Cold Heart

by Sheila Dryden

  She was getting ahead of herself again but it was hard not to. When it came to dreams they couldn’t be too big. So just whose dream had this been? How was she going to figure out who the mystery woman was that Uncle Max had done all of this for. He must have loved this woman a lot. He had clearly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this place. It was nice for her because she was going to benefit from it but sad to think that his life had been so empty really. All those years spent alone here hoping and waiting for someone who never came. How had he financed all of this?

  Lexi cleared her dishes to the kitchen and then decided she would take Tucker for a little walk before it got dark. She grabbed a light jacket from upstairs and called to him when she got to the entry hall. He came running. The two walked down to the pond but she didn’t throw sticks since it was a little late in the day to get him all wet. She did throw the stick a bit though and he retrieved it.

  She walked past the cabins and thought about which one might be a good one for her to live in. It would give her the opportunity for privacy once there started to be guests at Wildwood. Tomorrow she would take a closer look at the cabins and see how functional they were and what the furnishings were like. Once she had done that she would know exactly how many pieces she had to reupholster and could contact the upholsterer she had seen in town.

  When she got back to Wildwood she saw dust in the air on the driveway. Someone had been here and very recently. That was unnerving. She hadn’t locked up. Had they gone inside? She hoped it hadn’t been Michael coming back but surely he had understood her last night. There was no way she was taking him back. If not Michael, then who, Carter? No, not likely as they had said they would see each other Saturday. Could it have been Montgomery again or Mitch she didn’t really know anyone else in town?

  Lexi had no answers which was a little unnerving. She hoped she could convince Tucker to come and stay in the house tonight but he was heading for the barn already and when she tried, she couldn’t coax him to come into the house. Well at least she knew he would bark if anyone came. Still she locked everything up tight when she went inside feeling a little jumpy in this big place all by herself. Once she had made a cup of tea she sat with her laptop looking up a few things and when she started nodding off she decided it was time to turn it off and go upstairs.

  Once in her room, she decided to unpack her suitcase and the boxes of clothes before going to bed. While doing this she decided on a dress and some shoes for the party on Saturday. That distraction helped her forget her worry about someone having been there earlier. When she finally got into bed, she was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. Tonight there was no pounding on the door to wake her, instead she had sweet dreams.

  6

  Lexi spent most of the next morning uncovering and then recovering the furniture in the cabins. She took inventory of everything that was out there and made a list of everything she thought she needed to purchase. The furniture in the cabins definitely needed some work. Whoever got the upholstery job was going to be plenty busy she thought. After working all morning, she decided to reward herself with a little exploring of the local area.

  She went back up to her room and showered and dressed in something pretty but cool as it was still hot these days. While the area could get fairly cool in the winter months that was a long way off. When she went down stairs she booted up the laptop and made a list of some of the resorts and restaurants and then she grabbed her purse and her keys and headed out. She may as well see what the competition had to offer.

  Her first stop was a world renowned resort and spa and Lexi knew right off the bat this would not be the type of experience she would be offering. The place was over the top. The hotel was set among a beautiful forest and it looked more like a massive home than a hotel. The grey shingled exterior and the crisp white trim and railings gave it a really cosy feel. There was a gorgeous pool and something like five or six different restaurants.

  The spa offered every sort of treatment known to man at prices that only the ‘one percent’ would have been able to afford. The place looked busy though. Lexi went up to the main desk at the resort and asked if she could see one of the rooms. She said she was planning to surprise her boyfriend with a surprise get away weekend for his birthday and was looking at a few places before she decided. The clerk said she would be happy to arrange that. She made a call and shortly a young man came and took her to a couple of rooms.

  The accommodations were some of the best she had ever seen. Both the rooms she saw had rock fireplaces breathtaking views from private balconies. There were beautiful bathrooms that looked more like the ensuite in a mansion than a hotel bathroom. The king beds and the linens were exquisite. She thanked the young man and the clerk when she returned to the lobby. The desk clerk gave her a brochure and a price list. Lexi stifled a gasp when she saw the prices. She would never be staying here.

  Next, she went to peek in at the main restaurant. Dining here would be a treat for the palate and the senses. Lexi stuck her head in the door.

  “Can I be of help madam?” the maitre de said.

  “Hi, I was just looking at the resort and thought I would like to see the restaurant,” she said. “I’m actually a CIA graduate so always interested to see what other chefs are doing.”

  “Well you must come in, please,” he said. “We are just finishing up with a lot of the preparations for dinner.”

  “I would love to, if I wouldn’t be imposing,” Lexi said.

  “Never, let me introduce you to Chef Mason, please come this way Miss ...”

  “Lexi Thomas,” she said.

  “I am Jean-Paul,” he said.

  He led her through the dining room which was just lovely and through to a massive state of the art kitchen.

  “Chef Mason,” the maitre de said. “This is Lexi Thomas. She is a CIA graduate and was interested in seeing our restaurant and kitchen.”

