“Nothing, just that 413 was Cameron’s room when he was staying here.” He chuckled, walking around the bar and toward the guests.
How strange and coincidental was that?
Chapter 23
Cameron
On Sunday, I had pretty much hit rock bottom, not knowing what to do or what to say without Bea in my life. I sat down and talked to Glen about it, and he promised to cover the lessons so I could go look for her. The only place I knew that might have some kind of lead was the resort in Aspen. So, I scheduled a red eye on Sunday night and flew out to Colorado, hoping that there would be someone there with information on how I could find her.
As the plane flew through the clouds, my heart began to flutter, remembering all the things that had happened at the resort. Hopefully, I would be able to relax myself enough to ask questions. If nothing else, I was going to get a little bit of time alone for once. I really appreciated that Glen found it necessary to watch out for me and be there to just talk, but I could really use some good quality time alone to sort out my feelings and thoughts. When I had gotten onto the plane, I had realized I was way too tired to even think on the plane. I ordered a Bloody Mary and then set myself up for a little bit of sleep.
When the plane started its descent, I woke up, feeling more than a little groggy. I really didn’t like Colorado outside of Aspen, so I took my carry-on and jumped right into a cab, taking me over to the resort. I had booked the hotel for that afternoon, requesting my old room. They told me it wouldn’t be ready until after noon because someone was checking out that day. I didn’t mind waiting in the lounge, drinking my same old drinks, and hoping that Bea was going to walk around the corner at any minute.
When the cab pulled up out front, I grabbed my bag and paid the driver. I stepped out onto the sidewalk and breathed the ice-cold air into my lungs. It felt so good to be back in Aspen, and not just because of Bea. I was starting to think that Aspen was one of those places that was just therapeutic to me. Maybe that was why so many people flocked there on a regular basis. Even during the summer when the slopes were closed and the pool was open, the place was completely packed. I was curious to know what it was like that time of year.
I threw my bag over my shoulder and stopped as the hotel manager approached. He had a look of confusion on his face, and I reached out and shook his hand. We stepped to the side as several guests exited the resort to make their way to the slopes.
“What are you doing here?”
“I just needed a few days to myself, that’s all,” I said, smiling. “This is my favorite place to be, so I figured I’d come back here for a little R&R.”
“Very nice,” he said, smiling. “You deserve it. We got rave reviews about your instruction. If you’re ever thinking about sticking around for a longer period of time, let me know. I’m always looking for an awesome lead instructor.”
“I’ll definitely keep that in mind, thanks,” I said, shaking his hand again.
“Have fun while you’re here, and let me know if you need anything,” he said as he walked off.
My eyes moved across the parking lot as I turned to go inside, stopping for a moment as a girl was climbing into an SUV parked in the parking lot. She was tall and curvy, with long brown hair with tints of red, just like Bea. For a moment, my heart skipped a beat, but I shook it off, remembering that Bea was gone, back home to her normal life. It would be too fateful if she were there right then. I shrugged my shoulders and walked inside, making my way to the desk.
There were a couple of guests ahead of me, so I took out my phone and texted Glen, letting him know I had arrived safely. I knew I needed to ask the receptionist about Bea’s information, but the guy behind the desk didn’t look familiar at all. He was tall with dark hair, perfectly cut and swept to the side. His outfit was perfectly pressed, and he screamed poster child of the resort. When it was finally my turn, I waited patiently for him to finish up what he was doing. The tag on his shirt read, Shawn, and I was hoping Shawn was willing to help me out.
“How may I help you, sir?”
“Yes, I am Cameron Phase,” I said. “I’m early checking into room 413, but I am going to be in the bar, so I was wondering if you could just let me know when the room was re
ady?”
“Absolutely, Mr. Phase,” he said, making a note. “Is there anything else?”
“No,” I said, stopping and turning back to him. “Actually, yes, there is.”
“What can I help you with?”
I hesitated, not knowing what to say or what to do. I didn’t want to sound like a creepy stalker, but I really needed to know if they had anything that would help me. I put my hand down on the desk and took in a deep breath, realizing it was now or never.
“I know I don’t recognize you from the Christmas holiday here, but I am one of the hotel’s freelance instructors,” I said.
“No, I was not here then.” He smiled. “I was training.”
“Gotcha,” I replied. “The thing is, I need some information on a guest that was staying here at that time.”
“I’m sorry, sir, I can’t just give that information out,” he replied. “There are rules and laws prohibiting that.”
I stood there staring at him for a moment, imagining myself like one of those mobster movies, grabbing him by the tie and slamming him down on the desk, demanding information. I knew that it would be a terrible waste of a vacation if I was kicked out before I even checked in, so I decided that slamming him down and beating it out of him probably wasn’t the best idea. Besides, I had Brian check on it anyway, and he had told me there was no trace of Bea anywhere. I guessed it just made me feel better finding that out on my own, seeing it with my own eyes. I didn’t want to make myself look like a crazy man, but I also knew that I needed to get this info. Why couldn’t the front desk clerk be some cute girl that I could flirt the information out of? Of course, that would be way too easy, and it would mean that I didn’t have to play Sherlock Holmes all week, trying to find her.
Nothing in my life ever really went easy, especially when it came to women. Even when I was just sleeping with them and not trying to lure them into a relationship, I always seemed to pick the clingiest ones. I rarely had a sexual encounter with a woman where she was perfectly okay with having sex and never talking again. Maybe Glen was right. Maybe I was a complete jerk, and this was my payback, my karma for ditching all those girls in the past.
“Can I tell you a story?” I asked.