“I forgot how chilly it can get here at night, especially this time of year,” I remarked, rubbing my hands together.
“Probably why we’re the only ones out here,” Michael added with a smile. “I don’t mind though. I like being alone with my bride.”
He took my hand and kissed it, sending shivers up my spine. Or maybe that was the fifty-degree temps. I scooted closer to him and he slid his arm around me, nuzzling the side of my face. My body instantly began to warm up, and I smiled.
“Mind if we join y’all?”
Startled, we both turned around to see a couple that screamed “Texas” walking onto the patio. It might be my astonishing powers of observation or the fact that the guy wore a ten-gallon hat and a belt buckle the size of his fist with a rendering of the state and the word “TEXAS” boldly written across it, that gave it away. He was very muscular, his biceps practically busting out of the tight T-shirt he was wearing. I might have been staring, as I felt a not-so-gentle nudge under the table. I quickly averted my eyes to his companion.
His wife, or girlfriend, had giant Texas hair, bleached blonde and curled within an inch of its life. Her tight sweater accentuated her curvy figure and I could sense my other half doing his own share of staring. I nudged him right back. The light mountain breeze that gently tousled my hair didn’t budge hers one bit. We always referred to that as “helmet head” in high school, and I’m the first to admit I went through my own Aqua Net phase trying to fit in. I have long since packed any evidence of that far, far away, never to be seen again. I hope.
“Of course!” Michael and I said as the couple walked to the table right next to us, the woman setting her purse down. Michael raised the one eyebrow and gave me a lopsided grin as he glanced around at the other ten or so empty tables scattered farther away around the patio. So much for being alone.
“Boy, it is just frigid out here, y’all!” the woman exclaimed. “But I told Dirk, ‘We’re up north now. We gotta take in this winter weather while we can!’ So we’re gonna sit out here and have us some hot cocoa.
“Baby, will you run back up to the room and grab my parka? It’s just darn near freezing out here! Brrrrr!” she said with a shiver, squeezing her arms around her bosom, nearly popping her boobs out of her V-neck sweater.
“You hang right in there, baby,” Dirk said. “Go on and stand by one of them there heaters. Go on now. Daddy’s gonna warm you right up,” he said, pinching her bottom. “Be back in two shakes.”
Dirk went back inside, presumably to find them some coats, scarves, gloves, and hats. I wanted to ask him to bring me something too. The woman warmed herself up by the large heat lamp right between our two tables. She towered over Michael as he sat, and I glanced down at the three-inch boots she was wearing. At least she was smart enough to have her feet covered. I was still in flip-flops.
“Y’all from ‘round here? You don’t look like you’re as freezing cold as I am.”
“No, we’re from San Diego actually. Well, Houston before th—”
“Oh! Houston!” she said, keeping the “h” silent, so it came out, “Youston.” “I just love it there, don’t y’all? Dirk and I are from Texarkana. We’re up here looking for some vacation property. Dirk just loves the mountains. Don’t y’all just love the mountains?”
We both nodded. “Of course! We’re actually out here on our honeymoon and—”
“Oh, y’all! Congratulations! How wonderful!” She bounced up and down, her boobs jiggling so much I was sure Michael was becoming hypnotized. “Now y’all are just out here trying to be alone and here we come bargin’ in on your little love fest. I’ll just go get us a seat inside and tell Dirk we need to leave y’all alone. We can sit by the fire inside and enjoy our cocoa.
“My name’s Savannah, by the way. So sorry to interrupt y’all, but I do hope we’ll see ya again real soon.”
Savannah shook our hands quickly and sashayed back inside before we could get another word in, her strong perfume trailing behind her. Michael just shook his head at me and laughed. “My gosh, I felt like we were talking—or rather, listening to—my old college girlfriend. Big personality, big hair, and big mouth. Couldn’t ever get a word in edgewise.”
“I noticed you didn’t mind her big boobs,” I joked, looking back inside at Savannah.
