Page 26 of Snowed In with Four Firemen
I get up and take a deep breath as I cross the room and pull the door open, bracing myself. But instead of finding any of the guys, it’s Hailey standing there, looking much more cheerful than yesterday. Relief and disappointment flood through me at the same time, and I’m not sure which emotion is stronger.
Hailey raises an eyebrow at me, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. “You look disappointed, it's me. Were you expecting someone else?” she asks.
I shake my head quickly, trying to mask the blush I can feel creeping up my cheeks. “No, of course not,” I mumble, stepping aside to let her in. “I’m just…tired, I guess.”
She gives me a knowing look, but thankfully, she doesn’t push it. Instead, she claps her hands together, already switching into bridal mode. “Well, you’d better wake up, sleepyhead. We have a busy schedule today, starting with breakfast,” she says, her voice filled with excitement. “And after that, we need to get you fitted for your bridesmaid dress. So, let’s get moving!”
I nod, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep and the weird, lingering feeling from my dream. “Right. Breakfast and then the fitting,” I repeat, more to myself than to her. “Let me just brush my teeth. I’ll meet you downstairs.”
I splash cold water on my face, brush my teeth, and run a comb through my tangled hair, trying to tame it into something presentable. A quick swipe of mascara and a dab of lip balm from the lodge’s gift shop, and I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I pull on a comfortable sweater and jeans, take a deep breath, and head out of my room.
As I make my way downstairs, I can’t help but glance around, scanning the lobby and the hallways for any sign of the Hotshots. Tanner, Ben, Axel, Jace—they’re all on my mind.
I can’t seem to shake the hope of running into one of them. Or all of them. But there’s no sign of them anywhere, and with each empty corner I turn, I feel a pang of disappointment.
Focus, Emily,I tell myself as I head towards the dining hall. It’s probably for the best that I don’t see them right now. I have enough on my plate with Hailey’s wedding and everything that needs to be done today. I need to keep my head in the game.
I make my way to the dining hall, figuring that’s where I’ll find Hailey. As I approach, I see her standing near one of the tables, deep in conversation with someone. The other person’s back is to me, so I can’t see who it is, but Hailey seems really engaged in the conversation.
I smile, relieved to see her looking happy and energized.
“Hailey!” I call out, waving as I walk over to them.
Hailey catches my gaze and her eyes widen slightly, her smile faltering. Her reaction throws me off, and I frown, wondering what’s going on. The person she’s talking to turns around, and my breath catches in my throat.
It’s Chloe Yeager.
She looks almost exactly the same as she did in high school, maybe a little more polished and put together, but with the same perfectly styled blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Memories come rushing back, memories of Jace and prom and everythingthat happened back then. My heart races in my chest, and I feel like the wind has been knocked out of me.
Chloe’s eyes light up with recognition, and a slow, almost feline smile spreads across her face. “Emily?” she says, her voice sugary sweet, just like I remember. “Wow, it’s been ages!”
I force a smile, my stomach churning. “Yeah, it has,” I say, my voice coming out a little more strained than I intended. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m actually here to deliver the flowers for Hailey’s wedding,” Chloe says with a bright smile, as if this is the most normal thing in the world.
My stomach drops. “You’re what?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
Hailey chimes in, her tone somewhere between defensive and apologetic. “I didn’t know she was coming. I swear.”
I force a smile, trying to act like this revelation doesn’t make my blood boil. “What a pleasant surprise,” I say through clenched teeth. Inside, I’m fuming. Chloe Yeager, of all people, handling the flowers for Hailey’s wedding? It feels like some kind of twisted joke.
Chloe seems oblivious to my irritation, or maybe she’s just ignoring it. “Yeah, I got stuck about two miles or so away from the resort last night. The snow was really coming down hard. I arrived much later than expected.”
I barely register what she’s saying as I try to keep my composure. The image of Chloe stranded in the snow makes me almost laugh—until she adds, “But don’t worry, Jace and his firefighter buddies went out this morning to retrieve the flowers for me. Such sweet guys, really. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
My eyes widen, and I feel a wave of anger wash over me. “They’re doing what?” I snap, louder than I intended.
Chloe raises an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the reaction. “Oh, did I forget to mention that part? Yeah, they’re out there now. Jace insisted on helping. I mean, it’s not every day you have a team of hotshot firefighters at your disposal, right?”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something I’ll regret. My hands are clenched so tightly at my sides that my knuckles turn white. This is just too much. Not only is Chloe here, but now she’s got Jace and the others running around doing her bidding? It’s like high school all over again, where Chloe just assumed the world would bend to her will—and everyone, including Jace, just fell in line.
Chloe focuses on us, her expression thoughtful, as if she’s remembering something fondly. “You know, it was really something seeing Jace again after all this time,” she says, her tone softer, almost nostalgic. “It’s like…everything just clicked into place.”
My jaw clenches, and I force myself to keep my expression neutral, even as my insides twist with jealousy. I don’t even understand why I’m feeling this way. I don’t even like Jace anymore.
“What do you mean, Chloe?” Hailey asks gently, always the peacemaker.
Chloe smiles, a dreamy look in her eyes. “It’s hard to explain, really. But seeing him again just reminded me of how things used to be. How easy everything was, you know?”
