by Cindy Bell
“He normally is. He’s just a little excited.” Nikki settled in the driver’s seat again and buckled her seat belt. “Yes, it turns out that his owner has no one to watch him over the holidays, so I’m taking him with me to the cabins. It’ll be nice to have him there.”
“You’re such a good person, Nikki.” Sonia gave her a light pat on the back of her hand. “Always helping people.”
“I don’t mind.” Nikki started the car. “I’ve had a lot of help from my wonderful friends.” She winked at Sonia, then steered the car down her long driveway.
“Speaking of wonderful friends, what is Quinn doing for the holidays?”
“Not even out of the driveway yet and you’re already asking about Quinn?” Nikki shot a sidelong look in her direction. “Are we going to talk about this for the whole drive?”
“I just asked a question.” Sonia held up her hands with an innocent smile.
“Sure, sure.” Nikki laughed and started towards the highway. “I did talk to him this morning. I think he was a little disappointed that I wouldn’t be around for the holidays.”
“Mmhm, I bet he was. All that eggnog and mistletoe.” Sonia winked.
“Sonia!” Nikki laughed and shook her head. “We are just good friends. He said he’d be busy with a conference most of the week, anyway.”
“You should have invited him.” Sonia nodded. “Snow, fireplaces, all quite romantic.”
“Enough.” Nikki groaned and turned on the radio.
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” Sonia smiled as Princess climbed into the front seat to snuggle in her lap. “I just want to see you happy.”
“Thanks Sonia.” Nikki looked over at her with a warm smile. “I do appreciate that. And I am happy. I’m really glad we get to take this ride together.”
“Me too.” Sonia scratched Princess’ tummy. “Drives like these remind me of my husband. He so loved to take trips. I so hated to.” She laughed. “I would complain and complain, but he would convince me to go, and once we did, I always enjoyed myself. I have always liked an adventure.”
“But you still fought him the next time?” Nikki glanced over at her.
“Sure. He loved a good argument. We were never mean to each other, we’d just bicker a bit, it always ended in a good laugh.” Sonia grunted. “Oh, and once with a food fight.”
“A food fight? Now that sounds like fun.” Nikki flashed a smile at her. “It sounds like you two had a great relationship.”
“Oh, it had its good moments, and its bad moments, just like all marriages. But yes, we loved each other.” Sonia leaned closer to Nikki. “That’s why I know it when I see it.”
“Oh, not this again.” Nikki turned up the radio just as a particularly loud rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer began to play.
After a few hours and numerous potty breaks, Nikki realized her plan to arrive by five wasn’t going to happen. In fact, she hoped she’d make it by seven. As they neared Haggerty, she noticed that Sonia looked fairly sleepy.
“We’ll be there soon.” Nikki turned the radio down. “Sorry it took longer than expected.”
“Well, no one knew there would be all this snow.” Sonia gestured to the windshield as the snow continued to fall.
“It was supposed to be clear pretty much all the way.” Nikki frowned and turned up the windshield wipers.
“It’s all the new-fangled technology!” Sonia waved her hand through the air. “The weather will always do its own thing.”
“I guess you’re right.” Nikki took the exit off the highway for Haggerty.
After a few more minutes of driving, the GPS on her phone began making an unusual demand.
“Make a U-turn. Make a U-turn.”
“What? Why?” Nikki sighed as she stared at the phone. “There’s no reason for us to turn around.”
“This is the way, I’m sure. I’ve made this drive before.” Sonia peered through the windshield. “When you took care of Princess for me.”
“This snow is not helping. I’m going to pull over.” Nikki pulled to the side of the road and put the car in park. “Are you sure you gave me the right address?” She looked over the map on her phone.
“Yes, I’m certain. I wrote it down twice just to make sure.” Sonia showed her the small slip of paper.
“It just seems odd that the GPS keeps telling me to turn around.” Nikki gritted her teeth and tried not to be unnerved by the repetition of the GPS’ demands.
“These new-fangled things, they’ll send you right off a cliff if you let them.” Sonia rolled her eyes.
