Last Resort Love

by Holly Cortelyou

  “Cake?” a velvety voice asked. It was Nick. As he sat down next to her, he gestured at the pair of plates with thick slabs of chocolate decadence cake. Krissa stared at the sweets.

  “What are you? Some kind of dessert pimp?” she said with a tart twang in her voice. “Or just a one-man diet-wrecking crew? You can’t seriously expect me to eat all of this,” she complained.

  He nodded innocently, but his eyes laughed. “I think you’ve been avoiding me. So I’m bribing you to stay put for a second and talk to me. I figured if smoking hot berries won you over last time that chocolate might be even better.”

  With three inches of frosting and six towering inches of cake, Krissa was worried she might drool like a puppy. Dammit, wasn’t food supposed to be the way to a man’s heart, not a woman’s? The cake plate danced in front of her eyes. She reached for it.

  As he handed her the plate, his fingers brushed hers. She felt tickles of fire dance along her skin. She tried not to look at him.

  “You must be pretty bad if you think you need to butter me up this much,” she said with a voice she hoped sounded cool and unconcerned.

  “I’m so misunderstood,” he said. He outrageously fluttered his eyelashes.

  “I doubt that,” Krissa said, but the sarcasm was lost in a mumble of gooey frosted bliss.

  They gobbled down their treats like a pair of contented kids. As if the chocolate mellowed her, Krissa searched for something nice to say.

  “Hey, thanks for getting the cable guys to come out so quickly. I’ve already got an amazingly fast Internet connection. I appreciate it. So far, you’re a good landlord.”

  “Just doing my job, ma’am,” he said with a quirk of his eyebrow, “and just trying to be a good neighbor.” He touched Krissa’s arm. Her heart thrummed as she briefly met his eyes in the flickering firelight.

  A cackle of laughter broke through Krissa’s thoughts and a group of women settled around the fire with them. Angie slid into the seat next to Nick’s and put her pale, elegant hand over his. The woman ignored Krissa.

  “Do tell Misty about that funny time after homecoming in our senior year when we all went down to go skinny dipping at the rock quarry ponds,” she cooed. “Misty’s never heard the story and I don’t remember who all was with us that night, and how did Sherriff Coates figure out we were there? Was it Mac or Peterson who ended up spending the night in jail?”

  The fair-haired Misty laughed and pulled a chair closer. Nick looked around at the expectant faces and glanced again at Krissa. He took a quick swig of beer and launched into the high-school tale.

  “Petey, come on over,” Misty called out to a group of guys who were standing near the jungle gym.

  Krissa listened with half an ear and watched all the women in the group hang on each of Nick’s words. Angie’s hand never left Nick’s arm until he suddenly jumped up and started acting out the sheriff’s arrival in the story. The guys whooped and egged Nick on. More people flocked around the fire ring and the roar of laughter grew.

  Krissa felt mesmerized as she watched Nick, and she found herself busting up with laughter like everyone else. Angie and her pals surrounded Nick, and Krissa felt a moment of loneliness; she had the distinct notion that she was the odd one out. Well, she was the new girl in town. What did she expect?

  The guy named Peterson resumed his part of the tale starting with a description of the jail cell and his fellow one-night inmates. Krissa gathered up her empty plate and headed back to the house. She was careful not to look back.

  Up on the deck, Krissa mixed in with a small group of fellow teachers, and she tried hard not to look down at the fire pit, but each time there was a burst of laughter, her head instinctively pivoted toward it.

  She was sure she’d caught Nick looking her direction several times, but he was always surrounded by several women, including Angie. She watched the gorgeous principal touch Nick’s arm possessively and lean in close as she laughed at something he said. The huntress and her prey? Krissa wondered. Maybe Nick had a thing with Angie. He hadn’t seemed eager to speak with her earlier, but he sure didn’t seem to be running away from all of the attention now.

  Krissa’s warning bells went off. Nick seemed charming, but he was making a lot of time at this barbecue with the flock of females surrounding him.

