Chapter 7

Two hours later, Jack was still moving snow out of the drive and the parking area in front of the lodge. When Marley and Wanda began polishing the woodwork, Trey went up to his room.

They had been at it for almost an hour when they heard Jack heading back to the shed to store the tractor.

Wanda quickly finished dusting the newel posts, then headed for the kitchen. “Bug, I’m going to make some coffee. Jack will be cold.”

“Okay, I’m going to finish this room and then join you,” Marley said.

A few minutes later they heard Jack on the back porch, stomping snow from his boots.

He entered the room, red-cheeked from the cold. He handed her the mail that had accumulated and took off his gloves, rubbing his hands together to try and warm them.

“Lord, it’s cold out there. The drive is passable now, and the main road is, too. Looks like they graded it down after the last snow. If you need to go into town, do it before the sun goes down. There’s more snow predicted tomorrow, and it’ll get icy after that.”

“I don’t need anything, but I better run upstairs and see if Trey does,” Marley said, and left the room.

“She’s stuck on him, isn’t she?” Jack said as he took the cup of coffee his wife handed him.

“They’re stuck on each other, which is how it’s supposed to be,” Wanda said. “Now, drink your coffee. I’m ready to go home.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jack said, and winked. “Can’t wait to get me all to yourself, can you?”

Wanda laughed. “Wishful thinking will get you nowhere. I have things to do and presents to wrap.”

Marley heard their laughter and smiled to herself as she knocked on Trey’s door, then heard him call out, “Come in.”

She opened the door and stepped over the threshold. “Jack has everything cleared, and he said the main road out has been cleared as well. If you need to go into town for anything, you should go before it gets dark, because everything will get icy again.”

He shut his laptop and stood. “Since I’m going to be here for Christmas, I would like to pick up a couple of things.”

“Good reminder,” she said. “I’ll take you. I’m used to driving in snow, and I need a few things, too.”

“Yay me. Another excuse to spend time with you,” he said.

“You don’t need an excuse. I’m a willing accomplice to whatever you have in mind. Come down when you’re ready. I’m going to get my snow boots. I don’t want to lose another shoe in the snow.”

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, then cupped her cheek. “Get your boots, but this time, I won’t lose you.”

She leaned into his touch. “No, you aren’t going to lose me. I promise. See you in the lobby.”

She was halfway out the door when he called her name.

“Marley.”

She paused and turned around, but he hadn’t moved. “Yes?”

“Are you really serious about there being an us?”

She heard the uncertainty in his voice and went back to where he was standing. “Look at me, Trey. I can only guess at the disappointment you grew up with. I understand why you are slow to trust and that we’re still mostly strangers to each other. But I have never experienced such an instant attraction to anyone as I have to you. From where I’m standing, it’s kind of scary. If I’m willing to take a chance on getting my heart broken, then the answer to your question is, yes. I want there to be an us. So, if you don’t paint me in a corner then walk off and leave me, we’re good.”

His eyes darkened. “I suck at painting, and I can’t imagine life without you in it.”

Before Marley could respond, Wanda shouted from downstairs. “Bug! Jack is going to take me home. Call if you need us.”

Marley turned and ran to the landing, then looked down and waved.

“Okay! Trey and I are going shopping. See you tomorrow.”

“Yes. I’ll lock up in the front. You can lock up the back when you leave.”

Marley waved her thanks, then turned around and walked straight back into Trey’s arms. “Where were we?”

He smiled. “Right about here,” he said, eyeing her pretty mouth and those slightly parted lips, waiting for him to do something about it, so he did.

The moment they connected, her heart skipped a beat. He not only knew all the pretty words, but the fire he lit with one slow, sensual kiss was engulfing. There were too many clothes between them. When he finally lifted his head, the gleam in his eyes was impossible to ignore.

He wanted her.

And she wanted him.

“Savin’ this for later…when the sun goes down and the roads ice up,” he said.

Marley just nodded, still too rattled to focus. “There was something I needed to do,” she mumbled.

“Shoes. You were going to change your shoes,” Trey said.

She blinked. “Right. Snow boots. Downstairs. I’ll…uh, I’ll…”

He grinned. “You’ll meet me in the lobby.”

