Take Me for Granted

Chapter 28: Aribel

The girls and I arrived at the ski resort about an hour behind Grant and Sydney. He’d texted me to let me know that they’d already gotten their ski rentals and to meet him on the slopes. I’d gone skiing with my parents two or three times a year since I was little, but this was the first time I was going with friends.

After we dropped our stuff off in our rooms, the girls and I went to get our rental equipment. I had my own skis at home, but there hadn’t been enough time to get them shipped to me. My parents hadn’t been thrilled that I wasn’t coming straight home for the holidays, but I’d insisted that this was something I wanted to do. Even though they were strict, they had trouble denying me anything.

We spent the afternoon on the slopes, and after about an hour, we ran into Grant and Sydney. I wasn’t sure what Grant had told her about us, but she had this humorous glint in her eye every time she looked at me. She and Cheyenne hit it off right away, which was just fine with me. They seemed like kindred spirits.

Sydney disappeared halfway through the day. When I asked Grant where she had run off to, he just laughed and told me not to worry about it. I shrugged and followed him to a Black Diamond trail while Cheyenne, Shelby, and Gabi met up with Kristin and her friends.

I didn’t mind being alone with Grant in the quiet, looking over the precipice to the world below. Actually, being up here at the top of a mountain felt about the same as it had the night when we sat on the shore, watching the sunrise.

“You ready for this, Princess?” he asked, leaning precariously over the edge.

“I’ve been skiing since I was four. Are you ready?”

He leaned over and kissed my frozen red nose. “Race you to the bottom.”

I laughed when he jumped down the slope without warning, taking a head start. He would need it. About halfway down the trail, I glided across a particularly icy patch on the ground to take the lead. I heard Grant hit the snow behind me. I came to an abrupt halt and turned to see him sprawled out with one ski sliding down the slope toward me and the other sticking straight up out of the snow in the woods about ten feet away from him. I couldn’t help myself. I just started laughing hysterically.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” I asked through my laughter.

“Bitch, are you laughing at me?” His head popped up to glare at me.

“You look ridiculous.” I grabbed his spare ski when it reached me and stuck it in the ground.

“Well, are you going to just stand there? Or are you going to help me?” he asked, dropping his head back into the snow.

“You keep calling me a bitch, and I’ll just leave you there.”

“Babe…”

I kicked off my skis and made sure they were secure. I jogged awkwardly in my snow boots back up the mountain while carrying his ski with me. I dropped it down next to him and then went in search of the other. Once I had it in my hand, I placed it next to its mate.

Grant was still lying, unmoving, on the slope.

“Are you going to be okay?” I asked him.

He slowly eased up into a sitting position and rested his snow-covered arms on his knees. “I’m going to be fine,” he said. Then, he reached forward, grabbed me by the backs of my legs, and pulled me down on top of him.

I shrieked and my knees landing hard in the snow. He just laughed, rolled me over, and covered my body with his. His mouth was on mine in a second, and any thoughts about the snow vanished. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer.

We stayed like that, lost in each other’s touch, until a group came by to make sure we were okay. Grant seemed completely unperturbed by them watching us, but I laughed nervously and told them we were fine. After dusting the snow off our bodies and snapping on our skis, we made our way down the mountain.

After a much-needed shower, I changed into a pair of skinny jeans, a tight black undershirt, and my baby-blue cardigan. I draped Grant’s dog tags over my head. It didn’t really go with my outfit, but I never went anywhere without them anymore. I grabbed a peach scarf and my peacoat, and then I headed down to the lodge with Cheyenne, Shelby, and Gabi in tow.

The opening bands were playing tonight to kick off the music festival. There would be shows the rest of the weekend, culminating in a giant final performance with The Drift. Their song “Tell It Like It Is” was playing nonstop on the radio.

The lodge was a massive open room that had been completely renovated for the music festival. The main area was a built-in stage that was used year-round for local events, and rooms branched off of it with stages for smaller bands. A second main stage along with two other slightly smaller ones were set up outside in tents with heaters for day performances.

