As an adult, whenever she found a spare moment of time, Lana read. And when her time involved puppysitting the most perfect animal in existence, Lana would read to him. After all, the holiday decorations in the resort lobby were exquisite, rustically festive, and utterly on brand with the snowy mountainscape outside. The Christmas songs playing over the radio were relaxing. Her cousins were going to land in the helipad behind the resort anytime now, so it was the perfect moment to steal a chapter or two with Jake.

Jake preferred romance, but he contented himself with Lana’s epic fantasies. Stretched out over her lap, he was the perfect place to rest her book, the broken and well-worn spine balanced on his back as Lana waited in the resort’s lobby. At some point, Silas and Killian would arrive, and she supposed the least she could do was meet them.

“I see Graham talked you into dogsitting for him.”

As soon as he heard Rick’s voice, the dozing border collie’s ears perked. As Rick approached, Jake’s rear end started to wriggle, causing Lana’s book to end up in her lap.

“On the contrary,” she said fondly. “Graham’s allowing me some Jake time. Jake’s a hot commodity in this town.”

Lana patted the seat next to her in welcome. Rick sat, setting a nylon tool bag at his feet.

“Reading during work hours?” His warm baritone was better than her morning coffee.

“I am the product of my environment.” She waggled her book at him. “What can I say?”

“An environment that induces escapism. May I?” At his request, Lana handed the book over, wondering why she suddenly felt shy. Maybe because it was her favorite, and these days, Rick was becoming one of her favorites too.

Rick turned the book over, reading the back cover as if he truly wanted to know what she was reading.

“It’s something I’ve read a few times since I was a kid.” A hundred. At least a hundred and ten times.

“Looks well loved.” Rick tapped a thumb on the spine before handing it back.

“I buy a new copy every couple of years. I try to read the newer stuff, but sometimes you want to open a book and know you’ll be happy with what you read. It’s like…”

“Like an old friend,” Rick said, as if he completely understood the feeling.

“Exactly.”

An old friend who had been there, when it felt like “there” was everywhere, and everywhere was pretty much a life of empty hotel rooms. Their eyes met, and Lana felt a rush of warmth flood through her. Had it only been last night that she’d seen him? For some reason, it felt a whole lot longer.

“I have another copy on my phone. Do you want to read this one?”

If she had been a dog in a bib, rolling a meatball toward him with her nose, Lana couldn’t have possibly felt more awkward. Rick accepted the book, tucking it into a pocket in his heavy winter jacket.

“Thanks. I get a lot of downtime at work. Reading passes the time. Hey, last night…” Rick cleared his throat, and just like that, Lana was twelve again, and their twenty-three minutes were up. It wasn’t safe to let herself too close to him anyway. Last night might have caused a kind of toe curling she hadn’t felt in forever, but Lana was a realist. A “hey baby” between two lonely people just before the holidays was not a promised path to happily ever after.

“It’s all right,” she said. “I understand. No need to explain.”

Maybe Rick would have the decency to leave before her smile slipped and the fact that she was oddly devastated became humiliatingly clear.

“I was going to say last night was the best night I’ve had in years.”

Ah. Well. That was a different story, then.

Lana didn’t trust herself to immediately answer. Her heart pounded in her chest, loud enough that she couldn’t hear, let alone think. Thankfully, Rick was a patient man. He simply waited, resting a strong hand on Jake’s back.

“I had a nice time too,” she finally said.

Only a slight relaxing of his shoulders gave him away. Maybe Lana wasn’t the only one feeling the whiplash, because he took her hand, squeezing gently before saying, “I was hoping so.”

Rick had no idea how little human contact she had in her life or how no one had held her hand in…well…she couldn’t remember. Lana tried very hard not to hold on to his too tight in response.

“Did you catch your moose yet?” he asked, as if—like the book—he truly cared about her mission.

“Tonight’s the night. Zoey and I are on the hunt. Moose will be relocated, peace will be restored, and Christmas decorations everywhere will feel safer. ”

He flashed her a quick grin. “Let me know if you want some backup.”

She almost took him up on it. Before Lana could answer, a message chirped on her phone, breaking the moment between them.

Rick let go of her hand so fast she almost thought he was embarrassed. But the way he was looking at her, his hazel eyes locked on her, it was hard to believe his interest wasn’t real. Real and welcome and amazingly confusing. Unfortunately, this wasn’t something she could take the time to figure out now. Not with a second, more imperious message beeping on her phone.

