Chapter Sixteen
The snowstorm the night before had looked worse than it was, but the front blowing in today was reported to be huge and expected to drop an enormous amount of snow. Folks were planning to be snowed in several days, but when she called Enrique to see if plans had changed, he said he would meet her at the slopes.
Mr. Bailey said they were keeping the slopes open as long as possible. “Every penny counts, darlin’. As long as it’s safe and the authorities don’t shut us down, we’ll stay open. Why don’t you ask your fella to stay on the main trails today? That way, we can keep an eye on you,” he suggested helpfully.
“I will ask. Perhaps now, his ego will be able to handle it. Maybe… if you demand it, he would stay up front with the other guests,” Leigh added hopefully.
“No can do; we have a signed contract. If he wants to go out back to the reserved area, that is his right. I will, however, advise strongly against it,” he said with a wink before walking away to check on a guest patiently waiting.
Leigh was hopeful that today would be better. Even though yesterday had been exhausting, she felt they had made some progress in their overall relationship.
When 10 am rolled around and Enrique had not made an appearance, she texted to see what was taking him so long but didn’t get a response. She asked around the resort, but no one had seen him. She considered calling it a day and using the time to prepare herself for a few day snow in, but upon second thought, worried he might be stuck in a ditch somewhere. His fancy SUV had handled the snow-covered roads well the first day, but maybe fresh snow was too much for them. She was sure he had roadside assistance but decided she wouldn’t sleep well if she didn’t at least check on him. Radio silence didn’t seem to be his MO.
Once she had decided to play babysitter yet again, she had one problem: she didn’t know where he was staying. Why she had assumed he would be staying at the resort was beyond her; he obviously liked his privacy. Finally, Mrs. Bailey was able to inform her he was renting Snowcrest Chalet up the mountainside overlooking the resort.
When Leigh arrived at the chalet twenty minutes later, she was greeted by a butler at the door, and a housekeeper offered her refreshments in the breakfast room. Who goes on vacation with a full staff? A billionaire, that’s who! She inwardly raged at the extravagance. When folks can barely afford to keep a roof over their head and food on the table, this guy goes on vacation like this! All of the old resentments she had buried yesterday came roaring to the surface as she took in her surroundings. What a waste!
As Mrs. Ellis, the housekeeper, prepared a light lunch for her, Leigh looked around the bottom floor. It had a stunning view and all the amenities you could imagine. A giant fireplace took her breath away, centered between floor-to-ceiling windows on either side, displaying an awe-inspiring mountain vista. She could see a hot tub and patio seating with propane heaters to augment the outdoor firepit. An enormous sectional couch took up a large portion of the great room and looked cozy and inviting. She could imagine losing a few hours engrossed in a good book, reclining with the chunky knit throw blanket tucked over her lap.
“Here you go, dear. I hope you don’t mind the fare. If you don’t care for something, just let me know, and I can cook something up real quick,” Mrs. Ellis crooned, placing a tray of food on the table. There was a plate of salmon and avocado toast, accompanied by several triangles of cheese, rounds of meats, and whole grain crackers. A bowl of Caprese salad and another of fresh-cut fruit also occupied the tray, as well as a glass of orange juice, a cup of steaming tea, a tiny container of cream, and three packets of sugar. This was a meal fit for a king, not an uninvited guest .
“This looks delicious! Will Mr. Rodriguez be joining me?” Leigh inquired curiously, looking hungrily at the food before her.
“Oh, no. He is on a business call and isn’t to be disturbed. If you need anything, just ring the bell, and one of us will come right away. Enjoy!” Mrs. Ellis hurried off into an unknown part of the house.
A bell. There really is a bell on this tray. I thought that was only in the movies! Leigh thought in wonder as she tucked into the meal. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until just now. It was noon, after all. The search for Enrique had taken her longer than she had anticipated. The food was wonderful, and she enjoyed every bite but was not about to ring a bell to summon staff to clean up after her. She lifted the tray and walked into the kitchen. Seeing no one, she placed it on the counter beside the industrial-sized sink and quietly left the room.
After surveying the space, she weighed her options. She now knew that Enrique was not lying on the side of the road, freezing to death. At this point, she could head home with a clear conscience. However, she never liked to leave a thing half done, so she went in search of Enrique to verify that it was too late to go on the slopes today. She would reach out once she heard it was clear for them to ski again.
What seemed like hours passed as she went up and down halls, listening like a burglar outside doors for any indication Enrique was inside. Finally, she found him upstairs in a well-appointed office. The door was closed, but the lock had not latched, so when she gave it a tiny push, it swung open.