  Was she jealous? Krissa huffed her annoyance. Nick was trouble, and she wasn’t going to get mixed up with another guy like her former fiancé. No liars. No two-timers. No guys, period. With a mental shake of her head, Krissa vowed she wouldn’t give Nick the time of day. Nope, she was hard as a rock.

  A warm breeze fluttered by and a strand of her hair danced across her face; the memory of Nick’s warm body pressing up against hers in the dusky twilight by the lake’s edge flooded her awareness. A tingling rippled down her spine like a teasing, sensuous finger, and she felt a fire flare in her core. Her breath caught in her throat.

  No, she was steady and firm and wouldn’t fall for another Casanova. With a determined expression, she quickly said her good-byes to Dana and slipped away from the party.

  Chapter 9

  KRISSA stretched out on the lounge chair on her little patio and gloried in the magnificent view spilling out in front of her. Lofty pines and white birches were sprinkled liberally around her, and sweet white alpine flowers dappled the ground and perfumed the air. Lake Wescott shimmered a perfect blue reflection of the sky.

  “This is heaven,” she said to Shasta, who lolled contentedly at her side. He’d already chased every squirrel out of the vicinity in the last hour and was happy to take a break next to his mistress.

  With a quick glance over at the garage, Krissa re-confirmed for at least the tenth time that neither Nick nor his jaunty red pickup were anywhere in sight.

  He’d actually stuck a note to her door early in the morning that announced that he would be gone on business and back on Monday. She had a whole Sunday of peace without him. She wished the notion made her feel better, but somehow it just seemed lonely and a shade too quiet.

  All she seemed to see was Nick leaning lazily against the deck railing at the picnic. Why did he have to look so damn sexy and appealing? Nobody’s eyes should smolder at her like that. Why was she making this complicated? He was a good-looking guy, but she was not interested in dating anyone. Dating would just lead to trouble and commitment issues and then complications and then misery. No. It was much easier to avoid Nick all together and skip any chance of heartache. She wasn’t meant to have a mate. She would make it on her own.

  She sipped her iced tea, flipped open her paperback, and tried to get back into the story. Her phone chirruped. It was a text from David. She scowled at the phone. What did her little brother need now? Surely it was too soon for her to have to bail him out of another crisis. She sent a little prayer skyward and hoped for the best.

  With a quick scan, she felt a hint of relief and then a fresh twinge of annoyance. He was begging for a hundred bucks to tide him over until his next payday. He was hungry.

  Ha. He was probably just wasting it on something stupid or illegal. She almost texted “Tough,” but she hesitated and then softened. What if he really was out of money and couldn’t afford anything to eat? He was her only brother and he really did have a tough time of it. Growing up, it had been just her and their mom who were there for him. No dad to show him the way or be a role model. Just an absentee father who couldn’t care less about them.

  Krissa pulled up her banking app, tapped out several commands on her phone, moved some money over to his account, and then shot him a message. She tried to sound big sisterly and told him to buy some mac and cheese, and to live cheaply. Maybe he wouldn’t do anything stupid. He was just nineteen, after all, she told herself.

  Krissa tried to settle back down, but the view didn’t seem quite as spectacular or restful now.

  Her phone hummed out a silly song that announced a phone call from her mother.

  “It doesn’t rain, but it pours,” she said mou
rnfully to no one but Shasta. He thumped his tail reassuringly.

  “How was the move, my baby girl?” her mother asked.

  “Not too painful. I had some bad luck, but it turned into good. I’m staying in an adorable cottage right on the water for the whole summer.”

  “Oh, how super,” her mother gushed and then launched into a dissertation about the politics of her ladies’ group and how the garden tour had been such a disaster since Millicent VanRoper refused to let the group use her palatial deck for the final stop of the day.

  Krissa tried to laugh and sympathize at the right moments, but somehow her mother’s concerns and petty squabbles with her girlfriends seemed very far away. After almost twenty minutes of her mother’s chatter, she suddenly paused.

  “Oh, did you hear that? I have another call. It might be Jerry. Love you, dear. Bye-bye.”

