which led him to the middle of nowhere in some small mountain town in Washington.
He’d always liked Seattle, but he’d never ventured away from the I-5 corridor until Penny Warren pleaded to see him.
And he fell for it.
Again.
But when he saw the gorgeous bartender across the room, he nearly forgot his name, let alone why he was even at the Silver Ridge Resort.
When he realized he couldn’t stop catching a glance of the auburn beauty, he realized he’d crossed the fine line into creepy stalkerville, so he grabbed the first bill out of his wallet to pay for his drinks and got out of the bar.
It didn’t help that he’d also asked the younger bartender questions about her coworker.
He shook his head and ran his fingers through his dark hair as he sat in the lobby of the hotel. Slade liked to believe he was a little more suave than that, but after being stood up by someone he hadn’t seen in years, he really didn’t know where he stood in the cool department.
He was just grateful he’d rented a snowboard for the next day and a mountain bike for Sunday. Only the top of the mountain was open to skiing and snowboarding now that spring had arrived, so thankfully, he was an expert snowboarder and could at least make part of the trip useful because right about now, conversations with himself weren’t going well.
But he felt somewhat comforted because he had overheard the two bartenders talking about his good looks, and right about now, he’d take any words of encouragement he could.
He’d reserved dinner tonight for Penny and exploring the town with her, so that obviously wasn’t going to happen.
Slade was actually kind of relieved Penny never showed up. However, he was disappointed in himself for falling for her antics. He’d just figured after this many years, she’d grown up and possibly forgiven him.
Apparently not.
But it did feel like they’d had a connection when she’d kept messaging him.
It sounded like she needed a change and wanted to relive old times, which sounded fun for him, and after the last year, fun sounded like a foreign word.
All Slade knew was that Penny was gorgeous and they’d had a past, so the very idea of her felt comfortable, which would be a nice change.
He let out a sigh and stood when he spotted a man behind the counter. Maybe the guy could point him in the right direction for a night out on the town with himself.
By the time he walked over to the lobby counter, the man was smiling and chatting with one of the families that had just arrived at the resort. The guy seemed friendly enough and would probably be the best bet to get the inside scoop on this small town.
When it was his turn, Slade walked up to the counter.
“How can I help you?” The man grinned, and Slade glanced around the rustic lobby.
Under different circumstances, he’d find himself right at home at the Silver Ridge Resort, but after the sudden turn of events, he’d rather catch an early flight home and call it a day.
“Well, I’ve been stood up.” Slade laughed. “So, I’d like to recover what shred of dignity I might have and turn this trip around. Any suggestions for a good meal in town?”
“Apart from one of our restaurants on the property?” The man chuckled.
“Right.” Slade nodded. “I’ve already made a fool of myself in your bar, so I’d rather eat off-premises.”
“Gotcha.” The man pulled out a sheet and slid it toward Slade. “If you plan on being entertained late into the evening, there are a few pubs in the downtown corridor that cater to late nights, music, and dancing. If you’re looking for something a little quieter, then I’d suggest these three restaurants.”
Slade nodded. “Awesome. I think I might just do a walk of shame pub crawl.”
“Hey, Drew North. Nice of you to show up after spending an eternity over in Europe.”
Slade glanced in the direction of the man’s voice and realized he looked nearly identical to the guy standing in front of him.
“What are you doing behind the counter?” the guy asked.
“Just thought I’d help out where needed, Sam.”
Slade looked at the two men who had to be brothers, and a sinking feeling appeared in the pit of his stomach. Man, he missed his brother.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that loss too. Slade needed to stay focused on something that didn’t matter to him, like Penny. She was