A Husband by New Year's

by Sean D. Young

  “I had no idea that there was so much that went into this,” Patrick said as they approached their exit.

  “There’s a lot more, but I think we need to take this one step at a time. I might even have to meet with the owners or the folks in the marketing department, so I can make sure I understand what the task is.”

  “Yes, we can work on that however you want. I just want it to be right and impressive. I know you can do that.”

  Renee stared out the window at the building and grounds. “Wow, this is a beautiful place, Patrick.”

  “The chateau sits on a hill surrounded by sixty-five acres of land. It has lots of activities, from cooking classes to jazz concerts at sunset.”

  “Sounds romantic,” Renee said. “There’s so much to do, it makes sense to want to stay the night or weekend,” Renee said.

  Patrick turned onto the winding road that led them through the vineyards and around to the front entrance of the winery. There were lots of cars parked, but he found a spot in the lot, got out, and helped Renee out of the vehicle.

  He held her hand as they walked toward the front of the building. He turned to look at her.

  “Did I tell you how pleased I am that you came along with me?”

  Renee smiled. “I’m glad to be here too, and can’t wait to taste the different wines.”

  * * * * *

  Renee and Patrick had the time of their lives tasting wines, joining in the cooking class, and taking a full-length tour of the winery. Before they realized it, it was time to head back to Chicago.

  Patrick had purchased several bottles of vintage wine and made a mental note that he would have to visit again. He was so glad Renee seemed to have enjoyed herself as well.

  Being together was so natural he didn’t want to ruin the moment by bringing up his minor deception. All he wanted was for her to get to know him for him and not his business connections. He didn’t want to believe that she was in the same category as the women he’d met over the years.

  Snowflakes started hitting the windshield once he eased the car onto the road, merging onto Interstate 94 going west. When he’d looked up the weather report earlier, it was only supposed to be a dusting of snow, but he wasn’t surprised. In Michigan, just as in Chicago, it could be clear and sunny in the morning, but by noon it was a blizzard. They continued on their journey back to the Windy City, but the farther west they traveled, the snow started falling even heavier.

  Patrick was an excellent driver, knowing how to handle his vehicle, so he wasn’t worried. He was concerned, however, about Renee, because he didn’t want to put her in jeopardy just so they could get back before midnight.

  He could feel the rear wheels start to slide. They glanced at each other before Patrick sent his attention back to the road, adjusting his driving by decreasing the pressure on the accelerator. It was clear that they were headed into a bad snowstorm.

  Patrick reached over and gave Renee’s hand a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t worry, baby, we’re going to be okay.”

  Renee nodded, squeezing his hand a bit tighter, and he knew she was afraid. His eyes darted back to the road and the snow was now coming down so fast the wipers couldn’t keep up. He glanced over at Renee before releasing her hand so that he could use both hands on the steering wheel.

  As they made their way around the bend, they could see flashing blue and red lights and cherry-red flares on the ground, the result of a luxury sports car that had slid off the road and landed in a ditch. Lucky for the passengers, police and emergency crews were on the scene.

  Another two miles up the road, Patrick could see a large building sitting back from the road. He guessed it was a bed and breakfast or some kind of hotel, so he moved to get off the highway.

  “Renee, we’re going to stop and see if we can get a room at the bed and breakfast over there,” he said, pointing to his left. He could see the concern in her eyes when she turned toward him.

  She dropped her gaze and he could tell she was nervous.

  Patrick understood her reaction and wanted to reassure her that he wasn’t expecting anything from her. “Baby, look at me.” Patrick waited until Renee lifted her eyes. “I think if we stay here, we can wait out this weather. I don’t want us to end up in a ditch.”

  “The snow is coming down pretty hard. I think this is a good idea.”

  Patrick took the exit ramp then headed left. At the top of the hill, there was a sign for the Country Inn Bed and Breakfast with an arrow pointing in that direction.

  “We’ll rest here and start back early in the morning, weather permitting.”

  Turning onto the road leading to the building, he followed it around to the back. There was a parking lot filled with cars. He drove down each row, trying to find an empty spot. Finally, he eased his vehicle between a Chevy Suburban and a Buick LaCrosse in the last row at the end.

  Patrick turned off the ignition, released his seatbelt, and shifted in his seat. “Babe, you ready?”

  Renee nodded. “Yes. We’d better get inside. With all these cars, I hope they haven’t already run out of rooms.”

  Patrick jumped out of the vehicle and hurried to assist Rene. He opened the door for her. “Be careful when you step down. I think the ground is a bit slippery.”

  Renee grabbed his hand and held on tightly as she stepped down out of the sports utility vehicle.

  The snow was falling fast and the ground was a bit slick, so they took their time getting up the snow-covered walkway to the front entrance. Towering stone pillars graced the front of the building

  Patrick opened the door, allowing Renee to walk in front of him. They wiped the snow off their feet and stepped onto a beautifully detailed oriental rug that had seen better days. The place was a bit dark because there was no overhead lighting, only the glow of the lamp situated on the table in the foyer.

