by Mia Ford
I pulled the paper towels from the dispenser and dried off my face, balling them up and tossing them in the trashcan. I walked back out of the bathroom and across the lobby toward the lounge. However, as I passed the receptionist, she called out for me.
“I think I might have something that can help you,” she whispered. “I can see it in your eyes that whatever reason you need to find them, it is really important to you. It won’t help you right this second, but Glen and Cameron are already booked for the same time next year. He will be back for Christmas and New Year’s.”
“Thank you,” I replied, not feeling any better. “I appreciate you going out on a limb and letting me know that. If I can’t find anything out from the bartender, then I will come and make reservations for next year.”
“Okay,” she said, smiling. “I’m glad I could help in some way.”
I took in a deep breath and walked toward the lounge, hoping it was Brian like I had expected. When I walked through the doorways, Brian looked up from the bar, a big smile crossing his lips. He wiped his hands and put the towel down, coming from behind the bar and hugging me tightly.
“Bea,” he said. “This is definitely a surprise. You look great. How are things?”
“They are interesting.” I laughed, walking with him toward the bar. “But my life seems to always fall under that category.”
“How is Hailey?”
“She’s good,” I said. “Getting back into the swing of working and taking care of my sporadic rear end.”
“You’ll have to tell her I said hi,” he replied.
“I’ll definitely do that.” I smiled. “Brian, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure, anything,” he said.
“You became friends with Cameron, right?”
“Yeah, I mean, as much as I could with a guy that pretty much stayed to himself.” He chuckled. “He was a different guy when he was around you.”
“How do you mean?”
“He was alive, happy, smiling,” he said. “I have seen him here four straight seasons in a row, and he has never laughed like he did when you were around.”
“That’s sweet,” I said, blushing. “Well, did you happen to get a number for him? Or maybe a name that I could use to look him up?”
“No,” he said, making my heart sink. “Unfortunately, he left before I could connect with him again. I heard that he’s coming back next season, though.”
“Yeah, the receptionist told me that,” I said, sinking down on the stool.
“Do you want a drink? Maybe your normal?”
“No, no,” I said, breathing deeply. “Actually, could I have a big glass of ice water with lemon?”
“Sure,” he replied. “You know, when my sister was expecting, she used to chug down lemon water like it was the end of the world. Funny thing was, she never actually liked lemon until then.”
“Crazy.” I chuckled, wondering if he knew.
“You’re not pregnant, are you?” He laughed, not even waiting for an answer.
I smiled halfway, the best I could do under the circumstances. Luckily for me, he didn’t even seem to notice my hesitation. I thought about telling Brian, knowing that he was a sweet guy with a big heart. Maybe if he knew the circumstances, he would help me find Cameron. Just as I was about to say something, though, a crowd walked through the door, and I discarded the idea, burying it deep in my chest. I took a big sip of my water and smiled as he looked up at the crowd and took a deep breath.
“I’m going to leave you to it, then,” I said, smiling and standing from my stool. “If you think of anything, let me know. I’m in room 413, and I’ll be here until checkout on Monday morning.”
“That’s funny,” he said.
“What is?”
“Nothing, just that 413 was Cameron’s room when he was staying here.” He chuckled, walking around the bar and toward the guests.
How strange and coincidental was that?
Chapter 23
Cameron
On Sunday, I had pretty much hit rock bottom, not knowing what to do or what to say without Bea in my life. I sat down and talked to Glen about it, and he promised to cover the lessons so I could go look for her. The only place I knew that might have some kind of lead was the resort in Aspen. So, I scheduled a red eye on Sunday night and flew out to Colorado, hoping that there would be someone there with information on how I could find her.
As the plane flew through the clouds, my heart began to flutter, remembering all the things that had happened at the resort. Hopefully, I would be able to relax myself enough to ask questions. If nothing else, I was going to get a little bit of time alone for once. I really appreciated that Glen found it necessary to watch out for me and be there to just talk, but I could really use some good quality time alone to sort out my feelings and thoughts. When I had gotten onto the plane, I had realized I was way too tired to even think on the plane. I ordered a Bloody Mary and then set myself up for a little bit of sleep.
When the plane started its descent, I woke up, feeling more than a little groggy. I really didn’t like Colorado outside of Aspen, so I took my carry-on and jumped right into a cab, taking me over to the resort. I had booked the hotel for that afternoon, requesting my old room. They told me it wouldn’t be ready until after noon because someone was checking out that day. I didn’t mind waiting in the lounge, drinking my same old drinks, and hoping that Bea was going to walk around the corner at any minute.
When the cab pulled up out front, I grabbed my bag and paid the driver. I stepped out onto the sidewalk and breathed the ice-cold air into my lungs. It felt so good to be back in Aspen, and not just because of Bea. I was starting to think that Aspen was one of those places that was just therapeutic to me. Maybe that was why so many people flocked there on a regular basis. Even during the summer when the slopes were closed and the pool was open, the place was completely packed. I was curious to know what it was like that time of year.
