Chapter 7

7

GEORGIA

I was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning as I pulled into the parking lot at work. But that smile faded when I saw no sign of Lucky’s flatbed truck.

Panic started to build in my chest. He was gone. He’d walked out of my life forever. But then I shook my head and laughed. He was here for at least a couple of weeks. It was his job. He’d just gone out to work for the day.

“Good morning!” my boss called out as I entered.

Alex’s girlfriend was still filling in at night, which meant Alex pretty much hung out all night too. He’d no doubt send her home to rest while he took the rest of her shift.

“Interviews this afternoon,” he said. “But it’s not too late if you have any friends who want to apply.”

I glanced at the fireplace as I walked toward the desk, smiling again as I remembered the sight that had greeted me there just twenty-four hours ago. “All the friends I have in town already work here, but I’m sure you’ll find someone good. Everything going okay?”

I wanted more than anything to ask him about Lucky. Had he left? If so, had he said anything as he was leaving?

I’d snuck out of the room around four this morning, heading home to shower and change. I’d crept out the back door and around the side of the building that had no cameras, doing everything I could to avoid being spotted. Only as I drove away did I remember that my car would have been parked in the lot. If my boss noticed, though, he didn’t say anything.

“All’s quiet,” he said.

Crap. He wasn’t going to volunteer any information about Lucky. I should have expected as much, but a girl could hope.

“I’ll turn this over to you,” he said. “I’m going to head home and get a few hours of sleep before my first interview.”

Alex had barely exited when I picked up the phone and dialed the honeymoon suite. I didn’t have Lucky’s cell number. We’d have to do something about that. I’d considered leaving a note letting him know I’d gone to get ready for work, but he knew where to find me. It wasn’t like he could make it past the front desk without seeing me—or so I’d thought.

No answer. I frowned. On impulse, I pulled up his name in the reservation booking system, and my heart stopped at what I saw.

He checked out at 6:04 a.m. He’d paid his tab—the food and drinks he’d charged to the room were all he had since Alex had comped his room.

Where did he go? Was he planning to come back and choose a different room tonight? If so, he hadn’t booked it. I saw no future reservations in his name.

“Don’t panic,” I said to myself.

He had to still be in town. He was working here. Even if he didn’t plan to come back to the lodge, I could find him. Seduction Summit was small. I just had to man this desk until five o’clock.

That was easier said than done. I made it to my lunch break. Usually, I ate my lunch in the back room, stopping when someone approached the desk. But today, I took advantage of an offering I usually ignored. I called my friend Skye to fill in for me. I immediately realized my mistake when I saw her eyeing me curiously while I gave her a refresher on the reservation system.

“Okay, what’s going on?” she asked.

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “I just need a break.”

“It’s that guy, isn’t it? The one from yesterday. I could tell there was something between the two of you.”

A variety of denials went through my mind. We just met. I don’t know what you’re talking about. What guy?

But who was I fooling? Skye knew I wasn’t being my normal self.

“I’ve never seen you like this over a guy,” she said. “You’re all flushed and anxious. You’ve got it bad.”

I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. “We slept together,” I whispered. “My first time.”

“Oh my gosh,” Skye practically squealed.

We’d both discussed how we were unintentional virgins. She moved here a few months ago to stay in her parents’ house while she figured out the next phase of her life. But this part-time job had turned out to be more full-time than she’d expected. Or maybe she liked that it gave her an excuse to put off deciding on her future.

“He’s gone.” I pointed to the monitor to indicate the reservation software. “Checked out this morning, not long after I left to go change for work.”

“Did he leave town or just the lodge?” Skye asked.

“That’s the question of the hour. I was going to use my lunch break to search for him. How hard can it be to find a flatbed truck pulling a logging trailer up in these mountains?”

Skye shook her head. “Not easy. Look for lots of trees.”

I nodded. “Thanks. Wish me luck.”

“Wait!” Skye’s shout stopped me as I rounded the desk and started toward the door. “Alex did mention something about a patch of mountain all the way toward the top. The point of view lookout?”

I nodded. “That may be where he went.”

“I heard him talking about it the other day.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

But I didn’t have much hope as I climbed into my sedan and started the engine. Alex could suggest all he wanted, but if there was one thing I’d learned about Lucky, it was that he did things his own way.