Page 17 of The Lodge

And I figured, well, it’s kind of a waste for them to just sit there unused, yeah? How ungrateful and entitled wouldthatbe, to buy houses just to visit them only once a year?

I spent the first half of my life trapped in a car like a caged bird. Even when I was in the band, I was a different sort of trapped. Yeah, I got to do some amazing stuff—but none of it wasmychoice, you know? I went wherever they wanted me to, did whatever they paid me to. It might have looked like freedom, but it was just a different sort of cage.

I ripped right on out of there once that cage door opened—spread my wings to fly and never looked back.

6

I’ve been back at the penthouse for a couple of hours now, enough time to thaw out in a hot shower and change into something comfortable for my evening work session: my favorite highlighter-yellow yoga shorts and an oversized black hoodie cropped right above my navel.

I still haven’t heard back from Sebastian about when I might be able to ask him a few questions—I sent him another text as soon as I got to the penthouse, but my phone has remained maddeningly silent.

Instead, I listened to another voice memo and am now flipping through one of the books I brought along for research, published nine years ago at the height of the True North frenzy. It’s full of old photographs from their early days in the studio and on tour, along with even older photographs from each of the members’ childhood days.

My phone buzzes on my desk. Finally.

But it’s still not Sebastian—it’s Chloe, just now replying to my video.

SO, SO PROUD Sorry for the delay, btw, had a client meeting

It was fun, I write back.

Resisting the urge to say I told you so. ALSO. ALIX. Your ski instructor sounds hotttt

I can’t help the smile that creeps onto my face. It’s a very good thing she can’t see me right now.

It was a good lesson.

Aaaaaaaaand?she replies.

And it was not the worst way to spend an afternoon, I admit, because it’s the most neutral-sounding version of the truth I can find.

The actual truth: I can’t stop thinking about him.

She sends back a long string of exclamation points.What’s his name?

Tyler, I type back.Tyler Last Name Unknown. We scheduled another lesson for tomorrow…

Alix! I’m so proud of you for making time for yourself

I can only go if I get a ton of work done between now and then, I type back.

Which would be a lot easier if Sebastian would stop leaving me on read, I don’t add.

Wish I could come write the book for you, Chloe replies.At least the skiing will be good for your deadline stress. I think Tyler Last Name Unknown will also be good for you. he sounds like a nice guy

It’s not lost on me that Tyler could be on the other side of the wall right this very minute. I haven’t heard his door—not that I’ve been listening for it—but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Maybe he’s just a quiet person. He could be making dinner, or listening to a podcast, or taking a shower—

Puffin head-butts my ankle, his fur soft against my skin.

“Okay, buddy,” I say, reaching down to pet him. “We can get you some food.”

I shut the book I was flipping through, set it aside for later. Puffin trots happily ahead of me, tail high, like we’ve lived here a year. We’ve been here one day and he already knows where I’ve hidden his food supply.

Every part of my body aches as I bend down to the bowl—muscles I didn’t even know Ihadare aching. My hot shower clearly wasn’t enough; I’m going to need an Epsom salt bath to recover from my lesson after I finish a little more work. I’m a fairly active person, but I guess I haven’t done much outside of my running routine in a while. I’d forgotten how many parts of the body get a workout while skiing, especially when you’re just getting back into it: my core and butt and quads and hamstrings and calves aresore.

A fleeting thought—Tyler must be absolutely ripped—careens recklessly through my head, and suddenly it’s all I can think about. I do my best to stop it before my imagination gets too far ahead of me, with limited success.

I’m not thinking about Tyler while I make myself a light snack (oatmeal topped with some of the locally sourced maple syrup that was waiting for me in the kitchen upon arrival).

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