I threw my bag over my shoulder and stopped as the hotel manager approached. He had a look of confusion on his face, and I reached out and shook his hand. We stepped to the side as several guests exited the resort to make their way to the slopes.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just needed a few days to myself, that’s all,” I said, smiling. “This is my favorite place to be, so I figured I’d come back here for a little R&R.”
“Very nice,” he said, smiling. “You deserve it. We got rave reviews about your instruction. If you’re ever thinking about sticking around for a longer period of time, let me know. I’m always looking for an awesome lead instructor.”
“I’ll definitely keep that in mind, thanks,” I said, shaking his hand again.
“Have fun while you’re here, and let me know if you need anything,” he said as he walked off.
My eyes moved across the parking lot as I turned to go inside, stopping for a moment as a girl was climbing into an SUV parked in the parking lot. She was tall and curvy, with long brown hair with tints of red, just like Bea. For a moment, my heart skipped a beat, but I shook it off, remembering that Bea was gone, back home to her normal life. It would be too fateful if she were there right then. I shrugged my shoulders and walked inside, making my way to the desk.
There were a couple of guests ahead of me, so I took out my phone and texted Glen, letting him know I had arrived safely. I knew I needed to ask the receptionist about Bea’s information, but the guy behind the desk didn’t look familiar at all. He was tall with dark hair, perfectly cut and swept to the side. His outfit was perfectly pressed, and he screamed poster child of the resort. When it was finally my turn, I waited patiently for him to finish up what he was doing. The tag on his shirt read, Shawn, and I was hoping Shawn was willing to help me out.
“How may I help you, sir?”
“Yes, I am Cameron Phase,” I said. “I’m early checking into room 413, but I am going to be in the bar, so I was wondering if you could just let me know when the room was re
ady?”
“Absolutely, Mr. Phase,” he said, making a note. “Is there anything else?”
“No,” I said, stopping and turning back to him. “Actually, yes, there is.”
“What can I help you with?”
I hesitated, not knowing what to say or what to do. I didn’t want to sound like a creepy stalker, but I really needed to know if they had anything that would help me. I put my hand down on the desk and took in a deep breath, realizing it was now or never.
“I know I don’t recognize you from the Christmas holiday here, but I am one of the hotel’s freelance instructors,” I said.
“No, I was not here then.” He smiled. “I was training.”
“Gotcha,” I replied. “The thing is, I need some information on a guest that was staying here at that time.”
“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t just give that information out,” he replied. “There are rules and laws prohibiting that.”
I stood there staring at him for a moment, imagining myself like one of those mobster movies, grabbing him by the tie and slamming him down on the desk, demanding information. I knew that it would be a terrible waste of a vacation if I was kicked out before I even checked in, so I decided that slamming him down and beating it out of him probably wasn’t the best idea. Besides, I had Brian check on it anyway, and he had told me there was no trace of Bea anywhere. I guessed it just made me feel better finding that out on my own, seeing it with my own eyes. I didn’t want to make myself look like a crazy man, but I also knew that I needed to get this info. Why couldn’t the front desk clerk be some cute girl that I could flirt the information out of? Of course, that would be way too easy, and it would mean that I didn’t have to play Sherlock Holmes all week, trying to find her.
Nothing in my life ever really went easy, especially when it came to women. Even when I was just sleeping with them and not trying to lure them into a relationship, I always seemed to pick the clingiest ones. I rarely had a sexual encounter with a woman where she was perfectly okay with having sex and never talking again. Maybe Glen was right. Maybe I was a complete jerk, and this was my payback, my karma for ditching all those girls in the past.
“Can I tell you a story?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said, looking back up at me.
“I came to work here at the beginning of December, and I was sitting right there in that bar when I saw the most beautiful woman I had ever seen,” I said, pointing at the bar. “I looked for her for days, and then I came to find out she was in my instruction class. Well, one thing led to another, and I pretty much fell for her, like hard. We spent Christmas together, and then we spent New Year’s Eve together. Now, I’m not the type of guy that really ever falls for a girl. In fact, it has never happened before, but when I left this resort, I couldn’t keep her off my mind. I have to find this girl. I know for a fact that she is my future.”
“That is a lovely and romantic story,” he said. “However, no matter how heart-wrenching of a story it is, I still can’t give you information on another guest. I really like my job, and I would really not like to lose it. I’m sorry this is hard on you, and if there is anything else I can do, just let me know. Unfortunately, though, no matter how many stories you tell me, I can’t give you what you are looking for.”
“Damn,” I said, sighing. “All right, well thanks for at least hearing me out.”
“It was my pleasure, Mr. Phase,” he said.
