The Perfect Lie (Hope Falls Universe)(18)

“It’s okay.” He pulled away.

“What’s okay?” she asked.

“You leaving. I figured it would happen eventually.”

Steph tried to find the words to say to make him feel better, but nothing came out. Hell, she had no idea how to make herself feel better, let alone Josh. “This doesn’t mean anything…”

“I’m not stupid enough to ask for any promises, Steph.” He started to look for his shoes.

She opened her mouth and closed it. She wanted promises, damn it. She wanted to know that when she went back home, she would have him to come back to. “Josh, I—”

“Don’t.” He slid on his second shoe, not bothering to tie them. “Don’t say anything you’re going to regret later. We had fun. Let’s end it on a good note.”

Steph felt as if her stomach were about to fall out. Her insides literally twisted at what he was saying. She knew he wanted more. She knew he wanted a relationship with her, but was afraid. Afraid she’d go back to Chicago and would never come back.

Who was she to say anything would be different? She’d run from any hint of a long-term relationship her entire life. Now, after two crazy days, she was going to drop everything and turn into the perfect girlfriend? Josh obviously wasn’t that naive and she couldn’t let herself be, either.

She had taken too long and Josh started out of the bedroom. She followed and prayed like hell that AJ wouldn’t say anything.

Of course, her asshole of a brother had to be an asshole. “Nice meeting you, Josh,” he said, with the bite of sarcasm in his voice.

Steph grabbed the first thing she saw, a half-empty water bottle, and tossed it right at his gut before she quickened her pace to meet Josh on the porch, only taking half a second to relish in her brother’s pained grunt.

“I don’t want you to go,” she admitted as they both came to an awkward stop.

“I don’t want to go.” He rubbed a hand over his eyes. “But life doesn’t really like to give me what I want.”

“Well, I’m a spoiled rich girl, damn it. And I am used to getting what I want, so this is pretty damn frustrating.”

He let out an insincere laugh. “We both know it isn’t true.”

“I’m going to come back,” she insisted.

Josh stared down at her, but he didn’t look convinced in the slightest. “Maybe this was supposed to happen. And if you come back, you come back.”

“But you won’t be waiting for me,” she finished.

He was quiet and Steph had to bite her lip. That was it, then. He was just going to step back and let fate take its course? She started to say something but a car pulled up to the cabin and Steph was forced to keep quiet as the Chinese food delivery boy got out.

Josh nodded at her and stepped away. “Good-bye, Steph,” he said somberly before he turned and walked out of her life.

She let out a sigh and shook her head. Could fate really be this much of a bitch?





Chapter Seven



The dumpster lid slammed shut, which sent an extra disgusting whiff of smelly air right at Josh’s face. He winced at the odor and turned away, only to see Amanda staring at him disapprovingly from the back door of the main lodge of Mountain Ridge. He started to move away, but she hooked a finger at him, motioning him to come inside and follow her.

He glanced over to his truck and thought wistfully about disobeying his boss and driving off, but thought better of it. He had a feeling his mood wouldn’t improve if he lost his job.

Amanda held the door open for him and he followed her into her office. When she shut the door behind him, he started to wonder whether losing his job really was a possibility. “What’s going on?” he asked, trying to decide between standing and sitting.

“Funny.” Amanda leaned against the front of her desk and crossed her arms over her chest. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

Josh thought carefully about his conduct over the past week. Sure, he’d been grumpy and a tad more surly than normal, but he hadn’t been rude to any guests and he hadn’t shirked any of his responsibilities. Sure, maybe he might have slammed a dumpster lid or two, but it wouldn’t have had any negative effect on Mountain Ridge… “Nothing is going on,” he lied.

She raised a skeptical brow. “Josh, I know we might not see each other outside of work, but I would like to think that after all the time we’ve worked together that we’re somewhat friends now. And, between you and me, except for Justin, you’re one of my most dependable employees. So, as a friend and not a boss, what’s going on?”

He was one of her best employees? He thought through the roster of workers at Mountain Ridge. Amanda was best friends with the main ski instructor, but the year-round employees were an eccentric and dependable bunch, so it was pretty damn flattering that Amanda thought that highly of him. Especially considering he liked working for her so much. Considering before this he’d never held down a job for more than a few months, definitely not long enough to form any sort of meaningful relationships or friendships, this was one hell of a change. So he owed it to Amanda for some sort of the truth, even if the idea of talking about Steph literally made his stomach churn. “I, uh, I had some personal stuff happen and I’ve been distracted. I’m sorry if it’s been affecting my work.”