3. Cody

THREE

Cambrey Pines Spa & Resort.

The most luxurious, upscale, trendy guest ranch Colorado had to offer. Sitting on a hundred acres, tucked back in the pines at the base of a mountain with Time River running through.

It was the place that was going to change my entire life.

The resort was about twenty minutes outside of my hometown of Time River, and I lived ten minutes east of here where I'd decided to settle in the small town of Hendrickson after I'd started my fledgling landscaping company nine years ago.

Adrenaline pumping through my veins, I drove my pickup truck along the winding road that curled through the endless maze of evergreens. Their spires disappeared into the vast canopy of blue above. Any trace of the storm from the night before had been eviscerated by the sun that already beat down, a heatwave unlike anything we'd ever seen laying siege.

Save for the fresh scent that saturated the air.

After a storm, I always got the sense that the muck had been washed away.

Giving life.

A second chance.

That's what today felt like.

A second chance.

Hell, it was the way I viewed my entire life.

Living each day full and to the extreme. Seeking as much pleasure as I could because I never knew when it was going to run out.

Before I could get lost in the old dread, before I could spiral in the fear, I clamped them off because I refused to waste even a single second of the time I'd been granted, so with a grin on my face, I traveled the mile up the long drive before the woods broke open to the resort in the distance.

The massive lodge sat in the center, four stories high and as fucking posh as it came. A slew of cabins and smaller buildings were situated around the sprawling grounds, surrounding pools and spas and different areas for outdoor activities.

But the pride of the place were the enormous, elaborate stables that sat on the far-right side of the property.

There was already a small group of guests on horses getting ready to hit the trails, a guide ready to lead them out to explore the gorgeous expanse of land, giving them the type of experience they'd never find in the city.

I took a right onto the loop that wound around the stables to the maintenance area that was hidden behind them.

My project manager, Matthew, was already there, idling in his truck. I pulled into the spot next to him, killed the engine, and hopped out.

He followed suit.

The guy was tall and thin and sporting a crop of light brown hair.

"About damned time you got here. I thought I was going to have to head over to your house to drag your lazy ass out of bed." He couldn't keep from smiling when he said it.

Hell, neither of us had been able to keep the cheesy-ass grins from our faces over the last two months.

"And miss out on the best day of my life? I don't think so, brother."

I didn't know if it was luck or derived purely from the blood and sweat I'd poured into the business, but somehow, I'd made it happen. My small landscape company had put in a bid to do a full overhaul and renovation of the landscape and exterior living spaces at the resort. I had gone up against five big companies that'd come in from all over the state, and I'd actually won.

A five-fucking-million-dollar contract.

Not that all of that was going straight into my pocket, but still, it was life changing.

And from where I'd started? The bullshit I'd gone through? The mess I'd gotten myself into and had nearly succumbed to?

Thankfulness got me in a chokehold.

I knew there had to be some sort of luck involved because I shouldn't be standing here right then.

Matthew tipped his face toward the blinding rays of sunlight that speared down through the tops of the trees. "Not sure how this is going to be the best day of my life when there is a fifty/fifty chance that I'm going to sweat my balls off today."

A chuckle rolled out of me, and I clamped a hand on his shoulder and hung off him as we started up the walkway toward the maintenance facilities.

I kept my voice low as I razzed, "With all that cash that's going to be sitting in your bank account from that fat bonus you're getting, that's how. If you sweat them off, you'll have plenty to buy a new pair. You know, like they're doing with dogs these days after they get their jewels cut off. Seems fitting."

Matthew shoved me off, shaking his head as he laughed under his breath. "What the fuck is wrong with you, man? That is not an image I need in my head." He reached down to cover his boys.

"Besides…" He narrowed his eyes. "I'm pretty sure the only dog around here is you."

"Who me?" I lifted my arms out to the sides, playing innocent.

The dude never failed to give me shit about my reputation, like I should somehow feel bad that I chose not to live my life bogged down by chains and commitment and heartbreak. It was hard enough to stay one foot ahead of the game. Running so fast that the demons could never catch up to you.

