Last Resort Love

by Holly Cortelyou

  Nick raised his hand and she could tell he smothered his frown with a soothing smile. Krissa’s temper flared again at his fake sympathy.

  “I’m working on an idea,” Nick said as he wiggled his phone at her, “and checking on a few things.”

  Krissa released the breath she hadn’t noticed she was holding and a little tension eased out of her shoulders. Maybe he was sincere in trying to help her. Nick looked like a man who could make things happen. Or perhaps he was simply a good salesman and skilled at calming clients down. She turned her head and snuck a look at him as he continued to examine the remains of the house. His broad shoulders appeared as if they could carry the weight of a lot of problems. Her heart fluttered. Nick pulled chunks of particle board aside. She stared at his tight derriere without a blink until he dropped the debris and moved out of sight.

  Look all you want, she snapped at herself, but you are done with men and relationships. She would no longer let the men in her life trample on her. She was here to make a clean start and get on with the business of living. Drooling over some good-looking guy on her first day in town was a stupid way to start.

  With another swift glance at Nick, she took in his deep brown hair and his strong arms. Seriously, it did not matter that he made George Clooney look like a troll. She was a rock, right?

  Nick’s phone rang and he walked out of earshot from Krissa. She crossed her fingers and hoped he could figure something out, but she could see him shaking his head. He didn’t look pleased. It was the beginning of summer and kids were out of school. She didn’t think there would be too many houses available for the whole summer, let alone for the whole coming school year. Ugh. She’d been so careful when she made her plans months ago. How could she have anticipated a massive thunderstorm taking out her little rental cottage?

  She watched the two men tramp around the wreckage of the cabin in the woods and her hand fluttered up to her mouth. She’d made a dreadful blunder. What had she been thinking to leave her friends and her mother and her brother? Here she was all alone in the backwoods and nowhere to sleep. No place for her and Shasta to snuggle up for the night and call home. How could she have taken such a big chance? How could she have traded everything for this whim?

  Nick walked back over to her and waved his phone triumphantly.

  “I have a plan,” Nick said with grin. “And, most importantly, there’s no stinky apartment over the deli.”

  “What do you have in mind? Is there actually another cabin available?”

  Nick cocked his head to one side and said, “Yes, a rental just opened up.”

  “Did someone cancel for the summer? Where is it?”

  “Pretty close, not more than ten minutes away,” Nick said. “Come on. Follow me.”

  Krissa’s lips twitched with more questions. Nick was keeping his answers simple. There must be some twist or some fly in the ointment.

  A half-dozen questions hovered on her lips, but Nick was already pow-wowing with the truck drivers. Her irritation shot back up. Solution indeed. How dare he just assume that she would do whatever he said? Her mouth popped open, but the words stayed put. She scrunched her lips back together in a deep frown. This was his rodeo, not hers. He knew the lay of the land. She didn’t have any brilliant ideas. Not even a bad one. Crap. Damn.

  Fine, she would let him lead the way.

  After many shouted directions and course corrections, Nick and Bill the Fixer guided the moving van back down the gravel lane and had them wait on the main road with their flashers blinking. Once Nick’s red pickup and Krissa’s little SUV trundled by, the van fell into line and the whole caravan cruised down the gentle twists of the mountain road.

  Ten minutes later, the van rolled to a stop with a whoosh of airbrakes and the freshly blinking flashers. Nick’s and Krissa’s vehicles turned down a long paved driveway flanked by spruces and aspens.

  Krissa held her breath until the house came into view. Her jaw dropped again…but in awe. The timber-frame lodge was gorgeous. It was a two-story modified A-frame with an expansive deck facing the lake and multiple dormers; she guessed there was a towering wall of windows facing the water. A glimmering lake was a mere twenty yards away and spindly pines and white-barked aspens dotted the view. With a happy grin, Krissa exhaled. Deliciously wonderful. Hmmm…but it sure looked too good to be true.

