Page 55 of Love Fast

“Rosalind?” Rosey asks.

“The designer. She’s in charge of all the interior decoration.”

“Tell her it’s a local artist. I think they’re beautiful.” Rosey’s cheeks are flushed with the heat of Grizzly’s and her enthusiasm for Juney’s paintings. She’s beautiful all the time, but lit up like this, she’s radiant. Maybe I should buy her a painting.

“You came!” someone screeches from behind us. Donna appears and grabs Rosey by the hand like they’re long-lost sisters.

“Did you complete your investigations?” Rosey asks. She’s clearly intrigued.

She grabs my elbow and stands close, pulling the three of us into a circle. “I knocked on the doors,” she whispers. I’m not sure if she’s drunk or just overinvested. “No freaking answer. It was six thirty. If it was a tourist, there’s no way they wouldn’t be in their RV at six freaking thirty.”

She looks between us like she’s a trial lawyer who’s just presented a smoking gun.

“So you think it’s the government?” Rosey asks, her eyes wide.

Donna lifts up her palms. “What else could it be?”

I’m about to give her at least a dozen possible explanations that don’t involve federal agencies, when suddenly the door to Grizzly’s crashes open and three very unexpected faces appear.

TWENTY-TWO

Byron

I slide my beer onto the bar and try to focus on the three men who’ve just come through the door. I glance back at my drink. How many have I had? Is it enough to start hallucinating?

“You know those guys?” Rosey asks.

“If the mountain won’t go to Mohammed,” Worth says as he saunters toward us.

“Then the New Yorkers have to come to the mountains,” Fisher finishes.

Fisher gets to me first and pulls me into a hug. I still can’t believe what I’m seeing.

“What are you guys doing here?”

“Heard this place was banging,” Fisher says, glancing around at the timber-clad walls and stone floors. “Had to come check it out for ourselves.”

Jack offers me an effusive handshake and back slap, always the most formal of our group.

“Fuck,” I say. “It’s going to be a tight squeeze in the cabin tonight.” I glance over at Rosey. She’ll probably need to stay too. I’m not sure if her place has dried out, and I’m not sure I care either way—I just want her near me. “This is Rosey, by the way.”

Each of my friends greets Rosey with a handshake.

“Known Byron for long?” Fisher asks.

“I only got to town a couple of weeks ago,” Rosey says. “Are you local?”

The four of us laugh. “These guys are from New York,” I say. “We’ve been friends a long time.”

“And we miss Byron,” Worth says, ruffling my hair like a sitcom dad. “So we thought we’d drop by. Anyway, we want to see what’s been keeping our friend in Colorado so long.” He shoots me a look that asks,Does Rosey have something to do with it? “ThisClubbetter be good.”

“It’s beautiful,” Rosey says. “Billionaire beautiful.”

The guys laugh, we order drinks, and no one asks who Rosey is to me. Instead, the guys sweep her up in conversation, asking her where she’s from and whether she’s enjoying Star Falls.

“Valley Park is beautiful,” Jack says. “Even before we left the RVs, there were so many stars out. I swear we can see fucking Saturn from where we are.”

“Did you say RVs in Valley Park?” Rosey asks. “Like… the three million-dollar RVs that arrived today? That’s where you’re staying?”

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