“Adorable.” Piper held out a finger to the blue-eyed baby, and she gripped her tiny hand around it. “She’s so beautiful, Caytie. You and Jace are very blessed.”
“We are.” She kissed the baby’s chubby cheek. “I never dreamed I would love being a mother so much. When my poor mother was alive, she was always so miserable. Of course she was married to my father, so I guess that explains it.”
Last night after dinner, Caytie and Jace had told Piper how they’d met and a little about Caytie’s father and why he was serving a ten-year sentence in a California penitentiary.
“I can’t wait until our baby is here,” Ivy said. Then she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. “Kellen is gonna kill me for letting that slip.”
“You’re pregnant!” Caytie squealed, giving Ivy a one-armed hug. “When are you due?”
“Probably on our one-year anniversary in September. I’m only six weeks along.”
“Congratulations,” Piper said, giving Ivy a hug. “Are you sure you’re up to taking care of Anastasia and the puppies?”
“Of course. I’m not a wimp.” She glanced over at Caytie. “No offense.”
“None taken,” Caytie said with a wide smile. “I’m totally a wimp.”
“No, you were just very sick. So far all I’ve felt is a little tired, but no nausea or vomiting, which I hope holds true for the whole pregnancy.”
“Me too,” Caytie said. “I threw up every day until my sixth month.”
Piper felt so out of place. She was older than both these women, and yet she’d never been married and doubted she’d ever be a mother. It was a good thing she was a teacher. At least she’d be able to mother children vicariously through her work.
“Well, I better get going.” She glanced at her watch. “Park City is over eight hours away.”
“When the weather warms up, Ivy and I will come visit you,” Caytie said. “There’s a store there that’s interested in carrying my handbags.” She unwound a lock of her hair out of Georgia’s grasp. “Plus, I’ve wanted to shop in Park City for a long time, but never made it there.”
Piper hoped she was still living in the famous Utah resort town when summer came around. She was taking over for the current music teacher for the next six weeks while she was on maternity leave. Then at the end of the school year, the teacher was resigning and, if they liked Piper, she’d get the position.
Tomi had actually been the one to find Piper the lead on the job. She’d just started a new project with an independent film director from Park City, and when she overheard the director talking about her daughter’s music teacher going into early labor and they didn’t have anyone to cover for her, Tomi had jumped in with the perfect solution. Piper had interviewed two days ago via Skype. Having learned her lesson, she’d disclosed the situation with her former school right away. Mrs. Bybee, the principle, was impressed by her resume and the letter of recommendation from the previous principle and said she didn’t listen to gossip.
Piper had been surprised when Mrs. Bybee had called back within the hour and offered her the job on the condition she started immediately. She’d accepted, but hadn’t been sure what to do about Anastasia and the puppies. Ivy had stopped by to check on her later that day, and when she heard Piper’s dilemma, she and her husband had volunteered to take care of the dogs until the puppies were old enough to go to their new homes.
Fingers of anxiety gripped her and tightened around her throat, making it difficult to draw a breath. She didn’t want to leave Anastasia and would be so lonely without her. She had to keep reminding herself that the job was only for six weeks. Once the puppies were weaned and in their new homes, Piper would come back one weekend and get Anastasia and probably never set foot in Snow Valley, Montana again.
“I hope to have my own apartment by then, so you can stay at the condo.” She met Caytie’s eyes. “Thank you again for letting me use your timeshare. It was very generous of you and your husband.”
“We’re happy to do it. Since honeymooning in Italy, Jace and I haven’t had time to do much traveling, especially since having Georgia.” She nuzzled the baby’s neck, making the little girl giggle. “Besides, we’ve kind of turned into homebodies.”
Piper’s cell phone buzzed. She was afraid to look at the screen, in case it was Gabe trying to call her again, so she ignored it.
“Is that your phone?” Ivy asked.