  Although there were a few piney branches scattered around, there was no sign of the windstorm here.

  She clambered out of the car and stared at the massive home. Nick smiled a greeting and gestured in the opposite direction. “Will it work?” Nick asked.

  Krissa whipped her head to the right and away from the mini mansion. Down a short stone path, a small cabin nestled comfortably in a bower of firs. It was a miniature version of the great lodge next door. It was the guesthouse.

  Plomp. Her expectations crashed back to earth and she almost laughed at herself. There was no way she could even come up with a quarter of the rent that huge house must command. She wondered who had rented it for the summer. No castles for her, just a modest bungalow was all her teacher’s salary could afford.

  “It’s bigger than it looks,” Nick said as if he guessed her line of thinking. “You can’t tell from this side, but it has a master suite up in the loft area.”

  “That sounds promising,” she said and hoped she sounded upbeat.

  The inside of the guesthouse was even nicer than the outside—it was painted a warm, creamy white with log wall accents. It was rustic…but in a very stylish and modern lodge way. It had an open layout and a small kitchen with stainless appliances and a granite island with several bar stools. There was a river rock fireplace in the corner of the living room, and Krissa could imagine herself curled up with a book next to it and gazing out the window at the picturesque lake.

  A spiral staircase led up to the loft room, and Krissa was pleased to see that it was plenty large enough for her queen-size bed and her dresser. The bathroom was even big enough for a soaker tub and a generous shower. She shook her head and wondered how bad fortune had turned to good so quickly. It might be a smidge smaller than the crushed cabin, but the craftsmanship of the guesthouse was stunning. Wescott Springs was looking rosier by the minute.

  “I think I’m in love with it,” Krissa said with a wide smile as she gestured around the loft and the tree-lined view out the living room windows. “My stuff will fit here perfectly.”

  “Excellent! Problem solved.”

  Krissa planted her hands on her hips. “How did I get so lucky that this place isn’t already rented? What’s the catch?”

  “Well, it is actually my place,” Nick said with a sideways smile. “One of my cousins stayed for a year, but he moved his things out a few weeks ago and I haven’t moved my furniture back yet. I don’t normally rent it to clients.” Nick paused and added almost as an afterthought, “It’s my guesthouse.”

  Krissa’s mind tumbled the puzzle pieces together. “Oh! The lodge is your home.” It was more of a statement than a question.

  “Yes, whenever I’m here in Wescott Springs.”

  What? This gorgeous hunk of man was her new next door neighbor? Krissa didn’t know whether to cheer or to run to the nearest exit. Krissa broke eye contact and hustled back down the stairs to the great room below. Nick followed.

  Krissa walked into the kitchen and strategically retreated behind the countertop. Nick stopped at the base of the stairs.

  As if he sensed her hesitation but not the reason, Nick said, “There’s no way I can charge you the same amount as you would have paid for cabin twenty-three. It was almost twice this size. I want you to live here rent free for the summer until we can get the other house repaired or until one of our other units comes available in the fall.”

  “No chance,” Krissa interrupted. “I can’t live here for free. It’s not your fault a tree crashed into the house.” She frowned. “This place is almost as big as the cabin. I can’t steal from you. It’s only right that I pay whatever
the going rate is,” she added firmly, but she wondered how her teacher’s salary and move-strained savings account were going to handle this luxury upgrade.

  “It’s my own personal house, and I don’t charge my guests,” Nick retorted and folded his arms over his chest. He leaned back against the gold and white quartz kitchen counter and seemed completely at ease.

  The knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach. She stood straight and held her chin high.

  “I’ll pay what we agreed on for my old cabin,” Krissa said. “A deal’s a deal and I’m just lucky you had anywhere else for me to stay. This is much better than that cramped place in town or one of the really expensive condos in Vail itself. The commute alone would cost me a bundle.”

  “You’ve been put through a lot of inconvenience,” Nick said. They looked each other in the eyes and he named a number that was half of what she had agreed upon for the original cabin. “The other place had two bedrooms and this just has the open loft. And there’s less square footage.” Nick crossed his arms over his broad chest. “That’s my final number.”