Taking refuge in a puppy, Lana stood, Jake’s leash in her hand.

“I’m sorry, I have to go meet two of my company’s board of directors,” she said. “I’d invite you, but one of them is fairly annoying.”

Rick nodded, rubbing his hands together. “It’s fine. I should go too. I promised Hannah I’d fix the pool table in the game room. It keeps eating balls.”

“You’re daring me to say something off-color, aren’t you?”

“The thought crossed my mind.” He chuckled, standing.

Lana patted his arm, thinking the muscles beneath his waffle shirt were nice and firm. “It’s hard work being competent.”

He flashed her the sweetest look, making him far handsomer than every other man in town. He probably didn’t even know it. “Have a nice day, sweetheart. I know being our evil overlady is a busy job.”

“You too?” When Rick winked at her roguishly, there was absolutely no way she could be offended. As Lana hustled off to the helicopter pad on the far side of the complex, she couldn’t help the curving of her lips.

He’d called her sweetheart. Lana was pretty sure she liked it.

* * *

This must have been a slow week for Locketts, or else Ash was working outside her comfort zone for some extra Christmas money. The familiar helicopter with its telltale dragon artwork rarely played courier for travelers uninterested in making the drive from Anchorage International Airport to Moose Springs.

Lana waited for her cousins with Jake at her side, standing far enough away that there was no risk of Jake getting accidentally hurt by strong propellers blowing ice and snow around them. Ash landed with a harder thump than usual, at least from what Lana had seen of the pilot’s skill.

Silas got out of the helicopter, a telltale sneer on his face as he ignored them all, focus on his phone. A bemused Killian followed, catching Lana’s eyes from behind Silas’s back and making a face at Silas. She didn’t even try to cover her amusement.

“Did you get a dog?” Killian asked.

“I’m puppysitting.” Lana took a step back. “He’s blind. Let him sniff you first.”

Sniffing completed to Jake’s satisfaction, he pushed his muzzle into Killian’s hands. “Hey, buddy,” Killian said, instantly charmed. “I like your hat.”

“Only the finest in attire for him.” Lana deliberately sounded aloof, making Killian laugh.

“At least you didn’t stuff him in a Chanel bag,” he said.

Abruptly, Silas looked around, sniffing in distaste at the stunning scenery. “So this is Moose Springs? The pictures online did it more justice than it deserves.”

Lana rolled her eyes. Silas was family, but he didn’t have the Montgomery name. That shouldn’t have been a bad thing, but Silas had always been insecure about his place in the family. Where Lana was privately envious of Silas’s anonymity, he was desperate to prove himself to the group. Lana felt compassion for him…but honestly? The man was tiresome.

“So to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” Lana asked, even though she already knew. Silas was about as sneaky as a pig in an inspector’s cape. “If you’re here for the ski slopes, I’m happy to arrange a private lesson.”

Lana could practically see Silas’s hackles raising. Like all the Montgomery family, her cousin had learned to ski practically as soon as he could walk.

Before Silas could answer, Ash cut the engine and climbed out of the helicopter, grabbing two bags out of the cargo area. Killian moved to help her, but Ash didn’t need help dropping Silas’s custom-made, hand-stitched crocodile leather suitcase to the snow. She did hand Killian his much more modest, if equally well-made, bag with slightly less contempt.

“I should have guessed these two belonged to you,” Ash said to Lana.

“I take it you failed to impress our local helicopter pilot.” Lana grinned as she greeted her cousin with a hug. “Killian, you’re losing your touch.”

“You’re lucky the mouthy one didn’t get tossed out halfway between here and Anchorage,” Ash added. Silas shot her a dirty look, which Ash returned in spades.

“The customer service was as lacking as the amenities,” Silas said.

“I offered him a beer.” Ash shrugged. “Not my fault he had to get all snooty about the brand. Hey, Jake.”

The border collie wagged his tail, wriggling at the sound of Ash’s voice. “I can take him,” she told Lana as she moved over to scratch Jake’s ears. “Graham can suck it up and survive without him until tomorrow.”

“No, it’s okay. He’s making my day far more pleasant than it would be otherwise.”

Ash snorted, glancing at Silas. “Yeah, I can see why.” Patting Jake one last time, she stood and nodded briefly to Lana. “Later.”