Sleigh Bells in the Snow (O'Neil Brothers 1)

“Jackson—”

“Get in the car, Kayla.” They were the same words he’d spoken to her a few nights earlier when she’d fled from the meeting, only this time he understood more about why she’d fled. He hoped she wasn’t going to argue, because he was ready to flatten her to the side of his SUV and kiss her until she stopped arguing, which would give Walter something to stare at other than his log pile.

“You employed me to do a job.”

“I’m not stopping you doing that job. I’d like an update, and I’d like that update with strong coffee to make up for the amount we didn’t sleep last night. Right now we’re going to use this private time to have that conversation you’ve been avoiding.”

She climbed into the car. “I had things to do this morning.”

“Things that required you to creep out like a burglar?”

“I was trying not to wake you.”

“Yeah, I got that part. Question is, why? Am I that scary?”

“I was busy. I spoke to your mother. I had a conversation with Élise and Brenna. I had a lovely chat with Walter.” She fastened her seat belt. “That was what we agreed, wasn’t it? That I’d talk to people?”

“Seems you’ve talked to just about everyone except me so far today.”

She took a deep breath. “It was one night, Jackson. Just one night.”

“In that case you owe me a couple of hours because you walked out before it was finished.” He waited for her to come back with a smart reply.

What she did was turn the conversation back to work.

“I’ve decided to go for some feature placements and national TV. People like a human story.”

He reined in frustration. “Human story?”

“You gave up your own dream to come home and save the family business.”

Tension rippled through him. “You make it sound like some sort of damn sacrifice.”

“Would you have come home and run this place if your father were still here?”

“He isn’t, so it isn’t a question that needs answering.” The snap in his voice was directed at himself rather than her, but she had no way of knowing that. He was about to apologize when he felt the gentle touch of her fingers on his thigh.

Remembering how those fingers had felt wrapped around a certain part of him, Jackson almost drove off the road.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice was soft. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry. I’m tired and cranky and right now I don’t want to talk about this place.” He tried to focus on the road and not the touch of her hand. “And I’m not sure Walter should be talking to journalists. I don’t want the world to know he doesn’t want me here.”

“He wants you here. I spent an hour with him this morning. You’re all he talks about and he talks with love and pride.”

“Family loyalty. He’s not going to say anything different to—”

“To an outsider. It’s fine...you can say it. And he’s proud of you, Jackson. You have no idea how lucky you are to have that.” She withdrew her hand and he had to stop himself from grabbing it. Instead he kept both hands on the wheel and steered the vehicle into the parking area at the foot of the chairlift.

“I should have come home sooner.” Guilt gnawed at him, aching under his ribs. “Should have asked some questions. My father was a lousy businessman. He considered a day that wasn’t spent outdoors trying to break his speed record flying downhill a day wasted.”

“He sounds like Tyler.”

“There are similarities, but Tyler loves Snow Crystal. To Dad it was a boulder around his neck stopping him doing the things he wanted to do.” He wondered why they were talking about this when all he wanted to do was talk about the night before.

He wondered how she could block it out so easily.

And then he saw her fingers. She was clenching them in her lap, her knuckles white, and he knew she wasn’t finding it easy, either.