“I hope you enjoy this weekend, I’m never driving into the mountains again." Tav grit as he slowed the vehicle. We approached a narrow suspension bridge, the headlights lighting the sign as we approached read: Deception Gorge Overlook.
“Are you kidding? This is insanely beautiful." I cracked the window, the chilly air rushing through my senses.
The evergreens broke at the edge of a cliff before the tires rolled out onto the icy grates of the bridge. A gorge rushed with white rapids more than a hundred yards below us. Moonlight lit the water and made the evergreen needles shimmer with streaks of silver.
“If the GPS had mentioned a suspension bridge I think I would have booked us the first luxury hotel at the base of the mountain and called it paradise.”
I giggled, finally feeling the pressure lift the further removed we were from home.
“It’ll be an adventure.”
“As long as I don’t have to chop any wood."
“Mm, no desire to be a lumberjack?”
Tav shook his head, fingers flexing around the wheel as we reached the center of the bridge. It swayed with the breeze, and I had to admit even that freaked me out.
“Does anyone actually live out here in the middle of winter?" Tav grunted.
“It’s not even winter yet." I frowned, realizing for the first time just how extreme the weather must get up here if this bridge was already iced over in October.
“Do you think it’s too late to turn back?" Tav murmured.
I didn’t reply, recognizing the thread of frustration in his tone.
I knew better than to add fuel to the flame that always simmered just beneath the surface of him.
“No wonder this place was available." Tav looked out his side window as he eased the car off of the suspension bridge. He breathed a sigh of relief and loosened his grip on the wheel and then looked at me with a quiet smile. "It’s damn near uninhabitable.”
“So I guess that means we won't be running down the mountain for coffee and croissants in the morning."
"I guess not."
We drove for a few miles deeper into the woods as the road twisted at a steep incline. The trees towered forty and fifty feet straight into the air, and even though it was dark, moonlight lit the shadows just enough to perceive a steep ledge just a few feet from the vehicle tires.
We moved through the wilderness as the road switched back and forth, climbing higher until the trees opened and a wide parking area overlooking the cliff’s edge came into view.
We were so high up it was terrifying and exhilarating in the same instance.
A few hours and a lifetime away from life at sea level.
“It feels like we’re in the clouds."
The wheels began spinning. Tav slowed, a frown tracing across his features. He gave it some gas, and then the car stopped altogether. Tav whistled under his breath.
“I hope this was the parking spot they were talking about.”
“Here?"
“The road usually goes all the way up the mountain, but they said in the snow you may have to park and snowshoe in."
"Tav, it's almost midnight."
“I told you we had to get on the road early."
“You never mentioned anything about snowshoeing."
Annoyance bubbled to life inside of him as he jerked on the steering wheel and flung us in reverse on the ice until we were one tire in the snow bank. "I hope you’ve got your hiking shoes laced up."
Now he was just being an asshole.
Tav jumped out of the vehicle, slamming the door behind him before he opened the trunk of the car and pulled out a flashlight. He bounced to beam around the trees and up the road. It was covered in multiple inches of new fallen snow but not so much that you couldn't see tire tracks from the last person that’d crossed the bridge before us.
“At least we know someone else is up here with us."
"That could be a blessing or a nightmare," Tav uttered. He pulled his rucksack over his shoulders and then held mine up. "You ready? It should only be another mile up the road.”
“Comforting." I frowned as I climbed out of the car, a blast of chilly air much cooler than Tav’s attitude had ever been. "Luckily, I’ve been going extra hard on leg day. That mountain doesn’t have anything on me." I held up my tiny biceps like I was showing off.
Tav couldn't help but laugh, the crinkle at his eyes always made me smile and made even the stressful moments worth it. "Is there anything else you need in here for tonight? We can come back in the morning for the rest.”
"I think I've got everything."
“Do you have your pills?”
I nodded. I could hear them even now rattling in the tiny side pocket I'd tucked them into earlier.
“Off we go then." Tav charged off into the darkness ahead of me.
I hustled after him, reluctant to get too far behind. I followed his footsteps, allowing my smaller ones to nestle inside of his as we climbed. By the time we’d reached the curve at the top of the road, I was roasting hot inside my winter jacket. I paused, taking in the black landscape, evergreen limbs reaching out to kiss our fingers as the road narrowed to an almost two-track while it hugged the edge of a cliff.
The water rushed loudly below us, the crisp wind biting my cheeks and bringing a smile to my face.
“We made it," Tav hummed.
Tears of joy nearly iced my cheeks as I took in a sprawling chalet nestled in a stand of fat evergreens. One warm yellow light reflected out through the floor to ceiling peaked windows.
“This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.”
“And the coldest," Tav huffed, pushing the rest of the small incline up the path until he reached the driveway of the chalet.
“Do you think anyone else lives up here?”
“I don’t see those car tracks anymore, the wind must have erased them.”
“It feels like we’re the only people on top of the world. I didn’t even know New England had mountains this big.”
“I know you said you wanted to go to Alaska some day, but this felt like the next best thing." Tav pulled me into his arms when I was close enough.
“I love it." I breathed as we walked up the driveway together, the chalet cozy amid the frozen landscape.
