13. Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Rachel
W hen I walked into the dispensary, its classy lobby pleasantly surprised me. Instead of colorful bongs lining the walls with obnoxious pot leaf cartoons like I saw in the movies, the cream walls had artwork that looked like a Rorschach test, but with subtle leaves interwoven into the gray designs. The actual shopping room they called me back to wasn’t much different, either. There was nothing outlandish about the bongs and vape pens on display, though the “budtender” behind the counter did have pins on his lanyard of childhood cartoon characters smoking weed. There was a faint skunky smell that lingered in the air, but there was a subtle sweetness to it, almost like citrus. I’d caught a whiff on Juniper’s breath before.
“How can I help you? First time in?”
“It is, actually! And, um, I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to do this, but I’m here for someone else.”
I pulled out my phone and swiped through the photos until I landed on the one I’d snuck in Juniper’s suite. When I was searching for ways to save the mac and cheese, I’d stumbled upon his medicine drawer and snuck a picture when his back was turned, working on some other sides.
“So, my boss is a customer here. His name is Juniper Hart. Maybe he’s in your system?” I didn’t wait for him to check, but he started typing something into the computer. “Anyway, I’m his assistant, sort of? And I always like to have an emergency kit in my bag.” I gave my front pack a pat. “Ibuprofen, antacid, Band-Aids, protein bars, you name it.”
The budtender smiled and nodded. At least he wasn’t looking at me like I was a complete lunatic as he said, “Okay,” urging me to continue. I noticed some more marijuana-themed pins attached to his snapback which hid a head of sandy blonde hair. He looked like he could be related to Edgar.
“I spend almost all day every day with him, and I thought it could be nice to have a spare of whatever it is he takes in my emergency kit.”
“That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard! And since you don’t need any medical reason yourself, I can absolutely help you with that.”
“Oh, that’s a relief. I have no idea how any of this stuff works.”
“What’s your name, by the way?”
“Rachel.”
“Rachel. I’m Scott. Since it’s your first time, Rachel, I get to hook you up with a fifty percent discount today and for your next visit. What’s the box say on that picture?”
I slid my phone across the counter. “I think it says it’s a one-to-one ratio?”
“Oh, yeah, we have that here. Give me one second.” I watched as Scott turned around, opened a drawer, and then grabbed a small rectangular box. He printed out a sticker and slapped it on the bottle before bagging it up. “Now, the expiration on that is about three years from now. It’s not that it’ll go bad or anything, it’ll just be weaker at that point. The fresher the better, you know?”
“Got it. Thank you.”
“With your fifty percent off, that comes to thirty bucks.”
“Wait, seriously? That’s it?” I fished for the cash in my wallet and handed it to him. “Those CBD gummies my mom likes are a fucking scam. Holy shit.”
Scott laughed. “Oh, yeah. Those things are so overpriced. Let us know if you need any more help, alright?”
“I will. Thank you!”
As I left, I made my way to the next stop on my errands list. The small village on the other side of the mountain was a short chairlift ride away from the lodge. Since Juniper got that operational as of last week, I’d opted for it instead of subjecting an Uber to driving up the snowy mountain. Even though I got a car lease after I moved here—it was cheaper than outright buying—I hadn’t felt confident enough to tackle that myself yet, since I hadn’t ever driven in the snow or up and down a mountain before. The idea of practicing on a mountain at this time of year felt less than ideal.
The shops here all shared a small street, forming a line of brick, stone, and saloon facades in varying shades of earth tones. As I passed out some business cards, I admired the snow topping all of their roofs. One of them had an American flag whipping in the wind, but most had Christmas decorations already on full display. The holidays would be here before I knew it.
I passed a couple sitting on a wood and iron bench, each holding cups with steam rising from the top. They waved at me and called, “Hey, Rachel!”
I recognized them but couldn’t remember their names. “Hey, good to see you guys!”
Thank God there was more than one of them. They’d never suspect a thing. Though I had to admit, it did feel good to have people recognize me. It made me feel less alone—like it wasn’t just me, Juniper, and Edgar up on this mountain.
“Nora’s got complimentary coffee today,” the woman said. Her knit beanie covered her hair.
I smiled as I continued on. “Music to my ears.”
Nora’s happened to be my next stop, and the coffee sounded tempting. I stepped into the bakery, its architecture looking like a small German cottage, and enjoyed the smell of freshly baked pastries and bread wafting through the air. The shop owner, Nora, was behind the counter tending to a customer who left as I stepped up to the register. She’d tied her gray and brown curls back into a bun on the top of her head.
“Rachel! Good to see you again.” Nora smiled at me, her brown eyes squinting as she did. Her voice was warm and thick, like fresh honey. “The usual?”
“Hey, Nora. You know me well.”
Nora wiped her wrinkled hands on her apron and grabbed me a loaf of challah as I looked at what was inside the counter, seeing what she’d baked this week. Her selection had some staples but was never exactly the same from day to day.
“Say, Nora, can you add a few of those lemon muffins?”
“Of course! That’s pistachio on top of the glaze. You’re not allergic, are you?”
“Nope, all good.” Since I had every intention of sharing, I made a mental note to ask Juniper if he had any allergies later while I paid and thanked Nora.
“Are you in a rush, honey?” Nora asked.
“No, ma’am.”