  “Hello, come in my dear,” the chef said. “I am delighted to meet you.”

  “Thank you so much for allowing me into your kitchen, chef,” she said. This is an amazing resort and what a fabulous kitchen.”

  “Yes, we are very blessed to be working here,” he said. “Come let me first show you our kitchen gardens and we can talk about our menu as we go.”

  “That would be wonderful, if you think you can spare the time,” Lexi said.

  “Oh that is not a problem,” he said.” Your timing is just perfect.”

  He led Lexi outside and with a few steps she was in a most amazing garden. There were herbs and vegetables of every variety.

  “We grow year round although in the winter we have a bit less. But we try to rely on our own surroundings for our produce. The woodlands here also provide a large variety of wild edibles. We strive very much toward Nouvelle Cuisine and that is why our gardens are so important. We have also our own bees and of course honey. We have many fruit trees and we have a pond that is regularly stocked with trout.”

  “My goodness, it must be such a pleasure to create the meals here,” Lexi said.

  “It is. I especially like doing the holidays as well,” Chef Mason said. “What are your plans?” Are you working somewhere now?”

  “I have recently inherited a Lodge in the area,” Lexi said. “It will be a very different venue than this and offer a very different experience but I hope to make it special in its own way,” she said.

  “Oh how exciting for you,” the chef said.

  “I want my own kitchen garden also and to use as many local products as I can. I will be catering more to the family experience though,” she said.

  “Well that is wonderful,” he said. “If I can be of any help, please come and see me again. Let’s go in and I can show you our journal. We have some wonderful photographs of our dishes.”

  Thank you, that would be terrific,” Lexi said.

  He led her back inside and introduced her to the staff in the restaurant kitchen and then showed her a book of truly beautifu
l dishes that had been prepared in the restaurant. The artistry was amazing and if they tasted half as good as they looked it would have been a gastronomic experience of a life time to eat here.

  “This is unlike anything I have ever seen,” Lexi said, “Truly inspirational chef.”

  “Thank you Lexi, please come and see us again and let us know how you are doing?” he said.

  “I will thank you so much,” she said.

  Lexi headed back to her car. What nice people she thought. Seeing their kitchen garden had been helpful and while the accommodations were far beyond anything she would be offering, it had been interesting and there had been some small touches that she would like to incorporate. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon so far.

  Lexi had a couple more places on her list so she put the next address into her GPS and headed off. It was a beautiful day and she felt so happy. Things were really working out and all the apprehension of that first day had completely disappeared. The next place and the one following were hardly resorts and she didn’t bother to stop and go inside. They were nothing more than your basic hotel with rooms, and indoor pool and some franchise restaurant serving generic food. These would not be her competition.

  The final spot, a ranch was definitely a five star resort like the first. Set in a beautiful landscape of alders and scrub oak with views of surrounding pasture land surrounding. The ambiance of the place was stunning. There were individual Lodges of one and two bedrooms and there were also residences to be purchased that had access to all the amenities of the resort. The main restaurant was stunning and the menu looked to be on a par with the first one she had visited.

  Lexi asked if she could walk around and see a room and again they were more than accommodating. She didn’t go into the restaurant, as it was very close to the dinner hour and she knew that they would be much too busy to give any tours. It had been helpful though. She had a look at the menu and the decor of it just the same. She would need to amp up the level of luxury at Wildwood if she were going to meet the expectations of the clientele she would serve. It had been productive and enjoyable. As she drove back to Wildwood she realized that, if nothing else it had made her realize that she needed professional help to get this thing going. She was going to need to search out the local resources that were available.

  As she drove through town on her way back to Wildwood, she passed an open air market. She pulled in and hopped out to take a look. They were just shutting down for the day but most booths still had lots of items on display. She picked up a few fresh vegetables and then strolled through the booths with crafts and jewelry. It was fun. She asked about the normal hours of operation and made a mental note to come back when she had more time.

  Lexi continued on her way and when she got back to Wildwood Tucker came out of the barn to greet her.

  “Hi boy,” she said. “Sorry I’m late. Are you hungry?”

  Tucker was still wagging his tail and she wasn’t sure if that was yes or that he was still just glad to see her. It didn’t matter. That kind of warm greeting just couldn’t be beaten. She carried her purchases inside and took them through to the kitchen and put them in the fridge. Then she went and got Tucker’s bowls and fed him. She poured herself a glass of wine and wandered around the property trying to visualize what she would put where.

  A pool was going to be a must she decided, especially if she wanted the place to appeal to families with children. That would be expensive. The company doing the feasibility study would consider that. After a half hour or so of surfing, she found the perfect company and made a note of their numbers. It was too late to call now and being Friday, it would have to wait until Monday now.

