A Simple Wish About love - Karice Bolton Page 0,4

an easy distraction.

“I was just telling our guest where he could go tonight to drown his sorrows.” Drew smiled, and Slade shook his head.

“No sorrow here. Just relief. Pure relief.” Slade laughed and waved his hand.

“Well, my brothers and I grew up in this town. If anyone can tell you where to go for a great time, it’s my brother, Drew.” Sam laughed and held out his hand. “My brothers and I own this resort. If there’s anything you need, call us.” He slipped a card to Slade before turning on his heels and making his way out of the lobby.

Drew shook his head. “He likes to make an entrance and then dart away.”

“So, you own this resort?” Slade looked around. “It’s beautiful.”

“We’ve been very lucky. My mom’s family had the vision, and we’ve just been able to modernize and expand with the times.” Drew tapped his finger and the counter and stared at Slade for a split second. “Why don’t I join you on the crawl? We’ll at least get some free beer out of it.”

Slade smiled, and under normal circumstances, he’d have turned the guy down. He wasn’t used to making friends, didn’t really need them or want them since his brother passed, but it might be fun to have a drinking buddy for the night. Maybe for once, he could forget everything that had happened over the last year.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Drew nodded. I’ll meet ya at Porter’s at seven, and we can take the town by storm and maybe even hook you up with a nice mountain girl.”

Slade shook his head. “Nah. Just the beers will do.”

Drew chuckled and pointed at Slade. “Whatever you say.” He glanced toward the bar Slade had just left, and his smile widened.

“Thanks for the offer, man. I’ll see you at seven.” Slade gave a quick nod and made his way to the front entrance. He’d rented a small cabin rather than a room at the resort. But once he’d gotten outside, he realized he’d forgotten his map of the pubs.

Slade quickly turned around, and before he knew what happened, the sexy bartender slammed right into him.

A sweet floral fragrance wafted from her curvy body as she clung to his chest and let out an exasperated sigh.

The bartender stood and scowled at him briefly before hurriedly stuffing everything into her bag.

Slade attempted a smile, but he was beyond mesmerized by her. “I’m so sorry.”

She laughed, and the sound drilled right into his soul as she shook her head. “It wasn’t you. I fully blame my boss for distracting me.”

There was something about the way she looked at him that was cute as hell, even though she looked like she was halfway ready to bite his head off.

“I’m sorry. If you’ll excuse me, I’m late for an appointment.” She cleared her throat and glanced toward Drew, who appeared to be the boss she was referring to, and then scowled at Slade one more time as he stepped aside for her to pass.

But he refused to let this moment go. For some godawful reason, he decided to ask the question he’d wondered since he’d noticed her in the bar. Why not add insult to injury?

“Let me make it up to you. I’d love to buy you a drink later.” Slade thought he’d said it low enough for Drew not to catch, but he was wrong.

Very wrong.

Why? Because the world hadn’t been working in Slade’s favor for quite a while now.

“Great idea.” Drew nodded. “Come on, Erika. It’ll be like old times. My new friend and I are headed out for a pub crawl tonight. It wouldn’t be the same without you.”

Slade hid a smile as he noticed how well the name Erika fit this woman. Between the two scowls she’d thrown his way and the feistiness at the bar as she referred to him as a specimen, he knew Erika was exactly his type—beautiful, vivacious, and independent. And being that she lived three states away, it made the impossible encounter even more appealing.

“I can’t. It’s Friday, and Scott and I are having a movie night at home.”

Slade’s chest tightened at the mention of Scott. So, Erika was already taken. It figured. No wonder she’d only referred to him as an object and not a person. He smiled to himself as he watched Erika push through her boss and out the door.

“I’m late. I’ll see ya tomorrow, Drew.” She didn’t bother looking over her shoulder as she made her way outside.

“Seven