With her promotion officially on the line, Tana had to try and save it. Flashing him her warmest and most welcoming smile, she stuck out her hand. “Well, I’d love to start over with an introduction. I’m Tana Birch.” It was a little awkward because of the thick ski gloves they both wore, and she let out a laugh that approached a high giggle. Oh, no. “One of the ski instructors. And yes, it’s my first time, but I’ve also taught dance, and I was a private tutor for a while.”
“Explains your grace on the slopes, then.”
“Aw, thanks. I think you did have a point on the timing of the runs, though. It’s a bit tough with the smaller kids. Sometimes they don’t follow the plan.”
“Don’t I know it.”
Tana lifted her wrist and pushed aside the base of her glove. “Listen, I’d love to talk more, but I need to head into the lodge before my next class.” The words started out as a courtesy exit, but once she’d said them, she realized they were true. “It was really nice to meet you.”
“It was great to meet you.” His green eyes traced over hers, and his smile softened. “Before you go, can you tell me anything about the guy who was bothering you? I’m all for pleasing the guests, but that doesn’t mean they have carte blanche to be rude. Do you know his name?”
“Oh, no, no.” Tana couldn’t believe he was offering to go to bat for her with one of the customers. She did not need Chase Elkin hunting down one of the parents from her ski lessons just because she’d had an irritating encounter this morning. “You don’t have to do that. He was pesky, but it won’t be a problem.”
“Are you sure about that? I want things to be all right for you in your job. That’s a priority for me.”
“I’m good. We’re good.” We’re good felt pleasant in her mouth, to her shock. What was happening at this moment? Not a crush on the man who very much appeared to be one of her new bosses. Definitely not that. “I’ll see you around the lodge.” Tana pushed off toward the racks before her cheeks could get any redder.
3
So maybe Chase’s approach hadn’t been the best possible one. He’d walked out of the lodge determined to do something. After watching Tana’s last run down the slopes, he’d launched into some advice that would take the instructor, whoever she was, to the next level. External applicants or not, Grandmother preferred to hire from within. Even if he was too keyed up from their conversation to sit down with a stack of resumes, he could still offer advice out on the slopes.
His heart still hadn’t settled into a normal rhythm, and it had been two hours since Tana had taken off her goggles and pushed back her hood. He took another sip of hot cocoa and tried to pretend he wasn’t looking for her out on the hills. The lodge’s ski cafeteria doubled as a lounge, and its massive windows looked out over the front ski hills of Cardinal Mountain. Other bright red coats came down the slopes with students in tow. The only person he wanted to see was Tana.
Wow. The word still rang in Chase’s head. Tana was, without question, the most stunning woman he had ever seen. Her big brown eyes had warmed him from the inside out, sparking something low in his belly. And that smile? So big and genuine and hot. It didn’t matter that she wore a set of black ski pants and a bright red coat issued to her by the resort—her eyes alone had taken him captive and refused to let go.
Which shouldn’t be happening with an employee at the lodge. Not now, and not ever.
Tana’s red coat appeared at the top of the bunny slope, and he knew instantly from the way she moved that it was her. It made perfect sense that she’d taught dance. She seemed to dance even on skis, with grace and confidence and an encouraging smile he could see even in the Lodge.
The students around her followed her lead, and they started down the hill. He couldn’t hear what she said, obviously, but he could see their faces—smiles all around, and each one vying to be next to her during the descent. They loved her. What had he been thinking, jumping on her with those tweaks about timing during the lessons? She had skills. She had rapport. And clearly, she made people feel supported.
Glancing at his watch, he realized this would be the last run down the hill. If he was going to get a chance to talk to her again today, this would be the time. So as much as he wanted to watch her ski down just for the sheer beauty of it, he got up from his seat and returned his mug.
Chase found her a few minutes later at the bottom of the hill. She stopped to talk to a couple of parents, then proceeded to hand in her equipment to the attendant at the ski rental building. The employees at the lodge didn’t have to haul skis and equipment back and forth like some of the other resorts Chase had been to. His grandmother believed in making people’s lives better, and it showed in some of the value-added benefits she provided.
Maybe things would be different at the resort with someone like Tana. As it stood, he couldn’t ski—and watching the people come down the mountains hurt deep inside. Burning jealousy didn’t help, either.
Tana turned, and their eyes met across the churned-up snow. Her dark eyes lit up at the sight of him, her eyebrows lifting. Chase had already planned out what he’d say when they met again, but now all the words flew out of his mind.
She skied over to meet him. Chase had the strange urge to ask her out on a date.
Tana lifted a hand and smoothed down the braid peeking out from under her hat, bringing it around to the front of her coat.
“Hey, Chase.” Her voice was so much warmer than it had been when they first met. “How was the timing on those last runs?”
He wanted to deny he’d been watching but lying wasn’t his thing. “You looked great out there. I mean—the timing looked great. The students seem to enjoy the lessons.”
She gave a shrug, her eyes sparkling. “I bring my best to the slopes. The way you always did.” Tana flinched as she finished the sentence.
The dull ache in his leg flared in recognition, knowing what she meant. The comment stung. “It was my life—I gave it everything I had.”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up.” Her eyes flicked down to the snow.
“It was national news. No big deal.” Except the end of Chase’s skiing career had been the biggest deal of his life. It still was, but looking into Tana’s eyes gave him the strange sensation that the accident and his injury had faded into the distant past. Temporary relief but highly welcome. “But you should know I didn’t come down here with more tips. I came to see if I could buy you a hot tea.” It would only be the once, and he wanted to know more about her. “Maybe we could talk more.”
Tana frowned, and for the first time, he noticed the thin scar that cut across one of her cheeks. “A hot tea sounds great.” He heard the rejection in her voice, although it was cloaked with kindness. “But I really can’t. I have an errand to run, and I can’t miss it.”
“Another time, then.” Disappointment dogged him. He pushed it away.
“Another time,” she agreed, her gaze lingering on his face for a heartbeat longer than was strictly necessary. The cold, clear day didn’t feel so cold after all.
Chase headed back to his house, intent on solitude, a beer, and dinner. In that order. He didn’t live in the lodge the way his grandmother did. She and his grandfather had renovated half the top floor of the lodge into their own private apartments early on in their ownership of the resort. Both liked being around other people, and it gave them peace of mind about the building itself. Of course, the Elk Lodge resort had grown considerably since then. They offered numerous private chateaus in the forest overlooking the slopes and a neat set of winter camping cabins.