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He flashed her a smile. “Cheat.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder as the kids chattered in excitement. “Class dismissed! See you next time.”
They dispersed under Maya’s watchful eye. She leaned toward him. “Thanks for playing along.”
He nudged her arm. “I didn’t exactly have the lowdown before the game started.”
She gave him a smile, pushing up his heart rate. “Come on. You wouldn’t have wanted to spoil the kids’ fun, would you?”
Returning her expression, he shook his head. “The kids’ fun, or yours?”
She waved her hand. “To-may-to, to-mah-to.”
Sam laughed. “Just you wait. When you least expect it, revenge is mine.”
Maya joined in laughing with him, and for a minute, Sam forgot that they’d ever been at loggerheads.
They started to walk toward the center, skis over their shoulders, and he decided to ask her yet another favor. He was getting used to this alien territory of asking others for help rather than shouldering everything himself. Or perhaps, he was only used to it with Maya. “Would it be okay if we make a stop on the way home? I need to drop something off at Arran’s. I meant to do it last week, but the car’s been dead and he lives a little way out of town, between here and Glenavie.”
“Sure,” Maya said. “It’d be nice to see him. Do you need to do anything else before we leave, or can we get changed and go?”
“I’m all set.”
“Excellent. See you in five, Leonard.” She gave him a wave as she headed for the women’s changing rooms.
Weaving their way down the mountain road, Sam had to hold his sides because Maya was about to split them with laughter. “Oh my God! I’d nearly forgotten that story.”
Maya held one hand in the air as she drove. “How could you forget? The guy was butt naked on skis!”
Sam rubbed his eyes. Reminiscing about what went down when they were teens on the slopes was a tonic. He couldn’t detect that tension in his shoulders anymore, plus the perpetual heaviness in his stomach had dissipated since Maya had gotten on the case with the accounts.
If he were honest with himself, he couldn’t even remember the last time Cat and he had laughed together.
Smiling, Maya shook her head. “I love being back here.”
He studied the contented look on her face, his heart warming in response. “In Glenavie, or at the resort?”
“Both.” She glanced over. “Triple B seemed pleased when I saw him earlier. He’s sending me the accounts later on.”
“Thanks so much for doing that,” Sam replied, eyeing her. “I know it’s for Ben’s benefit and not mine, but I really am grateful.”
“No problem, Sammy boy. It’s for both of you, and everyone at the resort of course. Is it a right or a left here?”
“Right.” There was no point in denying that he liked the idea of her wanting to do things for him.
“Is this the house that Arran shared with his ex?” Maya asked as they drew nearer to their destination.
“No. They had to sell so he could get a smaller place. He’s converted the garage into an art studio.”
“That sounds cool.” Her eyes widened. “Hey, do you think he’d mind if I came in for a look?”
“I’m sure he’d love it.”
Discussing his friends with enthusiasm was another thing lacking in his relationship with Cat. Sam was so proud of Arran, but whenever he spoke to Catriona about it, she made her uninterest clear. Sam rubbed his temple. Thinking about the faults in his relationship was unfair on Cat.
Maya maneuvered the final turn, and they arrived at Arran’s place, at the end of a small cul-de-sac. They climbed out and headed to the front door, where Sam rang the doorbell.
He glanced at Maya as she took off her hat and pulled her hair into a ponytail. Her earrings caught his attention. One was a tiny crescent moon and the other a star. “Nice earrings.”
