by Lea Coll
We’d stopped by one of the empty rinks.
“How do you feel?” He tipped his head toward me.
“Tired.” From getting up early to working out when I wasn’t used to anything but standing all day at work.
He smiled wryly. “A good tired though, right?”
“The best.” My muscles would ache tomorrow but, in this moment, I felt good. “Thanks for taking me.”
“Thanks for coming.”
“This isn’t one of the adventures you’ll do for your tour, is it?” Knowing he’d done something extra for me burrowed in my heart.
“No, but I want to experience everything so I can make recommendations, taking guests on more difficult challenges. Next time we can try Nordic skiing in the valley. The trails are more challenging, the views just as impressive.”
“I didn’t scare you off with my lack of athleticism?”
“You did great. You’ll build up your endurance if you stick with me.”
“I’d love that, but I’m only here for a quick visit. Then it’s back to the grind.” The job with long hours with no option for even walking.
“You love your job?”
“I do, or at least I thought I did. When you’re in the thick of it, you don’t realize what else is out there. What you’re missing.”
“Do you have an idea of what you’re missing now?”
There was more of the world for me to see and experience. In the city, twenty-somethings weren’t getting married, much less having kids. “I think so. It’s hard to take off work to do things like this.”
His brow furrowed. “It might be worth it though.”
I wanted to ask what he meant by that, if there was some reason he felt like I should make a change sooner rather than later, but I didn’t. Each time we talked, we gave each other pieces of ourselves, a glimpse into our lives, our history, and what makes us tick. It was a dangerous pattern, drawing us closer when we should have been pushing away from each other.
“I’m twenty-six. I have plenty of time.” My voice sounded uncertain even to me.
“Just don’t work so hard you forget to pause and enjoy the world around you, to take stock of the people you surround yourself with.”
I liked my co-workers and roommates. I wouldn’t say I was especially close to any of them.
“Thanks for the advice.” I took a deep, cleansing breath of cool air.
Reluctantly, I said, “I should head back. I’m meeting Elle for lunch.”
I couldn’t stand under his gaze for long. He saw too much.
Chapter 4
Kelsey
* * *
I showered after Henry dropped me off to get ready for my day with Elle. Looking forward to some girl time, I slid into Elle’s passenger side seat.
Elle shot me a bright smile. “I hope you’re hungry. I could eat all day now that the nausea went away.”
I felt settled with Elle. I was exactly where I was supposed to be. “I went Nordic skiing with Henry, so I worked up an appetite.”
“Did you enjoy it?” She glanced over at me before turning her attention to the road.
“More than I thought I would.” I’d never liked working out or outdoor activities before.
“I’m sorry I can’t do these things with you. The doctor said it was okay if I was careful, but Gray is so nervous about me falling and something happening to the baby. I promised to stay off skis and boards until after the baby’s born.”
“It’s okay. I had fun with Henry.” I felt closer to him after his confession this morning about his ex.
“That’s good.”
She fell silent as we approached the small downtown area. The neat rows of brick buildings and pitched roofs drew me in. I couldn’t wait to explore. I used to think having expensive shops within walking distance was great, now I was wondering what else I was missing.
She parked in front of some stores. “I thought I’d show you the barber shop first. Then we can walk around.”
“I’d love to see it.” Climbing out of her SUV, I saw the wrought-iron sign hanging from the corner brick building that read Smoke & Mirrors in the silhouette of a bearded man. Elle pushed open the glass doors to the smell of shaving cream. The interior was an old-fashioned barbershop motif with ornate gold-framed mirrors hung on exposed brick walls and maroon leather chairs fixed to wooden floors. Signs on the walls declared it: Man cave, no women allowed.
“Hey, you guys!” A blonde woman walked around the counter to greet us. “Is this Kelsey?”
“That’s me.” I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.
“Kelsey, this is my friend, Piper,” Elle said.
Piper shook my hand, saying, “And her employee.”
“You’re so much more than an employee. You’re a great friend, Henry’s sister…”
Instead of nice to meet you, I said, “You’re Henry’s sister?”
I don’t know why that knowledge made my stomach pitch.
“I am. Have you met?” Piper asked, her blue eyes expectant.
“He took her Nordic skiing this morning,” Elle said, wandering away to check the computer. It was probably hard for her to take a morning off from her business, especially with a baby on the way.
“He did?” Piper tipped her head to the side. “Through the valley?”
“No. At the town center.”
Piper’s brow furrowed. “I’m surprised he didn’t take you somewhere more challenging.”
“I think he’s working me up to it. I’m not exactly in shape.” My legs were already sore just from this morning.
“Huh,” Piper said as the bell over the door rang signaling a customer had entered.
“I’ll let you get back to work,” Elle said to Piper before greeting the older gentleman who’d come inside.
When we were out on the street, I said, “It’s fabulous. It fits with the town.”
The mountains rose above the flat roofs of the historic buildings in town.
“It does, doesn’t it? I picked this town because of the memories I had here. It worked out better than I could have hoped.”
