stare. “And come on, Vanessa, why were you trying to impress my brother with a fancy breakfast? We have oatmeal. Scrambled eggs and toast is what you said you had. But no, that wasn’t good enough for him. I’m thinking you—”

“Enough!” Remy pushed to his feet. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Seth. Leave her alone. She was simply being kind. She doesn’t deserve this treatment from you.”

“Really, Remy?” Standing so quickly he knocked back his chair, Seth faced his older brother. His hands were clenched into fists. “You come in my place, hit on my girlfriend and have the nerve to try and tell me how to act?”

Remy appeared as stunned as she felt. “Seth—”

Again, Seth cut him off. “Mind your own business. Vanessa belongs to me. Our relationship has nothing to do with you.” He pointed toward the door. “Leave.”

Remy took care not to glance her way. Part of her didn’t want him to leave. But when she didn’t correct Seth, what else could he do?

“Thanks for breakfast,” he finally said, meeting her gaze. “It was delicious.” He grabbed his parka and left.

Seth dropped back into his seat, muttering under his breath. Vanessa cleared her throat. “Seth, we need to talk.”

“Do we?” He shook his head. “Don’t be mad because I didn’t like your cooking. I’ve never been fond of eggs Benedict, that’s all.”

“It’s not that,” she said. “Actually, that’s only part of it. You were unnecessarily rude, both to me and your brother. Not just that, but I don’t belong to you. And we don’t have a relationship.”

His harsh expression softened. “Then why’d you come here? Come on, Van, I know you missed me as much as I missed you. You didn’t drive up all the way from Boulder just to ski.”

Even though the lure of skiing Pine Peak had factored into her decision to come to Roaring Springs, she knew better than to bring that up. “Seth, I came here to explain why I broke things off so abruptly. I wanted to give us both closure.”

“Closure?” He spat the word as if it left a bitter taste in his mouth. “What is it with women and closure? Who the hell cares? Either you want to get back together or you don’t. Which is it?”

Heart aching, she took a deep breath. “Actually, I was hoping we could go back to being friends. But clearly, that was a foolish idea. I’ll pack my things and get out of your hair. I’m sorry to have put you out.”

She kept her chin up and her back straight as she walked to the guest bedroom. Luckily, she hadn’t done much unpacking, so all she had to do was grab her toiletries and put them in her suitcase.

When she emerged, Seth was nowhere to be found. She had no intention of going in search of him to say goodbye. Essentially, she’d already said that.

It took two trips to get her small suitcase and her ski gear loaded back in her car. Seth didn’t bother to make an appearance, something that both saddened her and filled her with relief.

At least the plow had been by. She’d put snow tires on her car right before the first snow and she had chains in the trunk in case she needed them. Either way, she wasn’t sure she could make it back home in this weather. With snow still falling heavily, she drove a slow and cautious couple of blocks until she reached The Chateau. If worse came to worst, she’d sleep sitting up in a chair in the lobby.

There were no parking spots open in the small lot, but she finally located one on a side street. This time, she left her skis on top of her car, though she grabbed her suitcase and trudged toward the hotel entrance.

Stepping through the ornate glass doors, she felt as if she’d entered a different world. Though she doubted anyone would have checked out since yesterday, she approached the front desk, anyway.

Just as the polite, well-coiffed young woman asked her if she could help her, Vanessa had an idea. “Yes, I’m looking for Remy Colton. I was told he works here.” After all, she’d met him out in front of the hotel yesterday.

“I’m sorry, but Mr. Colton isn’t taking visitors today,” the woman, whose badge announced her name was Tena, said.

“Could you contact him and ask him to call me?”

Slowly, Tena nodded. “I could take your number, yes.”

Vanessa rattled off the digits, then asked that Remy call her as soon as possible. “I’ll be waiting in the lobby,” she said. “Unless you happen to have any vacancies?”

“I’m sorry, we don’t. We’re fully booked through Christmas.”

Which was the same answer she’d gotten when she’d inquired yesterday and clearly nothing had changed on that front.

Choosing an unoccupied, overstuffed chair facing the front door, Vanessa took a seat. She began scrolling through her phone, checking social media and catching up on the news. Barely five minutes had passed when her phone rang.

