Chapter 18 Kamirah #2
“I’m hoping we’re going to have a quiet weekend somewhere lovely that we can switch off and relax, to be honest. I doubt whether you’ll get any late-night calls from us.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the chalet. It’s been recently renovated and has a lovely outlook.”
He pulled into a driveway with stone entrance pillars and drove through an iron gate that stood open.
Pine trees, weighted down in snow, lined the verges.
It was a long and winding drive that ran up a hill, then over to the other side of it.
Dense forest enclosed much of the black top, but when we crested the hill, we had the most spectacular outlook.
The snow-covered forest gave way to the deep blue lake reflecting the cloudless sky.
Then we saw the chalet. It was a modest size, but the way it hung off the side of the steep face of the hill was a feat of modern engineering.
A balcony surrounded the log cabin, and a high-pitched shingle roof gave it a charming feel.
Smoke wafted from the chimney, and my heart soared. Was V already here?
The driver pulled up in front of the stone staircase leading to the front entrance and opened our doors before taking out our luggage and carrying it up the stairs for us. Chris knocked, but the driver handed him a key.
“Your host has asked you to go inside and make yourselves comfortable. Your massage therapists will be here in an hour.”
We wandered inside and into an open-plan living area with high ceilings and a wall of glass overlooking the lake.
There was rich timber everywhere and dark leather furniture.
On the largest of the soft cream-color area rugs, two massage tables were set up, with white sheets and thick down comforters draped over them.
There were cushions and throw blankets all in natural tones that softened the richness of timber and leather, as did the flickering fire and the vase of red roses on the kitchen countertop.
But it was the view outside that held us captivated. It was breathtaking.
The edge of lake was partly frozen, patches of ice forming like lily pads on the surface. The ice reflected the sun, creating a diamond-like sparkle over the surface. I wandered over to the couch overlooking the view and sank into it, my eyes dipping to the coffee table for the first time.
“He really has thought of everything.” I sighed, reaching for the delicious-looking cheese. There was a charcuterie board set up in front of us, a note alongside it.
“’Please help yourself to the spiced hot chocolate,’” I read and looked around for it.
There, on the end table inconspicuously out of the way of the view, was a thermos filled with what I guessed would be hot chocolate, three mugs, and a crystal bowl with a fancy-looking lid on it filled with marshmallows.
Chris filled two mugs and doctored mine how I liked it before sliding onto the couch next to me and pulling the throw blanket over us. “Do you think he’ll be here soon?”
“Let’s find out.” I rang his number, but there was no answer. When it clicked over to his message service, I left him a short one. “Hey, just wanted to say thank you for all this. It’s incredible. We’re looking forward to catching up soon.”
Disappointment threatened to overtake me, but he might not have answered because he was in the air.
Perhaps he was coming from Phoenix, or farther afield, and couldn’t talk.
I rested my head on Chris’s shoulder, and we ate and drank our fill, gazing out at the lake and relaxing in the warmth created by the fire.
“Oh look, there’s a bald eagle.” Chris pointed at the sky, a giant silhouette against the blue circling in the updrafts. We watched it as it flew down into the trees.
The knock on the door had my heart racing again, hope filling me. Chris jumped up to answer it, and I stood up, too, holding my breath as I waited to see who would walk through the door.
I was disappointed at the same time as being excited. A man and a woman wearing all black walked through. They were our massage therapists.
“Hello,” I greeted them.
Once we got the formalities out of the way, the woman gestured to the massage tables. “Please strip down to your underwear and get under the covers. We’ll go outside to give you a moment.”
We did as she asked, and when I climbed onto the massage table, I groaned. There was an electric blanket underneath the sheet, and the down comforter was warm against my nearly naked skin.
The massage therapists re-entered, and mine proceeded to knead every knot out of my body leaving me relaxed and sleepy.
Chris sighed happily next to me, and I turned my face to look at him. He smiled back, and I murmured, “This is so romantic.”
“I could fall asleep here.”
“I’m about to.”
Hot stones were placed gently on my back, and I groaned happily. My massage therapist moved to my head, letting the warmth of the stones seep into me. I wanted to melt through the table.
The hour passed quickly, but slowly at the same time. The therapists packed up their gear, leaving us curled up by the fire.
“Let’s call him again,” Chris suggested, the vibration of his voice against my chest making me hum.
“Sorry, one second,” V answered after the first ring. There was shuffling and a door closing, then quiet on the other end of the line. “Sorry, Chris, I’m here.”
“You’ve outdone yourself, V,” Chris said. “We appreciate all the pampering—it’s incredible—but we’d really like to see you.”
“I’ve been held up. I’m so sorry,” he apologized. “I’m still coming today, but I’ll be a few more hours. I’ve organized dinner to be delivered—”
“Hey, stop,” Chris ordered gently. “You don’t have to do that. We’re perfectly capable of ordering dinner.”
“I know, I just—”
“That’s why you organized massages, wasn’t it? You were filling in the afternoon for us.”
There was a huff of laughter on the other end of the line, and V said, “A little? This meeting got sprung on me this morning by the executives, so I had my EA organize all that for you. I was supposed to arrive at the same time as you.”
“How about you do what needs to be done today, join us when you can, and then we’ll spend some time together?”
“Tonight and tomorrow,” V added.
“We can’t wait,” Chris said, his voice warm and soft. “Get here safely, V.”
“I will.”
I couldn’t even be disappointed that he wasn’t going to arrive until tonight. The fact that we got to see him then had my belly flip-flopping, butterflies taking flight and doing loop de loops, and my pulse racing.
There was no way he could spend any more than a few hours in that mask. He needed to eat and drink. That meant we were finally going to meet him. Anticipation built inside me until I could barely sit still.
I couldn’t wait.