“You are right about that.” Nikki laughed. “We’ll just keep going, what’s the worst that could happen?”
“Sounds good.” Sonia began to gather her purse and other items around her feet. “We should be there in about fifteen minutes I’d say.”
“Or not.” Nikki slowed the SUV down, then brought it to a full stop. Her headlights shone through the steady snow enough to reveal a large, orange sign in the middle of the road.
“Road closed.” Nikki frowned. “Sonia, we’re not going to be able to get through.”
“Let me give my niece a call. I’m sure this is some kind of mistake.” Sonia pulled her phone out of her purse. “Just give me a second, Nikki, and we’ll have all of this straightened out.”
“Let’s turn the heat up a bit.” Nikki began to fiddle with the heating system which she hadn’t quite figured out. As she did, she wondered if the roads to the ski resort would be blocked off as well. She grabbed her phone and checked the weather again. The surprise snowstorm had shocked most of the weather forecasters and didn’t show any signs of letting up. She sent a text to her brother.
Stuck in some bad snow. I hope we’ll be there soon.
Nikki sighed as she set the phone back down on her leg, then glanced over at Sonia. She held the phone tight to her ear and leaned forward as if she could get a bit closer to her niece by doing so.
“You guys okay back there?” Nikki looked into the back seat. She smiled at the sight of Coco and Princess snuggled close and sound asleep. At least they didn’t seem to mind the snow.
“Nikki.” Sonia winced as she hung up the phone. “I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
Chapter 3
“Bad news?” Nikki looked over at Sonia with wide eyes.
“My niece said there’s no way in or out of town. There’s been a blizzard, and with the holidays it’s going to take a few days to clear it all out.” Sonia tried to smile.
“It’s okay, Sonia.” Nikki leaned across the front seat and hugged her. “You can come stay with me at the ski resort. If the roads get cleared up, I can always drive you back. What do you think?”
“Oh Nikki, I’ve already asked too much of you. You can just drop me off at the next hotel. Princess and I will be just fine.” Sonia tucked her phone back into her purse. “I suppose this trip just wasn’t meant to be.”
“Absolutely not! I’d love to have you and Princess with me. Trust me, the cabin is going to be very nice and have plenty of room. Besides, my family would love to see you.” Nikki backed the SUV away from the sign. “Don’t worry, I’m sure by the morning we can figure all of this out.” She looked over at Sonia. “Okay?”
“Well, if you insist.” Sonia shrugged, then smiled. “I won’t turn it down.”
“Great.” Nikki reset the directions for the cabin. “We should make a stop and stretch our legs, let the pups run a little.” She glanced back at Coco and smiled as he snored. “Although, they don’t seem to be complaining.”
“No, but I am.” Sonia winced and squirmed in her seat. “Sorry, I was trying to hold it until we got to Haggerty, but I really need a restroom.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll stop at the next place I see.” Nikki focused on her driving as the snowfall continued to increase. When she pulled off at a gas station, she could see that the snow had begun to pile up. A hint of fear bolted through her. What if they didn’t make it to the cabin? Would she get stranded with Sonia and the
two dogs? The thought left her unsettled.
While Sonia hurried into the shop to use the restroom, Nikki put little boots on Princess’ paws to protect them from the snow. Nikki did her best to coax the dogs out of the car. Neither dog seemed eager to get out in the snow. Once Coco jumped down, Nikki placed Princess on the ground. Seconds later they were both chasing each other and prancing through the snow. Nikki pulled her hood tighter around her face as a shiver carried along her spine.
When Sonia returned, Nikki herded the dogs inside the SUV.
“I’m just going to run in for a minute and grab a cup of coffee. Would you like one. or anything else?”
“No thanks.”
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
Nikki jogged towards the entrance of the shop as the snow started coming down harder. As she grabbed a coffee pot and poured herself a cup, she noticed a man beside her who seemed to be waiting for the same pot.
“Here you go.” She smiled as she offered it to him. “Anything to keep warm right?”
“I don’t mind the snow.” He took the pot and poured a tall cup. “I’ve had a long drive.”
