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  He chuckled. “There could be worse ways to spend a few days.”

  “As long as there’s heat, food, and booze, I’d be fine.” And no blackouts. She hated the dark.

  He grinned as they pulled up to a red light. “I’d keep you warm, Pepper Shaker.”

  “Is that a promise?”

  “Yes. And I never break my promises.”

  She looked out the window, distracted from the gorgeous man beside her by the quaint brick buildings and charming shop fronts, including several restaurants, a candy shop, and at least three ski stores. “This place is beyond cute.”

  “It looks like a movie,” Stone said. “Starring us?”

  “That depends on if we can get a wedding planned before we leave. Otherwise, our scenes will be deleted and left on the cutting room floor.”

  She craned her neck to look up at the sky. Emerson Pass, nestled in the Rocky Mountains, had once been a mining town but was now built around ski slopes. The town itself seemed dropped squarely in the valley. In every direction, dramatic mountains reached toward the sky, majestic green punctuated by shades of gold, copper, and brown. Above town, the ski slopes were like thick brown snakes waiting for the first snowfall. Lifts hung motionless in midair, lonesome and a little bereft.

  She had the fanciful sensation of being in a snow globe before it was shaken. With that thought, another snowflake dropped on their window.

  All along the street, aspens with bright gold leaves rustled in the breeze like a percussion instrument. They passed another ski shop and a store that sold high-end kitchen gadgets.

  “Look at the aspens,” she said. “Their leaves seem to dance, don’t they?”

  “I always think they’re waving to me.”

  She turned to observe him, to commit his profile to memory. The angles of his face seemed carved and smoothed from the finest instrument, like a classic sculpture. She wondered if he had any idea of his beauty. Did he ever think of it when he looked at himself in the mirror like her actor friends in New York? Her profession was a constant examination of one’s own appearance. How would your face translate to the big screen, the small screen, the stage? Her female peers were obsessed with what they ate or didn’t eat and how it changed or preserved their bodies. An actor’s or actress’s appearance was discussed and evaluated to a nauseating degree by agents and directors and peers. She suspected Stone was free of these thoughts. What an envious way to live, concerned with things outside of yourself. He was like the aspens’ leaves, free to flutter gently in the breeze.

  He glanced at her and smiled. “You all right, Pepper Shaker?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Admiring your profile.”

  He touched his fingers to his jaw. “I made sure to shave this morning. Just in case I get to steal a kiss later. I wouldn’t want to scratch your perfect skin.”

  An eruption of excited anticipation danced in her stomach. There might be a kiss later. Was this what it was like to be with Stone? Would there always be another moment to look forward to? Would he always make her feel hopeful and excited and happy to be alive?

  “What’s the name of the lodge again?” he asked nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t just promised to kiss her and thrown her into fantasyland.

  Pepper lifted her phone from the bag at her feet to look up the address. “Willows Lodge. According to the map, it’s one mile from here.” She instructed him to turn left when they reached Blue Spruce Street. After a few minutes, they saw a sign for the lodge and turned down a paved driveway that ran between a meadow of straw-colored grasses and more of the golden aspen trees in the company of green firs. Soon the lodge appeared, nestled at the foot of the ski mountain. With wide beams and natural wood, it looked, to Pepper anyway, exactly as a ski lodge should.

  “Is it like the picture?” Stone asked.

  “Other than the snow, yes.” The photograph from the magazine had captured the landscape blanketed in white. Today it blended into the brown ski slopes and smoky gray sky. Several wide snowflakes landed on the window.

  As they drew nearer, Stone said he’d drop her at the front. “I’ll find parking and bring our bags.”

  “No need. We’ll just valet.”

  “Valet, huh? So, that’s how it’s done in Pepper’s world?” He raised a teasing eyebrow.

  “I’m afraid so.” She flashed him a sassy grin. “Is that a problem?”

  “I’m usually the guy parking the cars, but I’ll go with it for now.”

