Only His (Fool's Gold #6)(37)

“You should put out a warning sign.”

“We prefer the thrill of the surprise.”

THE GOLD RUSH SKI LODGE and Resort sat up on the mountain at just over four thousand feet. There was plenty of snow in the winter for skiers and snowboarders, and the cold weather was also a great excuse for those who simply wished to look good sitting around the fireplace. The elegant resort was home to Fool’s Gold’s only five-star restaurant and had a monthly “chef in residence” dinner that brought in people from as far away as New York and Japan. It was the kind of place where anyone who enjoyed food looked forward to going for dinner. That meant Nevada should be thrilled to be there. Except she wasn’t.

The invitation had come when her mother left a message on her voice mail. “Family dinner at seven. You’ll be meeting Max.”

As Nevada had already seen Max naked, she wasn’t sure an introduction was necessary at this point. Nor was it especially welcome. What was she supposed to say? Where was she supposed to look? There were dozens of potential pitfalls and she wasn’t confident in her ability to avoid them all. Not that staying home was an option.

She’d briefly thought about bringing Tucker with her as a distraction, but if she asked him she’d have to explain why she needed him, and she didn’t want to have to relive the moment by talking about it. Instead, she deliberately arrived a few minutes late, hoping the crowd of her brothers and sisters, their families and significant others would shield her.

She saw Simon, Montana’s fiancé, in the lobby, talking on his cell phone. His expression was intense, so she hung back until he’d ended the call, then crossed to him.

“Hi, Simon.”

He tucked the phone into his suit jacket pocket, then smiled and took both her hands. “Nevada. How are you?”

After kissing her cheek, he tucked her arm in the crook of his elbow and led her toward the private dining room off the lobby.

She came to a stop, forcing him to do the same. “I need to ask you a medical question.”

He faced her, his gray-green eyes meeting hers. “Of course. How can I help?”

Simon was possibly the most handsome man Nevada had ever seen. There was a beauty to his face that made him slightly separate from others who were merely good-looking or attractive. But that was only half the picture. The other half was a set of burn scars that savaged half of his features.

He was both beauty and beast—outwardly. From what Nevada knew of him, on the inside he was a gifted healer who sacrificed all for his patients and loved her sister with a devotion that would cause the happiest of women a slight case of envy.

“Is there some way to erase a specific memory?” she asked. “Hypnosis or maybe some kind of electronic probe in my frontal lobe?”

The perfect side of his mouth twitched slightly.

“This isn’t funny,” she added, knowing she sounded defensive.

“It’s a little funny.”

“Fine.” She sighed. “Be amused, but I still want an answer.”

“What do you know about your frontal lobe?” he asked.

“Not much.”

“Trust me. It’s not a place you want to go messing around in.” He kissed her cheek again. “Your mother is an amazing, vital woman. You should be happy for her.”

“I am. I just didn’t want to see her ‘vital’ side. She’s my mother. It’s not natural.”

He chuckled. “I’m sorry. I can’t help. For what it’s worth, the memory will fade with time.”

“That’s not worth very much.”

“It’s the best I have.”

“And here I thought you were a gifted doctor.”

He was still laughing when they walked into the dining room.

She stood in the doorway, watching Simon walk to Montana, then took in the rest of her family. Kent with his son, and Ethan with Liz. Their kids laughing and talking. Dakota with Finn, who held Hannah. Nevada braced herself for the rush of memories and allowed her gaze to sweep over her mother and the tall, well-dressed man next to her.

Here it is, she thought, trying not to wince. The memory slammed into her, making her want to cover her eyes and shriek. Instead she grabbed a glass of champagne from the table by the door and sucked about half of it down in a single gulp. To quote that dead German guy, that which didn’t kill her would make her stronger.

She made the rounds, greeting her siblings, her nieces and nephews, spouses and fiancés, then finally, when there was nothing else to do, walked toward her mother and Max.

Denise saw her coming and whispered something to Max, before meeting Nevada in the center of the room by the elegantly set table.

“How are you?” Denise asked, frowning slightly. “I wasn’t sure if I should call or come by.”

“I’m fine, Mom.”

“That’s not what I heard.”

Nevada drew in a breath. “I’m glad you and Max are happy. Really. It’s great. Don’t take this wrong, but I never, ever want to walk in on the two of you having sex again. Especially on the kitchen table.”

Denise grinned. “Weren’t you even a little impressed?”

“No. You’re my mother. I ate cereal at that table. It was too twisted for me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ll make sure the door is locked when we…you know, do it.”