Page 4 of Stuck With Mr. Frosty

“Ryder and Rosie.”

I bite back a groan. “Think we could convince your newbies to move out and give me and Honey the room?”

“Unlikely.” Carter leads the way down the path to my cabin. “And Steph would kill you. You know how much time she spends poring over the living arrangements for everyone.”

“I know.” I stare at the cabin, the lights already on in the windows. “And Rosie and Ryder aren’t the worst. They’re just a lot.”

“Both of them have too much energy for me.” Carter stomps up the stairs, Honey trotting along beside him. He opens thedoor and waits as I carry the rest of the supplies through before he enters. “And we’re going to have the first search-and-rescue team meeting after mandatory training tomorrow.”

“Got it.”

Carter drops the bags on the ground with a nod to Rosie and Ryder as they rush between the rooms, arguing about which one is better.

Ryder looks at her in triumph the moment he sees me. “We get the bigger room. Need the extra space for Honey.”

Honey goes bounding over to him at the mention of her name, her tail wagging, ready to take out anything breakable at knee height.

Rosie sighs and tips her head back, looking at the ceiling before pointing to both of us. “If you’re going to be getting the bigger room, then I don’t want to hear anything about my stuff being everywhere, got it?”

“Won’t hear a complaint from me.” I drop my ski supplies to the right of the door in the front closet, careful not to crush Rosie’s belongings.

“I’m going to complain,” Ryder says, smirking at her as he shoves his bags into the bedroom on the right at the back of the cabin. “There’s no escaping that.”

Rosie rolls her eyes and looks at me. “Good to see you again. Didn’t know if the two of you were going to come back after all that happened last season.”

“You mean that chick that wouldn’t give up on trying to hook up with him?” Ryder pops his head out of the room, his dark hair flopping into his eyes.

“What was her name?” Rosie hums as she lugs her duffel onto the couch and starts pulling out snacks to stock the little kitchenette. “Emily? Laura? Abby?”

“Becca.” Ryder leans in the doorway, his arms crossing over his chest. “She was obsessed with you. I think she applied again this year, but Steph wasn’t willing to take her on after all the drama she caused last year.”

I head for the room I’m going to be sharing with Ryder, waiting until he moves out of the way before stepping inside. “Just like every other year I’ve been here, you all are welcome to sleep around as much as you like, but I’m here to do a job.”

Ryder’s gaze turns mischievous as he claims the bunk on the far side of the room. “Rosie is going to be falling for me in no time. She’s going to be begging to spend the night in our room.”

“Gross.” I toss my bag onto the bed beneath the window. “Don’t shit where you eat.”

“I plan on making her fall for me before the season is out. I hope you know that.”

“I’m not spending the night on the couch.” I dig out my clothing, sorting it into the dresser at the foot of the bed.

Ryder flops down on his bed and stares up at the ceiling. “You’re cramping my style. How do you expect me to have a good time if you’re not willing to spend a night on the couch?”

“Not my problem.”

“Come on, Aiden. You don’t have to be a complete buzzkill again this year.”

“You’re what, twenty-five now? Isn’t it time to get it together?”

Ryder’s nose wrinkles. “Man, you’re not fun. Thirty really sucks the joy out of you, doesn’t it?”

“I’m only twenty-seven.” I lay out a couple books on top of the dresser, setting the case with my headphones beside them. “And I have my shit together.”

“Debatable. I’ve heard you spend the rest of the year traveling from one mountain range to the next. That’s living like a hermit, man. You would think that some human connection would be something you’re interested in while you’re here. Especially when you know that you aren’t going to see most of these people again.”

“I’m fine.”

Honey walks into the room, her nails clicking on the oak floors. She sniffs around for a moment, taking in the lay of the room before hopping onto the bed and settling down into a ball.

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