Page 20 of Love in the Details

“Who?” Hunter and Colter asked at the same time.

“Looks like Kassidy’s boss,” Walker said, wrapping his arms around Lauren. A stab of envy shot through Kassidy at the sight of the two of them all cozy together.

She turned around to find Dustin doing his best to move up the hill, slipping the whole way in his leather shoes.

“Now would be the time to help out,” Easton said, whispering in her ear. Was he crazy? Had he hit his head on the way down that last run? The twins would have a field day with her helping Dustin on the hill, and she was doing her best to avoid him for several reasons.

Letting out an internal sigh, she stepped down the hill about fifty feet and reached out her hand to Dustin, who grabbed it and took small steps as she pulled him up the short distance to the truck.

Once they arrived, the truck pulled away, leaving a small pile of snow clothes and gear.

“Really, guys?” she said, her hands outstretched. If this was some kind of sabotage or intervention to get her to interact more with the billionaire, she wasn’t amused.

“Looks like they were excited to go down again, huh?” Dustin asked, blowing into his hands. They were already pink from the cold.

Kassidy didn’t answer that, only stepped toward the mound and pulled out a pair of snow pants. She pulled up the tag and said, “Will a medium work?” She glanced over his body as he removed his coat. He wore khaki pants and a button-up shirt with a tie that all seemed to fit just perfectly, showing off the trim figure.

Breaking her gaze away, she bent down and searched for another pair. “Here’s a large. I think that’s the best we’ve got for these.”

“That might work. We’ll see.” He stepped into them with each leg before pulling up the suspenders. He had to tug a few times to get the pieces to latch over his shoulder, but at least he was covered.

“Do you come here often?” he asked, tugging on the second strap.

“Look who’s chatty now,” Kassidy said, teasing. She nodded. “Whenever we get enough snow that the road is packed down. Last year we had a ton of snow but it didn’t stick to the road very well. And my siblings were all busy with their own lives and relationships that we just didn’t make it over.”

“These are all your siblings?” he asked, glancing up the road. The truck was just inching its way back down, and the sleds would be following soon.

“Yeah, and one sister-in-law. My oldest two brothers just got married this year.”

Dustin sifted through a few more items and pulled out a coat. “I probably shouldn’t ask, but why do you have this many extra pieces of snow gear when you’re all dressed?” He waved up and down his body as he put on the hoodie and grabbed a beanie and a pair of gloves. A pair of old snow boots actually slid on without any extra tugging and pulling. The colors were all over the place, and she was surprised that a guy who took great pride in his everyday appearance would be okay with the mismatched look.

“Sometimes it’s cold; sometimes we lose things or they tear. And to be honest, I think my dad just forgets to take things out of his truck. Once it’s in there, it stays until my mom makes him clean it out.”

As they turned and watched the sledders coming down the hill, Kassidy studied him in her periphery. She didn’t need to take extra notice of him, knowing a good part of her future depended on whether or not he was closing the factory. But she liked the fact that he was more relaxed than when she’d met him at the bank that first day.

Once Kassidy’s siblings made it down to the bottom, they loaded back up, joking about Colter sliding right into one of the snowbanks. Sleds were placed in the truck bed, with some of the sledders hanging off the tailgate of the truck.

Somehow Dustin and Kassidy were sitting together, and she felt an odd sort of zing when his leg touched hers. She wasn’t supposed to feel this way. It had only ended in misery for her with Trace from the bank. She wasn’t going to fall for her new boss. She’d thought it would be easy to close herself off to him since she knew he’d be leaving after Christmas, but this side of him was much more preferable.

The other siblings said a quick hello once the truck dropped them off at the top.

“Walker, right?” Dustin said to Kassidy’s second oldest brother.He must have recognized him from high school. They’d never run in the same circles, but the high school wasn’t as big as some of the ones in LA.

Walker smiled and stuck his hand out. The two were similarly shaped, although Dustin had about two inches on him.

“Coldwater Creek High. I remember you.” Walker stepped back and put his arm around Lauren’s shoulder. “This is my wife, Lauren.”

Dustin’s face scrunched a bit, and it looked like he was trying to think of something. “You have an older brother who graduated the same year as us, right? I can’t remember his name right now.”

“Preston,” Lauren said with a bright smile.

The rest of the gang were all ready to go, but the sleds were few.

Easton walked over and gently took the sled in Walker’s hand. “You and Lauren are going to have to ride together.”

His gaze lingered another second or two before Walker smiled and gave it to him willingly.

Kassidy knew what they were doing, and she wanted to say something, wanted to get mad at them for trying to play matchmaker when that was not something she needed right now. She just needed a stable career so she could finally move out of her parents’ home and have a sense of purpose, to feel like she was finally growing up.

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