  Her hand sprang out to touch his arm. “I love that you offered. But I want this to be nice for you. You don’t have to take care of everything for me. It’s bad enough you have to drive me all over the place.”

  “Driving you is my honor. And being with you is all the nice I need.”

  Swoon.

  When they pulled up to the entrance, several attendants dressed in khakis and white shirts rushed out to greet them. Bags were collected from the trunk and set onto a rolling cart. Pepper made sure to grab her extra pair of shoes from the car, slipping them into her purse. Soon, they were inside the lobby. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Stone slipping the valet a five-dollar bill. Having worked in the service industry for most of her adult life, she appreciated people who tipped well.

  She imagined what Lisa would say. Of course he’s a good tipper. He grew up poor. She had a theory that people who were raised with little were always the most generous when they could be.

  The lodge was not as big as the photographs had indicated. The lobby had an old-school vibe, with dark distressed woods and river rock. She detected the faint hint of smoke from the fire that roared in the enormous stone fireplace. The clatter of silverware came from the restaurant adjacent to the lobby. Picture windows displayed a meadow and the ski mountain. Several couples were reading, curled up in armchairs or love seats. A family with young children played cards at a coffee table near the window.

  Lisa would love this place.

  “I’ll check us in,” Stone said.

  “Sure. The rooms are paid for. One of Lisa’s stipulations.”

  “Even better.”

  Lisa had insisted that she and Rafael pay for all expenses, along with strict instructions to enjoy herself. And be nice to Stone. So far, those instructions had been quite easy to follow.

  Pepper waited near a table with jugs of infused water and several canisters of brewed coffee as Stone approached the front desk. Despite his size, he moved with grace and an ease that indicated a man comfortable in his own skin. He was remarkably unflappable, as though nothing much bothered him. She could imagine what a good soldier he must have been.

  In addition, he had impeccable manners. She’d noticed it on the plane with the flight attendants. Please, thank you, do you mind, hate to bother you—that kind of thing. He’d been gracious with Pepper as well, offering to order her a coffee when their flight was slightly delayed and insisting that he fetch it while she stayed with the bags. He was a man who dedicated himself to others. His service to his country, for example. The way he cared for his sister. His smile when he held his baby niece.

  Being with him made her want to be a better person. And God knew there was a lot of room for improvement.

  A young staff member named Sheila with a fringe of black bangs welcomed him and began the process of checking them in. Sheila made eyes at Stone while she explained where their rooms were. This had happened with every woman they encountered that day. Young, old, or middle-aged—it didn’t seem to matter. They were all charmed by Stone Hickman. Not that she could blame them.

  When they were checked in, Pepper sidled up next to Stone and asked Sheila if they could speak to the event planner. Sheila turned suddenly dismissive. “Do you have an appointment?”

  “No, but I left her a message,” Pepper said. “We’re here to plan a wedding.”

  Sheila’s face fell but she did the best to hide her disappointment with a somewhat disturbing fake smile. “You’re getting married?”

  “Not us,” Pepper said
drily. “Our friends.”

  “We’re more like the wedding coordinators,” Stone said.

  “Okay, well, that’s nice.” Sheila ignored Pepper and smiled at Stone. “Mindy’s office is down the hallway and to the right.”

  They followed the direction of Shelia’s outstretched arm. The door to the office was open, and a woman was on the phone, talking softly. She looked up and smiled, then mouthed, “One minute,” and waved them toward the chairs across from the desk. A nameplate on her desk read Mindy Madden.

  Stone waited until Pepper sat before dwarfing the simple office chair. His legs were almost as cramped as they’d been on the plane.

  Mindy hung up the phone and turned to them with a smile. Pepper guessed her to be upward of fifty, but maybe younger. People probably aged faster under all this sun and dry air.

  “What can I help you with?” Mindy asked with a resort-sized smile, after introducing herself.

  “We’re here to inquire about a wedding reception and renting most of the lodge out for guests,” Pepper said.

