But once she reached the lobby, it was empty. The front door swung on its hinges, the only indication that someone had just been there. A had gotten away again.
Chapter 20
Nothing like that fresh mountain air
The Kahns’ Range Rover, equipped with snow chains and a heavy-duty ski rack, rolled into the circular driveway of the Whippoorwill Lodge on Lenape Mountain. Bellhops and valets in heavy padded jackets rushed to the car and began to remove their baggage from the back. Noel and his two older brothers, Eric and Christopher, jumped out and stretched their legs. Aria followed, nearly wiping out on the icy asphalt. Hello, hadn’t the bellhops ever heard of salt?
Last but not least, disembarking from the car like a fur-clad princess, was Klaudia. The tip of her nose was adorably pink from the cold and her butt was perfectly round in dark-denim jeggings. Every one of the bellhops turned to gape at her. “Do you need help?” they asked in unison. “Is there anything we can carry for you?”
“You so sweet!” Klaudia trilled, shooting each of them winning smiles that made Aria want to puke.
Aria turned to Noel. “Can we go inside? It’s freezing out here.” The digital temperature readout on a bank they’d passed had said two degrees Fahrenheit.
Noel chuckled. “This is nothing—wait till you’re on top of the mountain!”
“You won’t feel cold when you hiihto!” Klaudia said to Aria in an excited voice. By now, Aria knew that hiihto was Finnish for ski. Why couldn’t Klaudia just say it in English? It wasn’t like it was hard. Three letters long. Ski. Figure it out.
Aria shot Klaudia a tight smile and turned away, feeling as rigid and sharp-edged as the icicles that dangled precariously from the roof. This was just about the last place she wanted to be right now, but she was terrified of what might happen if she let Noel out of her sight. Klaudia might get her talons in him—and how could he resist her? After all, his current girlfriend was nothing but a peikko.
“Aria?”
Aria blinked and looked up. Noel was calling to her from the lodge door. The Kahn brothers and Klaudia had already gone in.
She followed them into the large lobby. Every surface was paneled in oak, making the room look like a giant sauna. The air smelled like cinnamon and hot chocolate, and people clonked by in heavy ski boots, wooly hats, and oven mitt–sized gloves. Guests lounged on tobacco-colored leather couches and warmed themselves by a blazing fire in the corner. A yellow lab with a red kerchief tied around his neck dozed on a doggie bed next to the big window that looked out on the slopes.
“Nice,” Christopher murmured, walking over to the window. Christopher was three years older than Aria and Noel and home from Columbia on a break. He had Noel’s same clean-cut, golden features, but there was something hard about him, less endearing.
“Perfect powder,” Eric murmured. He was two years older than Noel and went to Hollis—but only as a formality. His real goal in life was to become a ski bum in Montana or a surf instructor in Barbados.
“Mahtava!” Klaudia chirped, staring out the window, too. Whatever that meant.
Aria looked at the view. The mountain seemed to go straight up at a ninety-degree pitch. Skiers expertly zigzagged down the face. When a boy fell, a cloud of snow billowed in all directions. Aria felt tired just watching them. She eyed the sleeping dog in the corner again. Lucky.
The Kahns checked in, and the concierge doled out five room keys, one for each of them—thank God Aria and Klaudia didn’t have to share. Once Aria was in her room—which had a king-sized bed with lots of pillows, a tiny kitchenette, and yet another view of the daunting ski mountain—she flopped on the bed and shut her eyes.
Looks like you have some competition, Aria! We both know Noel has a thing for blondes!
A’s text was like a bad song stuck in her head. A must have seen Aria reading Klaudia’s iPhone. But how? Had A hidden behind a rack of snowsuits? Spied on her through the in-store security camera?
Aria had a sinking feeling the note was right—Noel did have a thing for blondes. He’d loved Ali—and he’d definitely noticed Tabitha. Even after they got back from Jamaica, Noel had made passing references to Tabitha, things like Hey, didn’t that blond girl remind you of someone? There was something about her I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
But even though he asked a lot of questions, he wasn’t suspicious. No one was.
Until now.
A knock sounded on the door. Aria shot up, nerves jangling. “H-hello?”
“It’s me,” Noel called from the hallway. “Can I come in?”
Aria unlatched the door. Noel thrust a big basket of tiger lilies, coffee, and snacks in her face. “For you!”
“Thank you!” Aria cried. There was even a stuffed pig in the basket, reminding Aria of her favorite puppet, Pigtunia. But then she stiffened. Didn’t guys only give their girlfriends flowers when they felt guilty? “What’s the occasion?” she asked.
“I saw it in the gift shop and thought of you.” Noel set the basket on the TV bureau and wrapped his arms around her. He smelled like the tea tree oil facial cleanser Aria had bought him for Valentine’s Day. “Look, I know skiing isn’t really your thing, but I’m so happy you came. This trip wouldn’t be the same without you here.”
He sounded so genuine and earnest that Aria’s suspicions thawed. Klaudia and A were turning her into a crazy person. “I’m happy I came, too,” she admitted. “This place is gorgeous.”
“You’re gorgeous.” Noel pulled her down on the bed. They started kissing, first tentatively, then more and more passionately. Noel pulled Aria’s shirt over her head, and Aria reciprocated. They pressed their bare chests together, feeling each other’s warmth. “Mmm,” Noel murmured.
They paused for a moment, and then Aria touched Noel’s waistband and undid his belt buckle. Noel breathed in, obviously surprised. Next, Aria undid the button on his jeans and pulled them off him. She stared at his muscled legs, grinning. He was wearing the golden retriever–printed boxers she’d picked out for him at J. Crew.
After a moment, she reached for the button on her own jeans. Noel grabbed her hand, his eyes wide. “Are you sure?”
Aria gazed around the small room, from the flat-screen TV to the champagne bucket in the corner to the generic-looking chair and ottoman by the large windows. Now that they were in an unfamiliar setting, she felt less inhibited than normal. Or maybe she just felt compelled to prove to Noel exactly what he meant to her. It might just be the only way to ensure he would remain hers.
“I’m sure,” she whispered.
Noel pulled off Aria’s jeans the rest of the way. They clung to each other for a while, almost totally unclothed, their lips locked in an embrace. Aria’s heart pounded. She was really going to do this. It was time. As Noel rolled on top of her, she kissed him hard.
Knock knock knock.
They both froze, staring at each other with wide eyes. There was silence, and then another knock. “Hello?” Klaudia chirped. “Aria? Noel? You there?”
Aria winced. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Noel?” Klaudia’s voice was muffled. “Come on! Time for hiihto!”
“Maybe if we be quiet she’ll go away,” Noel whispered, tracing his finger along Aria’s bare collarbone.
But the knocking persisted. “Noel!” Klaudia teased. “I know you in there! We must hiihto!”