  She stared back without blinking and wished she could out bargain him. She let her gaze drop to her fingertips idly tapping on the granite countertop. She really needed a place to stay that was close to her new elementary school and that wouldn’t drain her modest cash hoard. She peeked up at Nick through her eyelashes and tried to read his body language.

  All she could see were his blue eyes steadily staring at her. She blinked quickly and wondered if she was out of her mind to even consider living next to him. Her heart beat a little faster at the thought of running into him often.

  “I don’t want to get in your way all summer,” Krissa said. “If this is your home, you sure don’t want a stranger hanging out all the time.”

  Nick shook his head. “I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.” He looked steadily at her and added, “If it makes a difference, I won’t be here more than a week or two. I’m just here on business then I’m back to Denver. By September, we should have another house for you. How does that sound?”

  If he was only here for a little bit, well, there was nothing to worry about. Right? It wasn’t like they were going to be living under the same roof, and it was only for the summer. By the time the regular school year was in session she would be miles away from him.

  She glanced out the windows and marveled at the view of the woods and the blue waters of the lake. It was too good to be true. She thought she could love this amazing piece of Colorado. She settled her hands on her hips and stared back at Nick. Besides, she could ignore Nick Olin.

  “Okay fine, it’s a deal,” she said.

  “Well, then, welcome home to the most beautiful resort in all of the Vail Valley,” he said and extended his hand.

  As if it had a mind of its own, her hand shot out and grasped his. It was just a simple handshake, but her breath caught in her chest and the warmth of his palm lingered on her skin.

  She must be delirious. She willed her pulse to a normal rate. This might be a really long summer. What had she just agreed to?

  * * * *

  The sun was setting and the warm June evening air drifted through the open windows of the cabin in a fragrant jumble of pine and ferns. Mounds of boxes and jumbled furniture were scattered throughout the house. Krissa had given up trying to direct the two guys who’d unloaded her belongings from the van. Each box had been carefully marked with the room and its contents, but her instructions had fallen on the deaf ears of the movers.

  She looked around with drooping shoulders and wondered again if her fit of rebellion three months ago had led her to a good place. She stared at a broken floor lamp and a crushed box that she was sure contained glassware because it had “Fragile” written on several of its sides.

  She reminded herself that moving was never a picnic in the park. Besides, she really didn’t want to be in Phoenix anymore or see any reminders of what she had left behind. Krissa closed her eyes and a nasty image sprouted in her mind.

  There was Tim Finchley standing in line at the movie theater and nuzzling and kissing a curvaceous blonde. She felt anger and hurt well up and rubbed her abdomen absently as if remembering an old ache.

  She shook her head and reminded herself that it had been two years and a lifetime ago that her world had crumpled around her. She hugged her arms across her body and tried not to think about all that she’d lost that dreadful day.

  It was the past and it could no longer hurt her, she reminded herself. Tim and his new bride were old news and practically a thousand miles away. His selfishness and cruelty couldn’t hurt her anymore. Yes, a thousand miles away sounded delightful. Well, maybe only seven hundred and fifty miles.

  She bowed to the south in a mock-salute to the pair and giggled at her silliness. It was so liberating to be starting fresh. The day she’d heard about their impending nuptials, she’d scoured the Internet for a new teaching position in a completely different city. Miraculously, the perfect job popped up on her first search—the job here in Wescott Springs teaching sixth graders. A small town in a gorgeous location and very far away from Mr. Timothy Finchley. It was ideal.

  Okay, so maybe it was a little wacky to move to Colorado and Vail Mountain when she didn’t even know how to ski, but Wescott Springs had looked so charming and glamorous in the photos on the web and such a world away from the hot Arizona desert.