Chapter 3

After getting a message to call Vanessa, Remy dialed her number immediately. When he heard her soft hello, he exhaled. “Are you all right? I was worried about you,” he said.

“I’m fine,” she replied, her voice shaking. “But I’ve left Seth’s condo. I’m not sure what to think about his behavior.”

Remy wasn’t sure, either. In all honesty, his brother’s mood swings, heavy drinking and barely leashed rage worried the hell out of him. The breakup with Vanessa must have affected him strongly, though if his end goal was to get her back, he was going about it the wrong way. He couldn’t blame Vanessa for being scared off.

“Is there somewhere we can meet and talk?” Remy asked, pushing away the sharp thrill of anticipation that went through him at the thought of seeing her again. He only wanted to make sure she was safe, he told himself. Nothing more. “Where are you now?”

Her answer surprised him. “Well, actually I’m in the lobby of The Chateau. I was hoping a room would miraculously open up, but no such luck. I’m still not sure the tunnel is open yet. I seriously doubt I could get back home to Boulder in this storm.” She laughed self-consciously. “And I really was hoping to ski Pine Peak once it opens. As long as I’m up here…”

“I’ll be there in five,” he replied. He could tell she wasn’t the kind of person who enjoyed asking for help from anyone. “We’ll go grab a cup of coffee or something to drink and I’ll see what I can do to find you a place to stay.”

Sounding relieved, she agreed to wait for him.

“Save my number in your phone,” he told her. “This is my cell. You can call or text me anytime.”

She promised she would.

Hanging up, Remy walked out into the still-too-quiet office and told everyone they could take the rest of the day off. Despite The Chateau being booked to capacity, the PR department took it easy over the holidays. With so many already on vacation or personal days, they weren’t getting any work done anyway, and if the snow continued to fall at the same rate, the plows would have trouble keeping up. They might as well go home and stay warm.

His good-natured order was met with cheers. He stood near the door and watched everyone gather up their coats and head out. A few people high-fived him and one of the older women gave him a hug. Hiding his impatience, he wished they would hurry up so he could lock up the office and go spend the rest of the day with Vanessa.

The rest of the… The realization should have shocked him, but he could barely get past his eagerness to see her.

Finally, everyone had gone. He busted out the door with an unusual spring in his step before he reminded himself to slow down. Vanessa needed a friend, not a suitor. Plus, with Seth so volatile, he didn’t want to take a chance of doing something to set him off.

Before heading out into the lobby, he decided to get a breath of fresh air. Mostly so he could get a handle on the conflicting emotions that filled him when he thought of spending time with Vanessa.

Stepping outside, he stood for a moment, letting the snow swirl around him, barely feeling the cold. He took several deep breaths, letting the icy air fill his lungs. He’d always found winter exhilarating, which made living high up in the Rockies perfect.

Glancing at the street and the tire tracks left by his employees, he decided he’d go ahead and walk around to the front entrance of The Chateau and go in that way.

As usual, when he strolled around to the front of The Chateau, a sense of pride and contentment filled him. He loved the structure, inside and out, and loved the people who worked there and made it one of the top vacation destinations in the United States even more.

Stepping into the lobby, he stuffed his gloves into his pocket and caught sight of Vanessa seated on one of the ornate chairs under the skylight, sunlight illuminating her dark hair. Scrolling through her phone, she didn’t see him until he’d gotten a few feet away. When she looked up, their gazes met and locked. Once more, something intense flared between them. One-sided? he wondered. Or did she feel it, too?

“Hey.” Vanessa stood, greeting him with a smile and an outstretched hand. “Thanks so much for meeting with me.”

When his fingers connected with her slender ones, he fought the completely ridiculous urge to pull her up against him. Instead, he managed a civilized handshake and reluctantly released her.

“Let’s go get something to drink and see what we can figure out,” he offered.

“Here?”

He debated with himself, weighing the chances of Seth walking in, since the last thing he wanted to do was provoke some kind of scene. Deciding that possibility highly unlikely, he nodded. “There’s a wonderful little coffee shop right off the lobby,” he said.

“I saw it. It was very crowded, though. I don’t think there was any place to sit.”