  They needed to find someone who could assist them, so they moved forward down the hall. Patrick grasped Renee’s hand, squeezing it for reassurance when she moved closer to him. The archways were intricately carved and he could see that the place was likely built a long time ago by the woodworking. They came upon a majestic staircase with carved detail in the banister and railing that led to the next floor.

  “I’m sure someone had to hear us come in,” Patrick whispered.

  “Maybe not, because we haven’t seen a soul, and I don’t want to go too much farther,” Renee replied.

  A few seconds later, an elderly gentleman wearing a red shirt and an old brown sweater appeared from the back, behind the staircase. “How can I help you folks?” The man gave them a genuine smile.

  “We’re looking for a couple rooms for the night,” Patrick stated, moving his arm around Renee’s waist.

  “Well, I’m sorry to tell you this, but we only have one room left,” the man said, clasping his fingers together.

  “Does the room have a single or double bed?” Patrick asked.

  The man looked between the two of them. “It has a queen-sized bed.”

  Renee stepped forward. “It’s snowing like crazy, so whatever you have, we’ll take,” she said.

  “How much for the night?” Patrick asked.

  “Ninety-nine dollars, plus tax,” the elderly man said, walking past them. “Please follow me to the study.”

  Renee and Patrick followed him down the hall and through a large oak door on the left. The man walked around the other side of the antique desk. “We haven’t had this much business since the last snowstorm. Most folks just pass right on by us for the more modern and luxurious places, ya know,” he said as he pulled out a three-ply receipt book. He reached in a coffee cup filled with pens, pencils, scissors, and markers, removed a black ink pen and started writing.

  “So people only stop here when it snows?” Renee wanted to know.

  “We get a couple of folks here and there, but because
these roads get so slippery in the winter, we get more people now than at any other time.”

  Patrick looked around the place and could see that at one time it was probably a popular tourist attraction. The warmth from the decorative fireplace and cherry wood furnishings made the room cozy. The architectural detail was beautiful, if you looked deep enough. Patrick thought the place could use some TLC. He wondered if the gentleman was the owner or if he just worked here.

  “If I may ask, are you the owner?” Patrick asked.

  “Yes, my wife and I have owned this place for over fifty years.”

  “Wow,” Patrick said. He extended his hand. “My name is Patrick Dunlap and this is my friend, Renee McClendon.”

  The man shook Patrick’s hand vigorously. “Great to meet you, Patrick. My name is Abe Peterson.” He then shook Renee’s hand.

  Renee pulled out a business card from her purse and handed it to the man. “Abe, I’d love to help you get more folks to visit your establishment.”

  Abe tried to hand it back to her. “Oh no, me and Sarah don’t have the kind of money to be advertising and such. Those days are gone now. We live a modest life and we’re okay with that.”

  Renee smiled. “That’s beautiful. If you’ll allow me, I still want to help you, so let’s just talk when you have a chance.”

  Holding the card, the elderly man smiled. “Okay, young lady. We get folks in here from time to time who say the same thing, but we always get swindled out of our money, and get nothing in return. I can’t wait to tell Sarah about this,” he said, sliding the card into the left pocket of his sweater.

  “I assure you, Abe, I’m not out to take your money. Hopefully, I can help you,” Renee said earnestly.

  Patrick was proud of Renee making an offer to help Abe and his wife. She had a good heart, and he didn’t think for one minute that she’d try to take advantage of them.

  Abe returned to his form, writing Patrick’s name into the empty box. After filling in the pertinent information, he turned the pad around. “Patrick, can you sign where the ‘X’ is on the form?” He handed Patrick the pen.

  Patrick scribbled his name and returned the pen back to him.

  “Can you show us to the room?” Renee asked.

  Abe pulled open a drawer on the right side of the desk, removing a key before handing it to Patrick. “Here you go, it’s room number nine on the third floor,” he said, rounding the desk. “There are three suites on each floor and we have three floors.”

  They followed him out of the room and back down the hall, leading to the staircase. “Take this up to the third floor and make a right. It’s at the end.”

  “Thanks, Abe,” Patrick said as he rested his hand in the small of Renee’s back, guiding her to the stairs. He felt good about his choice to stop here. He just hoped Renee wasn’t going to mind sharing a room…and a bed.

  * * * * *

  “Poor fellow. I wonder how much longer he and his wife will keep this place open,” Renee said as they climbed the stairs to the room. She was excited about the possibility of working with Abe and his wife. That was one of the reasons she wanted to start her own business, being able to help struggling entrepreneurs. Once she knew their whole story, she was sure she could find a way to help them without them having to shell out thousands of dollars. Clearly, from the looks of things, they didn’t have that kind of money to put into the business.

  People were always looking for a quaint getaway. The Country Inn seemed to be a warm and inviting choice. She was a little leery at first because of the dimly lit areas, but once she met Abe, she was all in. It was a little piece of goodness tucked away from everything.

  The old-fashioned décor on the walls could use some sprucing up, without taking away from its charm. Her mind literally raced as ideas came to her on how to improve the inn and make it more appealing.

