by Blesy, Marcy
“I’ll see what I can do, Mr. Oakley.” We hear the cart leave the room along with the young woman pushing it. That seems to do the trick. I suppose Lawson learned some of his talents with the ladies from Ted. I wonder if he was this charming with my mom. A short while later a couple of nurses come into the room to assist Ted out of bed. As soon as the IV pole rolls out of the room along with him, Murphy opens the bathroom door.
“Wait right here,” he says, peeking out into the hall. “Okay, good. Ted had the brains to walk away from the elevator.”
“What about the cop?” I ask.
“She must be with him or on a break or something. Let’s go.” He grabs my hand again and pulls me into the hallway. Thankfully, we don’t pass any hospital staff until we are almost at the elevator where two nurses carrying charts pass us without a second glance.
“No, not the elevator,” I say, when Murphy pushes the elevator button. “We should take the stairs.”
“Reese, we’re on the sixth floor. That’s a lot of stairs,” says Murphy. It’s true that Murphy doesn’t look near as fit as he was looking when he left the lodge in September when he was still in the trying to impress Tinley stage. Poor guy could use the gym to burn off some stress.
“We can’t risk running into someone else. Let’s go.”
When we’re safely outside, we meet up with Finn and Tinley in Finn’s truck, and Murphy’s first love before he sold it to buy Tinley’s engagement ring. “Thanks,” I say, hugging Finn and Tinley simultaneously.
“It’s about damn time,” says Tinley. “It’s freezing in this state,” she says.
“Freezing?” says Finn. “It’s twenty degrees today. That’s a regular heatwave. Did you get to say what you needed to say?” Finn asks me.
“I did. It was great, actually.”
“Let’s get out of this depressing place,” says Tinley. “I have got to change.”
“Oh, I almost forgot. How did your little performing act turn out?”
Tinley glares at Finn. “Mr. Loverboy nearly got our butts thrown in jail,” she says.
“Me?” says Finn, his eyebrows raising as high as the bottom of his snug winter hat. “You are the one who spilled my coffee on the police officer!”
“You didn’t?” I say.
“I didn’t mean to, but when I spilled my own coffee in a very convincing way, mind you, that damn near scalded me, it was so hot. My nerves made me bump into Finn and spill his coffee on the hot officer—pun intended—but it was Finn’s insistence on drying her off that went overboard.” She grins devilishly.
“Tinley! I was trying to help!”
“Sure, call it what you will, Finn. Let’s get out of here, okay? I didn’t travel 2300 miles to spend it in the parking lot of a hospital. Seriously, Reese how did you survive without me?”
“I have no idea, Tinley. I have no idea.”
Chapter 13:
The lodge is crazy busy with the after Christmas crowd. I haven’t seen this many kids since the summer. Only kids running after a Frisbee are not nearly as dangerous as kids on snowboards or skis. Finn has been skiing with Tinley and Murphy all day today, his day off. Though I wasn’t as much of a klutz as I thought I’d be that day Finn taught me how to ski after my first fall, I’m better suited to staying indoors, and even though Ted is feeling better, I need to be in tip-top shape to be ready to help him out in whatever capacity he needs. That means I’ll ride that chair lift to the top of the mountain but only to transfer supplies to the restaurant for their concessions and to wait for Finn and the crew to warm up next to the restaurant’s roaring fire.
I settle the box of supplies—new hot chocolate mixes, bags of marshmallows, and Styrofoam cups—next to me on the chair lift. A group of foul-mouthed boys are screaming behind me, undoubtedly trying to impress the girls who are in the chair behind them. I turn around to glare at them, but they couldn’t care less. In that short amount of time, someone slides onto the chair next to me, and we continue moving up the mountain.
“Hey! Shut the hell up back there!” Lawson picks up where my glare left off, though he gets more results than me, and the screaming subsides, at least for now.
“What are you doing here?” I ask.
“Helping deliver restaurant supplies it looks like,” he says, the flaps of his furry hat covering both sides of his face. I can see my reflection in his sunglasses, and I wonder why I agreed to wear the new hat Tinley brought me. What do people from California know about practical winter head-gear? I am probably the only one wearing real white rabbit fur on my head. Ugh.