Which wouldn’t be surprising. “Let’s go check it out.” But even before they were close, he could tell they’d need to make another choice. “I tell you what,” he told her. “Since the slopes are closed right now, everywhere downtown is going to be packed.”

She nodded, eying him. “How about we take a walk? Or are you averse to a little snow?”

Unable to help himself, he laughed. “I love to be out in the snow and cold. People are always acting like I’m crazy when I say I want to go out for a stroll in the winter.”

Eyes sparkling, she nodded. “I have snow boots in my car. How about you?”

“Of course,” he replied. “In my back seat.”

Impulsively, she took his arm. “Then let’s go.”

Side by side they hurried out of the hotel. He felt giddy, as if he was seventeen again and a love-struck teenager. While rationally, he knew he had to get a grip, for now he decided to go with the flow and simply enjoy the day.

She led him to her vehicle first, a practical and sturdy Subaru. “Four-wheel drive,” she said, grinning as she unlocked the doors. “She also gets great gas mileage.” Grabbing her boots, Vanessa sat down on the front passenger seat to put them on.

“She?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you named your car.”

“Of course I did.” Boots in place, she hopped out and tugged on her gloves. “Your turn.”

Her infectious enthusiasm made his heart pound. Slipping and sliding, he took off for his Jeep, hoping he had an extra pair of socks, too, since his were already soaked.

Luckily, he’d had the foresight to tuck a pair into his snow boots. He motioned her to hop inside, front or back—her choice. She chose the front passenger side, which probably was a good thing. He got in the back seat and closed the door to keep the blowing snow out while he peeled off his wet socks and slipped his feet into a pair of dry ones. Once he’d laced up his Sorel Caribou waterproof boots, he gave her a thumbs-up. “Ready.”

She hopped out, pulling on a jaunty ski cap with a pom-pom on top. “I’m hoping the storm has driven most of the people inside,” she said. “But with this being a ski resort, you never know.”

Debating, he gave in to impulse and took her arm. “I’m sure there’ll be a few other hearty souls, but I guarantee it won’t be anywhere near as crowded as inside.”

“Good.” Her teeth flashed as white as the snowflakes. For someone with nowhere to stay, she seemed awfully chipper. Maybe she was one of those people who never worried, and simply figured things would always work out. He’d often wished he could be like that. Instead, he planned and scheduled, feeling as if he had to have control over every aspect of his life.

Walking side by side with Vanessa, he realized it felt amazing to be able to let that überpreparedness slide, if only for a little while.

After a few steps, she pulled her arm free, turning this way and that, surveying the picturesque downtown area with wonder. Bright lights shone from inside the shops and cafés, and in most of the eating and drinking establishments, it appeared to be standing room only. Quite a bit different than the normally bustling sidewalks.

The heavy snow and blowing wind had discouraged most of the tourists from venturing out. Those few people they encountered were bundled up so much that they were unrecognizable. Glancing at Vanessa, he saw she’d pulled out a scarf and wrapped it around her lower face. He reached into his pocket and did the same. They needed to talk, but for now he wanted to simply enjoy being with her like this.

When they reached the end of the commercial part of Main Street, she turned. “I guess we can go back down the other side,” she said. “Though I wouldn’t mind going in somewhere and warming up a bit.”

Since the chill had begun to seep into his bones, too, he nodded. “There’s another coffee shop one block back on the opposite side of the road. Maybe since everyone seems to be frequenting the bars, it won’t be as bad.”

She nodded, her long lashes white with snow. “I’ve reached my limit on coffee, but I can get hot cider or tea.” She missed a step and nearly fell. Without thinking, he reached for her hand and took it, helping to steady her. If this surprised her, he couldn’t tell.

Gloved hand in gloved hand, they crossed the street. Traffic was almost nonexistent and even the streetlights had taken on a magical glow. The deep, powdery snow had begun to make walking difficult, even though a few intrepid shop owners appeared to have attempted to shovel the sidewalk.

By the time they reached the No Doze Café, they were both out of breath. Luckily, the inside appeared to be only moderately crowded, rather than packed.

The instant they stepped through the door, Vanessa pulled her hand out of his and removed her gloves. “Oh, it smells wonderful in here,” she said, inhaling deeply. “And look—a table just opened up over there in the corner!” She made a beeline for it, grabbing a chair and taking a seat before anyone else could. Grinning triumphantly, she beckoned Remy over.

