Sleigh Bells in Valentine Valley (21 page)

But consequently, he got to see her excited, watch her face animate until it glowed and those eyes sparkle with delight. He'd forgotten how satisfied it made him just to make her happy. And that was a little unnerving.

He told himself the happier she was, the better the sex would be, and that was certainly true.

He wanted to find other ways to get her alone, so without thinking too much about what it all meant, he showed up at her door before lunch with a plan.

She stared at him in surprise. “If you need me to come into work, you could have called. And you showed up at my
front
door—what a shock. This isn't about sex at lunch?”

“Nope. I think you've been working too hard and need a break.”

“I'm home, taking a break,” she said with amusement, leaning against the door frame.

“If I know you—and I know you well—you're still working, whether it's on the festival or your law dilemma.”

Her eyes lit with merriment, though she didn't speak.

“And you need to get away from it. Come on, I have stuff in the truck.”

“Stuff? You have something
planned
? We said no dates.”

“This isn't a date—I'm your boss insisting that you take an employee break.”

She smiled. “Well, that explains everything.”

“Are you coming? Or are we going to stand here letting all the cold air into your house?”

She hesitated for what seemed like a long time, though it could only have been seconds. Her hesitation made him realize that he desperately wanted her to go with him, and he wasn't so sure it was just about sex anymore. But he told himself what did it matter, when she'd be leaving next month anyway? And everything seemed a little dimmer at the thought.

“I'll get my coat,” she finally said, shaking her head.

“And scarf and mittens and warm hat. Boots, too.”

When she returned, all adorably bundled up, she said, “This is more and more mysterious.”

“It won't be. I've fallen back on the old standby I once used to get you away from your studies when we were first in college. A picnic.”

As she shut the door, she lifted her face to the cloudy sky. The snow had begun to fall softly, and now it sparkled where it touched her eyelashes.

“A picnic? I hope you mean indoors.”

“You'll see.”

He drove her up behind the Sweetheart Inn and parked near the plowed path marked
HOT SPRINGS.

As he shut off the truck, she gave him a look. “You're kidding.”

“Nope, let's go.”

He grabbed his backpack and small cooler from the backseat and met her on the path. They walked side by side along the trail that wound along the bank of a stream. The trail steepened as they left the valley floor, then opened up to reveal the rock-edged hot springs pool. Steam from the water rose up into the trees surrounding it. The pool itself overflowed into the stream. A snow-covered wooden bench rested nearby.

“What, no picnic table?” she teased.

He opened up his backpack and removed a waterproof tarp, which he unfolded on the ground next to the heated pool. Then he covered that with a blanket.

“Remove your boots and sit down,” he said. “You'll warm right up.”

She stepped out of her boots near the edge, then walked into the center of the blanket and sat down, ditching her mittens to rub her hands together near the steam.

“Oh, this is nice. What a great place for a winter picnic!”

“I thought you'd approve. It's not exactly warm, but what the hell.”

He laid out the sandwiches Chef had made for him. The man hadn't asked who they were for, but he'd given Tony a raised eyebrow and a smirk, which Tony had good-naturedly ignored. He'd also packed some vegetables and dip, and a couple of bottles of Coke.

She watched him lay out the picnic with an eagerness that reminded him of the girl he'd fallen in love with, the one so impatient for her life to begin, the one so full of confidence and certainty. Life had pummeled her a bit, but he had no doubt her confidence was already rebounding.

K
ate stared at the mini feast Tony had provided and didn't know what to think. She couldn't be surprised at his thoughtfulness—this was the Tony of old, who'd taken care of her, fed her when she forgot to eat, amused her when she'd studied too long. She found herself both aching for and enjoying the memories this picnic brought up. While they ate, the trees sheltered them from any breeze, the snow fell softly all around them, and a haze of mist shimmered over the hot spring.

Had Tony himself been what she'd missed all along? After their divorce, she'd never let a long-term relationship happen; had she been sabotaging her dating life because of memories of Tony? And here she was, letting their relationship start all over again. They'd both sworn it would be just sex, but that kept changing, since they worked together and had a son in common. She'd been seeing Tony more these last few weeks than she'd seen any other man. She was starting to wonder if just . . . being with him was one of the reasons she'd accepted his challenge to serve at the tavern, as if her subconscious had been calling the shots.

The memory of him as a boy had changed into her perception of the man he was, stronger, more confident, no longer the dreamer who didn't know what he wanted in life. He'd
found
himself, maybe at a slower pace than she had, but she felt sad and ashamed that they hadn't been able to give each other time during their marriage, that life—her life, her ambitions—had rushed them forward. She wanted to tell him all these things, but they were too intimate, too much reliving of a past that was gone and couldn't be changed.

But she could change the present.

And suddenly that was the scariest thing imaginable for someone like her, who'd always looked to the future. She turned to a safe subject.

“So, Ethan got an interesting offer.”

He put down his sandwich and cocked his head.

“Walt asked him if he wanted to babysit once or twice a week for them.”