“What do you mean? There is no way we have a breach. Our staff is too loyal, and they wouldn’t dare cross me! Trace the digital signature and find that source. It isn’t just a team in danger; this will raise questions with the wrong people—people we don’t want questioning our loyalty and integrity.” Enrique’s brow was creased, and he ran a hand through his dark brown hair as he paced the floor of the large office space. “No, don’t worry about that. I took care of their overwatch problem. They have the satellite time they need to accomplish the mission. Thankfully, no life was lost while this cluster unraveled. Charley, sync up two more brothers in case they need more time. If things go sideways in the field, it won’t be us who leaves our servicemen hanging. No, the damage is done. That thread was pulled and can’t be put back. At this point, they got what they wanted, and we, I , will have to pay the consequences. We need to know who got my brother’s intel code, how they even knew about it in the first place, and what intel they grabbed before our team was any wiser. There is going to be a reckoning, and I need answers when…”
Enrique’s head shot up, and his honey-brown eyes bore into Leigh’s Caribbean blues before he stomped to the door and forcefully closed it in her face. There was no mistaking his anger upon finding her at his door.
Leigh quickly retreated down the hall and was about to run out the door when she checked herself. She wasn’t a criminal sulking away before they got nabbed. Turning back towards the kitchen, she called out softly, “Mrs. Ellis, are you around?”
From seemingly out of nowhere, the older woman appeared, “Yes, dear, I’m here. How was your lunch? Did you need anything else? We have some fresh cookies or perhaps a piece of pie?” she offered generously.
“Oh, no, thank you. Lunch was delightful, and I appreciate all your effort. I was wondering if you had a piece of paper and pen I could use to write a message for Mr. Rodriguez before I go.”
“Oh, certainly, wait right here while I go fetch it for you.”
A small smile played on Leigh’s lips as she watched Mrs. Ellis scurry down the hall once more. She was pretty sure she had just been called out and commanded to “stay” in the most ladylike way for snooping about.
When Mrs. Ellis returned with the writing materials, she left Leigh in the breakfast room to write her note and instructed her to leave it with Mr. Daniels when she left. He would see to it that Mr. Rodrigez received it.
Leigh wrote her short note, “Too late to ski today. I will text you in a few days when we can go again if you are free later in the week.” But proceeded up the stairs to deliver it herself.
As she stood outside the office door once more, she considered opening the door a crack and tossing it into the room, where he would be sure to see it. On second thought, why play with fire? It always leaves a burn. She thrust it under the door with as much force as possible, hoping it would make it to the middle of the floor, where he would see it.
Her foot was on the bottom step as the conversation she had overheard replayed in her mind when the door opened, and Enrique shouted, “Miss Parker, that is unacceptable; I will meet you there in thirty minutes.” His tone left little room for argument, and the office door closed again with a bang as if to punctuate his command. She shrugged her shoulders, made her way to the Jeep, and headed back towards Avalanche Crest.
Sure enough, thirty minutes later, Enrique approached her where she waited at the door just off the parking lot. He was fully dressed in his gear, skis and poles in hand, helmet and goggles already on his head.
“Let’s go! Nothing else has gone right today. The least I can do is show this mountain who’s boss.” His demeanor was quite imposing, so Leigh held her peace and followed him.
She was dismayed when he went straight for the lift that would take them to the mountain’s reserved area. “Um, Mr. Bailey suggested we stay on the main trails today with the storm blowing in.”
“Not happening. The last thing I need to worry about is paparazzi taking my picture, today of all days.
As they rode the lift up the mountain, her thoughts returned once more to the conversation she heard in the office. She had no idea what he was talking about, but it didn’t sound like anything related to the fashion industry .
“Listen, no more baby slopes today. With this storm blowing in, I am running out of time. We are going for the most challenging today, got it?” He looked down at her from his place beside her on the lift chair. He wasn’t really asking a question but more delivering an order and Leigh didn’t like it.
“You listen!” she said, turning slightly to make eye contact, “I am fine with adding a little bit of challenge today, but our time is short. We have about an hour before we need to head back. No reckless, funny business today. Listen, learn, practice, and today will not be a total waste.”
Gliding off the lift at the top of the mountain, she hoped that Enrique had put aside his childish adrenaline chasing from the day before and that they could have a few nice runs before calling it a day. One look at the determination on his face as he stared off at the slopes before them told her it was once again wishful thinking.