by Alexa Land
“It’s too early to go to bed, isn’t it?”
“Not if you’re tired.” He found my glasses in the bedding and put them on the nightstand, and then he began to stroke my back.
I mumbled something like, “Maybe I’ll just rest my eyes for a minute,” right before I fell asleep.
Chapter 4
The next morning, I woke with a start in Dakota’s arms. He stirred underneath me as I asked, “Did you hear something?” Rain was tapping on the windowpanes, but that wasn’t what had awakened me.
His voice was like gravel when he muttered, “Someone knocked.”
We both rolled out of bed and fumbled for our clothes as another knock echoed through the cabin, and a familiar voice called, “Jed? Are you in there?”
My heart immediately sank. I’d expected another full day at the cabin, but the roads had to be clear, since my brother was standing outside. I told Dakota, “It’s Jessie,” as I pulled on my briefs and jeans. Then I looked around, and he handed me my glasses.
We hurried to the door, and when I opened it, Jessie said, “We didn’t wake you, did we? It’s almost ten.”
“Is it? Wow, I sleep so well here.”
Kai followed his husband inside. He was carrying a suitcase, and he asked me, “Is this yours? We found it in the middle of the road.”
“It is. Thanks for bringing it with you.” I scratched my cheek, which was rough with razor stubble, as I asked, “Is the ice all melted?”
“Yeah, thanks to the rain,” Jessie said, as he gave me a hug. “I’ve been calling you since yesterday afternoon, but I kept getting an error message.” Then he held me at arm’s length and looked me over, as if to check that I still had all my limbs. He reminded me of a mother hen sometimes, but I loved him for it.
While I was a disheveled mess, Jessie looked great. I sometimes joked that my older brother was me in concentrated form, and that was actually pretty apt. He had a slight build and was shorter than I was by a good two inches. Also, his eyes were bluer and his blond hair was several shades lighter than mine. He periodically decided to grow it out before cutting it short again, and now it almost grazed the shoulders of his bright turquoise ski jacket. That hairstyle would have been awful on me, but on Jessie it looked great. It helped that he was very cute.
Dakota said, “The ice must have knocked out the phone lines. It’s happened before.” He shook hands with Jessie and Kai as I made the introductions, and then he said, “Come on in and make yourselves comfortable while I get the fire and a pot of coffee going.”
I told them I’d be right back and went to use the bathroom. While I was there, I brushed my teeth and splashed some water on my face, which helped wake me up a bit. Then I took a deep breath and leaned against the bathroom door as a lot of emotions welled up in me.
It was too soon to say goodbye to Dakota! I just wasn’t ready. Also, why the hell had I slept so much of our time away? It was annoying that my insomnia picked that weekend to finally back off and let me get some rest.
After a few moments, a plan occurred to me that would give us a few more days together. The sense of relief was immediate, and I left the bathroom with a spring in my step.
The little black cat was curled up on the foot of the bed, and I said, “Good morning, cutie. Want to come with me to get some breakfast?” I held my hand out so the cat could sniff it, and when he butted my fingers with his head, I scratched his ears. Since he tolerated that, I gingerly picked him up, and as I carried him into the other room, I said, “You really need a name.”
Dakota heard that, and he asked, “How about Jed, Junior?”
“No way. I hate my name, so why would I do that to this poor little animal?”
He said, “Why do you hate your name? I think it’s cute.” But then Dakota put two and two together. “Oh, I get it. Since it’s a Biblical name, it probably reminds you of—”
He cut himself off before mentioning my parents, and I nodded and said, “Exactly. I probably should have followed Jessie’s lead and changed it, although his original name was much worse than mine. I’ll just never understand why he chose to spell Jessie with an i-e when he renamed himself.”
My brother said, “Because it’s cuter that way. And there’s nothing wrong with your name, because it can be shortened to Jed.”
“Yeah, which makes me sound like a hillbilly.”
Jessie rolled his eyes. “It does not.”
