Unexpected Gifts: (The Steamy Version) (A Castle Mountain Lodge Romance Series Book 1) (2 page)

“But plans have changed,” Andi’s dad was still talking.

“What do you mean, plans have changed? Christmas is in five days.”

“That’s just it. Roxanne decided she’d like to go to Disney World this year and the boys are at a good age for the Magic Kingdom and she found a great last-minute deal and—“

“Wait,” Andi stopped him. “Did I hear you right? You’re ditching me, your only daughter, to spend the holidays with Mickey Mouse?” Andi’s chest tightened and she took a sip of water.

“We leave tonight.”

“I’ve never been to Disney.”

“Did you want to come?”

“You know I don’t.”

“We’ll be back for New Year’s, if you want to come over then?”

The only thing more pathetic than the prospect of spending Christmas alone, was the idea of spending New Year’s Eve with her father and his child bride.

“No thanks,” she said.

“What about your mother?”

“She’s on a cruise with Val,” Andi said. “I told you that.” And she had, but he’d likely blocked it from his memory, as he did with any reminder that his first wife had left him for another woman.

“Well, you’re always saying how busy you are at this time of the year and—”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be fine,” she muttered. “Merry Christmas.”

She hung up before he could return her well wishes. She didn’t want to hear them.

“Eva,” she called in to the back room. “Where did you put that promo invite for Castle Mountain Lodge?”

CHAPTER TWO

December 22

Colin Hartford steered his four-wheel drive up the windy road leading to the Castle Mountain Lodge. His tires crunched on the freshly fallen snow. The plows couldn’t keep up with the thick white stuff covering the roads and Colin was pretty sure they’d given up on trying to keep the roads clear. He hadn’t seen one in over an hour. The weather forecast had said it would be a white Christmas, but they hadn’t said anything about a blizzard. It took all his concentration to navigate the icy roads. Combined with the low visibility, the dense pines on both sides of the road gave him the sense that he was driving farther and farther into the middle of nowhere. But Rose, his grandmotherly assistant, had assured him that the Lodge had full resort facilities. Plus, Rose had promised it was famous for the grand holiday festivities it put on. It was perfect for his first Christmas back in Canada.

He’d had enough of beaches and hot sun to ring in the holidays. Colin craved some old-fashioned carols, ice skating, gingerbread houses and lots of snow. Five years away was enough to make him miss the cold weather. It didn’t matter what anyone said; Christmas without snow was just wrong.

After a few minutes of steady climbing up the steep mountain road, the trees began to thin, and soon they were covered in white and red lights, illuminating the drive as the sun began to set. Like a candy cane lane, Colin thought with excitement. He couldn’t keep the grin off his face but he fought the urge to accelerate. He couldn’t wait to start experiencing everything the season had to offer, but he didn’t think digging the Jeep out of a snow drift was a good way to start.

Even driving slowly, it didn’t take long before buildings and cabins came into view. They were all joined by interconnected pathways, loosely arranged around a large pond and common area. The main lodge served as the focus of the tiny village, placed at the far end of the pond. The Lodge was impressive. Certainly a lot nicer than the hotels Colin had been living out of in the Caribbean for the last few years.

He pulled up to the main entrance, where a valet opened his door.

“Good evening, sir,” the valet said. “Welcome to Castle Mountain Lodge.”

“Thank you.” Colin unfolded his large frame from the vehicle and grabbed his bag out of the back. A bellboy appeared, but Colin waved him away. “This is it, really,” he said, gesturing to his duffle.

“Carmen at the desk will get you settled, and I’ll take care of your car. Enjoy your stay, sir. And Merry Christmas.”

Colin smiled. It would be a merry Christmas. He looked around through the falling snow at the trees and took a deep breath of mountain air. How could it not be when this beauty surrounded him?

The main doors opened up to a majestic three-story room. Exposed timbers framed the walls and vaulted ceiling. Colin moved through the lobby, taking in the rustic holiday atmosphere. There were fresh pine boughs draped around the banisters leading to the upper stories and a smell of spice and cinnamon filled the air. Before heading to the check-in desk, he stopped to admire a massive tree decorated with oversized white pine cones, holly berries, and strands of popcorn that stood in the center of the lobby. A fire crackled in the large river rock hearth across the room and a piano player filled the space with the soft sounds of carols.