“Yeah,” Piper said, pressing a button to make it go directly to voicemail, “I’ll call whoever it is once I get on the road.”
One of Ivy’s brows arched up. “Even if it’s Gabe?”
It would be a lot easier to answer with a tiny white lie by saying yes, but Piper was determined to be as forthright as possible from now on. “No, if it’s Gabe, I won’t be calling him back. I told you it’s better this way.”
Ivy and Caytie shared a look, and both of them sighed heavily. “What was that all about?” Piper asked, feeling slightly irritated. Just because they had found their happily-ever-after didn’t mean she was destined for the same thing.
“Nothing,” Ivy said. She tucked her fingers into the front pocket of her jeans. “It’s just that Gabe is such a good guy, and we think you should give him another chance.”
Piper thought about all of the messages he’d left her, asking her to forgive him. She was tempted, but giving him another chance to break whatever was left of her heart was too risky. “He is a good guy, and I’m certain he’ll find someone else who is a lot better for him than me.”
Ivy was about to argue again, but Piper had made up her mind. “I have to get going. I’m supposed to be at the school first thing in the morning.” She reached out and hugged Ivy. “Thank you for being such a good friend to me and for taking care of my dog.”
“You’re welcome.” She stepped back and smiled. “I guess we’ll see you in six weeks?”
“That’s the plan.”
Caytie handed Ivy the baby and pulled Piper into a hug. “Drive safe and let me know if you have any problems getting into the condo.”
“I will.” She stepped back. “Thank you.” Then she knelt down next to Anastasia and gave her dog one last hug. “I’m going to miss you, girl.”
Her eyes grew misty, and she absolutely refused to cry in front of her new friends. “Okay, I better get out of here.” Picking up her backpack, she waved goodbye and hurried out to her car. She’d left the motor running, so it was nice and cozy inside.
Pulling her phone from her pocket, she slipped off her coat and buckled her seatbelt. Then she slid her phone into the holder secured to the dash of the car and pressed the home button to access her audiobooks app. The alert on the screen showed a missed call from Gabe and another text message from him. She cleared the screen and opened the app to listen to a middle grade adventure book she’d read to her students last year. She wasn’t in any shape to listen to one of the many romance books she had in her audio library.
The drive to Utah was rather uneventful. Tomi had called her a handful of times to track her progress, but Gabe hadn’t made another attempt to get a hold of her since this morning when she’d ignored his call. It made her sad to think he might have finally given up on her, but still believed it was for the best. At least she kept telling herself that.
With only making a few stops for gas, food or to use the bathroom, Piper entered the resort’s city limits just as the sun dipped behind the mountains, casting a fiery golden glow over the snow-covered town. It was incredibly beautiful and gave Piper hope that maybe she could be happy in such a beautiful place.
In some ways, the quaint city reminded her of Snow Valley with its downtown shopping area and small feel. She quickly dismissed the idea and focused on the directions her GPS was giving her to Caytie’s condo. Making the final turn, Piper pulled into the parking lot and stopped to gaze at the gorgeous building. She knew Caytie had money, and this place exuded that wealth. Piper knew the meager fee Caytie had mentioned when Piper insisted she pay for the condo wa
sn’t even close to how much it must cost to live here.
Pulling into the circular driveway to check in, Piper put her car into park and was about to turn off the engine when a uniformed employee approached her window. She lowered the window and smiled. “Sorry if I’m not supposed to be here. I just need to check in.”
“You’re fine, ma’am,” the polite young man said. “If you let me know which room you’re in, I can have your bags delivered to you.”
“Oh, thank you.” Piper picked up her phone and tapped on her notes and gave him the room number.
“Very good.” He opened her door. “Go ahead and check in at the front desk, and I’ll take care of your car. The keys will be returned when your bags are delivered.”
Piper wished she had taken time at her last stop to clean up some of the wrappers that were scattered on the passenger seat and floor. She grabbed her coat and backpack and stepped out. “Sorry it’s such a mess. Long road trip today.”