She groaned. “You make me crazy.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said. “Shoes. Downstairs. Now, or we’re shifting major gears right here.”

The thump of her heart was so hard, it felt as if it had slammed against her rib cage.

She pivoted out of his arms and flew down the stairs, muttering something about his pretty words, and losing her mind, and best holiday ever.

If levitation was a thing, Trey could have floated all the way to the ceiling from the feelings she evoked. He’d found his woman. She was one small package of dynamite, and he’d just lit the fuse.

Marley negotiated the snowy drive from the lodge to the main road, and then headed down the mountain, pointing out places of interest like a tour guide, trying to make a good impression. She knew he was expressing interest in all the right places, but he’d ruffled her feathers and was gentleman enough now to give her space to regain her composure.

“It’s a winter wonderland up here,” Trey said.

Marley glanced at him as he spoke. “It is, isn’t it?” Then all of a sudden, she heard a voice shout STOP!

When she slammed on the brakes, Trey instinctively braced for some kind of impact, even though there was nothing to be seen.

Then, within a heartbeat, a huge elk leaped out of the trees, landing right in front of them in the middle of the road before bounding off into the trees on the other side.

Trey’s thoughts were in free fall. He kept looking at Marley, and then into the woods where the elk had gone, and back again. “How on earth did you know to stop? Did you see it beforehand?”

Marley shook her head. “No, I was looking at you, remember? I just heard them shout STOP and hit the brakes.”

“Them?”

“My angels,” she said.

A shiver went through him. “You actually ‘heard’ the word ‘stop’?”

“Obviously, or I wouldn’t have hit the brakes,” she said as she took her foot off the brake and accelerated slowly.

He leaned back in the seat and took a deep breath. He’d just witnessed something he didn’t understand, but he was beginning to realize there was far more to Marley Corbett than brains and beauty.

“Is that going to be the deal-breaker?” Marley asked.

Trey jerked, saw tears in her eyes, and reached for her shoulder. “Absolutely not! What just happened is a lot to digest. I am in actual awe right now.”

Relief flooded her. “Okay then,” she muttered, and kept driving.

As they entered the city, Trey leaned forward. “I only saw this at night when it was snowing. This place is beautiful,” he said.

“It’s a well-kept part of Colorado history, founded in 1871. There is a lot to see around here, but we’re going to Old Town. We call it OCC, but technically, it’s Old Colorado City, which is a neighborhood now within Colorado Springs. Lots of gift shops, boutiques, and great places to eat. I think you’ll find what you’re looking for there,” Marley said.

“I really appreciate that you took the time to come with me. I would have driven all over the place without knowing where I was going.”

“I usually do everything on my own. I love having someone to do things with,” she said as she stopped for a red light.

“And, I can’t remember the last time I went shopping with anyone, so this is a pleasure. Today is a day for making new memories. I feel greedy, wanting to know everything about you…the big stuff and the little stuff. You mentioned the other day about being born at the lodge in January. What day did you say was your birthday?”

“The fifteenth of January. When is yours?”

“The fourth of June,” he said.

“Ahh, a Gemini. That fits.”

He grinned. She had no idea how right she was. He was living life as two people, but he’d never thought of it like that before. Trey Austin and Chapel Hill were one and the same.

When the light changed, she drove through it heading west, and drove straight to a designated parking lot, found an empty space, and parked.

“We walk from here,” she said. “Zip up your coat. The sun is shining, but the air is cold.”

As soon as they started walking, Trey reached for her hand. “Just in case you hit an icy spot.”

“Just in case,” she said as his fingers curled around her hand, dwarfing it, just as he dwarfed her.

The streets were filled with people, and as they walked, people would call out to Marley to say hello. Some even called her Bug, which told him they knew her well, and all of them asked about the lodge.

Clark and Heidi Rogers, regular lunch customers at the lodge, stopped them just as Trey and Marley were about to go into a shop on Tejon Street.

Heidi eyed Trey curiously, then shifted focus. “Bug! Great to see you. Have you reopened yet?”

“No. New Year’s Day is opening day,” Marley said.

Heidi glanced back at Trey again, as if waiting for an introduction, but Marley said nothing.

“But you’re still doing your New Year’s Eve bash, right?” Heidi asked.

