Page 68 of Rise After Fall

“Maybe your brother is starting you at the bottom so that when you make it to the top, you’ll know you got there because you earned it and not because he handed it to you. To learn every single aspect of the business from the ground up is a blessing. The best bosses are the ones who can step into any role. It’s hard for employees to respect someone who barks orders and makes demands, yet couldn’t sit down at their desk or slip into their snow suit and do the job themselves,” she says.

“I guess.”

“I believe he has more faith in you than you realize.”

I hope so.

I wake up with Zoey tucked into my side.

Her hair is wild and covering her face, which is lying on my chest. The towel is still clinging to her, and our legs are tangled together.

The last thing I want to do is wake her, but I know she wants to get back before anyone notices we’re both gone.

I call her name and gently jostle her.

She groans and covers her face with her arm.

“It’s six o’clock,” I whisper in her ear.

“No. Not yet,” she mumbles.

“The clock says it is.”

“But I’m so comfortable.”

I chuckle. “Fine. We’ll just sleep in. You’re the boss,” I say.

Another groan.

She pulls her arm down and gives me a dirty look. “Thanks for reminding me,” she grunts.

I sit upright, bringing her with me. Then, I scoot her to the side and stand, taking the sheet and wrapping it around my waist.

“I’ll make coffee while you get dressed because if I watch that towel drop, we definitely won’t make it back before the others wake up,” I say before laying a kiss on top of her head and hurrying out of the room.

I collect my clothes off the bathroom floor and toss the sheet in the laundry room. Then, I head to the kitchen and start the coffee.

By the time she emerges, dressed and looking as fresh as a daisy, I have two travel mugs loaded with coffee, ready to roll.

We take my truck up to the resort, and I park at the front of the hotel.

“I’ll go on to the locker room and get geared up,” I tell her.

“I’m going to drop off my things in the office and walk over to the cabana and grab my phone. I forgot it yesterday,” she says.

“I’ll take your bag and leave it on your desk for you,” I offer.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” I say before opening my door to hop out.

She reaches for my hand, and I look back at her.

“I don’t mean just for taking my bag. I mean for everything. I so needed a good night’s sleep.”

I smile and bring her hand to my lips.

“I’ll see you out on the slopes,” I say.