Page 46 of The Route to You

And now you’ve prioritized helping your ex-girlfriend over laying Granny to rest.

“They’re great. I love them,” he said, setting his hands on his knees.

A beat of silence.

“If we’re staying,” he said, pushing up, “let’s go in. I’m ready to get out of the cold.”

“We should probably take a peek at your phone and see if Davy’s called you.”

He nodded without answering as they moved inside. Snowboarding had been a good break from all the drama, and he wasn’t eager to pick it back up again. But there was no way it wasn’t at the forefront of Sloan’s mind, no matter how well she’d managed not to mention it on the slopes.

Maybe Dean and Francesca had made it easier. Or Sloan had needed a breather just as badly as he had.

Either way, Kyle didn’t relish the thought of circling that drain again.

Dean stood from the fireplace as they entered, a fresh fire already roaring in it as he closed the screen with a satisfied clank. “So, you guys staying?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Kyle said.

“Awesome.” Dean gestured down the hall. “Francesca went straight back to fix up the guest room up for you two—scrub the toilet, you know.” He smirked. “She’s got this thing about wiping down baseboards when we’ve got company, and I’m always hollering at her that no one notices baseboards.”

“I heard that,” Francesca’s voice called from down the hall.

Their house was a small ranch, the layout cozy but comfortable. Warm. Lived-in. Francesca popped her head out a moment later, toilet wand in hand like a weapon. “Stop giving away all my secrets or I’ll hit you with this thing. You do not want to make a Filipina mad, babe.”

Dean spread his hands. “You can’t hit me. There are witnesses.”

Kyle laughed under his breath as Dean wandered into the open kitchen. “Make yourselves at home.” He opened the fridge door. “Can I get you a beer?”

“Sure.” Kyle shucked off his boots and coat, leaving them by the door. He dropped onto the couch, watching Sloan remove her things with quiet efficiency. She didn’t seem as comfortable as she had on the mountain.

Made sense, though. Slopes were freedom. Houses had walls.

“You, Sloan?” Dean held up a beer.

Sloan’s eyes flicked to it, hesitation flashing. She probably only drank things like expensive wine or cocktails, knowing her. Kyle had seen her drink champagne the night before, but it hadn’t escaped him that she’d looked like she was holding on by her fingernails most of the time. He just hadn’t realized how deep it went.

“Yes, thank you,” Sloan said after a moment, meeting Kyle’s eyes. He caught something there— uncertainty, maybe —and then it vanished like she’d shoved it away. She crossed the space, and sat on the couch too, but on the far end, leaving distance between them that felt intentional.

If Dean noticed, he didn’t show it. He handed them each a beer and sat on the loveseat across from them. “You should’ve told me you were coming to Vail, you know. Could’ve just stayed here from the start,” he told Kyle and took a pull from his own beer as he settled back.

“It’s just a quick trip,” Kyle said.

“That explains the lack of a camera crew.” Dean pointed between them and lifted his chin at Sloan. “So, how’d you end up with the influencer? Stalking him through YouTube?” He winked.

“No, actually.” Sloan’s cheeks reddened just slightly and, if it was possible, she leaned further away. “We met in high school and . . . recently reconnected.”

She didn’t correct Dean about them not being together, though, leaving Kyle to deal with that.

Great.

Sweat broke out on his palms, and Kyle avoided looking at Sloan. It shouldn’t bother him that she’d chosen to put space between them—hell, he’d refused to share a sleeping bag with her last night—but something about her discomfort unsettled him.

Not that she should want to sit on his lap or anything. Maybe it was just the reminder that they were practically strangers now—yet he’d just devoted the last day to her. That her being in his orbit made life a lot more complicated.

Davy’s voice rang in his head. Don’t be an idiot.

Am I being an idiot, though?