Listen to Your Heart (6 page)

“I know. My uncle was a porter at the
Chateau back in the fifties.” He paused. “That’s where you came from, right?
The Lake? I grew up in Lake Louise.”

“Really? That’s interesting. But how did
you know I was working there?”

“I was telling Morgan about coming from
there and she mentioned it. Anyway, Uncle Dave told me that back then the
guests used to refer to the staff as servants.”

She gave a soft little snort. “They may
not call us servants to our face, but some of them still think of us that way. It
will be interesting to see what the guests at Zimco’s hotels are like.”

“More of the same, I expect.” He turned
into the Village. “Here we are. We’ll park in the back and walk in.”

They crunched through the snow and he
remained silent as she got her first sight of the Village. The Stroll was
crowded with skiers and riders, all talking excitedly about their day on the
mountain and heading for their favourite watering holes.

Dale nodded as they walked along. Chance
wasn’t sure if she was nodding to herself or to him.

“It’s about what I expected,” she said,
turning to him. “Very cozy.” She hesitated before the entrance to the Zimmerli,
looked up at the building then turned to him. “Where is your shop?”

He touched her lightly at the waist and she
gave him a startled look but didn’t object. He led her forward. “Over here.”
The lights were still on and he was pleased to see several customers engaged
with the staff. “We carry gear, and skis and boards.”

She stood still for a moment, taking it
in. “You have a lot of stock. The shop must be doing well.” She stepped aside
as a customer came out carrying a purchase and looked at Chance. “Do you ski?”

“Love it,” he said. “My dad had me on
skis almost as soon as I could walk. Nowadays I don’t get out often enough.”

“I know what you mean.” She glanced
toward the lifts. “I’m a skier as well. I made myself a promise that when I got
here I’d get out more often.” Her mouth curved in a rueful smile. “We’ll see.”

Her stomach rumbled and she laughed, not
at all embarrassed. Chance didn’t know what had happened to her in the past to
make her so emotionally closed off, but that laugh at her own expense confirmed
for him what he’d already suspected. She was a warm, vibrant woman, and he was
determined to get to know her better, no matter what kind of barriers she put
up.

She looked at him as though reading his
thoughts and he held her gaze, then gestured toward the hotel. “Let’s go and
see if Morgan has finished her shift. I know somebody who needs to eat.”

* * *

“...and I’ve assigned the Glasser party to
Suite 326-28.” Morgan was reviewing the late check-ins with the room clerk on
the evening shift. “Mr. and Mrs. Glasser will occupy 326 and the nanny and
their son will be in 328.” She looked up when Dale and Chance entered, and a
smile lit her face.

“You made it!” She grabbed her purse,
came out from behind the desk and gave her friend a quick hug. “I’m so glad to
see you.” She stepped back and looked over at Chance. “I’m hungry. I didn’t eat
much for lunch.”

They entered the restaurant and Tess pointed
them in the direction the large table. “A bunch of us have sort of made this
our table,” explained Chance, waiting as Morgan slid along the bench at the
back and Dale followed. He moved a chair to the end of the table, blocking anyone
else from sitting next to her. His eyes shone with pleasure as the two women
got caught up.

“So you stayed at home last night?”
Morgan picked up the menu but didn’t look at it.

Dale nodded. “Yes. Mom says hello, by
the way. She took me to the airport this morning. I had to get the early
flight; that’s why I was so tired.” She looked around for another menu then
took the one from Morgan. “I need something to eat.” She glanced at Chance then
back at the menu. “What’s good?”

“Just about everything. I’m going to
have lasagna tonight. Tyler does it well.” He nodded to himself. “Yeah. Lasagna,
garlic bread and a Caesar.”

Dale passed the menu back to Morgan.
“Sounds good to me, too.” She paused for a moment. “Tyler is the chef?”

“No, he’s the sous-chef. A wild
Australian snowboarder who claims he’s working his way around the world.” He
lowered his voice. “He has a still on the lower level.”

