by Lexi Ostrow
“Not a word,” she said to Jake, pinning him with a stare as she continued through the hall to her room. “Fucking men. Seriously. Didn’t anyone tell them that it’s Christmas and there is no room for their drama?” Growling at the situation, she tugged her Uggs on and was grateful she’d brought them and not a useless pair of designer boots like she wore back home.
Stamping outside her room, she could feel every member of her family staring at her as she grumpily moved past the dining area. “I’ll be right back,” she muttered, not caring if anyone heard her. What had started as a wonderful day was ending as one of the worst holidays of her life.
Opening the door, she jerked it closed behind her, flinching as it slammed into place and knocked the wreath around. She looked at Adam, staring down at his cell phone, and for just a moment, could see what Marshall was so utterly worried about.
The man before her was everything her family would be expected to marry into from the outside viewer. He oozed power and money from the perfectly tailored wool pea coat to the flawless shine on his loafers. His hair was perfectly coiffed and styled in a manner befitting a businessman, and that said nothing of the Adonis-like good looks he sported. Yet, he wasn’t as charming as he seemed. His work came first and presents bought affection as far as he was concerned. He didn’t enjoy laughing the same way she did, and he wasn’t up for an adventure every day of the week simply because she wanted to go on one.
He wasn’t the match for her Marshall was and always would be. No matter how it happened, she was not leaving the resort without Marshall in her life.
“Adam, it really was a sweet gesture that you surprised me. I’m sorry if I wasn’t gracious enough about it a moment ago. However, you knew I didn’t want you here. This holiday is like romance on steroids for my family, and I just wasn’t ready to take things another step with you.”
“You weren’t?” He raised a defined brow and tried to hold her hand, but she moved just out of his reach. “Does that mean you are now?”
Slowly, she shook her head, gathering up the needed courage to tell a man goodbye on Christmas day. “It means that a little time away has showed me what I needed to know. You’re a wonderful man, Adam. In fact, you’re exactly what my life calls for. Unfortunately, you aren’t perfect for me. I wish this wasn’t happening today. Though it needed to happen sooner rather than later. I’d like you to still come inside for dinner. You’ve come a long way, and there’s no reason for you to go home just yet.”
“That man I saw earlier, the one you chased after, he’s the reason?”
“It doesn’t matter what the reason is beyond our time apart showing me we aren’t the match I’m looking for.”
He nodded, his eyes narrowing. “I see. I can read between the lines. I’m not certain what someone like that can offer someone like you. I think you’re making the biggest mistake of your life.”
“Someone like me?” She took a step closer to him, and she could feel herself practically exploding with anger. “Tell me, what does someone like me want? Money, power…to be showered with presents? Tell me, Adam. Just who do you think I am?” She stood her ground, sneering at him, glowering at him and daring him to challenge who she was.
“You are a woman of excellent means. The man you spend your life with should, of course, be one in the same. A proper education, strong business ties, and yes, money are merely some of the attributes a man equipped to be your husband should have.”
She let out a dangerous bark of laughter. “Equipped to have? As if this was some sort of hunt or trip that one could prepare for and conquer.” Shaking her head, she forced back the wave of vile things she was longing to say. Like how he was nothing more than a cold fish, an arrogant prick with the life skills of a toddler or countless other things in relationship to his lack of manhood.
“I think you’re insane for passing this up.”
“I think you’re an egotistical man for even considering yourself to be so wonderfully perfect. You’re not. You’re hardly ever around, you’re pushy, you’re arrogant and you’re not that good in bed.”
Okay, so one slipped out.
Adam turned a delightful shade of red that would give any poinsettia a run for its money. His mouth gaped open, much like a fish, before he scoffed and pivoted on his heel back toward his limo.
She hadn’t meant for things to take such a negative turn, though she wasn’t shocked it had, just that Adam had given up so quickly. He never let people get the last word in a trial, which made her realize how little he must have cared about her in the first place.
Standing in the same spot, she heard the limo rumble to life and watched as it turned and drove off back down the small drive, away from her home. Blowing out a breath, she let her shoulders drop when he was no longer in view. Adam had brought it upon himself, showing up like that.
Trying to calm herself from his implications, she walked back to the chalet and paused before going in. Going after Marshall was what she wanted to do. Christmas dinner would wait and her family would understand. However, she’d learned ten years ago that running after Marshall did no good. So, she would try something different. He came around earlier after their mishap, and she had to have faith that he would come around once more.
“Or a Christmas miracle,” she whispered as she went back into the house, using her foot to tug off the Ugg on the other and leaving them at the door under the coatrack.
“Are you alone?” her mother called out just before the dining room came into view.
“Yes.” She wasn’t certain if her mother meant at precisely that moment or in general, but she didn’t care as it was the same either way.
“I take it Christmas will not be on the list of favorite holidays for Adam?” Leena asked, taking a sip of what must have been sparkling cider.
“No, I think it’s safe to say it won’t be.” She added her agreement as she sat down, undoing the flower-folded napkin and setting in on her lap. “I apologize for the delay in dinner.”
Peter scoffed at her. “Is that all you’d like to say to us?”
