by Astor, Marie
Next to her lay Jeffrey’s laptop – the files on it were all the evidence Maggie needed to know that Bethany’s words were true.
Beautiful women were a fact of life for Jeffrey Preston. At first, Maggie felt overshadowed by all the gorgeous starlets and aspiring models who flocked to Jeffrey at various social functions that he took Maggie to. On occasions like these, she could almost hear their jealous thoughts: Whatever did he see in you? You’d better watch your back or someone will take your place. Not that she had had any reasons to doubt Jeffrey’s fidelity: ever since the two of them had started seeing each other, Jeffrey had said goodbye to his wild past. Before, he had been known to stay out until all hours of the night, emerging from nightclubs with two or three stunning women on his arms, but once he began dating Maggie, he became completely committed to her, or so Maggie had thought.
Maggie met Jeffrey at Charlie’s birthday party two years ago. It was an elaborate event that Bethany had put together with hawk-like attention. At that point, Bethany and Charlie were dating for a little over three months, and Bethany was eager to exercise her new authority of a steady girlfriend. It was Bethany who insisted that Maggie, single at the time, come to the party, breathlessly adding that Jeffrey Preston had just broken up with yet another one of his girlfriends and was now looking for a serious relationship.
Partly out of curiosity and partly because she knew that Bethany never took no for an answer, Maggie agreed. Since junior high, Bethany had never been without a boyfriend, and she never tired of pointing out this fact to Maggie, dragging Maggie along on endless double dates with her ever changing flames. Granted, most of the time Maggie was not crazy about Bethany’s choice of suitors for her, but it was the thought that counted. Besides, there were far greater character flaws than being a bossy friend, like being a friend who stole your boyfriend. So when Bethany demanded that Maggie meet Jeffrey Preston, Maggie saw no harm in indulging her friend. What could be the worst thing that could happen? She would have a couple of drinks, maybe dance a little and then go home – a big-shot producer who dated a different girl every week would be more interested in flirting with models and starlets than talking to her. And for her part, Maggie was certain that the chances of her falling for someone like Jeffrey Preston were close to zero.
When the day of Charlie’s birthday party came, Maggie made sure she looked her best. The party was well underway when Jeffrey Preston made his entrance, clad in a tailored Brooks Brothers suit that fit his muscular physique to a T. He wore his coal-dark hair in a spiky crew cut that perfectly framed his dark eyes and chiseled features. The minute her gaze met his smoldering brown eyes, Maggie knew that her fortifications were going by the wayside. Superficial or not, Jeffrey Preston was smoking hot, and, despite all the evidence showing that it would be a bad idea, she wanted to get know him better. Bethany was quick to provide the introductions and stood guard to stave off any female competition for Jeffrey’s attention. Still, Maggie found herself shy and tongue-tied – a complete opposite to Jeffrey who seemed to be at home no matter where he was.
After a few fizzled attempts at conversation, Maggie had expected Jeffrey to lose interest, but she need not have worried: Jeffrey Preston loved to talk about himself, and he was more than happy to bask in Maggie’s undivided attention. As the evening drew to an end, Maggie steeled herself for Jeffrey’s attempts to get her into his pad - given Jeffrey’s womanizing reputation, this was to be expected, but she was not the kind of girl who would sleep with a guy she just met, not even with the devilishly handsome Jeffrey Preston. But to her surprise, Jeffrey did not ask her for anything other than her phone number and said goodnight without even attempting a kiss. She had not expected to hear from him again.
When the phone rang the following day, Maggie was thrilled to hear Jeffrey’s voice in the receiver.
By the end of the summer she had fallen in love with him. Jeffrey was seven years her senior - she had never dated a man that much older than her; in fact, she had not dated much, period, and going out with Jeffrey was a stark contrast to dating college boys. Jeffrey always called her when he said he would; he was incredibly sophisticated and mature, and she admired his worldliness.