Unbidden, a vision of Hailey slammed my mind again. The same way as they'd done all goddamn night.

Held in that old ache.

Sticky and tenacious.

It hadn't helped a thing that I'd caught her peeking at me through the side of her curtains.

Through that small space, attraction had blazed.

I swore, everything about her was enticing.

Tempting.

Following me into my dreams.

"Yeah, you," Matthew razzed.

"Well, if I had a wife half as pretty as yours to go home to at night, maybe I would change my wicked ways." I wagged my brows, knowing it'd get a rise out of him, though he clearly knew me well enough to know there wasn't a chance in hell that was going to happen.

"Don't even think about my wife, or you're going to be the one losing his balls today, and it won't have a thing to do with this weather."

Laughing low, I squeezed his shoulder. "Don't worry, man, going after married women is not my thing."

He scoffed. "Like Soira would even look your way."

I didn't try to roast him about the claim. Not when he was a thousand percent right. The two of them were solid. Perfect together. Just like the rest of my crew who'd all settled down over the last couple years.

I was happy for them.

Really happy.

That didn't mean any of that shit was in the cards for me.

We made it to the swinging double doors of the maintenance facility, and I tossed the right side open to the cool air pumping inside.

"I might have to park it right here," Matthew mumbled under his breath. "Take on a supervisory position only. Get one of these nice, cushy offices just for myself."

"Not going to happen. We're going to need every man on deck."

We'd already had to triple our roster with any hope of making this happen.

"Ah, good, you're here." We looked toward the voice coming from the left to find Tyrek coming down the hall.

"It's good to see you," I said, reaching out to shake his hand.

"You, too."

Matthew leaned in to do the same.

Tyrek was the head of maintenance, and he'd be the one overseeing the entire project. He had long black hair that he wore in a ponytail and a short goatee on his chin.

"Got a call from the guys from Hartville Construction. They're running late and will be here in about an hour," Tyrek explained. "I thought we'd get started by walking through the property and plans one more time while we wait for them to show."

We'd be collaborating with the construction company who'd be working on any actual building construction. Plans had already been drawn up and integrated on both sides so we'd be ready to break ground.

The owners wanted the project complete by the end of summer before the winter crowd flocked here to hit the ski slopes. It was bound to be grueling, hard work. Long fucking hours. The pressure set to high.

But I didn't get here by taking the easy way out.

"Works for me," I told him.

I resituated my cap on my head and followed Tyrek out. We treaded up a path toward a grouping of cabins where we were set to begin work first.

Each cabin was getting a new elevated porch with an outdoor fireplace, plus new sidewalks and lit paths that were going to be surrounded by abundant, extravagant flower beds.

Pride expanded my chest. This place might have already been a five-star resort, but my design was only going to elevate it.

"Like we discussed, no guests are booked in this area for the month of June…" Tyrek started to ramble over the details again, reiterating the plan.

I nodded along, following him up the path that weaved through the lush scenery, beneath the enormous trees that swelled above and provided the slightest reprieve from the intensity blazing from above.

We made a circle around the area we were set to begin work first, Tyrek pointing out anything of importance, before we headed back down the walkway toward the maintenance facility that wound around the stables.

My footsteps grew slower when my attention caught on a woman standing by a side door that opened to the rambling stalls.

Her back was to us, and a luxurious fall of blonde hair laced with streaks of maple and honey was twisted in a braid that rolled down her back, topped off with a cream-colored cowgirl hat.

Tight jeans clung to the ample shape of her hips and ass.

When she heard us coming, she shifted to look over her shoulder.

Piercing blue eyes stared back, crystalline, as clear as the river that rolled through the property. The striking contour of her face glinted beneath the rays of light that spiked through the leaves.

My chest tightened and the air suddenly seemed too heavy to draw into my lungs.

Fuck me.

It was Hailey Wagner.