AVALANCHE

Chapter 4

When nine o'clock rolled around, we left the room and went out in search of the bar. We might have gotten turned around in a couple of hallways, but eventually, we made it.

The bar was a blend of sophistication and nightclub, separated by a big square bar with bartenders doing showy tricks as they mixed drinks at the center. The club side was done up in grays and deep blues, but neon lights moved about the crowded dance floor, making it all hip and mysterious. The classy side was still gray and blue, but the colors were more muted. High-top tables in that same rich red were scattered about, and many were full.

The heavy beat of pop music made the floor thrum from the club side. It bled over to the more sophisticated side but was a lot less aggressive there and easier to ignore the further you got away from the dance floor. I could hear a little of chatter from the people sitting at tables, but most of it was drowned out in the music. The Ski Bar didn't smell like the rest of the lodge. It wasn't cabiny at all, for that matter. The walls were painted and flat and the pine scent was distinctly missing, replaced by the smell of liquor and fruit.

Ava was right about the dress code. Anything seemed to work, but again everyone looked like their clothes cost a crap ton of money. I'd swapped out my travel clothes for nice black jeans, a red flannel shirt, and some Converse sneakers. Not that fancy, but I had smoothed out my hair so that my waves looked nice rather than disastrous.

Ava had put on acid-washed jeans and a crop top bright yellow blouse with sleeves that draped down to her palms with her signature heels and a bright red lip. Dan was in low riding jeans and a nice green button-up, but he'd rolled up the sleeves to make it more casual. I couldn't help but feel like they looked nicer than me, but I really liked Converse and flannel when I was cold.

"What are we drinking, ladies?" Dan asked. We were on the sophisticated side, so the music wasn't too loud.

"I'm just going to have a beer," I answered.

Dan nodded, still eyeing the bar and the people lined up around it.

Ava and I frowned at each other. Typically, Dan would have complained about the adverse effects of beer on the body and tried to sway me toward a healthier mixed drink option. He may be off the couch and looking like his usual self, but this proved that Dan wasn't back to normal at all.

"Grab us a table?" Ava asked me.

I nodded, and the two of them headed for the bar. I turned to scope out my options, targeting one nearer the club side, but still not too close that talking would be difficult. There were six barstool chairs, but all the open tables had too many, so I didn't worry. If someone wanted our spare chairs, they could take them.

I climbed up onto the barstool and slid in at the table. Resting my elbows on the top, I scanned the bar until I spotted Dan and Ava amongst the crowd. Dan was peeking in a mirror and rubbing his freshly shaven cheeks. Checking himself out was good. It was normal.

Ava was laughing with a Latino man. He had to be just under 6', so currently, he stood eye to eye with Ava in her heels. He was stocky but well built and muscular. I appreciated the way they looked together. There was something proportional and perfect about it. The man grabbed the drinks from the bartender, and all three of them headed for me.

He had dark brown hair faded up to a longer, sexy bedhead top, a square jaw and chin, natural dark golden skin, and a generous grin with a slight gap between his front teeth. He was wearing one of those obscenely bright Hawaiian shirts, dark jeans, and combat boots. Somehow, he managed to not look like an i***t in it. As he neared, I noticed his eyes. They were honey brown with long, dark lashes that made them downright pretty.

Everyone sat their drinks on the table. Ava waved between the new guy and me. "Ryann, this is Paulo Rocha. Paulo, this is Ryann."

I grinned at him. "Hello, Paulo."

Paulo gave me a slight bow. "Well, hello, Ryann. I've heard so much about you."

"It can't have been that much. You too just met, right?"

Paulo grinned back at me. "You aren't wrong, but she did say you were her best friend, a doctoral candidate, and the most amazing person she knows."

Dan cleared his throat.

Paulo nodded at him seriously before returning to look at me. "One of the most amazing people she knows."

Ava and I laughed as Dan nodded approvingly.

Everyone sat around the table with Ava on one side of Dan and me on the other. Paulo slid me my beer. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome. So, what are you three doing here? It's not big ski season."

I glanced around. "It isn't?" There sure were a lot of people around for not ski season.

Paulo chuckled and waved a hand around. "This mountain doesn't really get good until late January. This is nothing."

"You come here often?" Ava asked, leaning closer to Paulo.

He gave her a softer smile. "Nah, I've just popped in a few times since it opened. Just a quick weekend here and there."

I raised my brows. People said this place was hard to get into. If Paulo could just pop in whenever he wanted, he must be loaded. I would try not to hold it against him.

"Well, Ryann here won a trip contest and brought us along for the ride."

"Nice! Congrats."

I grinned at him. "Thanks."

"We're here for the week. Is this just another pop-in for the weekend?" Ava asked, one brow raised.

Paulo's smile changed into something more seductive. "Not this time. I convinced my friend Chance that we needed to get away for the holidays. Neither of us has a quality relationship with our families, so we usually spend the holidays alone together."

Dan looked around. "Well, where is your friend?"

Paulo chuckled and bounced one knee a few times. "He's here, but he's sort of shy."

"Wouldn't he do better in a group then?" I glanced around but didn't see anyone staring at us.

Paulo shook his head and frowned. "He's not really... a people person. I probably shouldn't leave him alone that long." His eyes drifted over all three of us. "Actually, you all should meet him. We've been here two days, and all attempts at social interaction have gone poorly."

I smirked at him and leaned in, intrigued. "Is he scary?"

Paulo gave me a kind of grimace-smile, his knee bouncing a mile a minute. "Not exactly." He shook his head. "I shouldn't have said so much. I'm sure you'll all get along fine. He's a great guy, really. The best."

I pressed my lips to restrain a smile, liking the mystery of it all.

"Well, let's go meet your friend then," Ava prompted, her hand lightly touching Paulo's forearm.

His eyes lit on her. "How about you and I go get him. Chance is probably lurking in some dark corner of the club and avoiding all conversation."

Ava nodded. They gave us a wave and headed off to the club side. I looked at Dan, and he smirked back at me.

"This will be interesting," I said.

Dan glanced around the bar, then down at his empty glass. "I think I'm going to get another drink. You need anything?"

I jiggled my half-full beer at him. "Another one of these, I guess."

He nodded and stood. "Will do." Dan strolled off toward the bar, leaving me alone to wait for the infamous Chance.