“Sure it does.” While I argued with my brother, I took a small bowl from the cupboard, and Dakota found the open can of tuna in the fridge. Then we changed places, so he could get to the silverware drawer and dish up the cat’s breakfast. We changed places again when I went to fill the water bowl.
My brother and Kai had taken a seat at the counter and were watching us closely. They were physical opposites, since my brother-in-law was tall, muscular, and Native Hawaiian, with dark hair and eyes. Somehow though, their looks of surprise were totally identical. A smile spread across my brother’s face, and he said, “Less than forty-eight hours together, and you two already seem like an old married couple.”
I frowned at him and changed the subject with, “Where are your kids?”
“About twenty Dombrusos are babysitting them,” Kai said. Then he asked, “What’s the situation with the SUV and the truck down the road?”
“The SUV is my rental, which got stuck in the mud. Dakota killed his truck when he tried to tow me out, so we need to help him get it to a garage.”
“No you don’t,” Dakota said, as he put four mismatched mugs on the counter. “I could use a ride into town, but then I can take it from there.”
I said, “It’s my fault your truck’s broken, so I insist on fixing it for you.”
“No it isn’t.”
“Sure it is! If I hadn’t gotten stuck, your truck would still be working.”
Kai chimed in with, “You know, my husband and I are both mechanics, so we’d be happy to take a look at it, Dakota.”
I picked up the phone and listened for a moment. There was no dial tone, so I hung up the receiver and implemented my plan by saying, “You should come and stay with me at the lodge, because without a phone or a truck, you’re totally stranded up here.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” he said. “Plus, what about the cat?”
“You’re not, and you could bring him along.”
He poured everyone some coffee as he asked, “Are you sure I wouldn’t be in the way?”
“Positive.”
“Okay. In that case, I’d love to come along.” He put a jug of milk and a sugar bowl on the counter with some spoons, and then he said, “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I want to take a shower.” I was pleasantly surprised when he kissed my forehead on the way by.
Jessie managed to show uncharacteristic restraint by waiting until Dakota closed the bedroom door behind him. Then he blurted, “Oh my God, Jed, you two are so cute together!”
“Please don’t start.”
“What? I’m just saying.”
“I know, but don’t.”
About ninety minutes later, Dakota and I pulled up in front of the Black Bear Lodge. The building was charming. It looked like it had been transported from the Alps with its two rows of balconies, dark wood trim, and decorative shutters. The chalet sat in a clearing ringed by a thick pine forest. During the summer, the open space was probably a green lawn, or maybe a meadow. But with all that rain, it was just a sea of mud.
Jessie and Kai pulled into the parking lot a few moments later. After freeing my SUV, they’d towed the broken truck behind their Ford Bronco. They obviously wouldn’t be able to fix it without parts and tools, but they’d already taken a look under the hood and were confident it’d be an easy fix, once a garage opened in the morning.
We ran from the parking lot to the covered entryway with just a few of our things. Dakota had tucked the cat inside his jacket with just its head sticking out, and he cradled the little animal carefully and used his baseball
cap to shield it from the rain. I said, “Let’s get checked in and get the cat settled before worrying about the rest of our stuff,” and Dakota nodded in agreement.
The lobby was packed with Dombrusos. I knew almost all of them, but not that well. Jessie was a part of their family, and they’d brought me into the fold by extension. But because of the long hours I worked, I usually ended up turning down the stream of invitations to parties, dinners, and more that they were nice enough to send my way.
Dante Dombruso joined us at the front desk and shook my hand. He was tall, handsome, and intense, and I’d thought he was intimidating when I first met him. But beneath the expensive suit and piercing gaze was a heart of gold. It was obvious in the way he adored his husband Charlie and doted on his little Nana.
After I introduced him to Dakota, Dante said, “Welcome, both of you. I’m glad you could make it, even though the weather’s been a pain in the ass. The cabin fever after just a couple of days is making my family climb the walls. I’m talking about the adults. The kids are all finding ways to entertain themselves.”