“Please, call me Cameron, my father is Mr. Phase,” I said, grimacing.
“Of course,” he said, nodding his head. “I will let you know as soon as your room is ready. And good luck finding that girl. She sounds amazing.”
I nodded my head and walked toward the bar, deciding that a drink was definitely in order. As I passed through the doorway, I looked up, seeing Brian back there polishing glasses. He glanced up at me, doing a doubletake and then put the glass down and smiled big, reaching out his hand.
“Cameron,” he said, shaking my hand. “It’s good to see you, man. At the same time, it’s a bit confusing seeing you.”
“Yeah, I just needed a little vacation,” I said. “The holiday was really stressful on me.”
“Well, I figured that, but that isn’t why I’m confused,” he said.
“What is it?”
“It’s just, well, Bea was in here earlier asking about how to find you,” he said. “Like literally, she checked out just a few minutes ago, maybe fifteen minutes.”
“What? Shit.” I thought about the girl climbing in her SUV. “Hold on. I’ll be right back.”
I got up from the chair and ran across the lobby and out into the parking lot. I stopped and scanned the lot until I found the place that I had seen Bea just a half an hour before. Just as I figured, the car parked there was gone, and Bea was nowhere in sight. I went back into the hotel and moped my way across the floor, sitting back down in the bar.
“Did she tell you her last name?” I asked. “Or maybe she gave you a phone number? Anything would help me out here.”
“No, unfortunately, she didn’t give me anything,” he said.
“What about Hailey? You were seeing her while she was here. Do you have her number?”
“No, I mean, she bolted that morning since she was running late,” he said. “I never got the chance to get her number.”
“Damnit,” I replied. “This is insane. I really need to find her.”
“Well, if it makes you feel any better, she looked absolutely frantic to see you as well,” he said. “She didn’t even drink all weekend, except for some lemon water every few hours. Eventually, I just had a jug made for her and sent up to her room. She looked so tired.”
“Fuck,” I sighed. “I literally just missed her. And by that, I mean I saw a girl that I thought looked exactly like Bea climbing in her SUV before I got inside. I am pretty sure that was Bea.”
“No way,” Brian said, shaking his head.
“I just missed her,” I replied, taking a swig of my whiskey. “I can’t seem to catch a damn break.”
“Well, maybe she will come back,” he said. “I mean, I didn’t even realize her info might be in there until I saw her. But when I looked it up, she had booked everything under Hailey’s name because she gets special perks for being a frequent visitor.”
“Of course,” I replied.
This was starting to feel like I was running in circles.
Chapter 24
Eight Months Later
Bea
I stood at the hospital window, looking out at the beautiful October landscape. The trees were ablaze in vibrant colors, and I knew it wouldn’t be long until winter weather had knocked all the leaves to the ground and covered them with white once again. Until then, I got to enjoy a view that was strewn in oranges, browns, and fiery yellows. It made me miss home and sitting in my living room, getting a full view of everything around me. Soon, though, it wouldn’t be long until I could take Lily home from the hospital. Labor had been hard, but quick, and I was just glad that Hailey had gotten me there before I had her.
Once inside the hospital, Hailey fielded all the questions about where the father was while I focused on breathing through the pain. I wasn’t going to lie. Some of that pain was the absence of Cameron, and how much I struggled through the nine months that Lily was growing inside of me. However, I wasn’t angry with Cameron. He had no idea what was going on, and I had been the one to walk away without any ability to contact each other. It was the stupidest and most reckless decision of my life, and now, not only was I going to pay the price for it, but so was our daughter, possibly never knowing the wonderful man that I knew. I had spent the last eight months scouring the country for Cameron, always seeming to be two steps behind him, and never in front. It was frustrating as hell, but not surprisingly, they moved faster than I could investigate.
A small coo in my arms brought me from my thoughts, and I looked down at the face of my beautiful little girl. She wriggled in my arms, and I looked down at her, in a
we that I created such a beautiful little human being. She was perfect in every way, from her dark curly hair to her eyes that at the moment matched mine. Up to that point, I had no idea that you could love something as much as I loved Lily, and I wanted so badly to share that with Cameron.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and laid Lily down, unwrapping her and then re-swaddling her blanket around her. She had the most perfect ten fingers and ten toes that I had ever seen. Her eyes glimmered in the lights, and her face puckered and released, waiting to be close to me once again. There was more of a rush of need to have Cameron in my life than there ever was before. I wanted to protect and provide for this little girl, and in fact, it was more than a want. It was a deep primal need that flooded me every time I looked at her innocent little face. She was given to me as a gift from the universe, and it was my responsibility to make the best choices I could on her behalf, and that included making sure that her father knew she existed. I knew how important that daddy-daughter bond really was, especially since I had a father of my own.
“Hey, hey,” Hailey whispered as she came through the door. “Where is that beautiful little girl of mine?”