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CHAPTER 3

LIZZY

CHEEKY SEXCAPADES

I wake up, squinting at the morning light sneaking in through the curtains. Groaning, I bury my face in the pillow. I’m a girl that needs a solid eight hours of beauty sleep to feel my best. And right now, I do not feel my best. I feel like death. I slept like shit.

I really need to give Dad a piece of my mind. I doubt he’d think anything of it, but I want to on principle alone. When I asked if I could have the condo this week with Veronica, he left out the tiny detail about the top floor of the condo building being remodeled. I’m guessing that’s why he hasn’t been out here yet this winter. Our unit was done last summer, but now apparently the entire floor above us is being remodeled and expanded.

I shouldn’t be surprised though. Dad has been focused solely on his business since I was a teenager. If something doesn’t impact him, it’s out of sight and out of mind. I know it’s not out of spite. My dad loves me and I’m grateful for that. He’s just always so busy. It feels like me, his literal firstborn, hasn’t been a high priority in his life in a long time, especially after Charlotte. I get it, she’s almost ten years younger than me and needed extra care growing up. And he’s self made and came from literally nothing and built his company. I just wish I could get more of his time and energy, even now in my thirties. I just want to be the priority to someone in my life. Ever since I moved back to Ohio, at least I had V, my ride or die, always by my side. Someone that always made me a priority, like the day I showed up on her doorstep six months ago. I know I might just be in my head, but I feel this more now that V has moved out to Wyoming with Tanner and I don’t see her everyday. I’m worried I’ll lose that .

Maybe when my dad retires we’ll finally spend some quality time together.

I close my eyes, trying not to think about that but also trying to look away from the light coming in from the window. To top it off, one of the contractors thought it would be funny to get here at seven in the freaking morning. I swear this guy thinks it must be fun to start stomping around like a one man wrecking crew.

But no, that’s only a small part of why I barely slept last night. No. There’s definitely one very big reason. One big, handsome, dark and brooding reason.

Clay. Fucking. Chapman.

Even thinking about him makes my entire body tingle remembering the way his eyes shamelessly devoured me last night. I mean I definitely did the same thing to him, but still. He was so intense it was somehow both unnerving and deeply satisfying. It felt like I was his priority last night.

Did I stay up all night looking at Tanner’s frustratingly limited social media trying to find a family picture to confirm my suspicion?

Yes. Of course I did.

Was he as hot as I remember from the dimly lit bar? Also, very much yes.

So. This is great.

Cool. Cool. Cool.

I made out with Tanner’s younger brother, Clay, in a bar last night. I felt his impressive erection against me through his jeans. I was this close to going home with him, and as he put it, getting fucked so hard I wouldn’t be able to walk straight.

Thinking about those dimples. That smile. Those rough hands gripping my hips. I’m sure it would have been rough and hot as hell. It would have been exactly what I wanted, what I needed.

Ok. Let’s be real. Way more than that .

And if it wasn't someone I have an outside connection to, someone I could just have a one night fling with, I would have done it. I can’t do strings right now.

And getting involved with Clay? Yeah, there’s a lot of strings there.

So I did what I never do.

I’m cool. I’m confident. I never panic .

But last night, I panicked. I panicked and ran out of the bar barely saying a word to him like a crazy person. He probably thinks I’m insane too. At least I don’t have to see him today since he won’t be with us on the slopes. That’s a win.

Groaning, I flap my arms around and rock back and forth like a helpless, waddling penguin. “Geez, V. Call your boy off. He’s going to squish me to death.” I manage to wriggle out of Tanner’s bear hug, which I learned is a customary Chapman family greeting from Tanner and his grandmother. I give my best friend a playful scowl when she laughs at me. “Couldn’t you have fallen in love with someone slightly less mountain man-y?”

She crosses her arms and shakes her head at me before stepping over and bringing me into a hug. A much gentler, less possibly deadly hug. “Missed you too, Lizzy.”

We’re all here, bright and early as Veronica always insists, about to get in the ski lift line for first chair at Aspen Valley Resort. They drove down from Jackson at god only knows what hour to get here at eight in the morning. They took Tanner’s Sprinter van with V’s brother, Collin .