“In skis?” I ask, pointing to his feet.
“Just watch. I can ski while holding supplies. I’m that good.”
“That’s what you say about everything.” I roll my eyes, glad that I didn’t wear my sunglasses and he can see how unimpressed I am with him.
“Why the piss-ant attitude?” he asks. “You know, besides the usual reasons.”
“You sent those police officers breathing down my neck.”
“I didn’t send anyone to breathe on you.”
“Ha! Not funny!” I say. “Yes, you did. Officer Bad Cop Kanicki and Officer Good Cop Folet. They wanted to know all about my relationship with Ted and knew about my, uh, shortcomings, in some of my lodge responsibilities. They knew about our administrative leave.”
“I know exactly who you’re talking about, but only because that jerk Kanicki and Folet talked to me, too. They woke me the day after Christmas at 10:00. Who wakes someone that early anyway?”
“They were at my door at 8:00.”
“Oh—sorry. Anyway, I just assumed you told them to talk to me. They knew about me not being Ted’s real nephew and—”
“Well, I did tell them that.” He slaps his leg and nearly drops the box of supplies. “Sorry. I thought you sent them to me, like I already said.”
“But they asked me about a lot of stuff you wouldn’t know, too.”
“Like what?”
“Like about my relationship with Georgia and some gambling debt I’ve acquired over the years from a casino in Traverse City.”
“You didn’t tell them about Georgia, did you?”
“I didn’t tell them anything about Georgia. Do you think she had something to do with this?”
“You mean about poisoning Ted?” I can only imagine his eyes are as big as saucers behind his sunglasses the way he sounds so surprised.
“Did the cops tell you about a change in Ted’s will?”
“Yeah, they said something about it.”
“Think about it, Lawson. Georgia was dating you and Ted simultaneously. Let’s say it’s true what they said about the will. Maybe Georgia counted on being Mrs. Oakley someday, and she found out that Ted put the two of us in the will. Why wouldn’t she be pissed?”
“She wouldn’t try to kill him, Reese.”
“Well, I guess you know her better than me.” I jump off the chair lift when we get to the top of the mountain. It’s sure a lot easier stepping off in boots than in skis. Lawson’s wearing skis, though, and it isn’t but a couple of seconds when the box he’s carrying goes flying out of his hands, opening up, and spilling its contents all over the snow, exactly where skiers and snowboarders are beginning their descent down the mountain. I bend down to pick up the supplies when one of those bratty, show-off kids goes flying right over my hand, “Hey! Son of a—” I pull off my glove and shove my hand in the snow because it cuts the pain.
“Sorry about that,” says Lawson. He snaps off his skis and yells at everyone to go around us as he starts picking up the restaurant supplies. A trail of marshmallows from a hole in the bag forms behind him. His hat hangs loosely onto the back of his head, his wispy hair hanging loosely over his sunglasses. He looks up and smiles. “I guess you can make marshmallow snowmen while you’re down there.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Maybe I should just head to the restaurant. I can take the box from here.”
“And risk being pommelled by another pint
-size tot? No, I’ll carry the box, if you can carry my skis.”
As I follow Lawson toward the restaurant, I can’t help but wonder if our relationship would have been different if I’d just met him, minus all the drama when he found out I was Ted’s biological daughter. I shake off the fleeting thought when I see Finn, Tinley, and Murphy sitting by the roaring fire in the restaurant.
Tinley waves when she sees me. “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” she says when she sees Lawson.
“Good to see you, too, Tinley.”
“At least the marshmallows have arrived. You can’t have a proper hot chocolate without them.”
Tinley grabs the nearest bag and reaches in for a handful of marshmallows. They are dissolving in her hot chocolate before I can stop her. “Tinley! There are health codes we have to abide by, even up here. You can’t just reach into the bag like that!” I snatch it back from her, undeterred by her pout, which compliments her bright yellow snow suit quite well. Of course, the California girl would have a designer snowsuit in a color that screams, Look at me!