  In a matter of weeks, she’d a signed job offer, had started her moving list, and created her departure campaign. She’d wrangled with all the bureaucracy of getting the right state teaching licenses and ditched half her stuff between a garage sale and Craigslist. Even finding a little place to call home had been a cakewalk—it had been hers with just one phone call. A sweet cabin near a modest lake in the tall timbers—who could want anything more?

  A small town instead of a sprawling metropolis was an excellent way to start a new life. Right? She was free to focus on her career, find friends, and create a life free from any love entanglements. Krissa frowned. She could almost hear her best friend, Ginny, groan in protest at her plan.

  Ginny had been so busy setting her up with every cute, available dude in the greater Phoenix area, but Krissa just couldn’t muster any interest. Oh, she’d gone on those blind dates, but had never even felt the faintest flutter of excitement. Nope. She clearly didn’t need a man in her life.

  She was ready for her new adventure.

  Krissa grinned at the disorganization around her—yes, life was very different now. Nothing was neat or tidy. Yes, maybe she was turning a corner and learning to live life on the fly.

  She leaned over another box, sliced through the tape, and then paused. She smiled at herself. There was no race to get her home unpacked and tidy again. It was time to relax and check out her new domain.

  A glass of wine and a stroll down to the lake were in order. A few more hours wouldn’t matter—all she needed to unpack were her sheets and a pillow and she would be good for the night. Organizing the house could wait a tad longer.

  She poured her wine into a red plastic cup she’d bought at the mini market and rounded up Shasta, who was lazing on the top step to the loft. She scrounged a flashlight from the glove box in her car. Better safe than sorry because who knew when it might get dark, and she couldn’t be sure of the path.

  As Shasta yipped eagerly, Krissa gave him the hand signal to stay close. She checked the driveway for any signs of Nick but didn’t see his gleaming red truck, not that it might be in the garage. She shrugged and stepped off the small deck.

  They moseyed their way down the path to the lakeshore. She could hear voices and laughter from a party two houses over, and music echoed across the shimmering water. With a deep exhale of peacefulness, Krissa let her eyes wander over the vista.

  Lights twinkled and reflected off the shifting dark surface of the lake. Boats with little green and red lights sparkled on the waves. On the far side of the lake, a huge lodge gleamed and glowed in the last rays of the
sunset. Sounds of guitars and drums danced across the glassy water as a live band jammed on the sprawling deck dotted with tables. It must be the Wescott Springs Resort that she’d read about.

  The air was still warm and it softly hugged her in a friendly embrace. No rumbling traffic or baking heat of the city. Krissa walked out on the short dock that she thought must be hers for the summer. Maybe she should get a little kayak to paddle around in.

  She kicked off her floppy sandals and plopped her tush down on the dock.

  “I think we’re going to like it here.”

  She leaned down to kiss the top of Shasta’s head, but the Husky bounded off at the sound of a chittering squirrel. Dry underbrush and crackly leaves rustled as Shasta sniffed around the base of a tree while the furry escapee scolded him furiously.

  Krissa slipped her bare feet into the lake and shivered. The mountain lake was nothing like a Phoenix pool in the heat of summer, and with much splashing and toe wiggling she plunged her feet down to the bottom of her calves.

  There. That was better. Krissa laughed as she leaned back on her palms and kicked her bare feet gently in the water. She could make out the song from the band on the opposite shore, and she hummed along under her breath while sipping her wine.

  She closed her eyes, inhaled the cool scent of the lake, and felt tiny ripples of contentment whisper through her. She gazed to the west and saw a bold Venus blazing a glimmering white light in the still glowing sky.

  “Hello there,” a male voice broke her reverie.

  Krissa squeaked and whipped around. Her empty wine cup tipped over.

  “I’m sorry,” the low, rumbly voice added. “I tried not to startle you.”

  Was the voice mocking? It sounded familiar. Krissa turned and spotted a tall man with crazy big shoulders. Hmm.

  “Nick Olin?”

  “Just Nick,” he said. She thought he was laughing in the gloaming light. “Enjoying the lake?”