No matter where he traveled, there was something about the Canadian Rockies that beckoned to him and made him feel at home. He’d been here half a dozen times over the past five years, mostly skiing, but now it was different. His brother, Dan, was here, and he was looking forward to some bro time.
And checking out real estate. That was his true reason for the impromptu trip—a tip from a contact about a real estate opportunity. He was always looking at expansion, and this might be his chance to open an Aspen Outfitter store north of the border. He couldn’t think of a better opportunity than in the heart of the Rockies. And when one store opened, he was sure others would follow, making his brand North America-wide.
The townsite of Banff was hotter than he’d expected, though, considering how it was nestled smack in the middle of the mountains. He had on his sunglasses but not the standard ball cap he usually wore, and he could feel the heat soak into his scalp. Today had been a light hike, so he’d worn jeans, a T-shirt and a pair of lovingly broken-in boots. Water, a small digital camera, and some trail mix had been in his day pack, but he’d stayed to the marked trail and not ventured into backcountry. Not today. He’d just arrived and had chosen the easy hike to blow off the dust and claustrophobia of travel. Now he’d stop in at Dan and Adele’s and let them know he’d arrived before heading to his hotel.
The house was tucked into a little side street, with a simple sign boasting Hawthorne Weddings out front. Adele’s business was planning weddings, and one of her clients had been a good friend of Dan’s, causing them to meet again after she’d broken his heart years earlier. No one had been more shocked than Drew when Dan had announced they were getting married, but Drew had come to the wedding and it had been clear to see that they still adored each other. Enough that Dan had uprooted his life as CFO of his company and moved here to be with her. Drew shook his head as he climbed the steps to the second floor of the house where Adele and Dan lived. He couldn’t imagine doing anything like that. Settling down wasn’t even on his radar, let alone leaving everything he’d worked for behind. He’d watched his dad give up dreams and aspirations for marriage and family, and he’d seen the unhappiness in his eyes.
Not that Drew didn’t like Adele. He did. And Dan could make his own choices and he seemed to be happy. It just wasn’t for Drew. He liked his freedom far too much.
His knock was answered by Adele, whose face lit up when she saw him. “Drew! What on earth are you doing here?”
He grinned. “Surprise trip. Are you surprised?”
“Very.” But she smiled back at him. “Dan’s going to flip. He was just talking about you last night. Come on in where it’s air conditioned and I’ll get you something to drink.”
He stepped inside and heard another female voice. “Who is it, Del?”
He remembered that voice, sweet and musical. Harper. The maid of honour at the wedding. He’d turned on the charm a little, but she’d made it clear that she wasn’t the type for a casual fling so he’d behaved himself.
“A surprise guest,” Adele answered as Drew took off his boots. He went into the living room area in his sock feet and saw Harper seated in a plush chair, legs folded beneath her yoga-style, her hair pulled up in a pert ponytail. It highlighted her face and the light smattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Beautiful, he thought, but with a definite girl-next-door vibe. He much preferred her natural looks to a lot of makeup and just the right clothes. And shoes. Why women put so much emphasis on shoes, he could never figure out.
“Harper,” he said warmly, stepping forward and holding out his hand. “Good to see you again.”
She looked surprised at the handshake but put her hand into his anyway. “You, too.” She blinked and met his eyes. “They didn’t know you were coming?”
He laughed, then pulled his hand away from her soft, cool fingers. “I didn’t even know I was coming. I decided yesterday to take some time off and visit, but I didn’t want to call unless it didn’t work out on short notice.” He wasn’t sure how much he wanted to say about a possible land deal. For now it was a bit hush-hush. Besides, he didn’t want it to seem like he was bragging—that wasn’t his style. So he left it and merely shrugged.
“Oh.”
He got the sense she didn’t quite approve of his spur-of-the-moment plans, so he added, “I booked a room at the Cascade. No need for Adele and Dan to be inconvenienced by my impulses.”
“The Cascade, in high season? How’d you manage to get a room?” Her eyebrows shot up.
He laughed. “I lucked out. There was a cancellation.”
Her face relaxed a bit and Adele came back from the kitchen with a couple of beers and a glass of lemonade, which she gave to Harper.
“You don’t like beer?” he asked, taking the bottle from Adele and twisting off the cap. “Nothing like it on a scorcher of a day like today.”
Her gaze flicked to Adele and then back. “Um, I don’t really drink,” she answered, then hid behind her glass as she sipped. “Besides, lemonade is perfect.”
He took a seat and chatted to Adele for a few minutes, catching up, but in the back of his brain he remembered the wedding and the fact that Harper had indulged in more than one glass of champagne.
Something felt off.
“So what brings you to Banff? It can’t only be a visit with Dan.”
He smiled at his new sister-in-law, thinking of a way to divert the conversation. “To see you, too, you know. You’re a package deal now. How are the newlyweds?”
Adele’s smile was huge, and her gaze flicked to Harper for a moment before shifting back to him. “Oh, we’re wonderful. Dan likes his new job a lot, and I’m...” Her smile was radiant. “Well, I’m blissfully happy.”
“I’m glad.”
“You didn’t answer my question, though. What else brings you here?”
He considered for a moment and decided to be honest but downplay his interest. “I’m thinking about opening a store up here, and doing a little recon.”
“And you can spend some time with your brother at the same time,” Harper added softly.
He met her gaze, felt the jolt right to his toes. She was so pretty. So...artless. At the wedding weekend he’d learned she was a photographer. He remembered seeing her photos and realizing they were as simple and stunning as she was.
“Family’s important,” he said simply. “I haven’t seen mine as much as I might have wanted to over the past few years.”
“Dan says you two have always been close.”
Harper had been smiling at him, but he dragged his gaze away to look at Adele again. “I’m the baby of the family, but I was the first to leave the Brimicombe family fold. I’d like to be around more, you know?” And look for opportunities. He was always keeping his eyes open. Being sharp was what kept him at the top of his game.
He turned his gaze to Harper. “What about you, Harper? Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Their wedding banter hadn’t covered much in the way of personal subjects.
She smiled a little and shook her head. “An only child, I’m afraid. My parents live in Caicos.”
“Caicos? Wow. What’s in Caicos?”
She grinned. “An air charter service. My dad’s a pilot.”
“It’s a beautiful island.”
“You’ve been?”
He nodded. He’d traveled extensively and didn’t have any plans of stopping. Stay in one place too long and he got itchy feet. Luckily, Aspen Outfitters had done well and he could indulge his wanderlust.
Adele’s cell rang and she excused