“Yes, of course. Can’t mess with tradition,” Marley said.

Heidi frowned as she looked back at Trey. “I’m sorry for staring, but you look very familiar. Have we met?”

Trey took the issue out of Marley’s hands by introducing himself to both of them. “No, ma’am, I don’t believe we have. I’m Trey Austin.”

“Heidi Rogers, and this is my husband, Clark. I swear you look so—” And then she gasped. “Trey Austin! Yes! I knew I knew your face. You’re the man who is looking for Cinderella!”

“Busted,” Trey said, and laughed. “Nice to meet you both, but it’s cold out here, and Marley is shivering. Merry Christmas,” he said, slipped his hand on Marley’s back and ushered her inside.

Marley was grinning. “That was slick. I didn’t know how to handle that, because I didn’t know if you wanted to stay incognito, so to speak.”

“Well, since I plastered my face all over the nation, I have only myself to blame. But it was worth it just to find you, darlin’.” Then he took a deep breath, inhaling the scents within the shop. “This smells like a great place to linger.”

Marley held the darlin’ part close to her heart. She’d always wanted to be somebody’s darling.

“Candles, candy, books, and gifts. You can find the best gifts ever in Poor Richard’s. So how about we separate to shop, and text when we finish,” she suggested.

“Yes,” Trey said, then kissed her cheek before wandering off into the store.

Out of courtesy, Marley went in the other direction. The only other gift she wanted to get was something for Trey. Her problem was that she hadn’t known him long enough to know if he had hobbies, or what he liked. The only thing she knew he didn’t like was matcha tea, and the only thing she knew he did like was her. She could work around that.

***

Marley was still standing in the same spot when she heard a familiar sound. There must be a Santa Claus nearby! She could hear children’s voices and every so often, a hearty ho, ho, ho , and followed the laughter to a corner of the store and found Santa, resplendent in all the proper gear, with the most glorious white beard she’d ever seen.

There were a couple of children in his lap and a few more waiting to have pictures taken with Santa, and all of a sudden, she knew one thing she was going to give Trey.

Glancing over her shoulder to make sure he wasn’t anywhere in sight, she quickly got in line, shivering with excitement. She recognized the photographer, and as he stood waiting for the next child to get in Santa’s lap, she tapped him on the shoulder.

“Benny!”

He turned around. “Bug! What are you doing here?”

“I have a huge favor to ask,” she said.

“Name it.”

She whispered in his ear.

He grinned and nodded. “Yeah, and I’ll have someone bring it to the lodge in a few days, okay?”

“Thank you, Benny. You’re the best. I owe you. I’m reopening the lodge on New Year’s Day. First time you and Darla get a chance, come up to the lodge for lunch. It will be on me.”

He gave her a thumbs-up. An elf with a clipboard took her name, address, and an email link. She paid the twenty-dollar fee and then got in line.

A couple of minutes later, her coat was lying on the floor nearby, and she was sitting on Santa’s lap.

“Well, hello, little lady,” Santa said. “And what’s your name?”

Marley smiled. “Just call me Cinderella, and I hope there’s no age limit for this.”

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” Santa said. “Okay, Cinderella, what do you want for Christmas?”

“Prince Charming. I want Prince Charming for Christmas.”

Santa laughed, only this time it was a real, booming belly laugh. “I’ll put in a good word when I see him,” he said, and then they turned to the camera.

Santa’s arm was around her shoulder. Her black snow boots with white fur trim around the tops were barely touching the floor, and she was congratulating herself for wearing red-and-black plaid pants and a white Christmas sweater. Benny handed her a big piece of poster board.

“Hold this up against your stomach,” he said.

“What’s going on?” Santa asked.

“Just a little Christmas magic,” Marley said.

Benny snapped the photos, then gave them a thumbs-up.

She laid the poster board aside as she got up. An elf gave her a little candy-filled stocking, and she was finished.

She grabbed her coat and purse and quickly headed for the toy section. Because as she’d been standing in line, she had remembered Trey’s story about writing to Santa for a telescope and getting a baseball and a mitt instead. And that’s when she knew what she was going to get.

***

Trey headed straight toward the book section of Poor Richard’s and was scanning the shelves when a clerk approached.