Even though Tanner’s helped her a lot with her anxiety and compulsive need for planning, she still always wants to be in the lift line to snag the first chairlift of the day and ski the fresh, untracked snow. I have to admit, after skiing with them in Jackson over the holidays, I can’t blame her. I always enjoyed skiing as a kid. But for my parents, skiing was just a status symbol that they used for socializing - a way to entertain their friends and business contacts. But seeing the way my friends love it, the way they love the mountains, reawakened a joy for it in me that had been missing for years.

Tanner looks down at me in his red ski jacket and black helmet, towering over me. He makes me think of Clay last night. With his goggles resting on the brim of his helmet, I see his green eyes which are so frighteningly similar I almost have to look away.

Yep. They are definitely brothers.

How did I not immediately realize this last night?

Nope. I need to get that thought out of my head. Stop thinking about last night.

Tanner chuckles. “You know the Chapmans give big bear hugs. You weren’t complaining when it was my grandma dishing them out after dinner over the holidays.”

I roll my eyes and shove his shoulder, only knocking myself back. I forgot. The Chapman boys are built like brick walls, because of course they are. “That’s different. She was feeding me and I was hangry. You, on the other hand, are just trying to crush me to death so you can have V all to yourself.”

He snorts a laugh. “Ok. You’re not entirely wrong. But we all missed you.”

To be honest, I missed them too. Veronica has been my best friend since we met as college roommates. And to see her this happy, after she struggled with burnout at work and a miserable dating life, brings me so much joy .

Watching Tanner and her, it’s like they were made for each other. I mean I know they’ve been friends almost their whole lives, but they’re so in sync. So happy. They remind me of everything I’m slowly realizing I’ve never had in a relationship. The trust, the palpable and visible chemistry, the undeniable love. It melts my heart seeing my friend this happy.

A different, deep voice instantly gets my attention. “Well, well, well. There’s my new bestie.” I instantly look up, grinning wildly when I see a familiar face walking over from the ski rack.

“Collin!” I walk to him as fast as I can in ski boots, bringing him into a hug. I’ve only really gotten to know him over the last few months, but it feels like we’re almost as good of friends as Veronica and I are. Before our last ski trip, I was worried that he might try and make a move on me. She assured me I wasn’t her bisexual brother’s type and she was right. We instantly hit it off and bonded over tormenting Veronica and Tanner about being so nauseatingly cute together.

“Sup, trouble?” he asks.

“Oh, not too much co-bestie . Went out last night. Slept like shit, got woken up by an ape stomping around the floor above me, and didn’t have time to stop at Finch for coffee this morning.” Since Collin is Veronica’s twin and practically my bestie, he’s been given the co-bestie title. I let out an exaggerated sigh. “So yeah, the day can only get better from here.”

Collin grins and shakes his head. “Geez. Sounds like it. Oh. Walker says hi too.” He gives me a sly wink after letting me out of his arms.

I feel my cheeks heat. Walker was the cowboy that Collin and I shared on New Year’s Eve. Is platonic threesome the right name for when two of you don’t actually touch each other and make a sandwich out of a hunky cowboy? I don’t know. Who cares?

“Oh,” I say playfully. “You guys still hanging out? ”

And that’s when I hear Veronica clear her throat. “You two know the rule. No details about that night. Tanner and I would be perfectly fine living the rest of our lives never hearing about that again.”

I glare back at V, cocking my head and rolling my eyes. “Fine, V. But if I hear you and Tanner fucking in the guest room at the condo, I’m spilling the tea whether you like it or not.”

And that’s when I notice someone I don’t know, walking up behind Tanner from the ski rack. The brunette, wearing all light blue ski gear and a black helmet, grabs Tanner from behind and tries to tickle him with an impossibly charming smile and giggle.

“Hey!” Tanner whips. “What the-” He instantly smiles when he turns around, flashing those Chapman dimples. “Grace! I should have known it was you.”

He puts her in a head lock under his arm. “You’re never gonna be able to sneak up on me. Never gonna happen.”

She gets out of his grip, and shoves him. “You’re just as bad as Clay. You’re supposed to let your little sister win sometimes, remember?”