“I heard there’s a waterfall, maybe we can go for a morning hike and look for it.”
“Sounds perfect," I whispered as we climbed the steps of the chalet. Tav pressed his thumb at a hidden keypad.
“I scanned my fingerprint on the app on my phone—that’s how we lock and unlock the doors. Isn’t that cool?” Tav swung the door wide open and a blast of heat thawed my cheeks.
A warm fire crackled in the corner and soft jazz music played from hidden speakers.
“Wow."
“I told you it was going to be good. There’s a sunken spa bathtub that has your name on it in the master bathroom.”
“Would you like me to draw a bath?"A female voice sang through the speakers.
“Who was that?" I froze.
Tav dropped his bag as he laughed. "It’s a smart house. Turn on the kitchen lights please.”
“Lights on." The voice responded.
“She sounds so real it’s creepy.”
“We can switch the voice—would you like a British butler for the weekend? I bet there’s a setting for that.”
I shook my head. "This house is like a weird third wheel.”
Tav grinned, catching my chin with his thumb and kissing me softly. "Welcome to your winter paradise, beautiful. Would you like me to draw you a bath and bring you champagne and strawberries?”
I hummed, letting him kiss me again. "That sounds like Heaven.”
Four
Sunshine streaked my eyelids the next morning.
I yawned and stretched like a cat, my body sore from Tav’s hands and lips all over my skin. After he drew me a bath, we sipped champagne and listened to jazz and then we made love half of the night. I fell asleep in his arms, which never ha
ppened back at home.
I sucked in a breath, a smile on my face as I smelled the scent of his skin on the sheets next to me. I rolled over and hugged the pillow, inhaling him. The chalet may have been far out of the way, but maybe that was just what we needed to reconnect with each other.
I pushed myself out of bed, my muscles sore from Tav’s passionate hands all over me. I winced as I walked into the master bathroom. Perfect thumbprint bruises on either side of my hips from his hands when he'd held me against the wall and tackled me with his lips. He was wild, but this place made me feel wild too.
I also hadn't taken my medication last night. I wasn't supposed to drink on it and rarely did, but even just one glass of champagne had gone to my head. I lost myself in the bath bubbles and the bubbles in my glass, and locked in Tav’s arms made me feel more carefree in a way that I hadn't felt since before...
Since before the only thing that mattered was stolen from me.
I turned on the shower and washed myself quickly. Running shampoo and conditioner through my hair, and then wrapping myself in the thick robe that hung on the tile wall outside of the shower. By the time I was walking downstairs, I could smell the coffee. I paused at the landing and took in the 360-degree-view around me. From the loft that overlooked the living room, windows surrounded every corner. Snow-capped mountains and lush evergreens dominated the view. The chalet was utterly isolating and so peaceful.
“Good Morning, Beautiful." Tav unhooked his ankles and stood from the couch. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, he was across the kitchen and pouring me my first mug of hot coffee. A drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Just as I liked it.
He held the cup out to me. I took it gratefully and inhaled it once before taking a sip. “Thank you."
“How did you sleep?" he asked.
“Perfect." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and patted my backside playfully before falling back onto the leather couch. His laptop was back in his lap just like when I first saw him. I walked across the room, pausing to sip my coffee as I took in the full mountain landscape stretched around us. The mountains didn't just look snow-capped, they looked smothered in glaciers. I didn't know how high up we were, but it was high enough that the air felt dryer and thinner.
“Where did you find this place?"
"The guys were talking about it at work." He seemed distracted. I frowned.
"What time did you get up this morning? I didn't even hear you get out of bed."
"You were sleeping pretty soundly. Snoring as I recall." He paused, then looked up at me with one quirked eyebrow and a smile.
I shot him an air kiss but he was already head down, consumed in his laptop. I went back to the mountains outside of my window. It was breathtaking. But it felt like I was enjoying it alone.
"Do you still want to do that hike today?"
His fingers were fast at work on the keyboard, he didn't look up when he answered, "I have to get this report finished and then uploaded to the server at work. I'm hoping I can tap into the satellite ethernet. I'll catch hell Monday morning from Dad if a copy of this isn't on his desk.”
"And you were worried that I would get stuck with work up here?"
His gaze finally met mine. "I'm not the one that needs to take it easy."
I swallowed, turning away from his eyes and back to my hot cup of coffee. “You know me so well, sometimes I hate it.”
This was usually the point in the relationship, two years in and going strong, when my heart started to bail. Mental itch got the better of me and I suddenly found myself bored with all things as they were. The desire to torch my life like a phoenix to rise from the ashes was strong. I think that's why Tav and I were different. I liked that he worked away all week, less chance I'd grow sick of him. I knew the day would come, but I didn't think it'd be soon, but just as he was talking about wedding rings, my mind was taking long walks in the past with people I used to know.
I would be lying if I said I hadn't wondered if Tav was seeing another woman in the city all week long. But I forced myself not to think about it. We were good. He was stressed, we were sliding into boredom, but I didn't have anything to complain about. Not really.