Morgan lowered the menu. “You’re
kidding. Why would he do that? Isn’t that dangerous?”

Chance grinned. “No, because he can, and
not really.” The server came by to take their orders and he waited until they
were alone again. “When they dug the foundation for this place there were a few
nooks and crannies down in the sub-basement where all the mechanical systems
are located. Tyler seems to think it’s his duty to have a still; says he’s done
it everywhere he’s worked.”

Dale toyed with the cutlery beside her
place. “I don’t want to know about it. What if the hotel finds out?”

“The restaurant is physically connected
to the hotel, but it’s leased out. Even so, I don’t think they’d be pleased.
Not to mention it’s against the law.”

“As well it should be.” Dale held up a
hand. “Don’t get me started. I’m dead set against any type of mind-altering
substance.”

Chance opened his mouth to speak but
Morgan managed to catch his eye and gave him a subtle shake of her head.

He changed the subject. “So, Morgan, how
did it go today with the training programme?”

Dale turned to her roommate, her
expression contrite. “I’m sorry, I should have asked.”

It was Morgan’s turn to examine her
cutlery. “I didn’t get the position.”

“But...” Dale sputtered. “What happened?
They told you in Banff that you’d been approved!”

Morgan smiled at her friend’s outrage. Dale
could always be counted on to be in her corner, no matter what.

The outside door opened and a blast of
cold air reached the table. Morgan looked up to see Rob. It seemed like forever
since she’d seen him, since he’d brushed his lips against hers, and yet it was
only yesterday. He spotted her and gave her that lazy, cocky grin that
fascinated and enraged her at the same time.

“Hello everyone.” Rob pulled out a chair
across from Morgan and for a long moment his gaze held hers. Then it moved
sideways to Dale. “Hi, I’m Rob.” He stuck out his hand and Dale gave it a
perfunctory shake. “Of course you are,” she said with a cool smile. She turned
back to Morgan. “So what did they say?”

Morgan kept her eyes downcast. “They
said they’d changed their mind and decided to give it to someone with more experience
working for Zimco.” She looked up and met Rob’s gaze. “They gave it to Adrian.”

Rob’s eyes flashed. “I’m sorry, Babe, I
really am. But Adrian! That wimp is such a loser.”

Morgan ignored the endearment – if
that’s what it was – and found herself defending Adrian. “No he’s not!” She
looked over Rob’s shoulder. “He just walked in and he’s coming over this way.
Please don’t say anything.”

Adrian hovered near the table and Morgan
motioned him to join them. “Adrian, I’d like you to meet Dale. She just arrived.”

He leaned across the table and shook
hands. “Welcome.” He looked uncomfortable. “I mean, nice to meet you.”

“You, too.” Dale gave him an appraising
look. “We were just talking about you. Morgan says you’ve been working for
Zimco for a while.”

“Ya.” He looked at Morgan and flushed
bright red. “For quite a few years.”

“So if we have any questions, we can ask
you?”

He looked from Dale to Morgan, then back
again, lost for words.

Dale gave a low, throaty laugh. “I’m
just kidding, Adrian, and I really am glad to meet you.” She looked up as their
meals were delivered. “Thank goodness. I’m starving.”

Rob ordered steak, salad and a beer.
Adrian ordered coffee and a salad. Rob raised his eyebrows at Adrian’s order but
didn’t say anything. He leaned on the table and spoke to Morgan. “I forgot to
ask you yesterday when we were up top. Do you ski?”

She looked up from her food. “I do, but
it’s been mostly cross-country. I left my gear at home.” She paused. “And Rob?”

“Yes?” His tone was low and intimate.

“I’m not your Babe.”

For a split second anger flared in his
eyes. A moment later, she wondered if she might have imagined it when he gave
her an all-knowing smile. “Not yet, maybe.”

She kicked herself for rising to his
bait; she should have let the remark slide. “You’re pretty confident, aren’t you.”
It wasn’t a question.

He tipped his chair back and the look he
gave her ignited every nerve ending in her body. “Just stating the obvious.”

