Page 4 of Fresh Tracks
“Is there anything I can do?” She rests her hand on my shoulder. This is why Kayleigh and Clay have been best friends for years. It’s why the two of us became such good friends too. She will always ask how she can help those close to her.
“No, I’ll be fine. Just a bit of a shock, that’s all.” That’s an understatement. It’s still just settling in that come Monday morning, I won’t have to go into the office I’ve been going to for basically my entireadult life.
She reaches down, opening the wine fridge and emerges with another bottle.
“I feel like we might need this tonight.”
I let out a short laugh. “You don’t have to twist my arm.”
“Timing is good for you though.”
I arch a brow at her. “Is there ever a good time to get laid off?”
“Oh, come on. You just turned twenty-seven. You have some time off for the holidays anyway. Take your van up to Jackson early, before the wedding. Ski bum around for a bit. It’s not like you have anything oranyonetying you down here.” She looks at her wine for a second before bringing her eyes back to mine.
Sure, I have the occasional hook up partner from time to time, but I haven’t found someone worth dating yet and she knows that.I don’t even feel like my standards are unreasonable. I shouldn’t have to apologize for being tall and quirky or worry about intimidating guys with a Napoleon complex.
I give her a light slap on the wrist that’s not holding her wine. “OK. Ouch. Way to throw salt in the wound. No need to remind me of my lack of a love life.”
“What’s your line again, ‘too many boys, not enough men'? Thankfully, I’m not interested in either.” She smirks at me playfully. She’s throwing my trademark line of why I’ve never had a serious boyfriend right back in my face. It might be self-inflicted, but if there's one thing I learned from my family growing up, it’s knowing your own worth and having standards. Both of my brothers held out and landed their perfect matches.
“Really though. If I didn’t have my insane training schedule, I would do that in a heartbeat. Come on, let me live vicariously through you,” she says, her hands raised in a pleading gesture.
“That’s,” I pause for a second, “not the worst idea.”
This time, she quirks a brow at me. “Think about it. Try to make the best of the situation.”
“If you come visit me to do some backcountryskiing finally, I’ll do it.” I say, glaring at her in challenge. I’ve always tried to get her to go backcountry skiing with me and she always turns me down. This time, I see the sparkle in her eyes, the one that tells me I pushed the right button to stoke the competitive side of an Olympic skier.
“Deal,” she says, grinning wide before patting me on the shoulder again and heading back to the table.
I hear Clay burst out laughing from the dining table, dragging my attention away from the kitchen. I take a second to look around Kayleigh’s sprawling slopeside home before heading back to the dining room to join them.
Her place is massive compared to mine. Fortunately, that’s a positive right now. My place is easy to afford and maintain if I’m gone for a few weeks, or even a couple months.
Maybe Kayleigh’s right. Maybe I should just make the best of it. Maybe being jobless going into ski season isn’t so bad. I’ve been so caught up about losing my dream job that I haven’t thought of the upside.
The universe takes, but the universe gives back too. Sometimes we just have to be willing to see it. It’s the start of winter, my favorite season. I have savings, I have my camper van, and now I have some time for myself.
I’m sure I can convince my van buddy, Josie, to meet up. She’s bouncing around ski resorts in her van this winter. And we always like to hang out and explore a new small town or spend time outdoors.
Yeah, maybe this isn’t the worst idea I’ve ever had.
CHAPTER 2
TJ
REMIND ME
One Week Later
“Isit a good deal or not, Slade?” I stand in my recording studio, looking out toward the backyard of my house in Jackson, Wyoming. I have a clear view of my guesthouse where Veronica and her friends are getting ready for the wedding. Everywhere around me is chaos right now and this is the only room where I can get away from it. I might not have used it much since I built this house a few years ago, but I’m appreciating the soundproof studio today. For a small wedding, there’s still a lot going on to get set up. But I’m still more than happy to let Chapman and V get married here.
Tanner Chapman has become a good friend over the years. He’s gone from someone I hired to take care of this house when I’m not in town, to one of the few people I trust to be straight with me. I practically had to beg him to use my house for this wedding. And V, she’s as sweet as they come. That still doesn't mean I’m exactly enjoying this many people in my space today though.
“I mean, I think so. Good bones. Great location with a viewof the Space Needle and Mount Rainier. The first floor will be perfect for opening my next restaurant and you’ve got great potential for condos or office space on the top three floors.”Slade’s gruff voice on the other end of the call is confident as always.
“Fine. Call Jake. He’ll take care of the offer and the financing.”
