Winter in Snow Valley (Snow Valley Romance)

by Anderson, Cindy Roland

  Caitlin only knew them from the hotel register, a Mr. and Mrs. Cardall. They looked young, as if they’d barely graduated college. Which made her feel old, a sobering thought.

  “Now you sit and eat,” Mrs. Davies said to Caitlin.

  “But I’m the help, too,” she protested when the older woman set down a loaded plate of hot pancakes, bacon, biscuits and homemade jam at one of the smaller tables next to the big wide windows that overlooked the grounds and the mountains in the distance.

  “You’re a guest, too, my dear. Besides, you have your hands full with Rayna. Believe me, I adore Rayna to death, but she’ll keep you running up and down those stairs until you want to scream.”

  Caitlin smiled, wondering just what the next few weeks were going to bring.

  “Oh, Mrs. Davies, I left my muddy coat and gloves on the washer in the laundry room. Can you show me how to clean them without ruining the fur. Fake fur,” she added with a smile.

  “Already took care of them while you were in the shower.”

  Caitlin blinked in surprise. “Then you’re a miracle worker, thank you.”

  “I was wondering how they got so muddy. Did you have a fight with a rambunctious dog?”

  “You might say that,” Caitlin said with a laugh. “A diesel truck splattered me good.”

  “Ah,” Mrs. Davies said knowingly. “You mean Quentin Hudson. Sometimes he thinks he owns the road.”

  “Or driveway.”

  Mrs. Davies laughed. “That sounds like him, and he’ll be here soon. I’m going to run upstairs as soon as Mr. and Mrs. Cardall leave and do their sheets and room. Will you give Quentin a plate of breakfast?”

  “You mean you feed him, too?”

  “Got plenty of food, don’t want to let it go to waste.”

  Caitlin’s smile was tight on her face. She’d been hoping to avoid the man. “Where’s Wade?” she asked to change the subject.

  “Fed him at the crack of dawn. Heavy snow is taking down some power lines about twenty miles west of here. He’s got crews of firemen and usually a set of paramedics with their vehicle out at various locations to make sure nobody gets hurt or a fire doesn’t start. Especially when some of the lines are in folks’ backyards.”

  “Hopefully I’ll see him tonight.”

  “You should. It’s Friday night. I think he has this weekend off.”

  With that, Mrs. Davies bustled out the door and upstairs while Caitlin finished her breakfast and sat back in her chair with the last of her biscuit dripping with butter. She stared out at the sparkling snow with its backdrop of crystal clear mountains like a relief against a blue sky.

  When Mr. and Mrs. Cardall rose and pushed back their chairs, Caitlin got up, too. “Can I get you anything else?”

  “Nope,” the young man said. “It’s so good we don’t even eat lunch half the time.”

  “I’m Caitlin by the way, Rayna’s cousin.”

  “You must be the midwife, then?” his wife said. “Mrs. Davies was telling us that. I’m Briana and this is Jeff.”

  “Nice to meet you. Did you get a chance to meet Rayna?”

  “A couple times when we first arrived,” Briana said. “I hope everything goes well with the baby.”

  “I’m sure it will,” Caitlin assured her.

  “We’re off to another ski resort in the direction of Forsyth. Maybe some cross-country skiing. We’re going to be back late. Found a nice restaurant we want to try out for dinner.”

  “Have a great time,” Caitlin said.

  “Oh, and just so you know we’re staying through the weekend and then headed back home to Bozeman. School starts next week.”

  “Oh, you’re still in school?”

  “Grad school for Jeff,” Briana said, glancing up at her husband with adoring eyes. “He’s getting his PhD in Chemistry.”

  “Second year, so far so good,” Jeff said, holding Briana’s hand tightly.

  Caitlin nodded, envious of their happiness and obvious love for one another. Babies, these two! They were just babies! She would have been perusing catalogs of invitation templates this month and shopping for bridesmaid’s gowns, but she tried to push aside the depressing thoughts.

  “Have a great day and be safe on the roads!” she called gaily when they headed outside to their car, feeling like she was their mother for a brief moment.

  Depressing.