  Silenced stretched. Krissa stared at her phone and watched the connection end. Huh? Who was Jerry? She smiled at her mother. One question about her daughter’s big move to a new state and a new job. That was plenty of information, apparently. At least one member of her family was doing just fine without her. It felt strange to realize that her mother didn’t seem to miss her. When she’d still lived nearby, her mother had run to her with every little hiccup and problem. Now…she wasn’t even on her radar.

  Was her mom finally becoming independent? It was what Krissa had always hoped for. It was hard enough to look after David without constantly having to try to fix all of her mother’s imagined slights and problems.

  Krissa tried to drum up a smile, but it just wouldn’t stick. She shifted restlessly and tossed her book to the end of the lounge chair. Her phone rang again. She jumped in her seat. It was a local number. It was Dana and she was begging for Krissa’s company on a trip into Vail.

  “I need a little shopping time and some girl time away from my clan,” Dana said. “Please come with me! It’s short notice, but I would love you to join me.”

  “Is there a good place to buy bath and kitchen stuff?” Krissa asked.

  “Oh, yeah. There are some nice boutiques and even a big box store just east on the freeway,” Dana promised.

  Hours later, the two girls sat wearily at an outdoor cafe and nibbled on veggies and hummus amidst a mountain of shopping bags. Krissa stared delightedly around the lovely plaza and felt like she must be in an elegant Swiss fairyland. The buildings were charmingly perfect with steep dormers and inviting balconies and a sprinkling of towers and turrets. It was golden and enchanting.

  Krissa and Dana watched the tourists and locals stroll between stores. Krissa felt like she was part of a photo shoot for a tourism board ad. It looked so appealing and fun.

  “You’re so lucky to have lived here for so long,” Krissa said. “It’s simply amazing.” Krissa waved her hand around appreciatively.

  “The winters aren’t too shabby either,” Dana said with a laugh. “It’s even a good place to raise a family, although you might not think it with so many people passing through every day. Wescott Springs still has a really good small town flavor and is a bit more down-to-earth than Vail. I’m really blessed that we’re able to live here.” Dana patted her belly and added, “You may have guessed, but baby number five is due in a little more than four months.”

  Krissa squeezed her hand and congratulated her. Krissa felt a warm glow and wondered if Dana’s life could possibly be as perfect as it seemed.

  “You’re barely showing,” Krissa said.

  “I’m lucky—especially after four other babies.”

  “You and Brett sure have the perfect home to raise a big family,” Krissa said.

  “We got a great deal on the property a few years back, and Brett added a few more bedrooms. Thank goodness he’s a carpenter since we just keep popping out kids!”

  “Big families are great,” Krissa said.

  Dana nodded cheerfully and said, “There’s always room for one more baby. Besides, we had to have another one to be company for our two-year-old, Tanner. He was a happy accident and he deserves a little brother or sister.”

  “Are you going to find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”

  “My ultrasound is in a few weeks,” Dana replied. “I can’t wait. Even after so many, I’m still tingling with expectation. Boy or girl, I don’t have a preference. Just a bouncing, healthy baby.” She rested her hand on her tummy and said, “This one was shy at the last ultrasound and just wouldn’t give the tech or the doctor a good view!”

  “You’re very lucky,” Krissa said. “I often wished for a houseful of siblings when I was a kid. My brother is almost seven years younger than me. He was just my twerpy little brother, not my playmate.” Krissa made a face and added, “Ha! He still is.”

  “I think annoying is just a brotherly characteristic,” Dana said with a flick of her fingers. “Nick was never twerpy, but he sure has a mind of his own and sure got into lots of trouble before my uncle insisted that he spend all of his free time working the resort. That settled him down. Now he’s a demon for work.”

  “You have a sister too, right?” Krissa said.

  “Yep, Brianna is the baby of the family,” Dana said. “She’s in Denver these days and works nonstop too. I think she always has a phone glued to her ear. She’s in public relations and always busy.”

  “Busy sounds like the operative word for you three siblings,” Krissa said with a laugh. “I bet you’re more swamped with your active family.”