  “Excellent.” She reached for a paper calendar. Paper? Wild West, indeed. Mindy flipped several pages before looking up at them. “What season were you interested in for next year?”

  “Next year?” Pepper asked. “No, we were actually hoping for this December.”

  Mindy twitched and cocked her head to the right, like a puppy trying to understand a command. “This December? I’m afraid that’s impossible. Every weekend is booked into September of next year.”

  “It’s a small guest list,” Pepper said. “And my friend, the actress Lisa Perry, has her heart set on this place as well as the church with the red door.” Shameless name-dropping, but these were desperate times.

  “The Lisa Perry?” Mindy asked.

  “That’s right.” Pepper almost cringed. She was not accustomed to this yet. Her friend was famous. “Money is not an issue. However, she wants to have her reception on December twenty-second. Of this year.”

  Mindy placed her hands on the calendar and went completely still, as if the pages were a Ouija board. Would it spell out the right answer? “How many guests are we talking about?”

  Pepper exchanged a worried glance with Stone. “No more than thirty. But they all need accommodations.”

  “I see. Well, as much as I’d love to help, unless there’s a last-minute cancellation for the Ward and Fordham wedding, there’s nothing I can do. They’ve rented the entire lodge for that weekend. I can’t bump anyone off the list, even for Lisa Perry. Big fan, by the way.”

  “How solid are the Ward and Fordham couple?” Stone asked. “Any chance they might break up?”

  Mindy brought a hand to her mouth, as if she were trying to keep a burst of laughter from escaping. “I’m afraid they seem quite happy.”

  “What about the week after Christmas?” Pepper asked.

  “The winter here is a very popular time for weddings,” Mindy said. “I can’t imagine there’s an inn or hotel in town that could accommodate you.”

  “Do you know anything about the church with the red door?” Pepper asked as she pulled the pages of the old article out of her bag. She unfolded the crumpled page and set it on the desk. “See there. Do you know if that church is still around?”

  “Oh my, yes. It’s been around for a hundred years,” Mindy said. “It’s not a quarter mile from here. We often partner with them for weddings. My friend’s husband is the pastor there. I can probably cash in a few favors and get you in there for the ceremony, especially if Miss Perry is open to a morning slot.”

  “She might be,” Pepper said. “I mean, I’m sure she is. But her dream included a sleigh ride from there to here.”

  “That’s unfortunate. There’s just no room at the inn,” Mindy said, with a pleased snort over her own joke.

  “Oh, okay.” Pepper deflated. This was not going as she’d hoped. Plus, comparing a wedding to the birth of Jesus seemed rather blasphemous.

  “What about other places in town?” Stone asked. “Is there any place you can think of?”

  “There are several others as well as smaller inns,” Mindy said. “But, again, I highly doubt you could get any rooms. It’s Christmas, and many, many families come for ski vacations.”

  Pepper looked up at the ceiling and steadied her breath. Lisa would be disappointed, and it was all Pepper’s fault. Why had she brought all of this up? She should learn to keep her big fat mouth shut.

  “However, I do have an idea for you,” Mindy said.

  Pepper sprang to attention. “You do?”

  “There’s a large cabin about ten miles up the southern slope of the mountain. During busy tourist months, the owner rents it out for family reunions and small weddings. I just talked to Mr. Lake this morning. He’s elderly and had put it on the market last spring, hoping to sell. After his wife died, he doesn’t have the heart to keep it. However, the offer he received on the place fell through at the last minute. He called just this morning to tell me he’d like to rent it out this winter and put it back on the market in the spring. In the past, I’ve often directed people to him and a few other rental houses if I didn’t have rooms here. The Lake House only has eight bedrooms, so she might have to limit the guest list or have people share the loft space.”

  “Is it nice?” Pepper asked.

  “It’s a lovely home. His wife had wonderful taste. Big fireplace and high ceilings. The rooms all have nice beds and furnishings. If it tells you anything, I live here in town, and I had my family reunion there two summers ago. We had a magical time.”

