Entranced (The ROGUES Billionaire #1) - Tracie Delaney Page 0,36
his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I get it. How about we wait until after Christmas, and then I’ll help you look. And of course I’ll loan you the money. Hell, I’d happily buy you an apartment, but I know you want to stand on your own two feet.”
“That seems fair.” Christmas wasn’t that far away, and I’d made it this far. Another few weeks wouldn’t hurt.
“What are your plans for the weekend, sis?”
Ah, the weekend. Two long days stretching ahead, and nothing to look forward to.
Out of nowhere, an idea came to me. I bit my lip. “Are you using the chalet at Belleayre this weekend?”
Elliot owned a gorgeous, quaint ski chalet close to the Belleayre ski resort, about two hours north of Manhattan. It had been ages since I’d gone skiing. The fresh air would do me good, as would the distance from Ryker. He and Elliot often hung out together on the weekends, with the vast proportion of their time spent at my parents’ house. Two days without seeing him was just what the doctor ordered.
He smiled. “I approve. It’s all yours.”
I stood and hugged him. “You’re the best brother ever.”
“I’m your only brother,” he said. “You can take one of my cars, too.”
I rubbed my hands together. “The Rolls?”
Elliot snorted. “The time and money it cost me importing that baby from Europe, and you think I’d lend it to you? Not a chance. You can have the Merc.”
I shrugged. “Spoilsport.”
“Why don’t you take Monday off?” he suggested. “You won’t get there until late this evening. At least that way you’ll have two full days on the slopes.”
“I can’t do that,” I said. “I only just started.”
“You can if I say you can. I own the company.”
“Part own the company,” I corrected.
“Yeah, and I own the part that says I can give my sister an extra day off.”
I frowned. “I’m not sure, Elliot. It feels like taking advantage.”
“I admire your commitment, sis, but you really do look tired. You’ll be no use to anyone if you fall ill. Take the day, and if it bothers you that much, make up the time later.”
“I guess I could.”
“That’s settled then,” Elliot said. “I’ll square it with Aaron.”
Hence, at five thirty that evening, I found myself on the interstate heading north. I turned up the radio and, with my mood vastly improved, started singing along at the top of my voice. A couple of days away would soon fix me up. Fresh mountain air, the thrill of zooming down powder-white slopes, all that time alone to sort through things in my head and forget Ryker had kissed me.
Yeah, like that was going to happen.
A little over an hour into my journey, I passed the turnoff to West Point and saluted—a tradition I always followed. Seconds later, a horrible rattling sound came from under the hood. The car began to shake, and the steering wheel juddered beneath my hands.
The engine lost power. Limping to the next exit, I coasted into the parking lot of a Seven-Eleven. My knowledge of cars began and ended with checking they had gas. Oh, and that the tires were pumped up. Other than that, zilch.
I scrabbled around in my purse for my phone. I’d call Elliot. He’d know what to do. After all, it was his stupid car. I should have insisted on the Rolls.
The call went to voicemail. I dialed a second and then a third time. Eventually he picked up.
“Athena, you’d better be dying.”
“The car broke down.”
“What?” he exclaimed. “What the hell did you do to it? German cars don’t break down.”
“I didn’t do anything,” I said. “And clearly they do. I was driving along, and it made this horrible rattling noise. I managed to pull off the highway. Can you come get me?”
“Where are you?”
“Just past West Point.” I gave him the address where I’d parked up.
“Okay, sit tight.”
Without the heat from the engine, the car had already turned cold. I reached into the backseat and picked up my coat, then decided to grab a coffee and something to eat. Even if Elliot left right now, it would take him over an hour to reach me. Just my luck. Still, I’d get him to drop me off at the cabin and then ask Dad if he could pick me up on Monday morning. He’d be fine with that.
Loaded up with a bagful of unhealthy snacks, I returned to the car and hunkered down.