She decided not to pursue the
conversation. Dale and Chance were eating, but they were absorbing every word. At
the end of the table, Adrian acted as if he wasn’t listening as he stirred
sugar into his coffee, but his stiff demeanor gave him away.

“What about you?” Rob turned and paused.
“Adrian, isn’t it?” Morgan could have smacked him for pretending not to know
Adrian’s name. “Do you ski?”

Morgan found herself cheering for Adrian
as he leveled a look at Rob. “I did when I was younger, but not so much
anymore.”

“What’s the matter? Afraid you’ll fall
off the mountain?” Rob’s tone was taunting.

The colour drained from Adrian’s face.
He pushed back from the table, stood, and grabbed the back of his chair as
though to steady himself, then walked stiffly out of the restaurant.

Rob watched him go with a self-satisfied
smirk. “What’s the matter with him?” He turned to the others at the table and
spread his hands. “What?”

Dale put down her fork. “What’s your
problem?” She spoke in a low, reasonable tone of voice. Morgan glanced at
Chance, who was watching her with a fascinated smile.

Rob shrugged. “Nothing. I just asked him
a simple question and he ran off like a little girl.”

“What’s your last name?” She gave him a
thin smile.

Rob looked confused. “Taylor.”

Dale nodded. “Well, Rob Taylor, I’ve
only just met you, but I know one thing about you already. You’re an arrogant
asshole.” She picked up her fork and started eating again.

A startled server stood behind him,
holding his meal. He looked up and nodded to a table across the room. “Take it
over there,” he said, and rose. He glared at Dale then nodded to Morgan. “See
you later,” he said, then went to join a group of women who shoved each other
aside to make room for him.

Morgan watched him go, unsure what had
just happened.

“What’s his problem?” Dale repeated.
“Besides being a pig, that is.” She glared at Morgan. “And don’t you dare tell
me you’re attracted to him. Look in the dictionary under ‘bad boy’ and you’ll
find his picture.”

Morgan looked across the room, where the
women on either side of Rob were rubbing up against him like cats. “I suppose
so,” she said, returning her attention to her friend. “But he’s got something.”

“Maybe so, but do you want to catch it?”
Dale spoke as though she and Morgan were the only ones at the table. “Listen to
me, Morgan. There’s a reason these types are called bad boys. It’s because
they’re bad. You don’t need someone like him in your life.”

She turned and looked surprised to see
Chance sitting next to her. “Tell her.”

Chance shook his head. “I usually don’t
give advice, but I have a couple of sisters and I’d probably tell them to be
careful around him.”

“Yeah.” Morgan was silent for a moment.
“I hope Adrian’s all right. Did you see him turn white when Rob mentioned
skiing?” She frowned. “What was it he said? Something about falling off the
mountain, wasn’t it?”

Chance nodded. “Something like that.
Maybe he injured himself and it brought back bad memories. Whatever it was, he
seemed shaken.” He wiped up the last of the tomato sauce with a chunk of bread.
“I don’t know much about him other than the fact that he’s from Switzerland. He
keeps to himself.”

“Does he live at the Lodge?” Dale asked.

“Yes,” said Chance, “but he doesn’t
mingle much.”

Dale turned thoughtful. “He seems
pleasant enough. Maybe he’s just shy.” She looked at Morgan. “He likes you,
though.”

Morgan almost choked. “Me?” She was
surprised to find that she liked the idea. “Why would you say that?”

Dale gave Chance a quick, almost
intimate smile. “I don’t think he sat here because of us.”

Morgan waved her comment away. “We
always sit here. Chance told you. It’s like a staff table.”

Dale gave her that look. “Nevertheless,
he likes you.” She patted her lips with her napkin and turned to Chance. “Were
you going to drive us back, or do you have something to do?”

Morgan couldn’t believe that her
fiercely independent friend was actually asking for a ride.

“I was going to check on the shop, but
that will only take five minutes. How does that sound?”