“And I noticed you didn’t mind Dirk’s bulging biceps either,” he sparred back, flexing his own arms to feel better about himself.
“You know I just love those biceps of yours, baby,” I said, giving him my best Texas drawl and squeezing his big arms, which are just as nice and muscular, but not on display as Dirk’s had been. “Now come on over here and give me some suga’.” I gave him a big smooch and we both laughed, then continued to look at our menus, trying to decide what to eat.
After taking our time at dinner and sharing a scrumptious taco platter, we got some creamy, spiked hot cocoa to go and took a slow walk on the lighted path just around the resort property. The place was absolutely gorgeous. The fall foliage was just beginning to turn, and the yellow aspen leaves tinkled in the light breeze, lit up by the strategically placed lanterns. I could hear coyotes in the distance, and was thankful my cat, Daisy, wasn’t around.
Before heading to our cabin, we stopped in the office to get information on trails nearby, as well as brochures from the resort spa. Hiking is hard on the feet and legs, if my twelve-year-old self remembered correctly. I wanted to make sure we made use of the massages and other amenities available to us as much as possible.
We finally reached our cabin, and as soon as the door opened, I felt the rush of warmth coming from the inside. Thank God they had turned on the heat. Laughing at my wimpy self shivering in the fifty-degree weather, I began to question my wardrobe selection for the week, wondering if I had packed enough layers. And then I looked up and stopped dead in my tracks. The place was amazing. While the cabin looked modest from the outside, the towering, fifteen-foot ceilings made it feel palatial on the inside. Large log beams accentuated the white walls, and the high-end but rustic furnishings gave the place a log-cabin-meets-farmhouse feel. I absolutely loved it. The natural wood burning fireplace was crackling, having been lit, I assumed, just recently by the invisible resort staff. A plush, white suede couch sat before it, and next to the couch, a distressed pedestal end table held a chilled bottle of champagne. I might have preferred Bailey’s and more hot chocolate by that point instead, but I wasn’t going to complain. I immediately felt at home.
Michael deposited our bags in the bedroom and I decided to quickly check my cell phone for any messages from Fritz. I had left it with the bags to enjoy a quiet dinner with my new hubby and to not appear as desperate for information as I really was.
Searching out our bags, I dug around in the outer pockets, feeling for my phone. Surprisingly, I came up empty-handed.
“Hon, have you seen my phone? I had put it in the outside pocket of my carry-on bag when I got out my jacket. But it’s not here.” I searched around inside the bag, certain I’d left it in the outside pocket, and continued to look around the room in vain. I hate it when I misplace that thing, but I do it more often than I’d like to admit.
“Maybe it fell out when the valet grabbed the bags. I’ll call down and see if they’ve found it.” Michael went to the room phone and called the front desk. He described my phone to them and the approximate time we arrived.
“They said they’ll look around, but they haven’t had a phone turned in yet. You sure you had it when we got here? You didn’t leave it on the plane?”
“No. Remember? I checked it in the car. I know I had it when we got here. Maybe I dropped it outside.”
“Did you try calling it?”
I took his advice and dialed my number from the room phone, but all I got was a click and my voice asking me to leave a message. Not helpful.
“I think it’s dead. The battery was low on the trip up.” I frowned.
“I’ll go check the car real quick. You slip into som
ething more comfortable and I’ll be right back,” Michael said. “I’m sure that’s where it is.” He took several long strides toward the door and sprinted outside. “I’ll be back in two shakes!” he hollered back in a Southern drawl.
I grinned at my goofy husband’s antics and kept looking. Maybe I’d put it in a pocket of another bag, or maybe it had fallen out and the valet stuck it somewhere else. I was increasingly desperate to check my phone, and with Michael gone for a few minutes, I could do so with less guilt.
Twenty minutes later, I had not found my phone, and neither had Michael. The front desk called to say they hadn’t found anything outside, but they’d keep looking in the morning.
“It’s no big deal, babe,” Michael assured me. “It must have fallen out somewhere. I know you’re antsy to check it, so we’ll just go into town tomorrow and get you a new phone if it’s not been found. We can call your carrier and transfer your line over. It will be like it was never gone at all.”