  Lexi felt good. These people would be able to give her some great advice and guidance she was sure and should she need capital this would be essential before any investor was going to even talk to her. She decided that food was the next most important thing that needed to be on her agenda, so she went into the kitchen and had a look in the fridge. Nothing looked too inspiring. She hated cooking for one and after seeing the offerings at those two spectacular resorts it all looked pretty boring here.

  She finally decided on the lone chicken breast she had purchased and some of the vegetables from the market this afternoon and got to work creating something appetizing. When she was done she was pretty pleased with herself and it was quite delicious. Now that dinner was out of the way Lexi was at loose ends. It was getting late and she was tired but she wasn’t sleepy. She wandered around the place aimlessly just looking at stuff and finally found herself up in Uncle Max’s room.

  She looked at the photos for a while and wondered about the fight between her parents and Uncle Max and then with no answers she finally decided to go to bed. She checked all the doors and windows and let Tucker out as he was at the door. At least he would be on guard duty outside. She went up to bed. Tomorrow was the party. She had to admit she was excited to be going somewhere different. Lexi liked it here, but she was lonely. She started thinking about Carter, and then told herself to stop. It wouldn’t do to get attached to the first man who came along. Wasn’t that what she had done with Michael?

  7

  By mid afternoon on Saturday Lexi simply couldn’t focus anymore. She was excited to be going out that evening. She was more than a little tired of her own company and anxious to see what Montgomery Winery looked like in person. It would be nice to meet some of the locals, after all they would be important contacts if she was going to get this business up and running. Be honest Lexi you are excited to be going with Carter.

  Lexi decided a good soak in the tub would be nice and thought it wonderful that Uncle Max had thought to include tubs in the bathrooms, at least here in the main Lodge. After her soak, she spend ages fussing with her hair, curling it, then straightening it, then curling it again. She was being ridiculous but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to look better than she had every other time Carter had seen her. Again she reminded herself they were just friends, well becoming friends. It had been scarcely a week since she’d arrived.

  She put some make up on and then wore a robe downstairs since it was time to feed Tucker. Once he had eaten she let him out and he lay down on the porch. He would probably bark when Carter arrived which would be helpful. At about quarter to seven she finally slipped in to her dress and shoes. She got a sweater out of the closet as the evenings were getting cooler now that summer was waning. She was ready. The pale blue dress brought out the blue of her eyes and flattered her slim build. She felt good.

  Carter arrived right at seven and Tucker let out a big woof at his arrival as expected. Lexi hurried to the door and opened it just as he was stepping onto the porch.

  “Wow,” they both said in unison.

  “You’re not wearing your uniform,” Lexi said smiling. Carter had shunned the jeans and jean jacket in favour of a pair of khakis, a golf shirt and a sports jacket. He had also shaved.

  “And you are not in pj’s or sweats,” Carter said, not missing a beat.”

  “Touché,” Lexi said laughing.

  “You look beautiful Lexi,” he said.

  “Thank you,” she said, as her heart skipped a beat. “You look pretty good yourself.”

  “Shall we go?” he asked.

  “Yes, please,” she said. “I’ll just lock the door and ... wow, we are going in style tonight.” She noticed a very sporty looking car.

  They walked down off the porch and Carter opened the door. As she climbed in Tucker headed off to the barn. Neither of them said anything at first on the ride over to the winery and then finally Lexi spoke up.

  “I warned you I wasn’t very good at small talk,”

  “Well normally I can keep up a witty repartee but I’ve just been wondering what kind of reception I would get from Montgomery,” Carter said.

  “You’ve had some run-ins in the past?” Lexi asked.

  “You could say that.” He’s been trying to buy my land for years and I basically told him to ge
t off my property and never come back.”

  “Hmm, well you are my guest so if you are not welcome we will just leave,” Lexi said.

  It was about twenty past seven when they arrived at the Montgomery Winery and there were already a lot of cars parked in the lot adjacent to the main house. It was clear this was where the party was being held. Carter parked and came around and opened the door for Lexi, taking her hand as she got out of the car. The two walked up to the entry of the house where several people were still making their way in. Geoff Montgomery and a woman that Lexi thought might be his wife were greeting people as they came in.

  “So much for sneaking in,” Lexi whispered to Carter.

  “Be brave,” he said. “You’ll be fine.”

  “Well good evening,” Montgomery said as the pair approached. “I wasn’t sure that you would come, Lexi.” Then to the woman on his right, “Dear, this is Lexi Thomas, Max’s niece and Carter Munroe. Good to see you Carter.”

  “Thank you,” Carter said.

  “It’s nice to meet you Lexi, I’d have known you anywhere by those dimples,” the woman said, she was tall and slender with auburn hair that skimmed her shoulders. “I am Grace Cummings Montgomery. I knew your mother.”

  “Really,” Lexi said.

  “Yes, she and I were school chums but sadly I hadn’t seen her in years. I was very sorry to hear about the accident.”

  “Did you know my father also?”

  “Not really. He was older and years ahead in school.”

  “Please come in and enjoy yourselves,” Montgomery said, interrupting.