After Midnight by Katherine Garbera Page A

and other resort staff members on the teams as well as the kids. What do you think?”
    Carter liked it. It was an innovative idea and would give him a chance to spend more time with Lindsey. A legitimate reason that she wouldn’t be able to back out of. “Sure. I think it’s got some merit. Plus, it’s for charity. I want to see it be a success.”
    Lindsey glared at him from across the table. He wasn’t sure what it was he was doing today, but he seemed to be getting on her nerves.
Perfect.
He wanted her to be aware of him and to be bothered by him. It seemed only fair, since she was bothering him.
    He was here because of a cause that was dear to him. He’d seen a lot of talented kids over his years in the sport that’d had to quit because they couldn’t afford gear. That wasn’t right.
    But then, as he stared back at Lindsey, a telltale smirk suddenly tugged at his lips. Okay, if he was being
totally
honest, his reasons for being here weren’t entirely altruistic. It was also because he’d wanted to see her again and this was the only way he’d been able to do it. She’d shut him out. He’d thought about calling, but he wasn’t going to keep chasing her. At least not in an obvious way.
    “I want it to be a success, too. I’d be happy to captain a team,” Lindsey said, her fake smile firmly in place.
    “Okay, then. How are we going to choose teams?” Elizabeth asked. “We have two representatives from all the resorts and other participants here, so we could do it that way. One from each?”
    There was some discussion around the table of the different skills, but soon the teams were established and Carter thought he’d made out pretty well. Most of the owners and executives from the resorts were passionate skiers.
    “We’ll need to come up with events. And they should be pretty standard but not risky,” Lindsey said.
    “It should be fun, too. We want to bring new people to the sport and make it something the kids will want to do. In fact, maybe we can use our teams as mentors,” Carter suggested.
    “That’s a great idea,” Lars said. “I’ll be in charge of the events for our competition. I think we should hold it in February to kick off our announcement for the fall event. Use it to encourage kids to sign up.”
    There was agreement around the table. Lars asked each of them to jot down one or two ideas for events for the kickoff to be held in February. A meeting was set for the following week and everyone left the boardroom.
    Carter gathered his papers and followed Lindsey down the hall and out onto the patio that led to the ski rental and lesson building.
    “Wait up.”
    “Sure,” she said, whirling around to face him. “Think of something else you wanted to challenge me on?”
    “Not at all. I told you I wasn’t done with you,” he warned.
    “I know that. I’m not done with you now, either.”
    She wasn’t really angry with him. On the contrary, he could see worry and maybe a little bit of fear on her face. She couldn’t ski, and she’d just been put in charge of a ski team for a major public event.
    Crap.
    * * *
    S HE HADN ’ T MEANT to talk to Carter. She’d meant to exit the lodge, get into her ski clothing and then... What? She had no real idea. Obviously she couldn’t lead a team down the slopes in February considering that just sledding down a little snow mound took all of her courage.
    But she had to. Everything had changed thanks to this guy and his damned argumentative streak. She had a hunch that he’d originally started sparring with her in front of everyone as a sort of payback for the way she’d kicked him out of her place on New Year’s Day, and frankly, she hadn’t blamed him.
    But this... She put her arm around her waist.
    “Okay, this is serious. I already offered to help you and I’m not going to let this go,” he said.
    “Carter, thanks, but you can’t make that fear I feel when I strap on a pair of skis go away. I mean, you seem to be able to charm