I sighed and agreed as Michael pulled me in toward him. Maybe this was a sign that I should stop worrying about what might be and just focus on my sweet husband and our awesome honeymoon in this luxurious place. Everything will work out, I kept telling myself, not too convincingly. Michael began to slowly massage my back and shoulders, his breath warm on my neck. I could feel the tension that had again built up slowly begin to fade.
“You know we have our own hot tub in this place, right?” he whispered in my ear, his strong hands kneading my muscles with ease. “I think you need to relax, and lucky for you,” he laughed softly in his deep, sexy voice, “I know exactly what you need…”
●CHAPTER 8●
MONDAY MORNING CAME and Michael and I were happily awakened by a phone call from the front desk, saying someone had turned in my phone. Thank God! I hastily threw my hair into a ponytail, brushed my teeth, threw on some sweats, and made my way to the office. The morning air was brisk, but despite the cold, I could feel myself begin to sweat in anticipation. I was anxious to know if I would have any information from Fritz.
“Good morning, Mrs. Drake,” said the lady at the front desk. The young woman was about my height, with beautiful long, dark, wavy hair. Probably in her twenties, she had dark brown eyes, and a gorgeous tan complexion with nary a blemish or wrinkle. Her nametag said, “Caty”, but how did she know who I was? Probably because I was the only person with bed head standing there, tapping my hands on the counter, out of breath, and looking like I needed a cell phone fix. I had sheet impressions on my face and puffy eyes. She was lucky I had clothes on.
“Hi, do you have my cell phone?” I asked quickly. Why bother with polite chatter? It was seven in the morning, I would normally still be sleeping, and I wanted my phone…badly.
“Can you verify any identifying markers on it? You know, prove that it’s yours somehow?”
My jaw dropped.
“I’m kidding, hon. Shouldn’t tease you about that, maybe. I know I’d be lost without mine.” Caty gave me a smile and handed me my phone.
“Be sure to head on down to the restaurant for breakfast anytime. This morning’s special is espresso waffles with mocha drizzle, served with a side of sausage and cinnamon apples.”
She had me at espresso. But really, I was more interested in my phone. I’d think about breakfast in a minute.
“You are an angel, Caty. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I quickly keyed in my password as I turned around to head back, only to get an error that the battery was low and it was shutting itself down. Fabulous. I hurried back to the cabin so it could charge. Would I have a message from Fritz? I was desperate to know.
“Hey, you’re back,” Michael said as he rolled over in bed when I walked into the bedroom. He sat up, stretched, and beckoned me closer. “You jumped out of bed way too early this morning.”
“I know, but they found my phone!” I sat down on the bed next to him, unplugged his phone from the charger, and replaced it with mine.
“Oh, really? Someone turned it in?” He yawned and I marveled at how good guys look in the morning when they just wake up. They look all cute and warm and fuzzy. Why is that? Why doesn’t he have bags under his eyes, facial blemishes, and totally freaked out hair?
“Remember the phone call we got about fifteen minutes ago?”
“Mmmm, not really. You wore me out last night,” he said, grabbing me in a bear hug. Men may look good in the morning, but they still have morning breath like the rest of us. I slowly disentangled from him, trying not to inhale.
“I should rinse out my mouth is what you’re saying?” he grinned. “Be right back. Then you can tell me what happened.”
“Actually, I don’t know. I didn’t ask.” Michael went into the bathroom to brush his teeth while I continued. “I was so happy to have it back that I just grabbed it and ran back up here to plug it in. It’s deader than dead.” I checked the phone once to be sure, but it was at about 3% battery after that whopping two minutes of charge time. No luck. I continued to stare at it, pleading with it silently to charge faster.
Michael walked back into the room. “Well, while it charges, why don’t we go get some breakfast? Take your mind off of it for a bit, and let the thing actually get some juice.” He eyed my bouncing leg.
