Page 56 of The Proximity Effect

She ignored my deflection like a pro. “Failing means you’re brave enough to attempt something in the first place.”

“That’s surprisingly profound for someone who told me the other day that she named her red stand mixer Sebastian.” I tried to maintain my grin, but it was wobbly around the edges.

“Hey, Sebastian and I have a very special relationship.” She poked me in the chest, her finger leaving what felt like a burning imprint through my shirt. “And don’t change the subject. The Evan I’ve gotten to know these past few weeks? He’s worth taking a chance on, and it’s time you started believing that too.”

I stared at her, warmth spreading through my chest like I’d downed a shot of really good whiskey. “So... what you’re saying is I should definitely order more heart-shaped furniture?”

She laughed, the sound making something inside me settle into place. “What I’m saying is, stop hiding behind jokes and outlandish decisions when things get real. You’re better than that.” The way she said it, like it was an obvious fact, made me almost believe it myself.

My brain literally hurt from everything I’d accomplished on such short notice. The guests now had all the information they needed, and I’d planned plenty of indoor activities if they decided to venture out of their rooms. Most of the snow would fall the following night.

I pushed open the conference room door, balancing a tray with three covered plates that smelled like heaven. Archer and Liam were already seated at the table, papers and laptops spread out between them like they were planning a military operation instead of preparing for a snowstorm.

“Tessa sent dinner.” I set the plates down and lifted the covers.

I was immediately transported to food heaven, and my mouth watered embarrassingly fast. Tessa had outdone herself with chicken marsala. The mushrooms were perfectly sautéed, the sauce looked silky smooth, and the roasted vegetables added pops of color that would make any food photographer weep. I seriously considered writing a sonnet about this meal.

I didn’t even bother cutting the chicken, stabbing it with my fork and taking a bite. “This woman is trying to kill us with all this delicious food. I could probably eat ten plates of this.”

Liam snatched up his fork and knife. “Better than dying in an avalanche tomorrow.”

“About that... thanks for not giving me shit about missing those emails. I know I’ve been... well, let’s say if there was an award for ‘Most Likely to Turn a Resort into a Theme Park,’ I’d be the reigning champion.” The self-deprecating joke landed easier than the actual truth that I’d been avoiding responsibility like it was my job.

Archer paused mid-bite. “You’re trying. That’s... something.”

“I am.” I inhaled deeply, the weight of what I was about to say settling into my bones. “I’m taking this seriously, really seriously, which means accepting that Gavin’s not coming back. That this is real now.”

Liam set down his fork. “I haven’t exactly been helpful or nice.”

“I suppose I could be more patient.” Archer’s expression suggested he was passing a troublesome kidney stone. It hadalways been hard for him to admit his mistakes or flaws. “We’ve been disappointing guests, and I’m sure that wasn’t Gavin’s intention.”

“We should at least be trying to maintain what he created until the two years are up and we decide if we want to sell our portion. That includes not redecorating with hearts and dolphins.” Liam gave me a pointed look, but his lips were shaking with the effort not to smile. “I think we all need to start asking ourselves, ‘What would Gavin do?’”

Archer’s entire demeanor softened for a moment. I could see the ghost of our old friend group in his expression. “Gavin would have fired our asses about twenty times by now.”

I almost aspirated my chicken. “Who are you two, and what have you done with my friends? Wait—” I snapped my fingers. “It was last night, wasn’t it? Whatever happened with Tessa must have scrambled your brains. Speaking of which… how did that go?”

Instead of Archer’s usual death glare at my ill-timed question, he smiled. Not his courtroom smile or his client smile, but something genuine that transformed his whole face. “I thought seeing her with someone else would be difficult, but watching her pleasure, sharing in that... it was incredibly erotic.”

“That sounds suspiciously like a voyeurism kink.” Archer never once struck me as someone who would want to watch two people have sex when he could be joining in.

“Oh, you don’t know the half of it.” Liam chuckled with obvious delight. “Did you know our friend here has Jacob’s Ladder piercings?”

My fork slipped from my fingers, clanging loudly on my mostly empty plate. “He haswhat?”

Archer cleared his throat and loosened his tie. “We’re not discussing my piercings.”

“Oh, we are absolutely discussing your piercings. In detail. Possibly with diagrams.” The playful banter and easy camaraderie was like I’d stepped back in time to when everything made sense.

“And that’s my cue to leave.” Liam rose, collecting his dishes with the grace of someone making a strategic retreat. “We should all get some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

“I’ve got some work to finish up first.” Archer wiped his mouth and piled his dishes onto the serving tray.

I leaned back in my chair, studying Archer’s tense shoulders. “Lawyer work or resort work? Because if it’s resort work, I can help. If it’s lawyer work...” I gestured to myself with a flourish. “I did watch all seasons of Suits, so I’m practically qualified.”

“It’s for the firm.” Archer’s jaw tightened in that way it always did when he was preparing for an argument. “I can’t drop everything because we inherited a resort. I have responsibilities.”

“You’re literally a partner.” Liam paused his retreat to lean against the doorframe. “Pretty sure that means you can do whatever you want. Including, I don’t know, taking a break to run the multi-million dollar resort your best friend left you.”

---