Until Then (Cape Harbor 2)

Once they made it through the border checkpoint, the ride to Whistler was smooth sailing. The talk radio program Theo wanted to listen to filled the silence between him and Rennie. She had zoned out, choosing to watch the scenery as it went by. Traffic was light, and every car they passed or that passed them seemed headed for a similar destination.

“Lots of people are skiing this weekend.”

“A lot of people take vacation around this time. It makes sense with the back-to-back holidays.” She couldn’t help but take a jab at his comment.

“Renee, I know you’re upset—”

“I have a right to be,” she interrupted. “First Thanksgiving, where you don’t even call, and now Christmas. We had plans.”

“You’re right, we did, and then you changed them without even consulting me. How do you think that made me feel?”

“I had a rough week at work; I needed to get away,” she told him.

“And I’m trying to make a name for myself with my company.”

“Oh please, you’ve been there for years, Theo. Someone lower can work holidays.”

“If it were—”

“Don’t say easy. Thanksgiving, I understand, but not Christmas.”

“You’re forgetting the snowstorm.”

“Right,” she muttered. Where he lived, it snowed heavily versus the rain where she was. That was another reason she didn’t want to move east. She wasn’t a big fan of the snow. It was pretty, but she preferred it off in the distance, not at her doorstep. She continued to look out the window, hoping she’d be able to get out of the funk she was in. Forgive and forget; she needed to do that, or her attitude was going to ruin the weekend.

She placed her hand on Theo’s thigh, and when he put his hand down on top of hers, she looked over and smiled. She was determined to make the upcoming weekend one to remember. He adjusted the station to something she liked, and she started singing along to the tune. Before long, they were pulling into the circular drive of the hotel, and the valet was opening the door for Renee.

“Welcome to the Grandview Hotel,” he said as he reached for her hand.

“Thank you.”

“What name is the reservation under?”

“Wri—”

“Wallace,” Theo interrupted. He met Renee on the passenger side of the car, smiling. He put his arm around her and handed the keys to the valet.

“Why is the room under my name?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “When I made the reservation, I think it had something to do with all those appointments you booked. Your name is showing on the email.”

Renee and Theo walked through the double doors and were immediately enveloped by warmth and liveliness. The hotel was bustling with skiers, and the decorations were still festive but without overdoing it with leftover Christmas cheer. She could hear a fire crackling nearby, and the front desk clerk seemed to love her job. She confirmed the appointments booked for Theo and Renee and offered a free upgrade to their honeymoon suite, which had a jetted tub with a view of the mountains.

“Just think, my love, when I’m swishing down the slopes, you can watch while you soak in the tub.”

Renee rested her hand on his chest and rose up on her tippy-toes to give him a kiss. “Sounds about perfect to me.”

The clerk handed Renee a printout of her appointments, along with their keys. She gave them brief directions of where to go and told them the bellhop would be up shortly with their luggage and that they could store their skis in the ski room until they were ready to hit the slopes.

They held hands as they walked to the elevator, and every few steps, Theo would stop them so he could kiss her. Each kiss grew more and more passionate. “I think when we get to the room, we should see exactly what it means to be on our honeymoon.”

Renee agreed. “I think we need to, Theo. I feel disconnected from you.”

“I agree, darling, but first, let’s get a drink.”

Instantly, her mood soured. Could he not wait to drink until after they made love or, better yet, call for room service? Reluctantly, she followed him to the bar and sat down on the stool next to him. The bartender was the exact opposite of her favorite one, Graham. He wore a white shirt with black bow tie and black pants. He didn’t spin the bottles on his fingertips like Graham, nor did he repeat the orders. And he worked much slower. Graham could take multiple orders and make as many drinks at the same time, whereas this man would focus only on one customer at a time.

“What can I get you?” he asked Theo.

“Two chardonnays,” he said, without asking if Renee was okay with his choice. She wasn’t. She wanted something hard and powerful, something to leave her body with a zing. She watched as the bartender painstakingly opened the bottle of wine, found two glasses, and bent down to pour the exact amount in each one. He scooped the glasses up by their stems, situated them between his fingers, and, with his free hand, set two coasters down in front of Renee and Theo, followed by their wine.