Page 28 of Just a Distraction

Except for Sebastian. He has a personal nutritionist who gets his food. The rest of us do just fine eating at the resort or at one of the few restaurants in town for our business lunches. And sometimes my brothers bring their lunch from home.

I don’t exactly have a home. I’m living at the resort. It’s not ideal, but I’m grateful to Sebastian for letting me crash in his penthouse suite, and I pay him a little money for the suite out of my wages.

Oliver, Alec, and I settle into a booth at the eatery. We’re lucky we got one because the place is busy. All of Longdale is busier than when Sebastian first broke ground on the resort a few years ago.

There were some Longdalers who weren’t too happy with the thought of a major resort coming to their sleepy town. But most were glad it wasn’t Sophie’s grandparents’ plan that won out, the plan involving putting in a large wind farm all around the lake. The resort is perfect for the area and is helping the economy, not to mention the aesthetic.

We’ve just gotten our meatball sandwiches and salads when, over the din of the eatery, I hear a voice.

It’s a low murmuring, but it draws me in all the same because it sounds likeRose.

I discreetly turn to the booths behind me, trying to continue paying attention to what Alec is talking about. Thankfully it has nothing to do with toilet paper, but about his wife Oakley’s physical therapy internship in Boulder and how much he misses her. It’s no wonder he’s been so clingy to all of us lately. If it weren’t for their Airedale Terrier, Jerry, he’d be even more lonely.

“We offer paid time-off starting at ninety days into your employment at Tate—” I hear a woman say. It has to be Rose. It has to be. Or maybe I’ve been thinking so much about her, I’m just imagining it.

All I know is that I can’t seem to find who is speaking. I can see the back of someone’s head, and that’s definitely not her. But maybe the person she’s across the table from is the person who sounds like Rose?

Two women’s heads are blocking the woman who sounds like Rose, and a flare of frustration comes up again as I tilt my head to try to see who she is. It’s not good that Alec is baring his soul a bit—well, as much as he ever does. I’m trying to see who it is but also trying to be there for Alec. It’s pure torture. And to make matters worse, now our brother, Gabriel, the one between Henry and Alec in birth order, is blocking my view.

“Decided to come over and say hey,” he says, standing right between the woman’s table and me. Gabriel, the brother just older than Alec, runs his own consulting company these days, helping guide businesses with their philanthropic needs. He mostly works from home, but a lot of times, he comes to see his wife, River, who is the Public Relations director here at Tate.

“Where’s River?” I don’t mean for my tone to sound annoyed, but it probably does. The group of women are now standing to leave, and I still haven’t gotten a good look to see if it’s Rose.

Gabriel narrows his eyes at me. “She’s doing some employee trainings. I’ll probably see her later. Is it a problem that I’ve come to say hi?”

“No, no.” I wipe my mouth with my napkin and scoot closer to the wall so Gabriel can sit down. I toss another glance behind me and finally get a glimpse of the other woman in the group.

The perfect bone structure. Warm, sun-kissed skin. Voluminous lips. Wearing a light blue button-up with grey slacks. Her hair down in waves past her shoulders like it was when we kissed.

It’s her.

She’s holding a binder under one arm, placing her pen behind her ear so she can have a free hand to shake theirs. She nods and smiles. I could be mishearing, but she might say, “Welcome aboard.”

There’s more indiscriminate talking and she tips her head back and laughs. I’ve missed that laugh. My whole body goes warm.

“Actually, Gabriel. Can you please scoot for a second? I need to get out of the booth.” I scoot next to him. “Just a second. Sorry.” My leg nudges his as I half stand.

Gabriel blinks. He sighs and then slides out of the linoleum booth, making a flourish with his hands. “Your majesty.”

I don’t stop to say anything more and don’t worry about him thinking I’m getting all prima dona on him.

Because it’s Rose, and she’s standing ten feet away from me. And her gaze is glued to mine.

Chapter 10

Rose

It’s my default to smile and nod. It’s what I do when I make eye contact with someone, probably a reflex from my waitressing days.

Milo.

I have no idea what he’s doing here in Longdale, Colorado. But I do know that I meant what I said when I told him nothing can happen between him and me. Nothing.

I have to attend to the new housekeepers I just hired. I need to grab their uniforms for them before they leave.

But it’sMilo.

Milo.

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