Page 8 of Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

Jerome’s hands were clenched in tight fists and he looked like he was going to take a swing at Sawyer. Gwen stepped in front of him.

“Please, Dad. Let’s go.”

Jerome growled at Sawyer and then stormed out of the building.

“I’m sorry,” Gwen said tersely.

“Thank you, but you know this wasn’t my family’s fault. They were just trying to survive like everyone else.”

“Save it. I don’t want to hear it,” she spat at him. Gwen stalked back to their table.

Sawyer could feel the heat in his face and hear the whispers all around him.

Lucas stood and held his hand up. “Don’t worry guys. There was no murder. This is a family feud, so to speak, like the Hatfields and McCoys.”

After a minute or so, everyone turned their attention back to their meal. Sawyer had suddenly lost his appetite and the chocolate cake the waitress set in front of him was nauseating.

“We can avoid them, huh?” Sawyer asked Lucas wryly.

“It’ll be fine. The owners will ask him to leave if he keeps asking like a jerk and continues making scenes. It’s bad for business. Just keep your head and everything will be fine.”

Sawyer looked over at the Cooper table. Brent looked confused and embarrassed. Audrey looked completely humiliated and gave Sawyer a weak smile. He nodded in return and then looked back to his cake.

Sawyer rubbed his head. This is going to be a completely wonderful vacation.

They had a couple of beers when they got back to the cabin and watchedThe ExpendablesandAir Force Onesince they were the most interesting movies on any of the channels provided by the resort.

“Let’s get some sleep. I intend to smoke your tail on the slope tomorrow,” Lucas said.

Sawyer took a quick shower, brushed his teeth, and hopped into bed. He had been tired, but his eyes popped open because memories of Jerome’s outburst flooded his mind.

“I will not let that jerk ruin my vacation.”

Finally, he managed to fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Sawyer woke up early, the sunlight barely filtering through the windows. He stretched, rolled out of bed, and got dressed. The smell of coffee lured him into the kitchen.

Sawyer quickly downed his coffee. “Let’s hit the dining room early. Maybe we can avoid the Coopers.”

“Sounds good, although he really can’t do that every time he sees you,” Lucas said. “Maybe you guys can just pretend the other doesn’t exist.”

Sawyer shook his head. “With all the comedians in the world out of work and you’re trying to be funny.”

He quickly scanned the room for Jerome or Gwen and was very relieved when there was no sign of the Coopers in the dining room. They got a table in the back of the room and ate a huge omelet, four strips of bacon, and a couple pancakes each.

“That’s right, eat up,” Sawyer taunted. “You’re going to need it to nurse your ego when I kick your butt.”

After they ate, they grabbed their gear and headed for the ski lift. The morning air was crisp. Sawyer looked around him, overcome by the beauty of the mountain. The sun shone brightly overhead making the snow glisten like a million diamonds scattered over the ground. It was a perfect day for skiing – clear skies, powdery snow, and the cool mountain air that wasn’t bitingly cold.

They both stood at the top of the hill. Sawyer grinned at Lucas. “Prepare to eat my snow.”

The steep slope tested Sawyer’s skill and adrenaline coursed through his veins. He was exhilarated by the time he hit the bottom.

“Man, that was awesome,” Lucas said as he pulled up next to Sawyer.

“Even though you lost?”

“I let you win. I didn’t want your feelings to be hurt.”

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