Tony swallowed his food. “He wanted to bus tables at Carmina's, but I thought he was too young for a real job. Studies are more important.”

“What about babysitting? It'd let him earn the money he wants.”

“You mean the money for a smartphone.”

They smiled at each other, the snow falling softly all around them like a Christmas postcard.

And suddenly, it was too intimate, too tender, and she was worried that sharing their love for Ethan was giving them other ideas.

She removed her scarf and hat, unzipped her coat.

“I didn't think the steam made you that warm,” he said, smiling.

His smile died as she continued to remove clothing, beginning to shiver when she was down to her underwear and bra. But even those went, and she enjoyed the way Tony's mouth sagged open as she stood up and climbed down the rock stairs into the pool.

She groaned her delight at the wet heat and sank clear up to her chin, turning to face him as she perched on a rock ledge deep underneath.

Tony was already taking off his clothes. “This is crazy,” he said.

“Maybe, but it's Colorado. Have you ever been near a hot springs where there
wasn't
someone naked?”

He laughed, then hopped quickly into the pool and sank right under the water. He emerged, sputtering, his hair plastered to his head. And then he moved toward her, eyes narrowed, face intent in a way that gave her a thrill at being the focus of his desire.

But she held up a hand. “Stop right there. Don't get any ideas. We may be having ex-sex, but not in this pool, not with a chance of infection.”

“So you don't care that someone might come upon us in broad daylight having sex?”

“I didn't say that, but since it won't be happening, I don't have to worry about it. Now you may sit beside me if you're a good boy.”

He laughed and groaned at the same time, then bodied up against her on the ledge and slipped his arm around her neck. She sighed with contentment and leaned against him. Through half-closed eyes, she watched the steam rise and meet the falling snow. They didn't speak, just breathed and enjoyed the glimpse of the snow-covered mountains through the trees.

And it was a perfect moment, one that made her ache with wonder and joy and the sadness of knowing that it had to end.

He leaned in and kissed her cheek, and she turned and kissed him back, opening her mouth, taking in his tongue, holding him tight.

When their deep kisses became softer, gentler, she murmured, “And this is making out, not foreplay.”

He chuckled.

And then someone cleared her throat.

For a moment, every scenario flashed through her mind—it was someone they knew, someone who'd spread the gossip, and then Ethan would hear and become all excited that his parents might be back together.

But no, an old woman, a stranger, smiled at them. She peeled off her long, quilted coat that covered a bathrobe from the Sweetheart Inn. Then that came off to reveal a one-piece bathing suit with a skirt that almost came to her knees. With her feet, Kate was already dislodging dirt in the bottom of the spring to mix with the cascade of bubbles, hoping to obscure their nudity. Tony reached up a hand, and the old woman gladly took it to step down into the rocky pool.

“Ah, no wonder you two were enjoying yourselves,” she said as the steam dampened her short salt-and-pepper curls. “This is lovely.”

Kate stopped herself from protesting that they weren't
totally
enjoying themselves. No point sounding defensive.

“Are you two staying at the inn?” the old woman asked.

“We're locals,” Tony said.

“Ah, and by all the preparation I can see here, young man, I will commend you for your romantic nature.”

“Thank you, ma'am.”

Kate barely resisted a giggle as she saw that Tony was blushing. When they had to leave, he'd really blush.

They chatted for about ten minutes as the tourist asked questions about things to do in Valentine Valley. She didn't seem to have any interest in leaving, and Kate gradually began to feel uncomfortably warm.

She glanced at Tony. “I think it's about time to get out.”

The old lady smiled. “Don't mind me. It's nothing I haven't seen before. I've been married three times.”

Chuckling, Kate managed to turn around as she stood, and Tony did the same, giving the poor woman two moons over the hot spring. They kept their backs to her as they took turns using the damp blanket to dry off. The heat of the springs faded and the shivering kicked in. Kate almost fell trying to step into her underwear, but at last she was fully dressed. Tony'd been much quicker than her, and he helped her on with her coat.

As he quickly packed up the last of their picnic, the old woman called, “Have a lovely day!”

Kate waved to her, and by the time they took the first bend in the path and were out of sight of the springs, her laughter erupted deeply and uncontrollably, with a few snorts thrown in.

Tony was grinning at her. “I don't think I've heard you laugh like that in . . . years.”

She was weak from it, and held his arm as if she might tumble into a snowbank. “I . . . I can't decide if you were red from the heat or red from flashing that poor old lady!”

“I wouldn't say ‘poor,'” he said dryly. “She seemed to be having a great time.”

And that set off her laughter all over again. When he put an arm around her to keep her upright, it was the most natural thing in the world to slide her arm around his waist. They walked that way until the inn came into sight. With mutual understanding, they separated for the last solitary steps to the truck.

“I have some snowshoes in the back. Just think—you can tell Ethan you learned to do another fun exercise.”

She didn't want to think anymore or question why it was so easy to be with Tony again, as if a sad divorce and nine years of estrangement didn't matter at all.

