Page 12 of The Proximity Effect

I caught myself taking a step forward before forcing myself to stay put. No distractions. Even if the distraction happened to be a professional chef who could potentially save us.

Chapter 5

Skin Care Routine and… Mammograms?

Tessa

Relaxing in a hot tub looking up at the stars was what I called heaven. It was almost completely private, with wooden planks forming walls between each hot tub spot, and one side was open to the snowy landscape. Thankfully, one had been available to reserve, and an added bonus was that it was clean and fully functional. At least the resort had gotten something right.

I sipped my wine and tried not to think about how much it bothered me that the owners didn’t want me to cook for them. Getting rejected before I’d even pulled out a single pan stung more than I cared to admit. I was essentially benched before the game even started. Not that there was even a game to play.

The truth was, I hadn’t cooked for anyone besides myself in over a month, and I missed it. I’d decided to take a step back from the personal chef service I’d worked for to figure out what my next move was.

I shut my eyes and leaned my head back against the edge of the hot tub, letting the steam and jets work their magic on my tired muscles.

A throat cleared nearby, startling me out of my Zen moment. My eyes snapped open to find Evan standing there in a hoodie and sweatpants, looking apologetic. Even in the dim lighting, I could see the way his brown hair was slightly mussed, like he’d been running his hands through it in frustration all evening. Which, given the state of things at the resort, wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

“Mind if I join you? There are no more hot tubs available, and it’s been a hell of a night.” His voice carried a blend of exhaustion and sheepish charm.

I hesitated for a moment. On one hand, I’d been enjoying my solitude. On the other, the tub was big enough for four people, and I had snagged the last reservation slot. Plus, turning him away would probably make future encounters awkward, considering how small the resort was.

“Sure, why not?” I took another sip of wine, trying to appear casual about the whole thing.

I really tried not to look as he stripped off his hoodie and sweats, but... holy hell. The man clearly spent quality time at the gym. Tattoos covered his arms and torso, disappearing up under his swim shorts and reappearing across his back and down his legs in an intricate tapestry of art.

When he caught me looking, a knowing smirk spread across his face as he lowered himself into the water.

“Did you end up getting something to eat?” I asked, partly to change the subject and partly because I was genuinely curious.

Evan groaned, sinking deeper into the water. “Ramen and beef jerky. Living the dream.” He rolled his eyes. “Archer and Liam went to grab real food in town, but I was too tired to make the drive.”

“You couldn’t have gone with them?” I watched the way the steam curled up from the water between us.

“They went separate. We don’t hang out like that... at least not anymore.” A flash of something raw and honest crossed Evan’s face, but then he plastered on a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. The whole situation was starting to paint a clearer picture of the dynamic between the three men. “Besides, I enjoy eating like a college freshman during finals week.”

I laughed despite myself. “But you have an entire kitchen at your disposal...”

“Hey, don’t knock my gourmet selections.” He playfully splashed some water in my direction. The gesture was so boyishly charming it almost made me forget I was sharing a hot tub with a virtual stranger. “Some of us consider mixing two flavor packets in one cup of noodles to be top tier.”

“If you say so… So, I heard that you all live here at the resort?” I was genuinely curious about how three guys who clearly didn’t enjoy each other’s company managed to run this place in any capacity.

“Kind of.” He shifted, stretching his arms along the edge of the tub. “We’ve got a cabin on the property. We inherited the place and part of that is we have to live here while we manage it.” The way he said it made it sound less like an inheritance and more like a sentence they were serving.

“All three of you? In one cabin?” The mental image of three grown men trying to share a space had me fighting back a grin.

“Trust me, it’s as fun as it sounds.” His expression suggested it was anything but. “Archer’s a neat freak who color-codes the towels, Liam’s constantly leaving his snowboarding gear everywhere, and I...” He paused, considering. “Well, I’m perfect, obviously.”

I snorted into my wine glass. “Obviously.”

“Although,” he added, his tone turning thoughtful, “it would probably be a lot more bearable if we had someone who knew how to cook. You know, someone who could make sure we don’t die of scurvy or ramen overdose.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you trying to butter me up?”

“Depends.” That smirk was back. “Is it working?”

“Not even a little bit.” I was incapable of keeping a straight face and smiled. “Besides, I thought I was a liability issue?”

“Yeah, about that...” Evan leaned forward, lowering his voice. “I think we might need to stage a coup against Archer’s fun-killing tendencies. Starting with getting a chef in that kitchen before we poison someone.”

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