To know that she had been fooled the entire time was what really hurt the most. Now, in hindsight, a pattern emerged: all the times when Jeffrey did not answer his cell phone, even late at night, his haphazard business trips and his reluctance to talk about his supposed business meetings. At the time, she did not make anything of it, but now she knew that she had been a naïve fool.
Maggie’s first impulse had been to pack up and go to the airport. She started throwing her clothes into her suitcase, but changed her mind halfway.
She had to leave this hotel room, but she was not sure she wanted to go home just yet. For one, leaving would let Jeffrey off the hook too easily – he owed her a face-to-face explanation. And for another, Eagleville was a photographer’s goldmine, and what better way to get over heartbreak than keeping busy?
But if she was going to stay in Eagleville, Maggie had to find new accommodations. There was no way she was going to remain at the Ritz – the prospect of running into her cheating, lying fiancé pretty much nixed that option. Nor did she want to stay in any of the hotels in the vicinity of the Ritz, which pretty much excluded the majority of the hotels in the resort, as all the lodging establishments were neatly packed into a tight cluster around the main gondola.
That left the Owl Lodge – the rustic setting and proximity to the air tram made it the ideal choice. A few hours ago, the possibility of running into Taylor would have worried her, but she was a different woman now - the kind of woman who resolved to never get her heart broken again, and even the tantalizing green of Taylor’s eyes could not swerve her off her new course.
Maggie picked up the phone and dialed the directory for the Owl Lodge. Several moments later, she spoke to a clerk at the reception desk and booked a standard single room that had just become available after a last-minute cancellation. I guess my luck is beginning to change, thought Maggie as she hung up the phone.
Half an hour later, Maggie finished packing the last of her things and was on her way to the lobby when the doorbell rang. She had expected it to be the evening housecleaning service and opened the door to tell them to come back later, but saw Bethany instead.
With a sigh Maggie motioned for her friend to come inside: this conversation was due to happen, and now was as good a time as any.
“Were you just going to leave without telling me?” exclaimed Bethany, as her glance fell on Maggie’s packed suitcase.
“I was going to call you.” Maggie was not about to let Bethany trick her into guilt.
“No, you weren’t. You were going to sneak out.”
“I don’t have to answer to you or Jeffrey after everything I found out today. I saw the photos on his laptop.”
Bethany looked away. “At least stay the night – it’s too late to go to the airport now.”
“I’m not flying back yet.”
“So you’re going to give Jeffrey a chance to explain?”
“I’ve decided to stay at the Owl Lodge. I think Jeffrey owes me a face-to-face break-up. And I also wanted to take a few more photographs for my portfolio.”
“You sound so cool about it, like you’ve thought everything through.”
“Well, I have.”
“Oh, come on, Maggie. Whom are you kidding? Don’t tell me even for a minute that Taylor does not figure into this equation. What are you going to do – have a long-distance relationship with a ski bum? At least give Jeffrey a chance to explain – you could still work things out.”
“Don’t you think I gave him too many chances already?”
“I think you’re making a huge mistake that you’ll regret later on. But, you’ve obviously made up your mind.” Bethany stood back. “I just hope that you won’t regret it.”
“I won’t,” said Maggie. “If I’ve ever been sure of anything, I’m sure of th
is.” She put on her coat and grabbed her suitcase, leaving Bethany standing in the doorway.
When Maggie boarded the cab to the Owl Lodge, she sensed an unexpected feeling of lightness: she was leaving her entire past life behind her, but that only left one possibility - she had a chance to start afresh.
Chapter 14
Maggie’s room at the Owl Lodge was on the top floor, and she immediately fell in love with its slanted roof and modest, but cozy furnishings: a full-sized bed with a firm, springy mattress, an armoire with a TV, and most importantly, an ample-sized writing desk that faced the window with a picturesque view of the mountain.
She was busy editing her photographs from the day before when the blaring ring of the telephone stunned her into jumping up from her chair as she reached for the receiver.
“Maggie?”
Jeffrey’s voice in the receiver caught Maggie off guard, but then she should have foreseen that it would not take long for Bethany to spill the beans.
“Hi, Jeffrey.”
