Chapter 3: Chapter 3

"There he is!" Leah bounced in the driver's seat.

"Which one?"

"Black coat, gorgeous, wavy blond hair."

Isabelle scanned the people milling on the sidewalk and picked out at least three guys that fit that description. But only one of them was checking out the parking lot and rocking nervously on his heels. He got points for not looking like he thought he was God's gift, though certainly those shoulders ranked high in the eye candy department.

Leah whipped the car into a space and took a deep breath. "How do I look?"

Isabelle surveyed her from head to foot. Leah was one of those people who actually managed to look svelte rather than fat in ski clothes. "Like you're going to melt the snowcap and knock his ski boots off."

Leah grinned. "Come on."

Isabelle knew her well enough to see the nerves build as they crossed the parking lot. Not that they'd show to the Slavic-eyed hottie watching her approach.

His face brightened as she stepped up, as if he couldn't quite believe his good fortune. Leah?"

"Hi."

Grant the doctor took her hand and leaned in to buss her cheek. "It's good to finally meet you in person."

They beamed at each other.

Definitely not an axe murderer vibe, thought Isabelle with a mix of amusement and something she refused to categorize as envy. No sense in envy when there was no time to do anything about it.

When the moment stretched on without either of them looking away, Isabelle took a step closer and cleared her throat.

Leah glanced at her in apparent surprise. "Oh, sorry."

"Hi," said Isabelle into the awkward silence.

Grant seemed to clue in that she was with Leah. "And this is...?"

Isabelle offered her hand and a smile. "The witness. Isabelle Lawson."

Grant shot an amused look at Leah as he took it. "Sensible." He gestured back toward the parking lot. "Would you like to snap a picture of my license plate?"

Leah's cheeks pinked. "Sorry. I had a bad experience. One restraining order a year is my limit."

The humor vanished. "Oh geez." Grant held up his hand in a Boy Scout salute. "I swear I'm truly single, no criminal record, one of three children, born and raised within spitting distance of Yosemite. I've held a steady job since I got out of medical school and have never had a restraining order taken out against me or been charged with any crime."

"Then you're already ahead by leaps and bounds," said Isabelle.

"Will you join us on the slopes?" he asked.

Points for not sounding reluctant about that, she thought. "I think I'll pass."

"You don't ski?" asked Grant.

"I'm from Florida. We don't ski except on water. Give me eighty degrees and a wakeboard, I'm your girl. This," she waved to encompass the mountains behind them, "is not my bag."

"I keep saying I'll teach her," said Leah, "but she keeps turning me down."

"Yeah, we both know how that turned out the last time I let you try. Your version of the bunny slopes leaves me quaking in my metaphoric boots. You go enjoy your black diamond runs and leave me to the hot chocolate."

"Black diamond, huh?" asked Grant with interest. "I was all set to take it easy on you."

"Aw, that's sweet," Leah crooned, "but you can eat my powder."

"I like a confident woman," he said. "Let's get your gear."

Hiding a smile, Isabelle pulled out her phone to check her email as she fell into step behind them. There was one from the cover artist for one of the debut authors. As Grant and Leah kept up a steady banter on the way to the car, Isabelle quickly responded with tweaks to the design. The next acquisitions meeting had been pushed back a week. While they unloaded Leah's skis and poles, Isabelle updated her calendar and made additional notes about what needed to be added to the agenda. By the time they'd strapped Leah into boots, and made their way back to the path up to the lift, she and Grant had obviously all but forgotten Isabelle.

She cupped her hands around her mouth and called after them, "Have fun!"

Still deep in conversation with Grant, Leah lifted a hand in a wave but didn't turn around. Isabelle stood watching them while they snapped into their skis and made their way to the lift. By all appearances, they were well-matched, and Leah would have a good date, with a positive forecast for more in the future. After the long line of stinkers, she totally deserved it.

"And my work here is done," murmured Isabelle. Smiling and ready to get back to work, she trudged through the snowpack back to Leah's Subaru. Only when she reached into her pocket and found it empty but for her phone did she realize she'd never gotten the keys from Leah.

"Crap!" She spun back toward the lift in time to see the lime green of Leah's jacket being carried away.

It would be fine. She'd call Leah and get the keys when they made it to the bottom of their first run. She'd just grab a cup of cocoa and -

Isabelle turned back to the car, spying her purse in the floorboard of the passenger side. On the off chance that Leah had forgotten to lock it during her flirtation, Isabelle checked all the doors. No dice. And of course there was no hide-a-key in the wheel well.

"Awesome."

Finger hovering over the speed dial, she paused. Maybe she shouldn't actually call while they were on the lift. Surely wiggling around digging for a phone while a zillion feet in the air was a bad idea. Leah might drop the phone. Or worse. No, she'd send a text. Leah was good about checking.

You still have the car keys. Find me when you get to the bottom of your run.

Isabelle hit Send.

Now what?

Who knew how long it would take them to get back down the mountain? She still had those deadlines she'd mentioned yesterday.

Resigned, she trudged toward the picnic tables at the refreshment pavilion settled at the base of the slopes. From there she'd be able to watch for Leah. This early, no one had cleared them of the previous night's snow. With a broad sweep of her arm, Isabelle cleared a space to sit. Still wet and she was in jeans, not ski pants. Tugging her hat off, she laid it down and sat, hoping the knit was enough to keep her butt relatively dry. Then she popped the stylus out of her phone, pulled up the latest of her submissions, and settled in to work and wait.

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