  She cleared plates and heard the washer start up down the hallway to the laundry room when the door opened again. Caitlin looked up, assuming it was the young couple returning because they had forgotten something.

  Instead, it was Quentin Hudson wearing a mountain man jacket over his green flannel shirt and a tool belt at his waist, a cell phone in one hand and talking to someone—a supplier, it sounded like. “You can’t have them ready before tomorrow?” he was saying. He made a grunting sound and then added, “I’ll pick them up myself. I need them first thing Monday. No later or this job isn’t getting done in time.”

  He snapped off the phone and saw Caitlin watching him.

  There was a peculiar pause while they stared at one another, and then Caitlin shook off her reverie, realizing that she’d been mentally assessing his shoulders and muscular chest—the product of his work, no doubt, plus those darn blue eyes of his.

  “You usually just walk right into someone’s house?” she asked.

  He cocked his head at her, two days of growth along his chin, which made for a devastatingly sexy look.

  “I know you and Rayna live here, but it’s a hotel first. So yes, I’m used to walking in the public front door. And Mrs. Davies has been feeding me since I started the job three months ago.

  He had a point, but Caitlin thought he was rude to just walk in while on the phone. “Do you also have a crew that needs feeding?” That came out more impolite than she’d intended, and her she was chiding him for his attitude.

  “One or two guys. Depends on the day and what I’m doing.”

  They had another brief stare down and then Caitlin finally croaked out, “Breakfast?”

  “Sure, thanks,” came the slow answer as his eyes puzzled her over. “Where’s Mrs. Davies?”

  “Sheets. Laundry room. Cleaning bedrooms.” Caitlin sounded like a robot. What was wrong with her? This guy infuriated her and made her lose her train of thought.

  Quentin moved toward the stove in the back of the dining room where the food was being kept hot. “I’ll get it for you,” Caitlin said, jerking her legs forward.

  “I can do it, don’t bother yourself.”

  Caitlin prickled. “It’s no bother,” she said coolly.

  He turned his face toward hers and she stopped on the tile floor. “I just meant that I’m sure you have lots of things to do and I can take care of myself. I don’t need you to wait on me.”

  His sort-of apology wasn’t much better. Caitlin shrugged and stepped back. “Suit yourself,” she said briskly, striding toward the kitchen with the dirty plates and bowls.

  While she did the dishes, she could hear him rattling around in the dining room, his fork scraping against his plate, knife clattering.

  The man made her feel off-balanced. He was so opposite Stefan in looks and demeanor. Short wavy hair, instead of long. Deep blue eyes instead of deep brown. Nowhere near as lean and lanky, but Quentin wasn’t heavy, just packed with muscle. Here was a guy who spent his day in physical labor while Stefan slept in, day-dreamed, played his guitar and piano, scribbled a bit of music, and then went out for the city night life while she was on her feet at the hospital.

  Perhaps she and Stefan were actually opposites. Caitlin had been in love with his artistic nature and charm and talent.

  “You okay?” a deep voice said behind her.

  Caitlin whirled around. “What?”

  “You’ve been washing that same plate over and over again.”

  Caitlin dropped it back into the sudsy sink and turned on the rinse water. “Um, can I get you something?”

  “Juice or coffe
e would be nice.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “Like I said you don’t need to wait on me, just didn’t see any out there on the buffet table.”

  “It’s over there,” Caitlin said, pointing toward the stove. “I brought it back in to re-warm. Juice is in the fridge.” She lifted her soapy hands and shrugged her shoulders.

  “I’m used to feeding myself. Appreciate the food though. Very much.”

  She nodded, biting at her lips. “Of course, least we can do.”

  He disappeared with his glass of juice while Mrs. Davies whistled down the hall.

  “Shall I take breakfast up to Rayna?” the woman asked, popping into the kitchen.

  Caitlin shook her head. “Let me. I need to do an exam and go over her medical files anyway.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be off before noon so if you need anything holler sooner rather than later.”

  “Got it, thanks, Mrs. Davies. And thank you again for cleaning my coat. I was afraid I’d be stuck indoors all weekend.”