“Are you just browsing, or are you looking for a specific title?” he asked.

“Do you have the latest Chapel Hill mystery? It’s a new release,” Trey asked.

“We do. The mystery section is this way. Follow me.” They moved a few feet down and then took a left into a narrow alcove of shelves. “This is the mystery section. I believe our Chapel Hill titles are just here.” He looked a bit, and then reached toward a shelf and pulled down a book. “Here you go. The Shallcross Legend . It’s a good one. I’ve already read it,” the clerk said.

Trey smiled. “Good to know, and thank you for the help.”

“Of course. Look all you want. When you’re ready to check out, there are registers all over,” he said.

“Thanks,” Trey said, as he dropped the book into the shopping basket he was carrying and continued browsing the shelves. When he saw a cookbook that was a compilation of old-time recipes, he added it to the basket.

As he was walking back through the store, he came upon a stunning display of handmade crockery and stopped. The glazed coffee mugs caught his eye, and he thought of Jack and Wanda, always pouring themselves coffee throughout the day, and thought that would be a gift they might like. After a little debate with himself about color, he chose two that had been glazed with marbled shades of blue and turquoise green.

Then, as he was passing a jewelry display, he saw a necklace with a tiny red-and-black ladybug dangling from a gold chain and pointed it out to the clerk.

A short while later, the necklace had been boxed. The coffee mugs were in their individual packing boxes, and the books were safely tucked at the bottom of the tote bag he’d bought to carry his gifts.

At that point, he sent Marley a text.

I’m finished. I smell pizza.

Marley already had what she’d come for, and as soon as she got the text, she sent one back.

So am I. Pizza is at the far end of this wonderful shop. Meet you there.

Trey looked for Marley but didn’t see her, so he started walking, following his nose, and then suddenly she slipped up beside him.

He looked down. Her eyes were twinkling with mischief.

“You have secrets, don’t you?” he asked.

She nodded.

“So do I. So many secrets,” he said, and winked.

Then they entered the bistro area.

“No anchovies on mine,” she said.

“Me neither. Match made in heaven.”

***

They were seated at their table waiting for their order to arrive when a woman at a nearby table recognized Trey and pointed. And then word began to spread throughout the restaurant that the man who’d been searching for Cinderella was in the house.

“I think we’ve been made,” Trey said.

Marley blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Look around us. Everybody is staring. They recognized me. Most of them may have already read my post about finding Cinderella. Now they’re all discussing the possibility of it being you.”

Marley’s cheeks turned pink. “Is this bad or what?”

“Not from where I’m sitting. You’re my heroine. I owe you my life, remember? But they are considering your tiny self and trying to decide if it could possibly be you, or if you’re far too fragile to have turned into Wonder Woman and dragged my sorry ass out of that ditch.”

Marley laughed, and when she did, the sound carried over the buzz of voices in the room. And now everyone was looking at her, including Trey. Her unabashed joy for life was what he’d been missing, and there he sat, falling deeper in love—waiting on a pizza.

“I’m not going to announce it,” she said. “But if they ask, I won’t deny it. That would be the same thing as belittling you. We met by a twist of fate. Your desire to find me is admirable. Wanting to personally thank someone for saving your life is the most human part of us, but what is happening between us now is none of their business.”

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “Thank you, love,” then kissed the side of her cheek.

Before Marley could react, their food arrived, ending the moment between them, but it didn’t end the diners’ curiosity. They were in the middle of eating when Marley glanced up.

“Oh no,” she muttered.

“What?” Trey asked.

“Brace yourself. Incoming rude,” she whispered, just as a local couple reached their table.

“Hello, Bug. We couldn’t help but notice your lunch partner.”

Marley sighed. “It would have been weird if you hadn’t. He is pretty amazing, but he has yet to figure out how to make himself invisible.”

Trey almost choked on his bite, and quickly chewed and swallowed. It was obvious Marley didn’t like this woman, and he hid a grin as she introduced them.

“Trey, this is Rilla and Edwin Charles. Rilla and Edwin, this is my friend, Trey Austin.”

“It’s a pleasure,” Trey said.

“So, are you here on holiday, or visiting family?” Edwin asked.