She looked up from her lap to find everyone staring at her. Uncomfortable, she shifted in her seat. “That it smells wonderful?”
“Really, Anna. Do you think we’re all that stupid?” her mother asked without a bite of anger to the question. “Are you going to go get Marshall, or are you allowing him to walk away…again.”
Tasha choked on whatever she was eating and Leena giggle.
“I’m not certain I understand.”
“Again, not a stupid person sitting here,” her mother said, laughing this time. “We’ve been waiting for nearly four years for you and Marshall to grow up and realize that you’re not going to find a better match. It had appeared yesterday that you both had come to that arrangement. I’d hate to think that the other young man appearing damaged anything as it is clear he is no longer in your life.”
“Marshall likes to walk away. It’s easier for him.”
“And you’re going to let him?” Nick asked, piping in for the first time.
“You of all people have no right asking me that question,” she retorted.
“Actually, he did come after me. He has the right idea . . .now.” Tasha was quiet, almost as if she were trying not to get involved.
Still stewing over Adam’s assessed version of who she was, she bit down on the tip of her tongue to stop from insulting the people she loved most. “I will be. He misunderstood the situation, and chasing after him while he’s acting like an angry child will not do anything.” She looked at Jake, silently challenging him to discredit her thought.
He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I plead the fifth. Just know that, because she did come after me, I now have a loving wife and will be welcoming a child this summer. Not to mention, Nick finally got his girl as well.” Jake grinned at her before stuffing a forkful of green bean casserole into his mouth.
“If we’re all done assessing the mess I’ve managed to make through
no fault of my own, dinner smells amazing, and I’m honestly tired of thinking about it.”
Heads nodded around the table, and she picked up her utensils. All the while, nagging thoughts of what would happen if Marshall truly didn’t believe her continued to sour her Christmas evening.
Three days. Just three more days, and then you can stop skirting the side of the lodge like the snow is toxic. He snorted as he realized just how childish he was being, but it didn’t matter. The very last thing he wanted on the planet was to see Anna settled in and happy with that polished prick.
So far, he hadn’t had an issue. Minus small trips into town, the DeMarco’s kept to themselves over the holidays, and after spending some time with them, he could understand why. They were the family most families sought to be like—professional, loving, and supportive. That made not bumping into Anna considerably easier.
“That it for the day?” Mrs. Alendale asked from behind the check-in desk as he dropped off his time card.
“All done on the instructor front. I could use a hot bath after that drunken brunette.” He rubbed the back of his head, remembering how hard he’d slammed into the ground trying to catch her. “I think I’ve had my last encounter with her for the season. She sobered up about halfway through, and I could practically hold her embarrassment.”
The older woman chuckled, strands of her graying hair swaying as she did. Out of the blue, her smile widened, and she waved her hand to someone behind him.
“Miss DeMarco, I see you’re a little early. Susana isn’t here at the moment. Feel free to grab a seat, and I’ll send her over the moment she arrives.”
Marshall froze, his body tensing far quicker than it ever had in his life. A small ache at the nape of his neck began to throb, and he did his damnedest not to turn and face her.
“That’s not a problem, Aubrey. I’d like to have a word with Marshall, actually.” She paused, obviously waiting for him to respond. “If he has a moment.”
He turned then, as slow as a turtle, and diverted his gaze down. Sure enough, there was only one pair of feet, so the charming Adam had not accompanied her today. Little miracles, he thought bitterly, glad he didn’t have to deal with the man a second time. Once had been beyond enough.
“I’m actually on my way to a lesson, sorry,” he mumbled so low he almost didn’t hear the words.
“Nonsense. Fool boy must have taken a blow to the head harder than he realized.” Mrs. Alendale said. “He just told me he was done for the day.”
He winced, his shoulder’s ducking with the action. Anna was gracious enough not to say anything.
“Well then, how about we step aside so as not to disturb any other guests? There’s something we must talk about, and I only have a few moments before the planning meeting.”
She shuffled to the side, and he didn’t move. He heard her start walking toward the small hot cocoa station set along the side of the lodge, but he still didn’t move.
There was nothing left to say to Anna. She’d come looking for closure, and the warm fuzzy magic of the season had clouded her mind. There was no way she could have looked at Adam the way she did and be ready to settle down with someone else.
Not that she’d even indicated you two were an endgame, but it had sure felt that way.
“I don’t have time,” he said again, louder this time. Loud enough that it actually turned the heads of the few guests seated around a board game in the center of the lodge.
Hastily, he stuck his hand into his pocket, dug out his neon blue ear buds, and slammed them into his ears. He heard what sounded like Anna, but didn’t catch the full meaning as his hand slid over the control button on the iPod and a little Marilyn Manson drifted loudly out of the earpieces.
Stalking away from her, he lifted the small wooden door that connected the counter of the registration desk to the wall and stepped behind it. “I’m borrowing a board. Mines too far away, and I need to clear my head.”