  “If you need a coat and galoshes less fancy than what you brought we got a whole closet full of them in the main hall for guests who forget how chilly we get here. Even in the spring and fall. Help yourself to whatever you need.”

  “By the way, do we have any other guests coming in during January? Just curious.”

  “Hmm, go look at the reservation book and register. This place is your home until Rayna’s back on her feet.”

  Mrs. Davies disappeared down the rear hall again and Caitlin dried the few dishes and then let the pots and frying pans to soak.

  Wiping her hands against her jeans, she went into the foyer to check the front desk before heading upstairs. It would help to know who was expected over the next few weeks to better schedule out her own time.

  After the Cardalls checked out Monday morning, there was nobody until later in the week. A group of young adult friends, it appeared, were apparently coming for cross-country skiing. They had three rooms booked, double occupancy. Then a family was expected for a few days.

  Her schedule looked like it was going to be busier than she had first anticipated.

  Chapter 9

  Carrying a breakfast tray up the stairs, and turning right at the landing to Rayna and Wade’s room during construction, Caitlin passed Quentin once more.

  Seeing him on the stairs of the main house surprised her, but they didn’t speak. Apparently he’d been consulting with Rayna. Passing each other in silence was awkward, but she tried not to let it bother her. Perhaps Quentin had decided she was too testy to interact with.

  “Good morning, sweet Caitlin!” Rayna called when she entered. “This looks great. Except for my showers, a couple of walks to the window, or a peek at Quentin’s construction, I just lie here all day. And yet I’m starving all the time.”

  “We’ll have to weigh you,” Caitlin told her with a raised eyebrow. “Maybe put you on a diet of no more Big Sky breakfasts.”

  “I’m only big where this baby is,” Rayna said with a pretend pout as she dug into the food. The morning news was blaring on the TV.

  “Mind if I look over your medical files while you eat?”

  “They’re on the desk over there,” Rayna pointed out. “I got a copy from Doctor Taggart. You must go meet him if only to drool over the man. A fine male specimen.”

  Caitlin blinked and gave a laugh. “I figured he was some old guy ready to retire.”

  “Nope. Our little town doctor is a hunk. Tall, built, and with gorgeous blue eyes. His wife, Lucy, is also expecting their first baby. The two of them met on an airplane a couple of years ago and she kissed him in baggage claim even when they were total strangers. Lucy was trying to prevent her old high school boyfriend from proposing, but it took awhile for him to get the hint. The Taggarts have a great story about how they met.”

  “Sounds like it! Lucy sounds daring, much more than I am.”

  “That’s not true at all,” Rayna countered. “When I talk to your mother I get so jealous of you living in the romantic city of San Francisco. Engaged to a famous musician no less.”

  Caitlin’s face flamed as her stomach dropped. “Oh, didn’t she tell you?”

  “Tell me what?”

  “I broke off the engagement two weeks ago.”

  Rayna’s mouth dropped open with shock. “Oh, honey, I am so sorry. No, your mother didn’t tell me. Maybe she wanted you to have the chance. Your mother isn’t one to gossip.” She grinned at Caitlin. “In that way she’s isn’t the typical interfering mother, is she?”

  “That’s true. So, just to get it out in the open. Stefan cheated on me.”

  “No! Oh, sweet Caitlin, that is the absolute worst. I’m surprised you’re upright and not curled into a fetal position.”

  “You should have seen me a week ago.” Caitlin made a face, blinking hard to keep the tears from suddenly spilling.

  “Now I feel so guilty that you’re recovering from a break-up and agreed to come help me.”

  Caitlin shook her head. “No guilt, please! At first I balked, but I needed to get away. I caught him in the act at his own apartment with the other woman. Right as his band got a big recording deal.”

  “That just makes it all the worse. What a horrible ordeal.”

  “Hey,” Caitlin said. She appreciated the sympathy, but needed to change the subject. “Speaking of Doctor Taggart’s blue eyes, your contractor has a pair of stunning blues himself.”

  “Quentin Hudson is a fine-looking man, yes, indeed. Although nobody compared to my Wade.” Rayna polished off her eggs and sausage links in short order, despite her chattiness. She leaned back against her pillows, slowly eating her biscuit and watching Caitlin. “A man like Quentin can make you forget Stefan ever existed,” she teased.