I thanked him and added, “I hope it’s okay that we’re smuggling in a cat.”
“Definitely. We picked a hotel that was pet-friendly, and several people brought their dogs along. There’s also a foul-mouthed parakeet, a ferret, and a pet skunk, so the cat should fit right in.”
“Wow, that’s quite the menagerie.”
“Even without the animals, it’s a three-ring circus whenever we travel. That’s why I like to rent the whole place and let everyone just do their thing. Speaking of taking over this hotel, there’s food pretty much around the clock in the dining room, so be sure to help yourself. Also, there are snacks and movies in the lobby every evening. I nixed the idea of an open bar though, because some of my cousins are total lushes, and they’re annoying enough when they’re sober.”
Jessie and Kai joined us, and we all chatted for a few minutes as a guy with red hair checked us in. Then we went upstairs to drop off the cat. Our room was a spacious corner unit with a woodsy green and brown color scheme and a gas fireplace. Dakota turned the cat loose, then stuck his head in the big bathroom and checked out the jetted tub as he said, “Man, this is really nice. I’d heard the owners remodeled the rooms last year, and they really went all out.”
I unpacked one of the bags I was carrying, which contained a makeshift litter box, two bowls, the last can of tuna, and a can opener. Dakota filled one of the bowls with water while I served up a bit of the tuna and asked, “Where’s the nearest pet store? The cat needs some stuff. He should get checked out by a vet, too, but I’m sure we’ll have to wait until Monday to make an appointment.”
“There’s a fancy shopping center not far from here that has a pet store. After we pick up some supplies, I’ll call around and see if I can arrange a ride to my bar.”
I turned to look at him and said, “I didn’t know you’d be working today.”
“Yeah, I’d expected to be iced in, but now that we’re out of the cabin it really should be open for business.”
Even though that was disappointing, I stuck a smile on my face and said, “I’ll drive you to work after the pet store and pick you up when you’re done.”
“Are you sure it’s not too much trouble?”
“Positive.”
He thanked me and bent to kiss my cheek, but I turned my head and planted one on his lips instead. Lust flared in both of us simultaneously, and we fell onto the bed and tugged at each other’s clothes as we deepened the kiss. When he got my shirt untucked, he slid his hands up my back, and I rubbed my thigh against the growing bulge in his jeans.
Just as things were about to get hot and heavy, there was a knock at the door. I scrambled off the bed and straightened my glasses, and Dakota leapt up and tried to look casual as I went to answer the door. Jessie was standing in the hallway with a gift basket, and he grinned at me and said, “Oops, sorry. I’m definitely interrupting something.”
“We weren’t doing anything.” Yet.
I straightened my jacket as I stepped aside to let him in, but he deposited the basket in my arms and said, “I just wanted to give you this. It’s from the Dombruso family. There was one for each of their guests, and I stuck yours in the fridge downstairs to keep it fresh.”
The basket contained fruit, chocolates, a bottle of wine, and some other gourmet snacks. I put it on the dresser as I said, “Thanks for bringing it up.” He was already walking away, so I called after him, “Dakota and I were about to run an errand.”
“Now there’s a euphemism I hadn’t heard before.”
“I’m serious. Do you need anything while we’re out?”
“Nope, we’re good. Come find us in the lobby when you get back.”
Dakota and I met each other’s gaze self-consciously, and I gestured toward the open door and said, “So I guess we should…”
“Yup.” He put on his baseball cap and turned to the cat, who’d settled in on a chair by the window. “I think you should stay here, both because it’s pretty miserable outside, and because the bar might be a bit much after all this new stuff today. We’re going to go out and get you some food, toys, and whatever cats are into. See you later, pal.” He scratched the cat’s ears before following me out the door.
The high-end area around the lodge and the town of Sash Creek couldn’t have been more different. While the former was booming, thanks to its proximity to a pair of popular ski resorts, the latter looked like it had been all but forgotten.
