Page 1 of You, Me, & Après-Ski
Chapter 1
NOLAN
Fuck.Idon’thavetime for this.
The tabloid headline shouted at me from my phone screen as my father reamed me out on the family conference call.TROUBLE IN PARADISE?it said, accompanied by a picture of my fake fiancée and I frowning at each other.
“A bird just shit in my coffee, so yeah, I look pissed,” I said, interrupting him. “It’s not the first time the media has published out-of-context photos of me, so what’s your damage?”
“This is unacceptable, Nolan,” my father said. “Part of the deal is you and Cressida selling this engagement to the public, and you’re doing a piss-poor job. Fix it. Now.”
“Sounds like I’ll be too busy this winter to worry about your blackmail, after what Arthur just said.”
“Look at it as an opportunity, my boy,” my soft-spoken Grandfather Arthur chimed in. “Hale’s Peak has a way of bringing people together.”
I grunted a goodbye, then jammed my phone in my pocket. Bracing my hands on my mahogany desk, I took a deep breath. Well. It was more a flare of my nostrils than anything resembling a meditative moment.Cressida would be disappointed in me, I thought with a snort. I’d triedyoga once at her insistence, but it had been a perfect example of a waste of time. During my probationary first year as the CEO of Keller Resorts, if something didn’t contribute to the bottom line, it wasn’t a priority—and that included relaxation or any kind of life outside the office.
Which made my family’s demands all the more frustrating.
Loosening my tie, I strode over to the floor-to-ceiling windows of my corner office, scowling at the Golden Gate Bridge poking out of the fog. The tabloids’ lies were annoying, but a winter getaway with Cressida would solve it.But did it have to be Hale’s Peak?The aging property had been a thorn in my side since I’d taken over as CEO six months ago, but it was a black mark on my memories long before that. Curling my hand into a fist, I pounded the window and leaned my forearm against the cool glass, willing myself to calm the fuck down.
“Mr. Keller, your four o’clock is here.” Daphne, my assistant, stuck her head into my office. From the blush coloring her deep brown skin, I knew my four o’clock had been hassling her.“Unless you’d like a few extra minutes to glare at the skyline.”
My lips twitched. Daphne was damn good at her job, so she’d earned a bit of flippancy. And she amused me. Everyone else cowered around me, but she was unflappable in the presence of assholes. Perfect for dealing with the people I worked with on a daily basis—and me.
“Send him in.”
A man a few years older than me walked into my office like he owned the goddamn place, rolling up the sleeves of his light blue button-down. “Thanks, Daph,” he said as she passed. Behind his back, she rolled her eyes and left.
As he grinned after her, my temper rippled to the surface and I thrust out my hand. “Anton Alistair,” I said. “What can I do for you?”
With a smile that was all teeth, Anton grasped my hand in his crushing grip.The prick.I wanted to rip his stupid man bun from his stupid head. “Nolan Keller. Glad you finally decided to hear me out. Rumor has it, you’re looking to sell Hale’s Peak. About time someone took that place off your hands.”
I ground my molars together. Anton worked for his father’s luxury real estate brokerage, and I’d only accepted his meeting to get him to stop badgering Daphne for an appointment. But after the little exchange I just witnessed, perhaps Anton was interested in something other than acquiring more properties.
The hulking man invited himself to lounge on my expensive leather couch, but I elected to stand. This wouldn’t take long.So don’t get comfortable, asshole.“I’m sorry to say you’ve wasted your time coming here.” I didn’t sound sorry at all. “We won’t be ready to discuss anything until late spring.”
Running a hand over his blond hair, Anton considered. “Why the delay? That’s six months from now.”
The words came out between my clenched teeth. “I’m spending the winter at Hale’s Peak to assess the resort and ensure it is ready to sell.”And try not to gouge my eyes out in the process.“I have some openings toward the end of the skiing season. We can discuss more then.”Fat chance.
Anton drummed his fingers on the armrest as I gave him an empty smile. As a rule of thumb, I didn’t trust many people and I certainly didn’t trust an Alistair. His father had done some shady dealings in the past, and I didn’t know Anton well enough to say how far—or close—that apple had fallen from the tree. Although, other than being a little cocky and opportunistic, he might not be a bad guy. But he made Daphne’s work life difficult, so I’d makehiswork lifedifficult.
After an extended minute, Anton pushed to his feet, straightening his shirt and slacks with an uncomfortable shrug as if he hated wearing them. “I’ll be sure to have Daphne set something up for us,” he said.
“I’ll have her call you.”An even fatter chance.
Anton’s brow notched but he left without another word.
A few minutes later, Daphne barged into my office.
“Do come in,” I said without looking up from my desk.
“What did that irritating imitation of Thor want?” she asked, glaring at the door as if Anton had left behind a trail of green ooze.
I stifled a laugh. Anton did carry himself like a Viking. “Just sniffing around. Nothing to worry about.” As I shuffled through a mountain of papers, I muttered, “Where is that chart of last quarter’s earnings?…” I needed it for my upcoming call with Bridgeport Rock Quarry. If everything went according to plan, I’d be signing a deal with them next April to sell Hale’s Peak. The land was more valuable than the ski resort itself, and I was more than ready to get rid of it. On that one thing, my father and I agreed. But Cyrus had his own buyer lined up, ready to undermine me should Bridgeport show even a slight hint of backing out.
Over my dead fucking body would I allow my father to swoop in and stealmyposition as CEO. I had worked my entire life to earn this job, and it’s what my mother had wanted.