Colin stood for a moment taking it all in. It was just as Rose promised. A scene right out of a movie, or one of those home and style magazines she was always reading. Eager to get checked in and start participating in some festive activities, he found the front desk and spotted a woman standing behind it with Carmen on her name tag. She was madly typing something into her computer and repeatedly running her hands through her hair. As Colin got closer, he could hear her apologizing to a petite dark-haired woman in front of him at the desk.

“I’m so sorry, Ms Williams,” Carmen said. “I wish there was more that I could do.”

“But you sent us the invitation,” the woman said. “How can you not have a room for me, when you sent it?”

There was something about her voice that was familiar. But that was impossible. He barely knew anyone in Canada anymore; he’d been gone so long.

“I’m so sorry,” Carmen said again. “We did have the room but the invitation was sent a few weeks ago and we expected that since we didn’t hear from you or your company, you would be declining the offer. I can offer you and your company another complimentary stay as well as some dinner vouchers for the restaurant.”

The woman, her back still to Colin, shook her head. “Is there anywhere else nearby?”

“There’s a bed and breakfast about twenty miles down the mountain. I could call them to see if they have a room?”

It was a blizzard out there. If the highways weren’t already closed, they would be soon. Colin was about to say so, but Carmen was still talking.

“We usually keep a few extra rooms open,” Carmen said, as she reached for the phone, “just in case of a situation like this, but with the holiday season upon us…well, we did have one villa available, but it was booked last minute. Just yesterday in fact.”

Rose had made his reservation only yesterday, Colin thought. She hadn’t told him she’d secured him a villa. He made a mental note to talk to her about excessive spending.

“What am I supposed to do now?” the woman said.

“Ms Williams, I can’t tell you how sorry we are about the mix-up. Let me make the call for you.”

The woman waved her hand. “No, it’s fine,” she said, and turned around so quickly, she almost smacked right into Colin’s chest and for the first time, he saw her face. She was stunning. And very familiar. It wasn’t just her voice. He knew this woman. She swiped her black hair away from her eyes with a quick, angry wipe. Her dark eyes contrasted sharply against her pale skin, and if he hadn’t been eavesdropping, Colin might have missed the unshed tears that glistened in the corners.

“Do I know you?” he asked, before she could move past him.

The woman stopped short and looked up at him. He watched as a flash of recognition crossed her face, but then her eyes narrowed and she said, “No. I don’t think so.”

Colin stared at her for a moment. He was sure he knew her. Someone from high school maybe?

“Did you go to Mountain View High?” he asked.

“No,” she said and turned away again. While he watched, she pulled her hair off her face into a ponytail. When she turned back, Colin’s memory clicked into place.

Blaine Porter’s girlfriend. He’d known Blaine since grade school, and even though they’d ended up more as rivals than friends over the years, they occasionally ran into each other. When Blaine had called to tell Colin he was visiting St. Lucia with his girlfriend last year, Colin had hooked up with the couple for dinner and drinks. It had only been one evening, and it was awhile ago, but there was no doubt that’s why she looked so familiar.

“Wait,” Colin said. “I do know you.”

The look that crossed over her face left no room for doubt that she knew him too.

“Blaine’s girlfriend,” he said. “St. Lucia. Remember?”

“I remember.”

Colin looked around the room. “It’s Andi, right? Is Blaine here with you? I haven’t—“

The look on her face stopped him.

“He’s not here,” she said. Her voice was soft, but hard. Evidently it had been too long since he’d caught up with Blaine.

“The two of you aren’t together anymore?“

Her silence and the hard look in her eyes was the only answer he needed.

“I should get going before it gets too late.” Andi turned and moved to leave but before she could get away, Colin reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Wait,” he said. “You can’t go out in that.”

She turned to look out the picture windows, where the outside lights illuminated the increasing snowdrifts, and the snow still fell from the sky.

“What am I going to do now?” She didn’t speak to Colin directly, but he could tell she was near tears.