Dakota’s bar was on the main drag, but half the businesses were boarded up, giving it the feeling of a ghost town. As soon as we pulled up though, he plugged in the Christmas lights that outlined the front window and the fairly plain façade, and that instantly brought some life to the street.
I followed him inside, and he turned on some lights and the neon ‘open’ sign in the window, cranked the heat, and found the radio station that was playing Christmas music. The building had started life as a small restaurant, and he’d inherited some things from the former tenants, including a few booths and tables. He’d positioned the vintage bar in front of the door that led to the disused kitchen, and the pass-through was crowded with bottles of alcohol, so the space felt a bit disjointed. But the walls were freshly painted in a nice shade of blue, there was a little Christmas tree at one end of the bar, and he’d ringed the entire room in tinsel garlands and colored lights, which made it feel festive.
He stepped behind the bar and held his hands out to the sides as he said, “So, this is it. What do you think?”
“It’s great.”
“What do you really think?”
“I’m serious! It’s the kind of place I’d want to hang out in, because you’ve made it feel warm and welcoming. If this was in San Francisco, you’d be making a killing.”
As he filled a coffee pot with water, he said, “If this was in San Francisco, the rent would be a bagillion dollars a month, so someone other than me would be running it.”
“That’s true. Everything in the city is totally overinflated. You don’t even want to know what I pay for my three-hundred-square-foot apartment.”
“Is it really that small?” When I nodded, he said, “I have to know. What’s your monthly rent, a thousand dollars?”
“I wish!”
“Two thousand?” At my pained expression, he blurted, “You pay more than that for three hundred square feet? Are you nuts?”
“When I was in college, I had five roommates and absolutely no privacy. That was when I promised myself I’d get my own place when I finished my MBA. I made good on that, but the city’s just gotten unbelievably expensive. I might have been able to find someplace slightly cheaper, but this is a secure building in a fairly safe part of town, and that matters to me. Also, it’s a short commute to my office on public transit, so I’m paying for the convenience of not having to spend hours a week traveling in and out of the city.”
I sat down at the bar while he turned on the
coffee maker, and he asked, “So, does that apartment make you happy?”
I gave that question some serious thought before saying, “I like the fact that I feel safe when I’m there. You know what, though? I actually miss having a roommate. Not that I’d ever want five again, but one would be good, like I had in grad school. It does get lonely. But I’d have to move if I got a roommate, because it’s not like we could share my Murphy bed. The jump in rent from a studio to a two-bedroom would be problematic though, even with someone to share the expenses.”
“So, maybe what you need is a live-in boyfriend, someone who’ll happily snuggle in that bed with you.”
“Because men are just lining up to get with a skinny, nerdy workaholic like me.”
“You really sell yourself short, Jed. I—”
I didn’t get to hear the rest of that sentence, because the door opened just then, and a booming voice called, “Hey, Dakota! I was glad to see the lights on. That ice storm was something else, wasn’t it?”
Dakota greeted his customer and began to pour him a beer, and I slid off the barstool and told him, “I should let you get to work. I’ll be back at two when the bar closes.”
It seemed like he wanted to say something else, but after a beat he just nodded and said, “Thanks, Jed.”
After I returned to the lodge and got the cat situated with his new food, bed, and collar, I joined Jessie and Kai in the lobby. Their nine-year-old daughter Isabella gave me a big hug, and I said, “Hi Izzy. Are you having fun?”
“There’s no snow,” she said, as she pushed her dark hair out of her eyes. “I was looking forward to it.”
“I know. It’s a bummer. This is a nice hotel though, don’t you think?”
“Yeah. I really wanted to make a snowman, though.” I hated the fact that she looked so disappointed.
When I sat down, her baby brother Ryder climbed onto my lap, and I said, “Hi there, buddy.”
The fifteen-month-old fell asleep on me two minutes later. Jessie sat down beside me on the dark green couch and handed me a cup of coffee as he asked, “Have you had lunch yet?”