“Me too. Merry Christmas.” She smiled at him.
“Sure, thanks.” He nodded. “You too.”
As Nikki headed to the register, she heard him step up behind her. She paid for her coffee, then stepped aside. He piled a variety of things onto the counter. She thought it was a little odd to buy ice cream in the middle of a snowstorm, but it was another item that really caught her attention. Who bought sunglasses in the middle of a snowstorm?
“Good luck on your travels.” Nikki did her best to meet his eyes.
“Thanks.” He grunted, then suddenly looked up at her.
Nikki immediately noticed his dark green eyes. They seemed quite cold. He had short, spiky, black hair and appeared to be in his thirties.
“Ma’am, your change.” The clerk behind the counter waved his hand in front of her.
“Oh, right. Thanks.” Nikki took the change that she had completely forgotten about. She glanced once more at the man who continued to stare at her, then turned and hurried out the door and straight to the SUV.
“All set?” Sonia smiled at Nikki as she climbed into the SUV.
“Sure.” Nikki started the engine, then looked back towards the gas station once more. The snow fell too hard for her to see much of anything. Once they were on the road again it was a slow crawl towards the resort. The time crept by, and the snow on the ground kept rising. When she finally turned into the driveway that led to the cabins, she was relieved. She parked in front of the main lobby and looked over at Sonia who had fallen asleep in the passenger seat. She gave her shoulder a gentle shake.
“Sonia, we’re here.”
“Hmm?” Sonia’s eyes fluttered open. “Oh. Okay. I’ll get my things.” She started to gather up her purse.
“Just wait here, I need to check in, then we’ll drive to the cabin. Okay?” Nikki stepped out of the SUV. “Turn the heat up if you need to.”
As Nikki walked into the lobby her eyes widened. A massive fireplace stood on one wall, the opposite wall was made up of floor to ceiling windows which gave a stunning view of the snow as it continued to fall. There were several overstuffed couches and chairs scattered throughout the large space. In one corner a sprawling café space promised to be a wonderful place for a snack when it opened up again in the morning.
The crackling of the fire, combined with the soft music that played through hidden speakers around the lobby made Nikki aware of just how exhausted she was from the journey. A red-haired woman stood behind a large desk with her back to Nikki. She appeared to be sorting through some paperwork. Nikki walked up to the front counter and tugged her wallet out of her purse. She waited a minute to see if the woman would notice her. When she didn’t, Nikki leaned forward some.
“Excuse me? I’d like to check in.”
A burst of laughter drew Nikki’s attention to a group of people near the door of the lobby. She noticed that four of the men appeared to be about her age, while the fifth looked to be in his forties. He chuckled as he shook his head at the younger men.
“Just wait until you get to be my age, you’ll see that you should have had a lot more fun in your younger years.”
Nikki looked back at the woman just as she turned around to face her. Though she had delicate features, and a flawless complexion, she struck her as harsh. Perhaps, it was because of her tense lips and her knitted eyebrows. She studied Nikki as if there was something about her that she instantly did not approve of. She flipped open a large book on the desk between them.
“Welcome to St. Bernard Cabins.”
“Thank you.”
“Sign in. Right here.” She jabbed a long, blood-red fingernail towards an empty space on the page. “Don’t skip a line, I hate it when people skip a line.”
“I won’t.” Nikki was shocked, this woman was rude. Where was the customer service?
“You’re late for check-in.” The woman eyed her from behind thick, blue glasses. “You were supposed to be here by five.”
“I know, I’m sorry. We ran into some bad weather on the way.” Nikki scribbled her name in the book. “I know that you accept pets. I have some unexpected company.”
“Oh, we’re very pet friendly. Not to worry.” She smiled. “What kind of cat do you have?”
“No cats, just two dogs.” Nikki smiled in return.
“Oh, dogs.” The woman’s smile faded. “Sure, we take those, too. We’ll just need an additional pet deposit.”
“No problem.” Nikki peered past the woman at a shelf full of framed pictures of cats. “Are those your cats?”
“My babies, yes.” She beamed. “Itsy, Bitsy, Boo, and Hilda.”