From what I remember that V told me, Grace is the youngest of the Chapmans. Tanner’s our age, but Clay and Grace are both in their mid to late twenties. And having met all of them now, well not formally, damn . They grow them differently in Wyoming.

“Whatever. If you want to win, you gotta be better. We’re not just going to let you win.” Tanner teases back at his sister before looking over to me. “And, Grace, this is who you’ve been dying to meet: Lizzy.”

She immediately looks at me before running right at me. Before I can even react, I’m being pulled into another hug. “Oh my god! I have heard so much about you!”

“Um. It’s nice to meet you too.” I pat her half heartedly on the back, only prompting her to hold me tighter. I was warned that Grace was extremely friendly and outgoing. “V, what the fuck? Do they really all hug like this?” I say, peaking around Grace’s frame.

Tanner comes over, wrapping his arm around his sister’s shoulder. “Come on. Lizzy hasn’t had thirty years of practice with Chapman hugs like the Perry twins have.”

She punches her brother on the shoulder before looking back at me and pointing a finger. Looking at her again, I notice the purple and pink strands of hair hanging out of her helmet. “We’re going to have a good time! I just know it.”

“Ok guys. This is fun and all, but can we get in line? If we don’t-”. Veronica starts to talk before her brother cuts her off.

“We know, we know. If we don’t get in line now, we won’t get first chair.” Collin pats his sister on the back and leads us towards the chairlift line.

While skiing in Jackson with the group over New Year was fun, being back at Aspen Valley in Utah feels right. It’s like I’m on home turf. Veronica was right, that mountain was fun but insanely challenging. I get it, they’re all thrill seekers. I’m pretty sure they might even have death wishes. But Aspen Valley has always felt like an escape from my family life, even if they were here with me. I was always allowed to explore the mountain on my own while my mother was at the spa or back at the condo reading and Dad was on a business call, or taking investors out on the mountain. When I was first learning, Dad would take me out for lessons. But as I got older it felt like as far as they were concerned, sending me out into ski school was as good as daycare. But, as I got older, I explored more on my own. But I still craved the rare times that Dad and I got to ski together when he wasn’t distracted.

This is the first time I’ve been here this season and being out in the cool, crisp winter air is exactly what I needed. Unlike Jackson, with its steep, rocky terrain, Aspen Valley has long flowing groomed runs or groomers . They’re perfect to just free my mind, focus on the scenery around me, and ski at a relaxing, leisurely pace.

Sure, there is some more difficult terrain and we’ll hit that eventually. But it’s the first day out and Veronica and Collin have only skied here once before when they were visiting the Chapman family. So this time, it’s my turn to be their tour guide on the mountain. And we’re lucky to have nearly perfect, late February weather. Cool, crisp mountain air, blue skies, and hardly any wind. A perfect bluebird day.

Well, almost perfect until Tanner spots something I dread.

“Is that the mogul course?” he asks from beside me on the chairlift, pointing at the slope below us.

I look down at the steep, pitch, noticing the large mounds of snow covering every inch of the black diamond ski run. I’m a good, competent skier, but even I don’t enjoy skiing over or through the large bumps that put your body through hell.

“Yes, it is. It was actually the Olympic course when they were here in Utah.” I still remember watching the event on TV with my dad, stunned that skiers could go that fast and that precise through the large bumps and still keep their balance.

He looks back down with eager excitement. “Can we ski it?”

“ We ?” I let out a laugh. “I’m not taking any part in that, but you can.”

After a few morning runs and avoiding the mogul course, we make our way towards the Jordanelle Express Gondola. I normally never come over here, avoiding this area because one, I hate gondolas and two, this side of the mountain doesn’t have my favorite terrain to ski.

When we reach the line and wait for our turn to load onto the gondola cars, Veronica leads the way when Tanner steps in front of me, putting himself between Grace, Collin, and me.

“What gives, Chap?” I lower my eyes and glare at him. Not that he could see it through my ski goggles, but still. I want to make the point.

He leans down towards me while V talks with the liftie behind him. “Can you pretend you still don’t know how to get on a gondola?”