Mrs. Alendale gave him a rather surly look, but stepped out of his way. Once again, he heard something that sounded like Anna shouting at him as he pulled open the door and stepped inside to snag a board. He hated using the lodge boards when he wanted some quality time with the slopes, but he had a feeling Anna would try to track him down and get a peaceful goodbye together. He was quite content with having had the last word, and getting out to the slopes quickly ensured that happened.
Anna couldn’t believe what had happened. Marshall had not only snubbed her, but he’d run away. A subtle pain shot through her head as she ground her teeth together, trying not to let the annoyance get the better of her.
“Well, he’s clearly not ready to act like an adult.” Grumbling, she blew out a breath and focused on what she’d actually been there to do, the final check for the New Year’s Eve gala.
Her heart had gone into butterfly overdrive the moment she’d walked in and realized Marshall was right in front of her. It had been three days since he’d stomped off—three days since she’d let him—and she had been more than ready to end the foolishness it.
It appeared, though, that they were forever destined to play childish games. If he didn’t come around by New Year’s Eve, she was going to drag him out of his house by his ears and kiss him so hard at midnight that his head would spin.
Then she would hog tie him and throw him on a damned plane to London before he had a chance to run away a third time. Goodness, this dance of ours really is repetitive.
The sweet smell of chocolate wafted up to her nose, and she inhaled deeply. “I can understand why Leena loves this stuff so much.” Grabbing a packet of Swiss Miss, she tore the top off, dumping the brown powder in so rapidly a small dust cloud rose from the mug.
“Miss DeMarco?”
A sweet southern drawl drifted through Anna’s thoughts. Smiling, she turned to Susana Dahl, the Events Coordinator.
“Susana, please. We go over this often. It's just Anna.”
Susana smiled and passed her a black folder. “Everything is in here. I’m sure you’ll find it all to the specifications of your previous events.” She smiled again. “The desserts have all been prepared and the room is decorated. Would you care to see it before you leave?”
There really was no reason she needed to look over the decorations. With the exception of last year, when Leena and Jake had gotten married right before the party, it always looked the same. A sleek sea of black and silver glittery objects with the walls featuring projected light stars for further ambiance.
However, if she stayed, she would likely force Marshall into another encounter, and she had a feeling that the more often they were around one another, the sooner he would wake up and see she wasn’t with Adam.
She was quiet, contemplating a single question, and she could feel the other woman’s stare shifting into a nervous expression.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m sure it’s perfect. Having the details to give to mother is all I needed, unless there’s been a complication, of course.” She gave the woman a small smile. “This is wonderful. Thank you.”
“It’s always our pleasure to host your event.”
With a nod, Anna picked up her mug of powder and moved it under the hot water dispenser. She wasn’t going to purposefully wait for Marshall, but she figured it wouldn’t hurt if she had a mug of cocoa and he arrived back.
The cold sting of the wind was a mere annoyance as he rushed down the side of the advanced slope. Everything was a wonderful shade of green, compliments of the snow goggles Anna had gotten him a few years ago.
Without warning, the board shot out from under him, sending him sailing through the air like a dog leaping for a ball. Slamming into the powder beneath him, he grunted, barely able to keep his head from hitting the ground a second time in one day. A sharp pain lanced his side as he pushed himself up and looked for his board. Thankfully, it wasn’t too far, but he did spy a nasty tree branch where it didn’t belong.
Damn it. Just thinking about Anna in the sm
allest regard was enough to throw him off. Literally.
Thankfully, there weren’t too many other boarders out to see his less than graceful dismount. One flew past him, nearly knocking him backward again.
“That’s it. I can’t do this anymore.” Scowling, he stalked over to his board and grabbed it up, ready to return to the lodge and not the lift.
His life had been a series of starts and stalls for as long as he could remember. From sixteen to eighteen, he’d always hoped he’d find a way to convince Anna’s family to let them see one another. Then, from when he was eighteen to twentyish, he’d been wishing things had gone differently the night she’d told him she was moving to London. From then until twenty-three, he’d spent a few wonderful years with Mandy, only to lose her to cancer. He’d mourned for what had felt like forever, and two years ago, he’d realized he was ready to move on, but only if it was with Anna.
Presently, he was waking up to all the things he should have realized ages ago. He and Anna were all chemistry and fireworks, but that wasn’t enough for a marriage. They came from two totally different circles, and while it might not be a problem for her, it was proving to be one for him. There would always be attractive men in fancy suits in her line of work, always a new man that could show her what she was missing out on by being with him.
Life was too short to live in a constant state of tension. He loved Anna, there would never be another woman he loved like he loved her, but it was time to finally end the dance of theirs and see to helping them both get on with their lives.
Three months ago, a man from a resort in Toronto had been impressed with his instructional skills and had offered him a job. He’d turned him down, not just because he’d hoped to reconnect with Anna every time she visited, but it had been a strong component of his decision.
He loved like up here, loved the house he’d purchased about his late wife’s memory had been too suffocating in the one they’d shared for such a short time. However, being here only increased the odds that he would keep seeing Anna and her perfect life. A life he didn’t fit into no matter how much he wanted too. One glimpse at a well-to-do stranger was enough to remind him of that. Not to mention the way Anna had seemed to fit so snuggly with the man.