At the door, we slipped on highlighter-green wristbands that gave us an all-access pass to the concerts all weekend. I stepped into the room, and I admired the mass of people gearing up for the opening act of the evening. The room setup was like a log cabin with high ceilings, exposed beams, and giant fireplaces that blazed brightly. I spotted the band near one of the fireplaces, and for once, I took the lead and walked my girls over to them.

“I’m so going to hook up with Vin this weekend,” Cheyenne whispered into my ear as we walked over.

I just laughed, feeling happy and carefree. It was a nice change of pace for me. “Have fun with that, Cheyenne.”

Two girls I didn’t recognize were talking animatedly to Grant when I approached him. He hadn’t seen me yet.

One leaned up to whisper something in his ear and then her friend slipped something into his hand before they walked away.

I arched an eyebrow as I approached. “What was that about?”

Grant shrugged. “Just groupies.”

“What did they give you?” I asked curiously.

He unfolded the note and passed it to me. I glanced down and saw that a room number was scrawled on it. Lovely.

“Is it always like this?”

“Nah, Princess. Normally, I take them home,” he said, pulling me close to him. “But the only person I’m taking home with me tonight is you.”

I hadn’t doubted that for a second—okay, maybe a second—but hearing that helped.

“Oh fuck!” Grant groaned.

“What?”

I glanced over in the direction where he was looking, and I saw exactly what he’d meant.

Sydney had just shown up in the most outrageous outfit for a ski lodge. She was in a teeny-tiny skirt that showed off a large rose tattoo on the outside of her right thigh. She was shrugging out of a parka, and underneath was an insanely low black tank top, displaying her half sleeve. She was wearing some god-awful cowboy boots that made it look a bit like she was trying to be Daisy Duke. Eyes followed her as she approached us. She was all smiles while her boobs bounced with her wavy brown hair trailing behind her. If this was her normal clothing choice, I suddenly understood where she had disappeared to this afternoon.

“Hey, cuz,” she said in greeting.

“Didn’t I tell you to behave?”

“Didn’t I say I’d try?” She gestured down. “I tried…but failed. Now, where is Vin?”

My eyebrows shot up at that. Sydney is interested in Vin? Cheyenne was gorgeous and forward, but she didn’t dress like that.

Grant sighed and pointed Vin out. He was standing only a few feet away from us by the fire, chatting up some girl.

“Thanks,” she said with a wink. “Oh, Aribel…”

“Hey, Sydney,” I said softly.

I didn’t know what it was about her, but at that moment, she made me feel about two feet tall. I’d never be comfortable in an outfit like that, not that I needed that kind of outfit or anything. Wow. When did I turn into such a girl?

She flicked the dog tags hanging down between my breasts. “Nice necklace.”

“Thanks,” I said as she sauntered away. “She’s, uh…something.”

“Ignore her. She’s trouble.”

“Sounds like someone I know.”

“You have no idea,” he said, slapping me hard on the ass.

I squeaked, and that only made his insufferable smirk widen.

“Watch this,” he said, gesturing to Sydney. “It’ll be entertaining.”

My eyes returned to Sydney, who had since pushed the girl Vin had been talking with out of her way.

“Vin, baby,” she cooed, slithering into his grasp and running her hand temptingly down his chest.

“Sydney, I’ve fucking missed you.” His hands ran down her sides to grab her ass. He looked like he’d just won the jackpot.

“Oh God, it’s so good to see you. I’ve missed these huge muscles.” She grabbed his biceps and squeezed. Her eyes fluttered closed, like she was going to orgasm.

I almost felt rude for intruding.

I glanced over to Cheyenne. She was standing not too far off, and she was watching the whole scene, like everyone else. She was fuming, and her face was as red as her hair.

“Syd, you know you can have these…muscles anytime you want,” Vin said, thrusting her hips against him to emphasize exactly what he’d meant.

Her hand slipped between them, and his eyes widened further.

“I’ve been dreaming about your dick. Actually, I’ve been dreaming about you drilling it into me.”

“Let me take you upstairs right now and give it to you, baby,” he groaned. “I got all the dick you’ll ever need.”

“All four inches?” she asked with a devilish smirk. “Or is it five now?”

