A Simple Wish About love - Karice Bolton Page 0,10

and Drew laughed and in unison sang, “To Penny.”

Chapter Four

There was something damn sexy about Erika, and Slade couldn’t get her out of his mind. But Slade could tell he was the furthest thing from Erika’s. She was just one of the guys and seemed to love nothing more than having a beer and a good laugh.

Now, he was stuck on a mountain skiing while trying to avoid icy patches and not get pelted by the snow machine as he daydreamed about a woman he couldn’t have.

Slade should’ve just skipped the last day of skiing and zeroed in on two days of mountain biking, but once he reached mid-mountain, he was definitely going to be done for the day. He might even scoot into the bar for a drink. He remembered Erika saying something about spending the day with her son, so he should be clear to go in and not have it look like he’s stalking her.

The moment he saw the lift, his pulse quickened. He couldn’t wait to get off the mountain. Instead of thinking about how to become a better person, he daydreamed about spending another evening with Erika. That was the exact problem Slade needed to deal with. He’d never dealt with his issues, all the junk inside that made him perpetually messed up.

He knew his inability to find or maintain a solid relationship with a woman had to start with him. He had to be the problem. Why else would a woman go to the trouble to hunt him down and spoof him after so many years just to prove a point?

Slade skied to the empty lift and rode it down as he thought about Erika. Was he only attracted to her because she lived in Silver Ridge? That certainly made it impossibly convenient, and he did like convenience.

Which was precisely the issue at hand. He was far too busy and far too confused for any real relationship. Exactly why he’d jumped on the first and only relationship possibility to come his way in years. He didn’t want to think of himself as vulnerable, but after his brother died, nothing had gone right in his world.

Slade had just wanted something to wake him up, remind him that he was alive.

Slade watched the snow and ice turn to green pastures with wildflowers beginning to canvas the mountain as the lift lowered him to the base.

So much had changed since his brother died.

“Lucas.” The words rolled off his lips, nothing more than a breath from being real.

God, he missed his brother.

The lift slid him toward the walkway, and he pushed himself onto the slippery surface where he could remove his skis.

He definitely needed to head to the bar if all his mind wanted to do was remind him why he was such a wreck.

Slade wandered over to the hotel bar and propped his skis on the ski rack by the door before entering the bar through the patio. He glanced around and was somewhat relieved that he didn’t spot Erika. His memory was right. She had the day off.

He found a spot in the corner, and a new bartender came over to take his order. It was simple. He needed a beer and a burger.

As he was stewing in the corner about his life gone wrong, he glanced at his phone and saw a message from Penny apologizing and saying she’d like to make it up to him. But the dirty little secret he clung to was that this actually wasn’t the first time Penny had stood him up. Before he knew she was married, he’d come home to Idaho to visit his family, and he got a call from Penny. He agreed to meet her at a bar a bit out of town, only she never showed. He later found out that she was married and was beyond relieved to have avoided that shit storm.

Oh, this was exhausting. When his beer arrived, he thanked the bartender, took a sip, and his eye caught Erika bounding into the bar. His breath hitched at the sight of her.

Her auburn hair was down past her shoulders and her green eyes glistened with the same excitement and brilliance as yesterday. She radiated everything he needed.

But why was she here?

Slade let out a gruff sigh, ignored Penny’s message, and watched Erika chat with the other bartender while she scanned the bar. The moment her gaze got close to Slade’s table, he stiffened.

And then it happened. Erika’s gaze connected with his, and