  “Magical? That sounds good,” Stone said with a hopeful lilt in his voice.

  “Especially for a wedding weekend.” Without thinking, Pepper tapped Stone’s knee with her knuckles. “Do you know if there are any places here that would cater a dinner for the reception?”

  Mindy smiled and made a purring sound at the back of her throat like a contented cat. “I have a daughter who’s just out of culinary school. She’s back living with me until she can get her catering business going. I’d consider it a Christmas miracle if you’d consider her for the job.”

  Pepper’s mind had turned to high speed by then. She wanted to get up and pace around the room to think better, but she crossed her ankles under the chair and jiggled one foot instead. “Maybe we could hire her for the whole weekend. She could cook out at the house, right?”

  “She’d be delighted.” Mindy picked up the receiver to the landline phone. “Shall I call Mr. Lake and let him know you’d like to meet him up there to take a look at the place?”

  “He’s there now?” Pepper asked.

  “Yes, he came to town thinking he’d be signing papers, but the deal fell through. He sounded quite discouraged when I talked to him. He’ll be happy to have at least one weekend filled.” She picked up a blue sticky note from the desk and squinted at it before dialing the numbers.

  As she spoke to Mr. Lake about the nice couple needing a wedding venue for their friends, Pepper stole a look at Stone. He sat with one ankle crossed over the opposite knee, the corners of his mouth lifted in a slight smile. Unlike her, he didn’t waste a movement. He was like a massive old tree in a man’s body. Nothing could shake him.

  He must have felt her looking at him, because he turned his face toward her. “It’s going to be okay,” he whispered. “Don’t lose faith.”

  Mindy hung up the phone and beamed at them. “He would love to show you the place in the morning.” She scribbled a few notes on to a blank sticky note. “Here’s the address and directions. You can’t miss it. Climb straight up Aspen Mountain Drive about ten miles. His driveway is marked with a rather large sign that says The Lake House.”

  “Is there a lake?” Pepper asked, imagining ice-skating.

  “There’s a pond,” Mindy said. “Lake is for their last name.”

  She flushed, feeling stupid. “Right. Duh.”

  “It’s a great name for a guy who owns a cabin in the woods,” Stone said.

/>   “Does the pond freeze over in the winter?” Pepper asked.

  “It does. The house has various-sized skates, too,” Mindy said before she picked up the phone again. “Let’s call about the church.”

  They waited while Mindy talked to her friend and then the friend’s husband. She explained the situation and then quieted, obviously listening to the answer from the other end. “That’s wonderful,” she said into the phone. “I’m sure you’re right. I’ll call right away. Thanks so much.” Once again, she beamed as she placed the receiver back in its holder. “Apparently, the Reed and Morris couple were not as unwavering in their love as my Ward and Fordham couple. They called their wedding off just this morning. He has a spot for a two o’clock ceremony.” She scribbled on yet another sticky note, then handed it across to Pepper. “Address is there—it’s a quarter mile up the road. He’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes.”

  “Wait a minute. If they called off their wedding, would there be rooms booked in one of the other inns?” Pepper asked.

  “Maybe they’d have enough rooms to make up for whatever the house doesn’t have?” Stone asked.

  “I’m way ahead of you,” Mindy said. “He said they had a block of ten rooms at the Aspen Inn. I’ll call Rob right now.” She was already dialing the phone. For the next few minutes, they listened as she shared the particulars with Rob. “Great. They’ll be so pleased.” With a jaunty flick of her wrist, she placed the receiver back onto the phone. “All set.”

  “I could hug you,” Pepper said.

  Mindy smiled and rose from her chair. “I could hug you for providing my daughter with her first big job. Granted you like her food, that is. How long are you in town?”

  “Just a few days,” Pepper said. “But if you give us her number, we’ll call and see if she’ll meet with us before we go.”

  “Excellent.” Mindy walked them to the door and shook hands with each of them in turn. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to help, but when you two are ready, give me a call and we’ll get your wedding scheduled.”