I pulled her in for a side hug. “I’m so glad you’re happy.”
When we first reconnected, she felt so much guilt over our friendship ending when both of us were to blame. I could have pushed harder but I’d let her go. It was easier to believe that someone wouldn’t want to stand by me. My expectations were low. Maybe it was time to change that. Maybe it was time to look at my life with a critical eye. Figure out if it was as fulfilling as I thought it was.
“I am. I want the same for you.” Her expression was wistful.
“I’m happy.” My tone was nowhere near as confident as hers.
She arched a brow. “Really?”
“In New York, I’m happy. It’s all I know. Long hours with a job that I enjoy. I’m surrounded by people who are fun to work with.”
“Are you friends with your roommates?”
“We all have different jobs with different hours. We’re all trying to prove ourselves. There’s rarely time to hang around the living room and gab.” I’d answered their ad for a new roommate.
She smiled ruefully. “That’s too bad. I had this whole Sex and the City vision of you and your girlfriends in the city.”
“Want to go into the bookstore?” Elle gestured at the store window filled with books.
Eying the Between the Covers sign, I readily agreed, “Of course.”
Following behind her, I admired the spines of the books I never had time to read. Maybe I’d buy a book and read it while I was here. Something about Colorado.
“So, you’re acquaintances?” Elle asked, her voice low.
It took me a second to remember what we’d been discussing before we entered the store: my roommates in New York. “Yeah.”
“Are you sure that’s an accident?” She’d stopped moving about the store, her gaze settled on me.
“What do you mean?”
“Could you be f
riends if you put in the effort?”
“I’m sure I could make more of an effort. I talk to people all day. By the time I get home, I’m exhausted. I just wanted to tune out by reading or watching TV. Then get some sleep.”
She bit her lip. “I can understand that. It’s just, I worry about you.”
“You don’t need to.” The last thing I wanted was Elle getting upset, worried about me when she should be focused on herself and the baby.
“You live so far away and I’m selfish. I wish you could be here once the baby’s born.” Her tone was whiny.
“I’ll visit.” I’d already taken a week and a half off for her wedding though, so it would have to be only a few days.
Her face fell. “It’s not the same as being here.”
I felt conflicted. On one hand, I was flattered she needed me, on the other, I felt bad I lived so far away. “You have friends here too, right? Like Piper?”
“Yes, I love Piper. But you’re my oldest friend. We get each other in a way others don’t.”
“That’s true.” Hanging out with her eased something inside of me.
We went to Brown Dog Pizza because Elle said she was craving it. The exposed brick walls were covered with sports memorabilia and signs declaring it the number one pizza. Once we’d ordered, we relaxed in our seats. Between my early morning workout, shopping, and lunch with a friend, I couldn’t remember being happier.
After we ordered our drinks, Elle’s face filled with worry. “Should I invite my parents to the wedding?”
I paused, wanting to offer the right advice and not wanting to step on her fiancé’s toes. “What does Gray think?”
Her forehead wrinkled. “He thinks I should.” She looked away as if working through something in her head. “I worry that Alice will start trouble again.”
Trying to diplomatic, I said, “Your wedding is in a little over a week. I doubt they’ll even be able to make it. Maybe they won’t even be able to come.”
She nodded, her shoulders lowering slightly. “That’s true. I’m awful for waiting this long to decide but I thought I had.”
“You didn’t want to invite them and now you’re rethinking it?” I gave myself some extra time to think of the right solution. What would I do if I was getting married? My parents weren’t involved in my life at all. There was no meddling or troublemaking, so my answer was easy. I’d invite them and not be surprised if they were too busy to come. If I got upset, they’d get that look on their face, the one that told me I needed to get over it. It wasn’t healthy to get upset about things you couldn’t control.
“Yes.” The word was long and drawn.
Had it been weighing on her mind?
“Invite them. Ease your conscience. I can’t imagine Alice or your parents causing trouble when you’re pregnant and so obviously happy.” I didn’t want her to worry or feel bad on her wedding day that she hadn’t invited them. This way there’d be no regrets.
The waiter set the steaming cheese pizza in front of us, cutting us each a slice. Elle couldn’t stomach any of the toppings, so we’d settled for plain.
I took a tentative bite, the cheesy goodness hitting the spot. “This is amazing.”
“I told you. We might have to get another though because baby’s hungry.” She smiled, touching her stomach briefly when she said baby.
“Whatever you want.” For the first time in forever, I had unlimited time and no schedule. “I’m yours until the wedding.”
“I love that. I’m so happy you came.” She squeezed my hand before taking another bite of her pizza.
I was too. Colorado was exactly what I needed.
Chapter 5
Henry
* * *
After dropping Kelsey off at the lodge, I drove to my parents’ home on the other side of the property. I felt unsettled after I told Kelsey about my ex. There was something about Kelsey’s admission that she was dumped in a painful way during college that reminded me of how ashamed I’d been when Selena broke up with me. Years later, I could see the embarrassment of the rejection was worse than the breakup itself. I could see now we wouldn’t have been compatible in the long term. But when you’re in the moment, it’s hard to see past the initial shock.