The watching crowd started laughing at her insult. I covered my mouth and shot Grant a look. He nodded his head back to them as if to say, It gets better.

“You know I’m a solid eight inches. Don’t even mess around.”

“Eight inches? What are you measuring with?” Her hands made quick work with his belt and then went for the zipper next. “Let me get a good look just to make sure.”

“You’ve fucking seen it before. The next time you see it, we’ll measure it inside your pussy where it belongs.”

“Oh, Vinny,” she cooed, “we all know you’re an ass man.” She winked.

“I’d fuck your ass, too.”

Sydney turned and shimmied her body down his and then back up, gripping his hips. Then, she wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head back, and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. “Maybe next time, lover,” she said before walking away from him.

“Is it just a game?” I asked, trying to comprehend what I’d just witnessed.

“One they’ve been playing since she got tits,” Grant told me. “Vin always made fun of her when she was a kid, and then she turned out…well, like Sydney. He’s wanted all over that ever since. I think she gets more amusement out of torturing him.”

“So, she’s not even interested in him?”

“Last I checked, no.”

“Still no,” Sydney said, coming up behind me. “No Vin for me, but I think your friend digs him.”

I turned back to Vin and saw that he had Cheyenne pressed against the side of the brick fireplace. Their lips were locked, and hands were roaming all over the place.

“So, are you going to come home for the holidays?” Sydney asked Grant. She seemed completely unperturbed by what had happened. “Randy was pissed that you missed Thanksgiving.”

Randy—that name sounds familiar. “Wait, Randy from the pizza place?”

“Uh…yeah,” Sydney said, eyeing me suspiciously. “Duffie’s.”

“Syd…” Grant said softly.

“Why would he be pissed that you missed Thanksgiving?” I asked hesitantly.

Grant just looked down.

Sydney answered for him, “Because Randy’s my dad. Sydney Duffie. Nice to meet you.”

My mouth dropped open as it all came together. Randy was Sydney’s dad. That made Randy…Grant’s uncle. No wonder they had been so accommodating when we were there. We’d had the best seat in the place. Randy had been so happy to see Grant and to see that he had brought a girl to the restaurant. I didn’t know why he hadn’t told me that it was his uncle’s place before this moment.

“You took me to Duffie’s and didn’t tell me that it was your uncle’s place?”

“Whoa! You took the chick home?” Sydney asked.

“Sydney,” Grant snapped, shaking his head.

“Um…what am I missing?” I asked.

“I know you said she didn’t know, Grant, but—”

“Sydney!” he practically shouted. He pointed away from him. “Go.”

Sydney rolled her big brown eyes. “Whatever. I’m going to go find Miller.”

I waited until he had calmed down a bit before speaking. “What don’t I know?”

“Ari, I can’t…” He took a deep breath. “There are some things that you don’t know about me.”

I nodded. There was a lot that he didn’t know about me. “I want to know though.”

“You might have a different impression about me.” He looked completely torn.

I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t want to tell me or because he really wanted to tell me.

“How could I have a different impression about you?”

He shook his head and glanced away from me. “I don’t really talk about it. The guys don’t even know. Well, they know some of it but not all of it.”

“The guys don’t know?” I was shocked.

They were his best friends. He’d known them since middle school. What could he tell me that he hadn’t even told them?

“Yeah.”

“Does this have something to do with your family?”

The last time he’d brought up his dad, he had completely clammed up, and now, Sydney had just been talking about his uncle. I didn’t know what it was, but I could piece together some context clues.

His eyes stared down at me in utter shock. “How…”

“Good guess.” I gently laced our fingers together.

His brow furrowed, and he looked like he was warring with himself. I’d never seen him look so…vulnerable.

“You can trust me,” I whispered.

His lips fell on top of mine, and the noise from the lodge and all the people in it disappeared.

“You know there’s never been anyone else like you in my life, Ari.”

My heart thudded in my chest. “I feel the same way.”

At that moment, the first band of the night started up onstage, and the crowd gravitated toward them.

“Come with me,” he said.

Then, he led me out of the ski lodge.