“Why haven’t you returned any of my calls – I left you five messages.”
Maggie remained silent - did it really matter how many messages Jeffrey had left? In her mind no amount of messages could make up for what he did.
“Do you mind telling me what’s going on? One minute we’re in love and the next you walk out on me without so much as a word. Bethany told me that you just upped and left.”
“Did she tell you why?”
“No, she didn’t. Would you care to explain?”
“I think it’s you who has all the explaining to do.”
“For the last time, what are you talking about?” Jeffrey sounded genuinely perplexed.
“I’m not the idiot you think I am – I know that you haven’t changed and I’m not going to be fooled anymore. It’s over, Jeffrey.”
“Maggie, what are you talking about?” Jeffrey fumed.
God, he is a really good liar, Maggie thought. “I saw the photos on your laptop.” Jeffrey never let Maggie use his laptop, claiming that it had important work files on it. In uncharacteristic forgetfulness, he had left his laptop at the hotel, and now Maggie knew the reason why Jeffrey had always been so cagey about the gadget.
“Maggie, it didn’t mean anything.” Even now, Jeffrey sounded perfectly composed. “So I made a few mistakes… No one is perfect. Please, can’t we talk about this?”
“Why? So you could go on making a fool out of me? I don’t think so Jeffrey – we’re through. You can have your ring back when you return.”
“This is not over, Maggie. We’ll talk when I come back.” Jeffrey’s voice rang with steely notes.
“Goodbye, Jeffrey.” Maggie slammed down the phone. The nerve of him - he thinks he can order me around like some puppet…
Maggie keyed in the combination into the hotel safe where she had placed Jeffrey’s engagement ring the night before. Prim and austere, the ring sparkled in the palm of her hand like a tiny piece of ice. She wondered if that was what Jeffrey had in his heart: a sliver of ice, just like the boy in The Snow Queen whose heart turned into a lump of ice after a glass shard from the Snow Queen’s mirror pierced it, but unlike the boy in the fairy tale, no amount of love could ever thaw Jeffrey’s heart.
She put the ring back into its Tiffany box - a box that every girl dreams of receiving one day from the man she loves. As teenagers, Maggie and Bethany would spend hours on the phone, dreaming up the perfect engagement, fantasizing about the perfect wedding. Back then, it had been so reassuring to know that she had a best friend - a best friend she could confide in, and who would always have her back.
Maggie pushed back her chair, refusing to sit around and mope.
When she made her way to the lodge lobby, Maggie stopped still at the sight before her eyes. There, next to the reception desk, stood Taylor Denton, engrossed in conversation with Hannah Crawley.
Bethany was wrong, Maggie thought, stealing a glance at Hannah - Hannah was pretty, not in the sophisticated, Big City glamazon kind of way, but in a natural, earthy beauty kind of way. Maggie could not help noticing that this morning Hannah looked particularly attractive with her copper tresses flowing freely down her shoulders and her face aglow with color from being out on the mountain earlier in the morning, or perhaps from talking to Taylor, Maggie mused and felt an unexpected pang of jealousy from the thought, which she squashed immediately. She was not interested in Taylor and she could care less whom he was talking to. In fact, Hannah and Taylor seemed to make a good couple and Maggie wished them the very best. She would say a friendly hello and be on her way, or better yet, walk by unnoticed: the way Taylor was beaming at Hannah, it was unlikely that he would notice anything around him.
“Maggie?”
Maggie had no choice but to stop at the sound of her name. “Hi, Taylor,” she greeted him brusquely. “Hi, Hannah.” Maggie waved at the redhead, sensing that Hannah was none too pleased by Maggie’s interrupting the conversation – not that that had been Maggie’s intention.
“How are you, Maggie?” Taylor’s green eyes studied her.
“I’m fine, thanks,” she chirped, as if she were having a peachy day, as if her life as she knew it had not fallen apart. “And yourself?”
“Good. Great actually – I’ve had a really good day on the mountain this morning. But what are you doing here, at my grandparents’ lodge?”