“Excuse me,” Colin said, turning to Carmen. “How big are these villas?”

“I’m sorry, sir?”

“The villas,” he said, and glanced back at the woman who was watching the exchange. “I believe my assistant booked me a villa yesterday, and I really don’t need that much space.”

Carmen straightened behind the desk and clicked some keys on her computer. “What was your name, Sir?”

“Hartford. Colin Hartford,” he said, his eyes still on the woman next to him. She didn’t say anything.

“Yes,” Carmen said. “You are registered in a villa. They’re really quite large. Twelve hundred square feet. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a small kitchen.”

Colin turned to Andi who still hadn’t said anything. “I know this seems strange, but we do kind of know each other and you really have no place to stay. Would you consider taking a room? It’s snowing really hard out there, and I can’t in good conscience let you drive back down the mountain tonight.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, Carmen interrupted. “That’s a very generous offer, Mr. Hartford, but—“

“Let her answer,” he said and turned back to Andi.

She cleared her throat and said, “I don’t know. I—“

“I would suggest that you call Blaine for a character reference,” he said. “But something tells me that wouldn’t work in my favor and I honestly can’t be sure he’d give me a glowing report either. So what about the fact that I haven’t seen or spoken to him in over a year? Does that help?”

Andi smiled again. “Actually, it does.”

“See? I really am a good guy. Even if I didn’t choose my childhood friends very well.”

That made her smile again but before she could say anything, the main doors opened and the doorman rushed into the lobby in a blast of snow and icy air. “It’s nasty out there,” he said. “You folks are lucky you got here when you did. We just heard over the radio that the highway has been closed.” He rubbed his hands together and blew on them to warm up.

Andi looked past the doorman, out to the building blizzard outside. With a sigh, she turned to Colin, and said, “Well, being friends with Blaine is certainly not a ringing endorsement, but it doesn’t look like I have a lot of options.”

“Ms Williams,” Carmen said, “we could offer you a couch in the lobby, or maybe even in the staff quarters.”

Both Colin and Andi turned to stare at Carmen.

“Or,” Colin said slowly, “you can take one of my extra rooms. I swear, I’m perfectly normal. And it has to be more comfortable than a couch somewhere.”

“I’ll admit, an extra room sounds a lot better than sleeping on a couch,” Andi said to Carmen before turning to Colin. “And from what I remember about you in St. Lucia, you’re fairly normal. Even though I’m not sure ordering flying fish off the menu is all that normal.”

“You remember?”

She shrugged.

“So, I’ll take that as a yes?” Colin asked. “And I promise, I’m not a crazy ax murderer or anything.” He swung his duffle around so she could see it. “See? An ax wouldn’t fit.”

Andi glanced at the bag and gave Colin a pointed look. “Like I said, I don’t seem to have much of a choice. But if I’m going to spend time with any of Blaine’s friends, I’m going to need a drink.”

“We’re not—“

“I know, I know.” She held up her hand. “You’re not besties. I got it.”

“We’ll take care of your bags, Ms Williams,” Carmen said, and before Colin could say anything, Andi started walking to the bar situated at the other end of the lobby.

In a hurry to join her, he quickly finished the check-in process and left his own bag to be delivered to his room. Colin couldn’t remember much about their brief dinner meeting in St. Lucia, only that Blaine had phoned him out of the blue to let him know that they were visiting the island. The entire visit seemed more like a reason for Blaine to show off his beautiful fiancée and brag to Colin about his successful business than anything else. But Blaine had always been that way. Even as kids, he used every chance he got to show off or brag about what he had and what he could do.

Colin’s first impression of Andi that night had been that she was beautiful and smart, but he couldn’t for the life of him figure out why she was with Blaine. Not that Blaine was all bad; they’d hung out in the same circle, and at one time, they’d been close friends. But things change, and certainly after high school there hadn’t been much of a friendship between them, unless you could call Blaine’s constant one-upmanship a friendship. But there’d been something about Blaine and Andi together that didn’t sit right with Colin then. And now as he crossed the lobby towards the bar, Colin couldn’t help but smile at the thought that Blaine would hate the fact that he was about to spend time with his ex. His very beautiful ex.