“Okay,” I sighed, knowing he was right. “That’s a good idea. And I am starving.” I jumped up off the bed and walked into the bathroom to put just a tad bit of makeup on. I gasped when I saw myself in the mirror. My hair was matted on one side of my head, I had giant bags under my eyes, and a tiny bit of drool had crusted on my chin. How had I let myself go out looking like this?! Michael put on some clothes, ran his fingers through his hair, and was ready to go, of course. I had to spend ten minutes making myself look presentable. Life is unfair. We grabbed our room key and headed out the door.
Less than an hour later, we were back in our cabin, jacked up on espresso waffles, maple syrup, and coffee. Thankfully, my phone was charged enough to check messages. I had a text from Fritz. Call me. My heart immediately began to race.
I was supposed to be getting my stuff ready to go out on a hike, but instead I slipped out onto the back patio with my phone while Michael filled our CamelBaks in the kitchenette. The patio area was cozy but impressive. A large firepit stood in the middle with cushioned sectional furniture surrounding it. Trees and shrubs on either end ensured privacy while still allowing for a magnificent view of the valley below. While it was still freezing outside, I hardly felt it. My hands shook, and I silently dialed Fritz and held my breath. I paced back and forth across the patio, barely noticing the view. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Pick up the damn phone, already!
“Mmmm, hello?” a sleepy voice answered.
“Fritz?” I squeaked out, stopping in my tracks. “You said to call. What did you find?” I quickly glanced inside. Still no Michael.
“Good God, woman, what time is it?” He yawned loudly in my ear, and I could hear his whiskers scraping the phone as he stretched.
“It’s, uh,” I checked my watch, “9:30 your time. Why are you still asleep? What did you need to tell me?” Come on, come on, I silently pleaded.
“Hold your horses! Geez. Let a man get his bearings.” He sat there for a minute, breathing in my ear. I could just imagine his white hair sticking out all willy nilly. Fritz is one of the few men I can think of that looks as good as I do in the mornings. “Okay, I think I’m awake now.” He sighed deeply. “I was up most of the night following leads on your dad. He’s a tough nut to crack, let me tell ya. Damn government databases and their security measures.” I heard him rifling through some papers. Man, I hoped he hadn’t gone into his “office” in the bathroom.
“What do you mean ‘government databases?’ What did you find?” Spill it, for goodness’ sake!
“Well, this would have been a lot easier if you had told me your dad had an WAUHAAYYEEHHBAAAHHAHH.” More yawning. I held the phone away from my ear.
“That he had a what?”
“A
n FBI file. He’s listed as a person of interest.”
I sat there for a beat, silent.
“My dad wasn’t wanted by the FBI.” I stood there for a minute and could feel my blood pressure rise. My frustration was mounting. Was this some kind of joke? “Have you been talking to Lisa? The last thing I want right now is to be teased about my dad being a secret agent or having anything to do with the FBI. Come on, Fritz, I’m on my honeym—”
“Emily, hold up.” He paused and his tone got very serious. “I would not have called you on your honeymoon if I hadn’t found something. Right?”
I exhaled slowly and nodded, though obviously he couldn’t see me. He wouldn’t call me as a joke, or even on just a hunch. I knew that. Fritz is very good at what he does, and he takes it very seriously. I started getting dizzy, thinking of the significance of his words, and forced myself to relax.
“George Potens, AKA your dad, was on the FBI’s radar, kid.”
“Was? What? Why?” I asked with a pleading voice. I could not believe this was true. My dad had been as clean as the day is long. Thoughts cluttered my brain. Even if my dad had been an FBI person of interest, surely there was an explanation. But right now, my focus remained on knowing whether he was still alive. I needed to know!
But still, he had an FBI file. The implications of this news rocked me. Did this mean my dad had been involved in criminal activity? Why else would he be on the FBI’s radar? I couldn’t believe I was even thinking that. But, if so, was he in hiding? Did he really die in that car accident, or was he alive? Would I ever find out the truth?
The Naked Truth Page 4