“I’ll take that from here, Lawson,” says Finn, grabbing the box out of his hands before he can protest.
“Dude, the kitchen’s right there. I think I can handle it.” Lawson pulls the box back.
“I’m sure you’ve helped enough already today,” says Finn. He yanks the box back out of Lawson’s hand, but Lawson is prepared this time, and when he pulls, all that he succeeds in grabbing is the bag of marshmallows with the hole, and it goes flying open—again—all over the ground.
“Dammit, Finn! Cut it out!” I say.
“Me?”
“Yes, you. Jealousy is not an attractive quality. All I wanted was to hang out with my boyfriend and best friend and have a relaxing afternoon. Instead you embarrass me.”
“Sorry you feel that way, Reese!” he yells. “Tinley, Murphy, I’ll catch you later. I suddenly have better things to do on my day off.” He grabs his skis and stomps toward the door, but he turns around and comes back. “You know what, Reese? If you’d rather stay here with Loverboy and play house in this great big lodge of yours, feel free. I don’t want you to come on that cruise ship since it’s so obvious that you don’t want to go.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing, and I can’t believe that he’s doing this in front of our friends…and Lawson. “I do want to go, Finn. Stop being an asshole.”
“Yeah? If you wanted to go so badly, you’d have lined up a job on the ship by now, just like the police officers pointed out. You never intend to leave the lodge. That’s pretty damn clear.” This time he doesn’t look back as he storms out the door of the restaurant.
I want to follow him. I want to tell him he’s wrong—that I do want to go on the cruise ship with him, but my feet feel stuck to the floor. Lawson doesn’t say a word but takes the box of supplies to the kitchen. Tinley’s face has transitioned from pouty lip to sad puppy dog eyes. Murphy picks up the dropped marshmallows and leaves to look for a trash can. “I do want to go with Finn, Tinley.”
“Then maybe you need to figure out why Lawson has such a hold on you that you can’t tell your boyfriend how you really feel.”
I open my mouth to argue, but Tinley’s right. It’s not just Tremont Lodge that’s become a part of my life I’m not sure I can live without. But it’s not for the reasons everyone thinks.
Chapter 14:
Officer Folet is waiting outside my room when I get back. To say that this couldn’t be a worse time would be the understatement of the day. “There you are, Ms. Prentice. Helen said you would be arriving shortly.”
“Helen? Why would Helen know when I was arriving?”
“It seems that your friend Bree told her where you were.”
“Bree? I don’t understand. What do you want? I’ve had kind of a rotten day.”
“But shouldn’t you be happy? Mr. Oakley is on his way home from the hospital.”
“That’s wonderful news,” I say, and I mean it. “How is he getting back to the lodge?” I know Lawson is still on top of the mountain, and he sure as hell didn’t call Georgia—thank goodness.
“Helen,” says Officer Folet.
“Oh, I understand now. Was Helen looking for me to pick up Ted?”
“I highly doubt that. I think she’s inclined to keep you away from Mr. Oakley.”
“Why would she want to do that?”
“Ms. Prentice, there are people here at the lodge that still think you had something to do with poisoning Mr. Oakley.”
“But that is ridiculous!”
“If not you, then perhaps you’d like to enlighten me on why Lawson also made his way to Mr. Oakley’s penthouse suite the evening you both found him lying on his bedroom floor?”
“I don’t know why Lawson was there. Why don’t you ask him yourself?” I know I’m not hiding my defensiveness, but this guy is really pissing me off, and he’s supposed to be the nice cop.
“And remind me—you were there to give Mr. Oakley a Christmas present?”
“Y…yes.”
“We didn’t find any Christmas presents in the suite. Perhaps you brought it back here with you?”
“I was going to invite Ted out to dinner—as a Christmas present. And I wanted him to know how much I wanted my job back.”
“But didn’t you tell me that you plan on leaving Tremont Lodge this spring?”
“Yes, I am—I mean, I did tell you that, and I am leaving, but I still needed Ted to know how much I was going to miss the lodge…and him.”
