Chapter 48

Evie

Istay quiet for most of the drive. We stopped twice to refuel, grabbing a bite at a farmstand in Grand Junction. Pulling into Breckenridge as the sun dips behind the magnificent mountain range, I find solace in the painted sky of purples and pinks. Not a bad distraction. And I need one desperately.

My milestone birthday has flipped a crazy switch. Realization hits me upside the head. So much so that I groan.

"All good?" Adam asks, a tinge of concern in his voice.

I mutter an affirmative reply. I need to think.

To the left, a narrow river flows over a rocky bed. A storybook pedestrian bridge, lined with hanging baskets of colorful flowers, spans the water. "Runoff from the snowy peaks," Adam says. I nod without turning to face him.

If Adam realizes I'm acting differently, he doesn't let on. It takes the first hundred miles to overcome my mortification at coming onto him in my pill-induced stupor at the hotel. In the bed. What sort of woman does he think I am? What sort of woman am I?

I'm a fifty-year-old mom. A respected attorney. How can I behave in such an irresponsible manner?

And yet from the moment I landed in Yosemite, it was as if I shed all of those long-held identities. Sure, it was freeing—that sense of being unencumbered by life's normal routines and expectations. But I took risk after risk. On the mountain trails and with Adam.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, an anachronism. But I have never been the type to behave as I have over recent days. If only I had stayed back in New York, refusing to allow Caroline to talk me into going alone. Maybe I'd still have my job, and my sanity.

The car makes it up a steep incline until we reach a large sign. Grand Colorado.

It serves as a wakeup call. We've arrived.

Adam pulls the Honda up to the sprawling resort at the foot of the ski mountain. My sole focus needs to be on convincing the Demetrius family that I'm Ronna, Adam's adoring fiancée.

But my mind is made up, there's no need for further ruminations. Once the wedding weekend ends, I'm going back home to New York to find another job, one that's Adam-free. I'm going back to my normal, responsible life. Once and for all.

The moment Adam and I enter the lobby, a red-haired beauty in a flimsy blue organza sundress comes barreling toward me with the exuberance of a Golden Retriever puppy. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!"

My midlife, existential crisis will have to wait. I drop my purse to the ground, bracing for impact. Before I can escape her path, the hyper-fit woman, embraces me tightly, cutting off my oxygen.

"I can't believe you're real, Ronna!"

Adam pulls his sister off me. "Whoa, Steph, she's turning blue."

Stephanie steps back, assessing me. Her eyes flicker to Adam with a split-second of surprise then return to me. "You're gorgeous." She takes my hand, ogling the engagement ring. "Granny Bess would love that you're wearing her ring."

I'm speechless. Not that there's a chance to speak. All the words and breathable air are being consumed by Adam's little sister. I remind myself that the rambunctious woman is also a federal officer.

"Hi, Stephanie, so nice to properly meet you."

An amused smile crosses Steph's lips. "Sorry about the surprise attack. I'm just so excited. I always wanted a sister."

Anna emerges from a nearby hallway dressed in a bright orange pantsuit, the hue not far off from her daughter's striking hair color. Her pointy heels click-clack on the parquet flooring. Heavy earrings pull on her earlobes. I can't explain why but I find the look endearing.

"It's true. Steph used to beg me for a baby sister," she says, greeting us with kisses on our cheeks. "Nice to see you again, Ronna."

I feel warmth toward Anna. She's fun, bold, and stylish in her own out-of-the-box way. She's also closer to my age than Adam is. Under other circumstances, maybe we would be good friends, contemporaries. Remarkably, Anna and now Steph seem to be going with the flow despite the apparent age gap between Adam and yours truly, the woman they believe he's going to marry. I wonder if I would be as gracious if the situation applied to one of my boys.

Adam asks Stephanie, "Where's Dad and Brad? I want to say hi and introduce them to Ronna."

"They're getting dressed," she says, glancing at her chain-link watch. "Yikes! Dinner starts in a half hour." She points to Adam's nose. "Don't be late."

Adam looks exasperated. "We just arrived and need to get ready. We are going to be late."

Steph pouts. I imagine it's the same expression she gives her older brother when they're little. If I'm reading the room correctly, Steph is the spoiled little princess who has everyone wrapped around her little finger.

Before Steph can make a comeback, Anna guides her away. "Come on, let's see if the caterer did what you asked." And with that, Adam and I go to find our room.