The whole dining room had suddenly gone silent. Everyone was waiting for the answer.

Trey glanced at Marley. She rolled her eyes and nodded slightly, as if to say, Go for it .

“Not exactly. Apparently, you recognized me from my post about searching for Cinderella. So, I finally found her and came to thank her for saving my life.”

Rilla blinked. “Surely you’re not expecting us to believe that Bug Corbett pulled you from a wreck all by herself?”

Marley bristled. “Surely you are not calling him a liar?”

Rilla blinked. “Well, of course not, but I just don’t see how—”

“That would be because you weren’t there,” Marley said.

Trey frowned. Now he didn’t like Rilla, either. “I can assure you that I didn’t get myself out, and yes, that’s exactly what Marley did, and I have eyewitness accounts from the deputy sheriff who showed up at the wreck site with the ambulance. If you read the post, then you know what she suffered in the process and what superhuman strength it took for her to do it. Happy holidays,” he said, then reached for another piece of pizza and put it on his plate. “Marley, honey…would you please pass the red pepper flakes?”

“Sure,” Marley said. She handed him the shaker, then took a bite of her pizza and started chewing to keep herself from saying more.

***

Rilla glared at being dismissed. Obviously, Bug Corbett still held a grudge because of a simple comment she’d made to Wanda Wallis at the lodge a few years ago that wound up getting them banned. They hadn’t seen each other until today. Now, she’d clearly said something that Trey Austin fellow didn’t like, either. She glared at the couple, but they weren’t paying her any attention, and Edwin was muttering beneath his breath.

“Rilla, we’re leaving,” he snapped, then took his wife by the elbow and escorted her out, while diners began sneaking pictures of the couple.

Marley sighed. “We’re going to be all over social media now, aren’t we?”

He nodded. “Quite likely, so be prepared to be inundated with phone calls and requests for interviews. You can either play along until they find something new to talk about, or refuse them all. It’s your call, but I’ll back you all the way, whatever you choose to do.”

She shrugged. “I just won’t worry about it,” she said. “Oh, I have extra wrapping paper and bows if you want to wrap anything when we get home, but right now, I’m going to finish off this piece of pizza.”

Trey eyed the pizza still on the pan. “We’re going to need a to-go box.”

“Awesome. I love leftover pizza, and I love that you put that woman in her place,” she said.

“I could tell you didn’t like her, and then she popped off about you, and that doesn’t fly with me. Now we both don’t like her,” he said, and winked.

“She’s rude to everyone. We always just ignored her until Rilla said something appalling to Wanda one day during lunch service, and I gave her an ultimatum. Either go and apologize to Wanda, or get out, and don’t come back. This is the first time I’ve seen them since. Time didn’t change her for the better. Thanks for having my back.”

“Always,” he said, and signaled their waiter. “We need a to-go box and the check.”

“Right away, sir,” the man said, and hurried off through the dining area.

A few minutes later, they were back in their coats and walking out the door carrying the pizza and their shopping bags.

Wind hit them in the face as they started across the street. “Brrr. It sure didn’t get any warmer while we were inside,” Marley said.

“If my arms weren’t full, I’d wrap them around you,” Trey said as he paused to help her up the curb.

Marley cut her eyes at him. “There you go, talking pretty again.”

“I can’t help it. You enchant me. It feels like I’ve known you forever.”

“Maybe we knew each other in another life,” Marley said.

“If we did, and we were in love, I want that back.” Then he added, “Just saying,” to lighten the moment, and it worked.

Marley laughed. “I consider myself properly put on alert.”

They hurried to the car to get out of the cold and went back to the lodge, unaware that Jared Bedford had witnessed their little interlude, with a measure of shock and then growing rage. He would become even more incensed later when he learned the man with Bug was the Cinderella man and she was the missing heroine he’d been looking for.

***

The drive back to the lodge was uneventful. No near misses from elks in the road, and no early warning signs from Marley’s angels. But her running commentary of different Christmas dinners at the lodge as she was growing up were revealing to Trey, and even more validation of how entrenched she was in her home and the idea of family, and how sparse his own experiences had been. He might never have known how much he’d missed if he’d never met her.

“So, what was your favorite part of family Christmas?” Trey asked.