“Aw, what cute names. They’re beautiful.” Nikki set the pen back down in the book. “Are you the manager here?”
“No, I’m the owner. Well, co-owner.” She jabbed her finger in the direction of a tall, slender man who stood near a group of guests beside the front door. “Max and Gloria Merner, we just recently bought the place.”
“Oh, I see, well it’s beautiful. I’m looking forward to my stay here.” Nikki tipped her head towards the small café. “Is there breakfast in the morning?”
“Oh yes, everything is listed here.” Gloria slid a pamphlet across the counter to her. “And here are your room keys.” She set two cards on top of the pamphlet. “If you have any issues with the room you can press the red button on your phone, it will connect you with Ashley, our housekeeper.”
“Wonderful, thanks so much. Merry Christmas.” Nikki gathered up the pamphlet and cards.
“Merry Christmas to you, too.” She gave Nikki a short wave, then walked off to join her husband. Nikki noticed that she seemed to relax when she spoke about her cats and became a lot nicer.
Nikki hurried back to the SUV and popped open the driver’s side door.
“I’ve got everything we need.” She flashed a smile to Sonia and the two dogs in the back. “The cabin is just down the hill.” As she navigated her way through the snow to the cabin, she was relieved not to have to drive much farther in the snow. “Let me unlock the door so you three can get inside and get warm. Then I’ll get the bags.”
“Don’t be silly, I can unlock the door.” Sonia winked at her, then took a room card.
Nikki parked in front of the cabin, then opened the driver’s side door to step out. Before she could get her foot down, someone grabbed her by the arm and tugged her out of her seat.
“Nikki!”
Her scream was cut short by laughter as she recognized her brother’s face as he pulled her into a warm hug. Nikki was very petite, and she felt even smaller next to her tall brother. His hugs always engulfed her and made her feel safe.
“Finally!” Kyle laughed as he slapped her shoulder. “Weren’t you supposed to be here hours ago?”
“Weren’t you supposed to warn me about snowstorms?” Nikki raised an eyebrow.
“Oh right.” Kyle grinned. “That one came out of nowhere. I’m glad you got here safe, sis.” He patted her on the shoulder. “And it looks like you have company?” His eyes shone as he looked past her into the SUV. “Is that Mrs. Whitter?”
“It sure is, and her dog, Princess. I also brought a dog friend of my own. Coco, meet Kyle.” Nikki held the back door open so that Coco could jump out.
“Oh, isn’t he a beauty!” Kyle grinned as he crouched down to greet the dog. “Did Gloria take care of you okay?”
“Yes, she’s a bit grumpy, but everything’s fine. I just needed to put down an additional pet deposit. I’ll fill you in on everything. I need to grab the bags. Do you want to help Sonia to the door?” Nikki glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Sonia by the front door. “Okay, never mind.” She laughed.
“She’s as spry as ever. Let me help you with the bags.” Kyle opened the trunk.
“Thanks.”
“Wow, that’s a lot of pink bags.”
“They are Princess’.” Nikki smiled as she grabbed a few of the bags and let Kyle take the rest.
“I should have guessed.” Kyle chuckled.
“You’re not supposed to be here!” A sharp, female voice carried out of the cabin as Sonia walked towards it.
Chapter 4
“I have the key, so that means I am supposed to be here!” Sonia shot back at the woman in the cabin. She placed her hands on her hips as Princess ran in circles around her feet.
“What’s going on here?” Nikki looked past Sonia at a woman who towered at least a foot above her. “Who are you?”
“I’m Ashley, and the two of you must be in the wrong cabin. This cabin is supposed to be empty.” Ashley narrowed her blue eyes and studied both of them. “Did Gloria mess this up? I bet she did. That woman can never get things straight.”
“Listen, this is the keycard she gave us.” Nikki took a deep breath to calm herself down. Her instinct was to protect Sonia, but she knew it was always better to try to settle things instead of making them worse. “If we’re in the wrong cabin, we’ll gladly move. But maybe the confusion is because we checked in late?”