  Dana grinned her agreement. “I’m the only one of the three of us who ever wanted to settle down and have a family. Brie swears she’s a career woman and says my kids are all she’ll ever need. I’m almost in despair of Nick. He’s thirty-two and a serial dater. As soon as a relationship looks promising, I swear he intentionally takes an assignment at least three thousand miles away.”

  Krissa shook her head sympathetically and assured herself that Nick’s player status was of no interest whatsoever to her.

  “I’m sure you’re an excellent role model for Nick and Brie,” Krissa said with a saucy wink. “You’ll inspire them with your domestic bliss.”

  “Don’t be fooled by visions of family perfection,” Dana laughed. “It’s general mayhem at the Anderson Funny Farm. Four kids, three dogs, two cats, a turtle, and a pair of hamsters. Eli is lobbying for snake or an iguana, but I’m holding the line at reptiles—he might eat one of the other inmates.”

  “It sounds lively,” Krissa said.

  “You can’t imagine,” Dana said and pretended to look sorrowful.

  “Please! You love it,” Krissa said.

  “We have our fun,” Dana said. “I guess this little one will be my last baby, so I think I’ll enjoy every, well almost every, moment of this pregnancy. I’m sure glad the morning sickness seems to be over. I’m such an old hand at the preggers thing you’d think I wouldn’t get sick anymore.”

  “I don’t think it works that way.” Krissa laughed.

  Krissa felt a sigh building and wondered if she’d be a good mother. Her own mother certainly wasn’t an ideal role model. Granted, she hadn’t beaten or abused her or David, but there was plenty left wanting. Maybe she would use her parents as what-not-to-do role models. Krissa grinned at the thought. She tried to think of what her own children would be like and somehow a picture of Nick playing with his nephews planted itself in her brain.

  She shooed the image away and scowled at herself. No husbands or boyfriends, so no babies either. She sure didn’t want to do the single mom thing if she didn’t have to. She’d had enough of deadbeat dads who ignored their responsibilities. Her heart sank.

  No. Family life wasn’t for her. Besides, Krissa reminded herself, she already had kids—all of her students. She was devoting her life to her students and she really didn’t need any kids of her own. She tried to feel happy and noble about it…but the notion didn’t seem quite as appealing as it had for the last year.

  As the two women drove out of Vail and headed to Wescott Springs, Dana as
ked, “Are you still game for dinner tomorrow? It’s just family night at the Anderson’s. Games and good food and movies. Nothing terribly exciting.”

  “It sounds great,” Krissa said. “Can I bring anything?”

  “Brett’s experimenting with a rotisserie turkey on the grill, so how about a veggie side dish?”

  As she turned down the long lane leading to the Anderson house, Krissa felt a glow of friendship and acceptance. She spied a trio of deer nibbling on the green grasses of the field and grinned. A delicate mist spooled along the green-gold ground and the afternoon sun glowed brightly behind the thicket of trees beyond the fence. A little ripple of contentment drifted through Krissa’s soul. A slice of paradise. She was loving the mountains.

  Krissa parked next to the kitchen door. As Dana climbed out of the car, she asked, “Do you know about the Mid-Summer’s Ball?”

  Krissa shook her head.

  “You must come,” Dana declared. “It is our biggest summer event and we raise a bunch of money for a different charity each year. It is loads of fun and we all dress up in costumes. It’s a masquerade fantasy in the middle of summer.”

  “Costumes?” Krissa asked with a funny tickle of dread.

  “Yep! And anything goes,” Dana said with a laugh. “Adults only. Everybody goes and we get lots of tourists who just come for the fun.”

  “See and be seen?”

  “You know it,” Dana said with a smirk. “The Mid-Summer’s Ball is where we in Wescott let it all hang out. Some folks just dress up for the laughs but others are pretty naughty.”

  “Sounds like shades of Shakespeare,” Krissa said.

  “Exactly! A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Dana said. “My mother was a big time nut for the Shakespeare thing and hosted a masquerade party every summer in our backyard. I re-started the tradition the first year I got married. It didn’t take long before the party outgrew our backyard, so I turned it into a charity event. The location varies, but this year I’m hosting it at Nick’s resort, although I’m not sure he even knows it.” Dana gave a saucy laugh.