Her face lit up. “My favorite part was Christmas morning. The excitement of opening gifts and then eating breakfast in our pajamas. Mom would always make Dutch baby pancakes with spiced apple fillings, and Dad would float little marshmallows in my hot chocolate. I don’t remember the incident, but there’s this story about me getting a mini marshmallow stuck up my nose one Christmas when I was little and crying about it.”

Trey laughed. “You put a marshmallow up your nose?”

“Apparently. Dad pulled it out with a pair of tweezers. I was an adventurous little twerp. What about you?” she asked.

He frowned slightly, trying to remember. “There aren’t any cute stories like yours, but I do remember flashes of things. The resident nanny brought me down to the tree when I was young. I remember that. I don’t remember special foods. I rarely ate with my parents. They didn’t like the messes kids made and didn’t want them at the table. I was always in the kitchen with the nanny and the staff. They were good to me, but looking back, I think they felt sorry for me. I distinctly remember hearing one of them call me a ‘poor little rich boy,’ and I didn’t understand how you could be rich and poor at the same time. My parents always bought me presents, but rarely watched me open them.”

Marley gave him a quick glance. “I think I was the one who grew up rich…with love and family. You grew up with rich parents who were stingy with the things that matter to a child.”

“True, but from a child’s standpoint, they only have one reference of how life is, and for me, everything that happened—or didn’t happen—was my normal. It wasn’t until I was sent away that I felt adrift.”

“But you came home at holidays, right?” Marley asked.

“Sometimes, but they were never there. After a while, I just chose to stay at the boarding school. There were others like me. We sort of hung out together.”

Marley shook her head. “I can’t bear the thought of that happening to the little you. When I have children, I will treasure them and enjoy every moment of the days we are together.”

Trey opened the thought of being married to her and raising a family together, and then pulled back, almost afraid to hope for such a joy that might be taken away.

“I don’t feel deprived. I was ignored, but instead of feeling sorry for myself, I gained a lot of self-confidence, okay? And I’m very happy with what I’m doing in life,” he said.

“You mean writing?” Marley asked as she took the turn off the road into the driveway.

“Yes. I mean writing…and finding you.”

She smiled and then focused her attention on their arrival as she drove around back and into the garage. They got out, grabbed their packages, and went inside.

“I’ll bring the wrapping paper stuff to the kitchen. You can wrap yours on the island, okay?” Marley said.

“Okay,” he said, then slid his hand beneath her hair and cupped the back of her neck as he kissed her.

Every time he did that, Marley felt it all the way to her toes. By the time he pulled back, she was at the point of don’t stop , and aching for more. She opened her eyes, saw him watching her, and sighed.

“Yes, you turned on all the switches, if that’s what you want to know. I am at the point of shameless.”

He ran a finger down the curve of her cheek. “I’m always testing the waters, where you’re concerned. I had this Wonder Woman mindset the whole time I was looking for you and, without realizing it, fell in little bit in love with a woman I didn’t even know. So, meeting you didn’t seem like seeing a stranger. You were just someone I’d lost that I needed to get back. I didn’t have a thought past that…until I saw you, and every day since, I’m falling more and more in love with the woman you are.”

“I never dreamed I would see you again, but when you arrived here, I did not see a stranger. I saw a man I’d once held in my arms who’d come looking for me, and I let myself believe we already had a kind of bond, but I was open for more. It didn’t take two days for me to know I was falling in love. I have been honest with you about everything. The rest is completely up to you. I heard your father shouting that I was after your money. You and I both know that’s not true, and they are never going to approve of me, but I don’t need their permission to love you.”

His eyes darkened. “Hell, Marley. They don’t even approve of me. Why would I care what they thought of us?” He hugged her again. “We’re wrapping presents now and being happy, and whatever evolves, we follow… Okay?”

She knew he meant making love, and she wanted that, too. “Okay, now this is me, being happy and going to get the wrapping stuff,” she said, and left the room carrying her packages.

Trey hung his coat on the newel post at the foot of the stairs, stirred the logs in the fireplace, and added another one before replacing the screen, then wandered back into the kitchen, put the pizza in one of the refrigerators, and waited for the sound of her footsteps, knowing that his life had changed and that it would never be complete again without her.