  Caitlin snorted. “I hardly think so. We got off on the wrong foot yesterday and I think he despises me.”

  “Quentin doesn’t despise anyone. He may be a redheaded Irish man with a hot temper once in awhile, but I’ve known him for years. He’s a mush ball inside.”

  “He can be very direct.”

  “True. He also did the beautiful work of remodeling this old house. The crown molding and woodwork is just like it looked in the 19th century. He’s a very talented carpenter. Not just basic framing and putting up sheetrock.”

  “The house is truly stunning, I love it. You must be so proud of the Starry Skies.”

  “I adore how it all turned out, thanks to Quentin. And meeting Wade was the best thing to happen in Snow Valley.” Rayna lowered her voice, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “You know I robbed the cradle, too, didn’t you? He’s five years younger than me.”

  “You lucky woman.” Caitlin was happy for her cousin, despite her own heartache. “Time for an exam now.”

  “I have to put down the food?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  Caitlin spent the next hour performing a physical on Rayna. Feeling the baby through her enlarged abdomen. And going over the medical chart. She’d brought her stethoscope, a box of sterile gloves, and blood pressure cuff with her in her luggage among an assortment of other medical paraphernalia.

  “Blood pressure is good, but since you’re older and on bed rest we’ll take it every day to make sure it doesn’t rise.”

  “Why is that bad?”

  “High blood pressure could be an early sign of pre-eclampsia. Don’t want that at all,” Caitlin told her. “Distressed babies are not happy babies. But you are perfectly healthy.”

  Rayna nodded and shifted her legs under the sheet.

  Bright sunlight spilled through the room’s east windows. Moving south as the clock moved closer to noon. The room was warm which was good. And lots of sunlight would help prevent Rayna from getting stir crazy or depressed.

  “The baby is in the correct position, head down. Just what we want. You are having slight contractions, but probably Braxton Hicks. They’re not strong enough to be concerning. But Doctor Taggart says in his chart that the
y were getting stronger and closer together several weeks ago, which is why he put you on bed rest.”

  “They were keeping me awake at night. I got so exhausted.”

  “I’m glad you hired Mrs. Davies.”

  “Best move ever, especially with Wade’s schedule,” Rayna agreed. “At least it isn’t summertime with a heat wave and no rain. Then there’d be fires everywhere and I wouldn’t see him for days at a time. The summer before last was bad. But that was the summer his crew slept on the lawns of the B&B and we fell in love.”

  “Sounds like a good summer to me,” Caitlin said with a grin. She glanced down at the chart again. “Doctor Taggart wrote down that at your last appointment with him you were one centimeter dilated. Now you’re two.”

  “Is that really bad?”

  “Not necessarily, although we don’t usually see that much movement until closer to due date and you still have about seven weeks.”

  Rayna made a face, fanning out her legs and arms under the sheets, her belly a huge hump like a camel. “So what do we do, Miss Midwife?”

  “We stay down as much as possible. Quick showers. No roaming the house. No cheating.”

  “Yes, ma’am. But how do you know I cheat?”

  “Because you’re too energetic and vivacious to stay still for very long. Maybe I can take pictures of the nursery’s progress and show them to you on my iPad?”

  “Well, that’s no fun!” Rayna said with a laugh.

  “Take heart. Dilation is only one thing. The thinning of the membranes means the baby is really pushing and your body is going into true labor but there’s no sign of that yet.”

  “Okay, good. Now can I have some cookies after all this work?”

  “Maybe tomorrow. You’re a couple of pounds heavier than we’d like to see, but not too bad. Probably your age more than anything, as well as being so sedentary.”

  “I’ll just have to exercise like crazy when it’s all over.”

  “For now, take a little nap. I’ll take this tray downstairs and I’ll let you know when I leave for town.”

  Rayna reached out and took Caitlin’s hand. “Thank you for coming. I mean it. Just having you here helps my spirits and my mental state. Despite how much I love movies, I can only watch two a day before I start throwing pillows and having crying jags.”