“No worries, ma’am.” He flashed her a smile, and Piper realized the guy was pretty cute and probably close to her age. “How long will you be staying with us?”
“Six weeks.”
“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around then.” He winked at her and slipped into the driver’s seat.
Any other time she might have been interested, but she was done with men. “Oh, hey, let me get you a tip.”
The guy studied her with warm caramel colored eyes. “Tell you what, I get off in fifteen minutes. Will you have dinner with me instead?”
“How do you know I’m single?” she asked when she should’ve just turned him down. She wasn’t here to date anyone, but she wasn’t going to lie… it felt nice to be noticed by an attractive man.
His face colored. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see a ring so I just assumed—”
“It’s okay,” Piper said with a laugh. “I’m not married.”
“Awesome. I’ll come knock on your door in twenty minutes?” He must have noticed the uncomfortable look on her face because he quickly added, “Or we can just meet here in the restaurant.”
What could it hurt to be escorted to dinner by someone so polite and charming? “You can come by and get me if you want.”
“Okay, I’ll see you in twenty.” He started to raise the window, but stopped. “By the way, I’m Nate.”
“Nice to meet you, Nate.” She offered him her hand through the window. “I’m Piper.”
“Piper.” He squeezed her fingers and released them. “I like your name.”
“Thanks, I’ll tell my dad the next time I talk to him.”
He grinned and raised the window. Piper watched him for a moment when she noticed how cold it was without a coat on. She rushed inside the double doors and walked up to the front desk.
“Hi, I’m Piper Jensen.”
The pretty girl named Presley smiled brightly. “Hello, we’ve been expecting you.”
“You have?” Piper asked.
“Yes, Mrs. McAllister called an hour ago to make sure we have everything ready for you.”
“Oh, wow, that was really sweet of Caytie.”
Presley smiled and then went over all the amenities offered to their guests. By the time she was done, Piper was positive she would never be satisfied with a regular apartment ever again. Money didn’t buy happiness, but it could ease a troubled heart temporarily. At least that’s what Piper hoped would happen.
“Let me show you to your room,” Presley said, coming out from behind the desk.
Piper followed the pretty girl to an elevator. She pressed the button and the doors opened up. Stepping inside, Piper pressed the number to the fourth floor. “You really don’t have to go up with me.”
Two lines dented Presley’s forehead. “Are you sure? I really don’t mind.”
“No, I’m fine. If I have any questions, I’ll be sure and call the front desk.”
Smiling, the girl stepped back from the door. “Okay, enjoy your stay with us. By the way, the restaurant is open until eleven if you’re interested.”
That reminded Piper of her dinner plans with Nate, and she realized how much she didn’t want to go out with him or any other man that wasn’t Gabe Wesson. She was about to ask Presley how she could get a hold of Nate when the door slid closed. She would call and cancel as soon as she got to her room.
Piper sagged against the wall of the elevator and watched the numbers light up as it passed each floor, coming to rest on number four. The doors opened, and she stepped into the hall, following the arrow that pointed in the direction of her room. The doors weren’t as close together as most hotels she’d stayed in, and Piper got the feeling the fourth-floor rooms were possibly more elaborate than the other floors.
Stopping in front of her door, she slid the keycard in the slot and opened the door when the light turned green. She stepped inside, turned on the light switch and gaped at the furnishings in shock. Heart pounding erratically, she stared at the man sitting on the leather couch.
“Since you refuse to talk to me on the phone, I decided to try talking to you in person,” Gabe said as he slowly got up from the couch and walked toward her.
Chapter 18
Gabe wasn’t sure if Piper was going to yell at him to get out or pass out from shock. He was fairly certain she was hyperventilating. Handing her a paper bag to breathe in wouldn’t be very romantic, but it would be better than if she fainted.
“What are you doing here?” she said, her breath ragged as if she’d just gone up four flights of stairs. “And how did you get into my room?”