I wanted Kelsey to feel better but, in the process, I’d opened myself up to her. I never talked about Selena to anyone but my family and only when they brought it up.
Entering the kitchen, Mom was emptying the dishwasher, trying to get a large serving dish on the top shelf of the cupboard.
“Let me help with that.”
She turned, a hand over her heart. “Oh, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Sorry, I should have called out.” I took the serving platter from her, easily putting it up high.
“When we remodeled, I told your father I didn’t need the tallest cupboards.”
I smiled; it wasn’t the first time this argument had come up. “Why don’t you use the step stool?”
I looked around for it. Knowing her, she’d put it away in a closet and didn’t want to bother getting it out.
She waved me off. “Oh, I don’t need that.”
I wanted to say clearly she did, but I refrained. “Let me finish the dishes. Why don’t you sit down and drink your tea?”
“I think I will.”
My parents worked the ranch their whole lives and were used to hard work. It didn’t mean I didn’t want to help when I could, easing their load.
Mom sat at the table, her tea steaming in front of her. “How’s the new guest getting on? Elle’s friend from New York?”
Stacking the plates before placing them in the cupboard, I said, “She’s settling in. I took her Nordic skiing this morning.”
Mom’s lips curved into a hopeful smile. “You did? How lovely.”
I could feel her gaze on the side of my face as I put the glasses away. “Yeah, Gray asked me to take her out, show her around since Elle can’t do most of the outdoor activities.”
“How’s Elle feeling?”
Putting the dirty dishes in the washer, I said, “She’s tired. That’s why Gray wanted Kelsey and me to help her out with the wedding.”
Mom smiled before taking a sip of her tea. “I think it’s great she wants to get married at the lodge. It will be beautiful.”
I closed the dishwasher, washing my hands before leaning against the counter. “You think I should host more weddings? Like, make it part of the business?”
Mom’s forehead wrinkled. “I can’t see you planning weddings.”
“If it takes off, maybe I’ll hire someone to help out with the management of the hotel and wedding planning.”
The thing was, hiring someone wasn’t in the budget. I needed a few solid months of reservations before I could think about expanding. I couldn’t increase my income without more cabins to rent. Then I would feel comfortable hiring someone. Until then, it was just me. Could I pull it off?
“I’m sure it will. You’ve been determined to make this a reality since high school.”
Their support felt good. They never belittled my ideas because I was a kid. They sent me to college to learn everything I could about business.
The ranch started doing poorly when I was in high school. My parents were getting older and they wanted to slow down. They stopped growing their own hay. Having to pay for something they used to provide themselves and the increased cost of feed meant they had to work harder each year to keep the ranch viable. They recently made the switch from taking cattle to market to selling grass-fed beef to local restaurants. It cut out the cost of the middlemen involved in selling them at market and they loved contributing to the community. To charge more for it, we emphasized our gentle approach to raising the animals, pesticide-free beef, and our range-protection strategies. Our sales were picking up but we still had competition.
The property itself was worth a lot of money but they didn’t want to sell. The ranch was in their blood. Renovating and renting out the cabins was the only wa
y I could think to make the ranch profitable going forward.
“What’s Kelsey like?” Her tone was inquisitive, but I saw the sparkle in her eye.
She hoped there was something between us. There was, but nothing permanent like she wanted. “She’s nice.”
“That’s it. She’s nice? You spent the morning with her. Surely you have a better impression than that.” Her tone was reproachful.
“She works on the stock exchange. She’s successful. She’s here for a vacation and she’s going back after the wedding.” The reminder was as much for me as it was for my mom. The pressure to settle down with someone and have kids had increased over the last few years. Between Piper and me, she’d decided I was the likelier candidate.
“Is she pretty?”
I cleared my throat. Waiting for her to get ready for dinner last night was intimate, something a boyfriend might do with his girlfriend. It had been such a long time since I’d picked a girl up for dinner and dropped her off at her room with no expectations. How sexy she looked in her dress or how she trembled when my knuckles touched the skin on her cheek wasn’t something I wanted to talk to my mother about it. “Yes.”
She looked pleased. “Are you taking her on a helicopter ride to see the waterfall?”
“I hadn’t planned on it.” It was an expensive excursion although my buddy, who was a pilot, owned the business. He’d probably take me up for free if I asked. It also sounded very date-like. Desperate to get my mom off the trail of a budding relationship between us, I offered, “I was thinking of snowmobiling to the ghost town or bike riding.”
“That sounds wonderful. You show her a good time so she won’t want to go back to New York.” Mom’s voice was tinged with excitement like we’d fall in love during a few shared experiences.
That wasn’t how things worked even if the thought of convincing Kelsey to stay made me feel lighter. “I’ll do my best to make her stay enjoyable so she’ll tell her friends how amazing it is here.”
Mom was quiet for a few seconds, thinking something over. “You know, I always thought you were scared to get back out there after Selena cheated on you.”