  Renee was so caught up in her planning, it didn’t hit her that she’d actually have to share a bed with Patrick until they got to the top of the stairs. She glanced at him and he gave her a warm smile, which caused her anxiety to fade away. He’d made a decision for them to find a place to stay overnight so that they could be out of the elements, so sharing a bed with him was nothing. She’d rather have a warm body next to her on a narrow bed than be freezing in a ditch on the side of a road somewhere.

  Renee hurried and caught Patrick’s elbow as they started down the long hallway. “I think this is the longest hall I’ve ever seen in my life,” she commented as she admired the framed photos in between the rooms.

  “The place doesn’t look this large from the outside,” Patrick said as they came upon door nine.

  Patrick inserted the small gold key, turned it to the right, and twisted the knob. Pushing the door open, he searched for the wall switch, and flipped it on. The room was flooded with light, offering them a view of the space.

  “Are you going to be okay with this?”

  Renee stepped inside and scanned the space. The bed looked so small. “We’re only here for the night, so it’ll be fine. Beats sleeping in the car.”

  At this point, she was just glad to be inside. Sliding all over the highway was exhausting, so she was ready to lie down as soon as possible.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” Patrick said.

  “I don’t remember the weatherman saying we were going to have a snowstorm,” Renee said, walking over to the bed.

  “This is the Midwest, babe,” Patrick said.

  Moving back over to the queen-sized bed, she stretched her body out over the floral duvet and closed her eyes. Sorting through her feelings, Renee realized that there had been a time where if she’d been stranded with a guy in a room, she’d be freaking out. But the opposite was true tonight, as Patrick took control of the situation and protected her. She wished she’d brought her journal with her, so she could write down her thoughts.

  Sitting up from the bed, Renee removed her black leather boots and placed them on the floor. She gave the room a glance. There was a dresser with a mirror, two nightstands, a closet, and a small adjoining bath with a standup shower, toilet, and sink. Everything they needed for the night, minus the luxury.

  She opened her purse and pulled out her cell phone so she could call one of her sisters. One of them needed to know where she, so she dialed Jennifer’s number.

  “Hey, girlie,” Renee said once her sister answered.

  “What’s up, sissy?” Jennifer asked.

  “I wanted to let you know that I went out of town with a friend and on the way back, we got caught in a snowstorm—”

  Before she could finish, Jennifer interrupted her. “Wait, you’re talking too fast. Let’s go one step at a time. Now, you went out of town with a friend?”

  Renee shook her head. “Yes,” she slowly answered. There was no way Jennifer was going to allow Renee to just give her the message and hang up the phone. She wanted more information so she could run and tell the others.

  “What friend?”

  “You don’t know him, Jenn.”

  “Ohhh,” her sister dragged on. “It’s a he and not a she.”

  “Jennifer, listen to me, please. I’m at a little bed and breakfast right off Interstate 94 because of the weather. I only called you so that someone would know where I am.”

  “Why didn’t you call Daddy to come and get you?”

  “For what? Why would I want him out here like that? Girl, bye.” Renee hung up the phone only to have her sister call right back.

  “Yes, sissy?” she said when she answered.

  “You cool, though?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “You trust this friend of yours who’s a he and not a she?”

  “Yes, I trust him.”

  “Are we going to get the 4-1-1 on him or are you keeping him a secret?”

  “I’ll tell you all about him when I get bac
k. We need to have a meeting anyway because of the gala.”

  “There is a lot that we have going on, so I agree we need a meeting,” Jennifer said in response. “Take care and call me as soon as you get back to Chicago.”

  “I will. Kiss my babies for me,” Renee said before ending the call.

  Patrick walked over to the bed and sat down. “Babies, huh?”

  Renee giggled. “No, not my babies. My sister has twins, a girl and a boy.”

  “Oh, okay. So tell me more about your sisters.”

  Renee lay back on the bed and Patrick did the same. “My sister Faith married the boy next door, and owns her own boutique called Made to Order by Faith. Then there’s my sister Patrice. Now she’s the one you have to look out for.”

  Patrick frowned. “Why?”

  “She’s quick witted and quick tempered. She doesn’t take mess from nobody, and isn’t going to let you pull anything over on her without calling you out on it.”

  “Okay, I’ll have to remember that when I meet her,” Patrick said in response.

  “Then there’s my baby sister, Jennifer. She was born two years after me. She’s a hairstylist and manages Lavish Locks over in River North. She’s the one with the twins.”

  “So, there’s four of you guys?”

  “No, we have a brother Laurence who’s over in Afghanistan. He’s supposed to be coming home soon. We’re so excited.”

  “I bet,” Patrick said.

  “What about you?” Renee asked, curious to know more about him.

  “It’s just me and my brother,” Patrick said.

  “Are you two close?”

  “We were once, but not as much anymore.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “It looks like you’re really close to your family.”

  “I am. We’re like the three musketeers, but there are five of us. You know—all for one and one for all. Even my extended family is close.”

  Patrick got up from the bed and walked over to the small window, pushing the curtains aside to look out. “The snow is coming down and I think I see Abe out there trying to clear it, but it’s falling faster than he can push the blower.”