He'd thought of everything; he'd even brought a pair of snowpants for her. They spent an hour in the foothills behind the inn, hiking up high enough to see Valentine Valley spread out beneath them, blurred by beautiful snow. It was a peaceful time, and if it was hard exercise, she barely noticed, because she was enjoying the crunch of snow under her snowshoes, the gorgeous view, the easy company. They even tried jogging on the return, and he let her win.

Back inside the pickup, they warmed their hands in front of the heat vents as the windshield defrosted.

“Did Ethan tell you about the Christmas choir concert tomorrow during school?”

She stared at him and frowned. “No. I'm surprised you didn't send me the schedule.”

He grimaced. “I got it at the beginning of the school year, and since you're not usually here weekdays, it didn't occur to me then. I should have checked my calendar sooner, but . . . anyway, I was about to send you the schedule when Ethan said he'd tell you.”

“And he didn't.” Kate crossed her arms over her chest. “That brat. I'm starting to take this personally.”

“It's so strange to me, his behavior at the rink, and now this. He's always the first who remembers to tell you things. And he knows I can't come because I have to finish inventory.”

“It's like he wants to piss me off enough to send me packing. Like I'd leave because of his behavior.” And though she was angry, inside she couldn't help the little kernel of hurt that was now lodged next to her heart. “I've taken days off from work and made his big school events before, but most of those are during the evening. I'm going to enjoy looking around his school while it's in session. Maybe your sister will give me a tour.”

“Maybe you should have Ethan do that,” he suggested as he started the pickup.

F
rom the moment Ethan appeared on the stage shared by Valentine Valley Middle and Elementary schools, Kate had to keep surreptitiously wiping away tears with her fingers. She hadn't bothered to tell him she was coming in advance—she knew when to choose her battles, and an argument might have spoiled her enjoyment of her son's performance. He was one of the taller boys, and he suddenly looked so grown up, his sandy hair almost neat. He'd be in high school next fall. How had that happened?

She hummed quietly along with the Christmas carols, clapped loudly after one girl performed a song she'd written. She looked at the expressions on all their faces, some into the music, others maybe not so much, but the sound of their voices raised in song for the season—oh, damn, she was crying again.

And in that moment, she knew she wanted another child. Maybe two. It hit her hard, because she hadn't even given it any thought in years, had been telling herself she had plenty of time to make a decision. She'd been such a young mom, the youngest at any school event—she still was. But she was thirty-three, with no long-term guy in sight except for her ex, whom she was only supposed to be sleeping with. She would like for Ethan to be home at least a year or two to get to know a little brother or sister before going off to college.

And then she felt selfish, looking at Lyndsay, standing to the side with the other teachers, smiling as she watched the concert. Kate at least had a child, whereas Lyndsay hadn't even met the right man yet.

After the concert, the kids came out to mill around with their parents. Ethan saw her, to her relief—because she would have tracked him down.

“Hey, Mom, I didn't know you were coming,” he said, his hands in his pockets.

“Your dad had inventory and couldn't make it. He was pretty surprised you'd forgotten to tell me about this.”

Ethan didn't meet her eyes.

She let it go.

He nodded to his friend Brad, who was approaching, a woman following behind. The woman had the same black hair as her son, although his hung to his shoulders, unlike the woman's. Kate had heard good things about Brad, so she smiled at him.

“You must be Mrs. De Luca,” the woman said, holding out her hand.

“Please call me Kate,” she said, skirting the last-name issue. “Your son's a good kid.”

Brad gave a little snort, and Ethan elbowed him.

“Thanks. I'm Beverly Zeigler. So nice to finally meet you. I hear you live in Vail?”

“Yes, I do. I'd love to have Brad visit us there one of these days. Maybe after the holidays?”

“What a nice invitation. Thank you.” She turned to Ethan and gave him a fond look. “How nice for you that your mom finally came to one of your concerts.”

Kate blinked in surprise—Beverly's tone was just lovely, but the words, not so much. She was surprised to feel their sting, but she knew it was all about guilt.

Ethan frowned. “Mrs. Zeigler, my mom's come to lots of my events, mostly the evening ones, but I don't mind.”

Well, the kid who wouldn't talk to her last night was now defending her. It was worth getting the rude comment.

Beverly reddened. “I'm so sorry, Kate. I didn't mean that the way it sounded. I was simply happy for Ethan that you could come.”

“Thanks,” Kate said.

Beverly and Brad moved away soon after.

Ethan watched them go, then shook his head. “Sorry. Maybe I should have warned you. Dad dated her a couple times.”

“Oh.” Kate looked after the woman in surprise. She seemed a little more uptight than she'd thought Tony would go for, but maybe that's why there'd only been a few dates. “When was this?”

“A couple years ago. No big deal.”

Kate glanced at her one last time. Maybe it had been a bigger deal to Beverly.

“Hey, Kate!” Lyndsay called as she threaded her way through the crowd. She started to sling her arm around Ethan's shoulders, then realized he was too tall and went for his waist. “What did you think of our boy, here?”

Ethan reddened, his smile crooked. “Ms. De Luca, come on, we're in school—you know the rules. You invented them.”