I’d cross my arms and huff at him, but I’m holding my skis and poles so all I can do is continue to glare. “Pretend? I literally still hate getting on gondolas. I don’t even know why you wanted to come this way.”

He looks at me, but he raises his eyebrows and tilts his head back towards his girlfriend. “I want to ride up alone with her.”

“Oh no. I’m not aiding in your cheeky sexcapades this time.” I say quietly, remembering the outcome of their solo gondola ride back in Jackson that set their entire relationship in motion.

He raises his eyebrows again with an urgent, pleading look in his eyes. “No, it’s not that .” Tanner reaches into his pocket and pulls out a velvet box just far enough for us to see it.

I gasp and cover my mouth. “Oh. My. God. Say no more. I’m on it. ”

I look up just in time to see Collin grab Tanner’s shoulder and bring him in for a hug. Meanwhile, Grace looks like she’s about to squeal and is doing everything in her power to hold it in.

When Tanner and Veronica get into the gondola, I drop my skis on the ground right in front of the liftie before he can grab them to load them into the rack. That buys us just enough time to miss the gondola car, forcing us to take the next one.

Mission accomplished.

I watch as Veronica stares back, shaking her head as their gondola car goes up the mountain. I grin, raising my goggles to my forehead, waving and winking at her.

“Smooth.” I hear Collin behind me, patting me on the back.

I shrug my shoulders and laugh. “What? I’m terrible at this. I seriously don’t have to pretend.”

After the three of us step onto the next gondola car, Collin sits next to me and Grace sits on the bench across from us. Thankfully it’s just the three of us and we can chat without random strangers in the car with us. She takes her helmet off, pulling her earbuds out. I look at her and yet another, no surprise, set of stunning Chapman family eyes.

“What are you listening to?” Collin asks, pulling a protein bar from his pocket and taking a bite.

“I’ll give you one guess.” She smirks at Collin.

“Oh my god. You’re as bad as my sister. You’re like eight years younger than us. How did you even start listening to Teal Tigers?” Collin shakes his head before taking another bite of his bar.

Teal Tigers is the band that Veronica has been obsessed with since high school. Even in our apartment in college she had their poster up. I’m pretty sure even with Tanner in her life, she still has a crush on the lead singer, Tommy Jacob. On our Jackson trip, we got to use his hot tub because Tanner manages and takes care of his ski property there. I swear she hasn’t stopped talking about how cool his house and kitchen were since then.

She shrugs. “It’s not my fault your sister and I have excellent taste in music. I just wish they still made new music. It’s been years since they released an album.”

After a minute of quietly enjoying the view from the gondola, I feel Grace’s eyes drifting back and forth between Collin and me.

“Ok. I feel like I’m missing something here. What do you guys know that I don’t?” She grabs her helmet and goggles and wipes them clean before looking back at us. “And what was with the sexcapades joke? And they’re getting engaged? Holy shit! This is amazing! I always wanted a sister after growing up with those two ogres.”

I look at Collin. “You want to tell her or-?” I tilt my palms up in a questioning gesture.

“Oh no no no.” He shakes his head at me. “That’s all you, girl.”

“Fine.” I look over at Grace. “The last time those two were alone on a ski trip in a gondola…” I pause, pressing a finger to my lips and humming. “Let’s just say Tanner got on his knees for a different reason.”

She closes her eyes and shudders, prompting a chuckle from Collin.

“Ok. That’s sort of romantic in my brother’s own fucked up way. But, Lizzy, for the sake of our new and hopefully very long friendship, please don’t say anything else.” She looks up, with a contented and stunned look on her face. “I still can’t believe he finally did it. He’s been such a mopey bitch for years. We always wondered when he’d grow a pair.”

I grin at her sitting across from me in the gondola. “I like you. You’re spunky.”

Collin groans and leans his head back against the gondola window. “Oh my god. I should have realized you two were gonna hit it off. ”

I pat Collin on the knee. “Don’t worry, co-bestie. You’re not getting replaced already.”

I hear the whirring of the gondola car passing the upper tower.

I gather my gloves and pull my goggles back down over my face. “Ready? Time to celebrate with the newly engaged couple.”