Entranced by her, he went. “Do you mind ordering while I guard our spot?” she asked. Rummaging in her pocket, she pulled out a crumpled five-dollar bill and slid it across the table. “Here. This will take care of mine. I’d like a large hot apple cider with whipped cream.”

“I’ve got this,” he said, ignoring her money. “I’ll be right back.”

At the counter, he waited in line. Finally, he placed their order—the cider for her and a black coffee for him—and paid. The drinks were ready quickly and he carried them back to the table, noticing how a group of twentysomething guys were eying Vanessa. He had to love the fact that she appeared to be oblivious as she scrolled on her phone.

As soon as he approached her, she put it down and reached for her drink. “Thank you so much.” She took a deep sip and made a throaty sound of pleasure that had him aching with desire.

Damn. He reminded himself to focus. He sat, wrapping both hands around his coffee cup. “Are you ready to tell me what’s going on with Seth?”

Her eyes widened. “Wow, you clearly believe in getting right to the point.”

“I do,” he admitted, aware he couldn’t tell her he’d simply needed a distraction from the way he couldn’t stop wanting her.

She sighed. “I came here because I felt I owed Seth an explanation for the way I broke things off with him. I was abrupt and…” Expression rueful, she shrugged. “I was wrong. Not for ending it, but the way I handled it. I wanted closure. I forgot guys don’t seem to get that word.”

Her comment made him smile. “Truth. We—or at least I—tend to see things a bit more cut-and-dried. Either something is or it isn’t.”

Considering him, she shook her head. “Despite my best efforts, Seth seems to believe I’m here for another reason—to get back together. He’s hurt and angry…understandably so.” She took a deep breath. “He’s your brother, but I’ll be honest with you. Seth’s taking it to another level.” Leaning forward, she met his gaze. “He’s frightening me.”

“Me, too,” he admitted gruffly. Then, because he was curious, he asked her how long she’d known his brother.

“A couple of years. We met on the slopes. We were friends, just that, nothing more. Then I went through something…” She bit her lip, her dark blue eyes huge. “Both my parents were killed in a car crash. Seth was there for me. He became my port in the storm.”

Surprised, Remy simply nodded, hoping she’d continue. Maybe his brother had matured in ways he didn’t always reveal. For Seth to stand by Vanessa while she endured her own private hell, expecting nothing in return… That showed the sort of personal growth, the kind Remy had long wished Seth to have.

She fell silent. He didn’t press her, and instead drank his coffee in silence.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, getting up quickly and heading toward the restroom. Right before she reached the short hallway that led to the ladies’ room, she turned and looked at him. “Please wait for me.” And then she disappeared behind the door.

For reasons he didn’t entirely understand, that broke his heart.

Had she said too much? Or not enough? Standing in front of the washroom mirror, Vanessa put her hands to her flaming cheeks. She needed to remember that Remy and Seth were related by blood, while she was merely a stranger who’d come to town for what now seemed to be entirely selfish reasons. Clearly, Seth would have been better off without her attempt at obtaining a respite from her guilt at the knowledge that she hadn’t handled their breakup well.

Turned out maybe that had been all in her head. She should have left well enough alone. And she couldn’t believe she’d almost revealed the fact that she and Seth had never even been intimate. If she had, then Remy would know what a cold fish she was.

During her brief engagement to Seth, she’d managed to deflect every attempt he made to get her in his bed. At first, she’d chalked it up to her sheltered upbringing, but she’d come to the realization she didn’t want him at all that way. She’d seen the way other women looked at him—he was a handsome man, after all. So it had to be her. With that bit of awareness, she’d understood they both deserved better.

But she’d lacked the courage to say that to Seth. Of course, the fact that when she’d called off the engagement, he’d been so furious that he’d punched a hole in the wall might have had something to do with it. He’d scared her so badly, and after he’d stormed out she’d had all her locks changed so he couldn’t come back.

He hadn’t. He’d hightailed it back to Roaring Springs, which had given her both relief and peace. Until she’d gotten the foolish idea that she needed to make things right with Seth so they could both move on.