1
Rose
I take a deep breath before I get out of the car.
You know how to do this, Rose. Be charming. No one will know the difference.
But the pep talk that I give myself every time I go on one of these undercover assignments doesn’t make the knot in my stomach go away. Or make me feel any less guilty about it.
Not like I really have a choice.
Stepping out of the car onto the gravel, I look around. This place is beautiful. Blue Mountain Wilderness Lodge, sitting in the foothills of the mountains, is blanket in green. It’s far enough away from everything that the sounds of the city fall away and there’s nothing left but peace.
I could use a little peace right now, but that’s not why I’m here. Just one more month until school starts again, and then I don’t have to do this anymore.
My father thinks that Blue Mountain is lying about their safety record, hiding accidents and guest injuries, so they can protect their liability insurance, which is fraud.
He didn’t tell me why he thinks that, but it’s not my job to question. My job is to pretend to be a potential guest. Take a tour like I’m planning on booking this place for some kind of event, and take pictures of anything he might be able to use as ammunition against them.
Not exactly my idea of a fun summer, but I’m doing what I have to. If my scholarship hadn’t dissolved, I wouldn’t have had to ask my dad for money in the first place. It was just like him to require payment in services like this. Charming my way into places he couldn’t in order to take people down.
I make myself feel better by telling myself that my only job is to take pictures and pass them on. I won’t do anything truly damaging. But I’m not sure that I quite believe it.
The nausea and nerves in my stomach definitely don’t believe it. But I have to. My dad hasn’t been very present in my life, and he’s certainly not the affectionate father figure some daughters would hope for, but he’s a decent guy overall. Minus the whole leaving my mother and me thing.
If I don’t get my ass over to the main building, I’m going to be late for my own tour. I pick up the pace. The faster I can get this over with, the faster I can go home.
The main building is beautiful. Classic log construction with a wide wrap-around porch and plenty of places to sit. I can see that it’s been designed to welcome guests and set the tone for adventure and relaxation..
Up the porch stairs, the door is open, and I can hear laughter coming from within.
“Stop keeping the guests waiting, will you?”
“Fine, fine.”
I knock on the doorframe. “Hello?”
Two men turn to me, startled. Then the one on the right smiles. “You must be Rose.”
“Rose Evans. That’s me.”
“Hi.” He walks over and offers his hand. “I’m Asher Pearson. This is Leo Harris. We’re two of the owners of Blue Mountain.”
Leo shakes my hand too. “Nice to meet you.”
“Leo here is heading out on a hike with some of our guests, so I’ll be the one showing you around,” Asher says.
And I am really fucking glad about that. Because holy shit Asher Pearson is hot. Blond hair and green eyes, sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He’s got a casual lumberjack vibe going on. If this weren’t a business meeting, or if I’d met him in a bar somewhere, I’d be salivating right now.
Who am I kidding? I am salivating right now. “That sounds great,” I say. “I appreciate you taking the time.”
“Not a problem,” Leo cuts in. “We get it. No two resorts are the same, and you want to make sure we’re the best fit for you. But trust me,” he winks, “we are.”
Asher rolls his eyes. “This is why we don’t let you do the tours, Leo.”
But Leo is all smiles and energy. “Nonsense. I’m amazing. I could land all the clients.”
“Go lead your excursion before I kick your ass, okay?”
Leo pins me with a stare. “Just keep in mind, Rose, he’s a heartbreaker, but tell your friends he doesn’t sleep with paying guests.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say, pressing my lips together to keep from laughing.
Asher looks like he’s either going to die from embarrassment or murder his friend. Leo is still laughing as he heads out the door, and I smile at Asher. He really is so fucking beautiful that it’s not really fair. I have no complaints being shown around the place alone by him. He may not sleep with paying guests, but I’m not a paying guest and I’m going to look to my heart’s content.
“I’m sorry about him,” he says. “He’s newly in love, it’s overflowing into everything.”