Page 25 of Unforgettable

I wonder what it’s like to live here year-round, when for the majority of the residents, at least nine months of the year are spent serving someone else’s vacation. Scarlett’s exhausted face and the way she had what seemed to be a panic attack loop in my head. When’s the last time she had a break?

A low growl catches my attention and I turn, trying to find where it’s coming from. I’ve wandered behind a row of businesses where the garbage is kept. A raccoon lowers to all four legs from the garbage can he was raiding and a massive dog that could pass for a wolf—holy shit,isthat a wolf?—bares his teeth. The raccoon turns and runs the other way, and the dog stands guard until he’s out of sight.

It’s then that I realize I should probably do the same in case itisa wolf, and I turn around to go back toward Heritage Lane, the main street. I’ve reached the front of the building on the corner when I look back and rub my eyes, certain now that I’m seeing things. The wolf/dog is leaning forward on his front haunches and it looks like a large rat/dog climbs up on his back.

That can’t be right.

Familiar laughter rings out, snagging my attention because I’d recognize Scarlett’s laugh anywhere. Circa two weeks ago, that laugh became the magnetic field to my dick, making it zing to attention in an attempt to get to her. She files out of the door with two other girls, one who works at the resort, arms flailing as she gets her coat on and tries to hug them at the same time.

I keep moving toward them and when I’m close enough that one of them notices me, I nod. “Evening, ladies.”

Scarlett’s head whips around so hard she nearly slips on the snow. I reach out and steady her, my hands on her waist.

“I’ve got you,” I say.

She shivers and levels me with a look that’s not as frigid as it was earlier, but it’s still not warm fuzzies. My hands drop off of her.

“Figures you’d show up here too.” She sighs. Her arm flings out and I smell sugar and lemons. “May as well get the introductions over with since he’ll be trying to take over the town next. April, this is Jamison.”

The petite girl standing next to…Holly, I believe her name is…gasps and then tries to quickly recover by holding her hand out. “Uh, h-hello. I…welcome to Landmark.” Her eyes dart to Scarlett and she drops my hand quickly.

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you.”

“We’ll just get going,” Holly says, staring at me. Definitely not as friendly as during our meeting, but not like she wants to run me over like the woman I can’t seem to avoid. “Scarlett, you okay getting back?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. It was fun. Thanks for forcing me to go out.” She gives me one last lingering look before walking past me.

Holly tilts her head toward Scarlett and stares pointedly at me likego on, what are you waiting for…the last thing I expected. When I smile in thanks, she almost smiles back.

I turn and start the walk back to the lodge, the pretty girl with the long brown hair and the seductive sway a few feet in front of me.

I can tell by her exaggerated sigh that she knows I’m following and I don’t know why it makes me want to laugh. I hate that my presence annoys her so much, but shit, she’s funny and sexy and beautiful.

Just then, something runs past us and I nearly bump into her when she stops.

“You saw that too?” I ask.

“Yes,” she breathes out. “That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” She starts walking faster and I keep up, both of us scanning the street to see where they went. “Where did they go? That little one shouldn’t be out in this cold.”

“Was that a wolf?”

She chuckles and I’m so happy to hear her laughing with me, I almost forget what we’re looking for and just stare at her.

“Pretty sure that was a husky…and maybe a chihuahua? I didn’t get a good look at the little one. We don’t have many wolves around here, but theyareplanning to reintroduce wolves to Colorado over the next few years.”

“Really? I didn’t know that. Right before I ran into you and your friends, I saw the little guy hop on the husky’s back and thought I was seeing things.”

She laughs again and I think I’ll walk with her all night.

“How did they disappear?” she asks, turning to face where we just came from and then back around.

“They seemed healthy. Maybe their owner lives around here.”

“I don’t know anyone with those dogs…unless someone just got them. I haven’t heard anything about that yet though.”

“I forget you pretty much know everyone who lives here and…all that goes on around here too, it sounds like.”

“Oh yeah, hang out at the front desk, especially when it’s Doug’s shift, or at Lar and Mar’s for long, and you’ll get filled in on plenty you don’twantto know.” She stops when we reach the end of the shops and her shoulders droop. “Maybe a tourist brought them and they’re lost…”

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