Destiny Came Knocking: A Snow Valley Romance

by Cindy Roland Anderson

  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 wasn’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 an
d 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.”

  The corner of her mouth lifted slightly, and Gabe stopped breathing. Was that a hint of a smile?

  “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.

  Finally, the tiniest smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “You promise to do all the driving?”

  Grinning, Gabe’s chest expanded with relief. “Absolutely.” Then he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her long and slow, conveying all the love he had for her. She slipped her arms around his neck and sighed, allowing Gabe to deepen the kiss.

  He couldn’t be sure how much time had passed, but Piper pulled back slightly so she could look into his eyes. “Just so we’re clear, I love you too.”

  Gabe hadn’t realized how much he wanted to hear those words. “Thank you for giving me another chance.”

  Her lips parted into the sweetest smile. “Always,” she said before pulling his mouth back to hers.

  He liked that… the idea of them always forgiving one another. Because he knew he’d mess up again, hopefully not as bad as he had this time.

  A knock on the door broke them apart. “Oh no,” Piper said, putting a hand to her mouth. “I think that’s my date.”

  Jealousy the size of Montana burned inside Gabe’s chest. “You already have a date?”

  “With Nate.”

  “You have a date with Nate?”

  “This is sounding suspiciously like a Dr. Seuss rhyme,” Piper said with a giggle.

  “Which one of us is going to tell Nate he’s too late and there won’t be a date?”

  Laughing, she ducked underneath his arm and walked to the door. “I think I better.”

  She opened the door, and Gabe heard her greet the girl at the front desk. “Hey, Presley, I was just about to call you.”

  “Oh, about what?”

  “I need to give Nate a message. Do you know him?”

  “Yeah, in fact that’s why I’m here. Nate needed to get a message to you too.”

  Gabe stepped up behind Piper. “Hi.” He gave Presley the thumbs up, which let her know everything was going well. She and the other girl at the front desk had gone on and on about how romantic the whole thing was and wished they could be there when Piper discovered him in her room.

  “Oh, hey, Mr. Wesson,” Presley said with a conspiratorial grin. “Good to see you again.”

  “You too.” Gabe put his hands on Piper’s shoulders. “So about the message from Nate?”

  “Oh yeah. I just talked to him a few minutes ago, and when he told me about his dinner plans with Ms. Jensen, I broke the news about you waiting for her so you two could get back together and all.” She handed Piper a note. “So this is from him.”

  Piper unfolded the paper, and Gabe leaned over her shoulder so he could read it too.

  I should’ve known such a beautiful girl was already taken. I’m cool with it and hope things work out for you. If they don’t, you know how to reach me. But if they do then dinner for you and your boyfriend is on me. All the best, Nate.

  “That is so sweet of him, but he doesn’t need to pay for our dinner,” Piper said.

  Gabe didn’t care one way or the other just as long as Piper was no longer going out with the guy.

  Presley gave a short laugh and waved her hand in front of her face. “Don’t worry about it. Nate’s dad is the executive chef, so his meals are always comped anyway.” She stepped back from the door. “Just tell them you’re a guest of Nate Owens, and the staff will take care of it.”

  “Thank you,” Piper said. Closing the door, she turned around to face Gabe. “That was nice.”

  “It was.” He snagged her around the waist and pulled her against him. “But I think I better get you out of here before any more men make a play for you.”

  “I can’t believe I forgot why I’m here,” she said as a look of distress flitted across her face. “I want to go back with you, Gabe, but I’m supposed to start my new job tomorrow.”

  “I know, so I have a backup plan.” He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth, wanting like crazy to linger. “This job is only for six weeks, right?”

  “Yes,” she said, fingering the fabric of his shirt. “But it could be a permanent position and I still need a job.”

  “I think I may have found one for you.”

  “A teaching job?”

  “Yes.” He tucked a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. “My secretary emailed me this morning to say her cousin mentioned something about the current drama and music teacher at the junior high retiring after the school year. I made a few phone calls and they are very interested in your credentials.”

  She bit her lower lip. “But what about the scandal?”

  “I told them all about it and that you’d been the victim, not Tucker Langston.” He smiled. “Turns out Caytie knew the former Miss California quite well from the private school she attended, and she made a call to Caroline Langston. She was pretty upset, but not with you, and told Caytie that she’d kicked Tucker out because he’d been cheating on her with someone else. Mrs. Langston already emailed the principal at the junior high to say Tucker had lied to both of you and that you were innocent.”

  Piper’s lower lip quivered and moisture filled her eyes. “Truly?”

  “Yes.” He wiped away a tear with his thumb. “The principal wants to do a ph
one interview with you at your earliest convenience.”

  “Wow.” She smiled up at him. “So I’ll be done teaching here on March twentieth. Is there any chance a nanny position will be available if I move back then?”

  “Definitely, but only on one condition,” Gabe said.

  “What’s that?” Piper asked.

  “That the nanny might consider a more permanent position.”

  Piper’s hands slid around his neck. “The nanny is very much interested in a permanent position.”

  “Good,” Gabe said, lowering his head, “because with that job comes some very enticing perks.”

  Laughing, she lifted her mouth to meet his in a kiss full of promise, love and forgiveness. Gabe’s hands slipped to the lower curve of her back, bringing her closer as he deepened the kiss. He began to think that filling the permanent position might need to happen a little sooner than he planned. He had a feeling the nanny might agree.

  Epilogue

  Six Weeks Later

  Piper greeted the students as they filed into the auditorium to practice for the upcoming concert. This was her last week teaching, and then she was moving back to Snow Valley… to Gabe, his children and her sweet dog, Anastasia.

  The familiar pang of loneliness that manifested itself anytime she thought about all she was missing out on didn’t last long, especially since she knew that in a few days Gabe’s upcoming visit would end with the two of them driving back together.

  She wished he could be there for the concert tomorrow evening. However, with it being a Thursday, it would be difficult to get away, and he would have to find someone to watch the kids for him. Shane and Lindsey had only made the long trip once when they’d had a four-day weekend. Even with in-car entertainment, the car ride had been brutal for both Gabe and the kids.

  Her hand slipped into her pocket and she fingered her phone, fighting the urge to check for any new messages from Gabe. But she knew if she gave into the impulse, she’d end up scouring her photos to look at all the selfies she and Gabe had taken over the past six weeks while exploring Park City and falling more in love with each other.