Tav’s fingers worked furiously along the keyboard. The incessant tapping driving me to distraction. I pushed my feet into my fur-lined boots and opened the front door. I stepped out on the snow-covered porch, sucking in a breath of frigid air as a rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins. Tav was missing out. The view behind his computer screen never changed, the view outside of the chalet was once in a lifetime. I didn't think I could live here with all of this isolation but it was nothing short of breathtaking. A true weekend far, far away. I felt like a princess, or an ice queen in a cloudy fortress.
I thought back on the first time I met Tav at Steph’s art gallery. His hair was ruffled, business suit jacket open and tie loose as he rushed into the opening my college roommate and best friend was hosting. Tav’s family was a major supporter of the gallery and he was expected to say a few words. He wasn’t my type, not at all. I’d never dated a man that wore leather wing-tipped oxfords or attended art openings on Tuesday evenings. Steph introduced us and we spent the rest of the evening talking about art and music and work and the future of creative markets in a digital economy when the next thing I knew he was placing a kiss on my knuckles and asking to take me on a real date.
I’d typed my phone number into his phone as my cheeks flamed under his intense gaze.
I felt that gaze, even now, everywhere.
Tav was the most commanding man I’d ever been around. He demanded attention, charmed men, women, and children, and when he shined his light on you, he made you feel like the only person in his world.
Making people feel good was his superpower and it drew me to him like a stubborn moth to its fatal flame.
Five
“Hey, look at this." I examined the topography map on the wall as the evening sun streaked the windows. Tav didn't look up from his screen. He grunted once. I frowned. Tracing my fingertip along the lines of the map, I followed it until it looked like it led to an elevated area where a waterfall might feed down into a stream behind the property. "I think that waterfall is only a half-a-mile hike behind the chalet."
Tav didn't answer.
I shoved my feet in my boots, filled a water bottle to the brim, and was at the front door before Tav finally looked up with a half-interested look. "Watch out for the wild animals."
"Thanks."
I was down the driveway and headed to the property line a moment later. I walked the woods before a natural opening broke and I turned left down what looked like a groomed snowmobile trail. The snow was deep, over my knees and drifting into tall hills perfect for small children to slide down. The further I walked, the more the woods shrouded me, muffling my snowy footsteps as the cloud around my shoulders lifted. It felt good to work my muscles back and forth, I did too much sitting in front of a computer back home. The further I walked down the path the quieter the woods became, only winter birds tweeting from above my head. I reached the end of the pathway where a small cliff became a natural barrier for the path. A frozen gush of water hung suspended off of the edge, glistening with sugary, glitter snowflakes. I took a deep breath, thrust my arms in the air, falling back into a snowdrift and giggling when the cloud of powder surrounded me.
My mind fell back to another time like this when mom had taken me on a road trip to Colorado for Christmas. She rented the cheapest roadside motel she could find and every morning we danced in the new snow. It was one of my favorite Christmases, untraditional as it was.
I missed mom constantly. The days were still so dark without her.
I stood from my makeshift snow angel and brushed the tips of the evergreens with my palms. The scent of the needles filled the air and made me wish Tav was with me, experiencing this for himself. So much nature and solitude forced me to be alone with my thoughts, usually a detrimental thing. Tav was often the fir
st to tell me I was thinking too much, that maybe I should up the dosage of my medication if I still felt so horrible so many of the days.
Mourning was complicated. I’d spent a few appointments at the therapist learning that all I could do was give it time. I’d suffered a traumatic loss, pushing me to grieve wasn’t exactly a healing mechanism. But Tav had been my shoulder to cry on and my hand to hold every step of the way.
I turned, eager to distract myself by following my footsteps back up the path and weaving my way through the evergreens as I’d come. Just as I was about to break out of the tree line, my eyes focused on one of the windows. At the loft level of the chalet, a shadow that looked like Tav hung in the recesses of the window, hand to his ear like he was talking on the phone. I watched carefully, wondering if my eyes were playing tricks on me. I rarely used my cell phone, and I didn't think we had service way up here on the mountain. I made a mental note to check my phone for a connection later.
Maybe he'd found a way to tap into the satellite system and was using it for a business call. He had said he’d brought the satellite phone but at multiple dollars per minute, it was best used for emergencies only. I was about to walk out into the clearing when the figure moved closer to the window and turned into the sunlight.
It was definitely Tav. And he was definitely on the phone.
I sucked in a quick breath of shock. Would he consider it odd if I asked him who he was talking to? He would certainly never hesitate to ask me who was texting my phone. I moved along the edge of the tree line, my eyes following the shadow in the window. I slanted towards the edge of the driveway, eyes on the chalet and not in front of me. Before I could catch myself, I stumbled on something hard buried beneath the drifts of snow. I groaned when my ankle throbbed inside my boot. I stood, hands on a nearby tree, testing my ankle with a few steps. It smarted, but not so much that I couldn't walk on it. I twisted it in slow circles, careful not to hurt myself more than I already had.
I followed the narrow driveway, conscious of every step I took as I made my way back to the chalet. By the time I reached the steps, Tav was there holding the door open with a smile on his face. "Are you okay?"
The Sunday Wife: A Lockdown Thriller Page 2