“That’s all very sweet, Ms. Prentice. I do hope that you are telling me the truth. You still have that business card I gave you if you can think of any more helpful information?”
“Yes.”
“All right then. Have a great evening.”
I unlock the door to my room as I try to digest the second interrogation of the day. Who on earth would really think that I would harm Ted? Or that Lawson would for that matter? Yet, someone did harm him. I pull out my phone to text Lawson.
Me: Check on Gloria. Please.
Lawson: Why? What’s wrong with her?
Me: Just make sure she doesn’t have anything to do with Ted.
Lawson: Leave it alone, Reese.
Me: I can’t. Someone hurt Ted. If it wasn’t me or you, then who?
Lawson doesn’t answer. I imagine his brain spinning a million directions, too, trying to make sense of it all. And thinking about Lawson again reminds me of what I am supposed to be doing now…finding Finn, but he doesn’t answer my texts.
When I knock on Finn’s door, he doesn’t answer, either. I use the spare key he gave me to let myself inside. His snow pants are hanging in the shower to dry though the bathroom is still pretty steamy, and on the counter is his plumeria soap—so cute—and an open bottle of cologne. Did he change and get ready to surprise me tonight, to tell me he’s sorry for acting jealous, that he knows how much I love him? I smile for the first time in hours.
I decide to check the library. Of course, he’ll know I’ll go there. He knows me so well. I wish I had time to change out of my snow pants and Under Armor long johns and sweatshirt, but I don’t want to keep Finn waiting. Even the kids playing tackle football on the lawn in the snow as I cross to the lodge don’t bother me.
I wave at Luis who is manning the front desk all by himself at the moment. At least the line to check in isn’t too bad. He calls me over. “Hi, Reese.”
“Hi. What’s up?”
“Hey. Sorry to bother you, but could you do me a favor?”
I consider the time on the clock but know I still owe Luis for bumbling on the job when I worked the front desk. “Sure.”
“Thanks. Can you take these towels to the pool deck?” He hands me a fresh stack of towels. “Someone just called down that they are almost out.”
“No problem.”
I take the set of crisp white towels toward the outdoor pool, always 90 degrees. I feel the steam as soon as I enter the changing room where guest
s often leave their robes or shoes. I stack the towels neatly in the cubicles marked clean towels and decide to help out and collect all of the dirty towels for the cleaning crew, which during this time of year includes Helen and Bree on the pool deck. I push the dirty towel bin into the exercise room to get those towels, too. It’s a pretty quiet time today as most people are up on the slopes. A cute redhead is bench pressing in the corner of the room. I pause and admire her technique. She’s clearly not new to weight-lifting, but she doesn’t look manly, either—kind of the perfect mixture of masculine muscles and perfect womanly body as her tight workout tank displays all the goods. I imagine the guy spotting her has the most envious position in the room. I see his hands helping her lower the bar to its perch before I see his face, and when I do, I drop the dirty towels I’d just collected, and they crash onto the floor sending an inflatable exercise ball rolling down the middle of the floor. That’s when Finn notices that I am standing in the room watching him look between the hot girl lying on her back, legs spread open over the weight bench and me, bending over to pick up sweaty, dirty gym towels. Even from where I am standing I can see his face turn the color of the girl’s red spandex tank top.
I do a half-wave from under the stack of towels. I feel like I’m going to throw up, but I refuse to let Finn know how angry I am now. He gets jealous over Lawson, so the next chance he gets he’s fawning all over some hot girl.
“Hi. I’m Pandy.” The girl sits up and shakes out her perfectly sweatless hair. “I needed a spotter, and Finn saved me. I’m not sure I could have finished that last set without him.” She turns around and smiles.
“You two have fun,” I say, my voice cracking as I pick up the last of the dirty towels, deposit them in the dirty bin, and head toward the door, but I don’t get far. Finn catches me in the hallway on my way back to the lobby.
“Reese, it’s not what you think.”
“I don’t think anything,” I say, shaking his hand off of my arm.
“I needed to blow off some steam after your little show with Lawson up on the mountain.”