“The girl at the front desk let me in. I think her name was Presley?”
“But… how did you get here before me?” She glanced at her watch. “You were still in Billings when I left this morning.”
“I flew.”
She narrowed her gaze. “Flew as in speeding in your truck or as in flying in an airplane?”
“An airplane.” He offered her a smile. “Caytie had access to a private jet that picked me up in Billings.”
“You mean I just drove for over eight hours eating junk food to stay awake and you flew on a private plane?”
He winced at the acrid tone in her voice. He hadn’t thought about her being angry for him going to such elaborate measures to apologize and win her back. “Will it make you feel any better if I volunteer to drive the entire way back?”
“What car are you driving?”
“Well, I thought I’d catch a ride with you.” When her eyes widened, he held up his hands. “But I can see if Caytie will fly you back to Montana, and I’ll drive your car back all by myself.”
As if someone had turned off a switch, all the anger drained away and she looked tired and broken. “Why are you torturing me? I was going to be just fine if I never had to talk to you again.” She sniffed, and her pretty eyes brightened with tears. “But how am I supposed to get over you if you won’t leave me alone?”
Ah man, this wasn’t going anything like he’d had in mind. “I don’t want you to get over me.” He took a step closer, but paused when she stiffened. “I’m sorry, Piper. I’m so, so sorry for what I said… for not believing you.” He swallowed hard. “For not giving you a chance to explain what had happened.” He watched as a tear spilled over her lower lash and slid down her cheek. He wanted to wipe it away and then kiss her to make everything all better. “Please forgive me.”
“I… I don’t understand,” she whispered.
Regret sat like a heavy stone in his stomach. He would give anything to go back and do things differently. Unfortunately, Caytie didn’t have access to a time machine, only an insanely extravagant jet that had gotten him to Park City two hours ago.
“I was an idiot and a jerk and… scared.”
“Scared? Of me?”
“Of falling in love with you.” He curled his fingers into his palms. “Of opening myself up to get hurt again.” He shook his head and gave a derisive laugh. “So I guess you can add coward to my list of deficiencies.”
“I think we can scratch that last adjective.” Her lips turned up even more. “Remember when I told Shane it takes courage to say you’re sorry?”
“I do remember.” He took a step closer and was relieved when she didn’t recoil. “In fact, he reminded me about that when he overheard my sister tell me to stop being an idiot and do whatever it takes to apologize to you.”
Her eyes went liquid again. “Shane wanted you to say sorry?”
“Yes.” Gabe took one more step, closing the distance between them. “He misses you. Lindsey too.”
“I miss them.” She sniffed. “Where are they?”
“Still in Billings with my sister.”
“Is your dad okay?”
“Yes, they tried placing a stent to open the artery, but it failed. He ended up having open heart surgery, but should make a full recovery.”
“I’m so glad. I was worried for you. Losing a parent isn’t fun.”
The thought of how close he’d come to losing his dad was still too raw. The hours he’d sat in the waiting room with his mom and sister made him realize how precious life was and how fast it could be snuffed out.
“It was a wakeup call to me how quickly you can lose someone you love.” Tentatively, Gabe reached out and wrapped his fingers around hers. Warmth surged through him, awakening every cell in his body. “I don’t want to lose you, Piper.” His voice was rough with emotion, and he gently cleared his throat. “And just so we’re clear… I do love you. Please come home.”
She held his gaze for a long moment, and Gabe held his breath to see what she would do. A myriad of emotions flickered in her eyes, including pain and fear. How ironic that in trying to protect himself from those same emotions, he’d ended up inflicting them on her.
“I understand if you need more time. I can only hope you’ll be kinder than I was to you and give me a chance to make it up to you.” Gabe prepared himself for rejection, telling himself that even if she did kick him out, he wasn’t giving up. He would prove to her how much he loved her.
Winter in Snow Valley (Snow Valley Romance) Page 44