“I didn’t know that this was your grandparents’ lodge.” Maggie balked – if she had known that, there was no way she would have stayed there. “I rented a room here last night. I hope it’s not a problem,” she added, perhaps a bit too defensively.
“Why would that be a problem?” Taylor shrugged. “Is everything all right?”
“Everything is fine. I just felt like a change of scenery while Jeffrey is away.” There was no way she was going to go into the details of her break-up with Jeffrey for fear that Taylor might get the wrong idea.
“Planning to take more photographs?” Taylor motioned at her camera.
Maggie nodded. “Yes. I want to take advantage of all the beautiful landscapes here.”
“Good for you.” He smiled. “Well, let me know if you’d like me to show you some really good spots. I know a couple of spots on the mountain with awesome views,” he added, flashing her a smile.
He probably chats up tourist girls all the time, Maggie thought. “Thanks for the offer – I’ll let you know.” That was one invitation she was not going to follow through on.
As he watched Maggie walk out the front door, Taylor could not help noticing that something was different about her today - he had to admit that he found her even more attractive now. It was as though she had become a different person overnight: somehow stronger, more confident. And he was glad to hear that she was getting serious about photography. From what little he saw, he thought it would be a shame to see her talent go to waste, which did not seem like such a farfetched possibility given the fact that Jeffrey had reduced Maggie’s efforts to “dabbling.”
The thought of Jeffrey made Taylor frown: he had intended to have a talk with Jeffrey to sort things out, but his plans were unexpectedly interrupted when Jeffrey announced that he would be going out of town for a few days to “tie up some last minute loose ends.” Taylor had no idea what that meant and it was not like he cared. What mattered to him was that he would deliver his side of the bargain: he would ski the Needle Eye - the couloir that was thought to be unskiable by the skiing community worldwide, and, finally, he would restore his grandfather’s legacy.
The Needle Eye had an almost vertical incline that snaked along the right shoulder of the Eagleville Mountains. It was a narrow passage of ice, rock with a dusting of snow. What made the line most challenging was its exposure to the wind, which resulted in all the snow being blown off its surface, making it impossible to ski most of the year, but not the entire year. There was a stretch of several days when the Needle Eye could be skied - when the snow was deep enough and the wind had to work extra hard
to destroy it. For several years Taylor had contemplated skiing the Needle Eye, studying it like a general studies his most formidable opponent – he knew everything there was to know about the Needle Eye, and he was ready to face its challenges.
For as long as Taylor could remember himself, it had been his dream to prove it to the whole world that that line could be skied. But he could not do it on his own; now, he finally had the missing components: Ryan would film his descent and Jeffrey would produce the documentary. Everyone was getting what they wanted out of the bargain, and while it pained him, Taylor knew that he would have to put aside his dislike of Jeffrey to accomplish what he wanted. He was one hundred percent dedicated to the project and he would not let anything or anyone distract him, which also meant that he had to put Maggie Robin out of his mind: he could not afford to waste his time wondering what Maggie was doing at the Owl Lodge, or what it was that fueled the new air of confidence about her, or whether she was still with Jeffrey. He did notice that Maggie was no longer wearing that humongous rock on her left ring finger, but that could have simply been because she had taken it off while running around with her camera. Whatever the reason was, Taylor promised himself that he would not bother his mind about it.
“What is she doing here?” Hannah’s voice awakened Taylor from his ruminations.
“I have no idea.” He shrugged. “She seems like a nice girl, though. Too bad that fiancé of hers is such a jerk – she deserves better.”
Hannah shrugged. “I think you’ll find that people tend to get what they deserve.”
The remark sounded unusually judgmental, and Taylor raised his eyebrow in surprise. “You think? That has not always been my experience,” he added, thinking that, for instance, Shawn did not deserve to be ignored by Hannah, and yet, he was.
“What I meant was that since Maggie is with Jeffrey, she must be a lot like him. Not to mention her friend, Bethany who is a total nut job. One is judged by the company one keeps.” Hannah shifted in her chair, busying herself with paperwork on the desk.