“Oh, please, don’t call me ma’am. I don’t like to think I’m that old.” She winked. “You’re living up at that ski lodge, right? How’s everything going up there?”
“It’s great! We should be ready to open early next year. Juniper and I are hoping for January, assuming we get some solid candidates from the job listings.”
“That’s wonderful. You know, a lot of folks on this side of the mountain think he’s a total recluse. He treating you okay?”
I wanted to tell her I wouldn’t still be here if he wasn’t, but I wasn’t entirely sure how true that was. We had a rocky start, and I’m glad I stuck it out now that I knew him better. But given my track record at my last job, combined with my stubbornness, it was hard to say if I would have stayed or left had we gone down that road instead of the one we did. So, all I said was, “Juniper’s a little rough around the edges, but he’s great.”
“My husband’s like that. Everyone thinks he’s mean at first. But I’ve never met a kinder man. Fiercely loyal, too.” From the playful tone to the way she grinned when she said it, I knew Nora was prying. Part of me wished I could take the bait, but I’d have nothing to say.
“He’s an excellent boss and friend. I know I’m in good hands working there.”
“Handsome hands, too, I bet!”
“Of course!” I blushed and didn’t bother to hide it, hoping it would be enough to satiate Nora. “I think one of the few things the world agrees on is that Juniper’s handsome.”
“Well, when you get married, I’ll make your cake.”
I gasped. “Nora!”
“I’m just saying! You’ll be calling me about that eventually, honey.”
“Well, if I do find myself needing a wedding cake, you’ll be first on my list.”
“Are you suggesting…?”
“We plan on hosting weddings at the lodge, too. You’re on my list of recommended vendors.”
Nora laughed. “You had me for a second there, Rachel!”
I waved as I left. “I like to keep you on your toes.”
The moment I stepped outside, settling the two bags to hang on my left arm, my phone rang: it was Jack. I realized how long it had been since I spoke to him, feeling some guilt settle at how quickly I’d forgotten my old life.
“Jack, hi! What’s going on?”
“Hey, stranger! I wanted to see how your new life in Colorado has been since someone hasn’t posted once on their Instagram since moving almost three months ago.”
I snort-laughed. “When you quit your marketing job, you take the opportunity to unplug a bit. Don’t worry, though, I’ve got tons of pictures. I’ll upload eventually, I’m sure.”
“How’s the lodge?”
“Breathtaking. Once it opens, you gotta burn through your PTO here.”
“I heard they offered you your job back, by the way. Word spreads around the office fast. I also heard you told them to shove it.”
“I wish I’d literally said that, but I did so as professionally as possible, sure.”
“How’s your new boss treating you? Some snowboarder, right?”
“Ex-snowboarder, yeah. His name’s Juniper.”
“I thought that was a girl’s name.”
“Eh, either way, it suits him.”
“Oh? What is that supposed to mean?”
“I dunno. It’s hard to explain. It does, I guess.”
“Oh my God, you like him.”
I groaned: first Nora, now Jack. Nothing was sacred anymore. “For fuck’s sake, dude.”
“You do! You’re totally soft on him! Are you two hooking up?”
“We haven’t, for the record. I’m not going to deny anything else, though.”
“Be careful, Rachel. I don’t like these power dynamics at play.”
“You know, normally I would completely agree with you. If this were any other boss-and-employee relationship, I’d be there with you a hundred percent. But with Juniper, there isn’t really any power play beyond the fact that he signs my checks.”
“That’s still a power dynamic!”
“Well, he’s super fucking hot, and it’s just the two of us out here! The only other person is the guy who runs the restaurant and his daughter, and they stick to themselves most days.”
“Do you think it’s the isolation talking?”
“Maybe? I bought some spare medication for him without him asking me to. He doesn’t even know I did. Fuck, I don’t even know what compelled me to.”
“Because you’re a better person than most of us. Remember when you bought masks and hand sanitizer for your department when COVID first started going around?”
“Yeah, on the company dime. That’s different.”
“Is it, though? My manager didn’t do that. I ended up snagging one from you before they sent us all home for two years.”
“Are they treating you okay, by the way?”
“Not gonna lie, it’s been rough since they made us all return to the office. Which you already knew, you were here for that switcheroo. There’s no reason for us to be here, and we all know it because we all did our jobs just fine at home. But they’re determined to micromanage us to death, it seems. They have me working late so often I barely see Britt anymore.”
“Shit. I’m sorry, Jack.”
“Yeah. You got out of here at the right time. Unfortunately, with all the tech layoffs, I’m probably better off staying right where I am for now.”
“Well, if you need a getaway, I have it on good authority that we can always make room for you at a certain ski lodge.”
“Don’t be shocked if I take you up on that. Britt and I still haven’t decided where we want to honeymoon yet.”
“I’ll send you some pictures. Maybe it’ll convince her.”
“Please do. But enough about your crush on your boss. How are you really?”
“Refreshed. For real.” I tried not to think too much about Jack’s words, so I could also avoid looking internally at the aforementioned crush on my boss. “One thing I really hoped to get out of this whole thing was to find myself outside of work. We go on hikes on the weekends, easy ones even in the winter, but it’s really helped me get out there and get some new perspective. Especially since it’s just us, you know? It’s nice to have fresh air to breathe after being in the hustle and bustle of Orlando.”
“That makes me happy to hear. Who knows, maybe we’ll follow in your footsteps.”
“You and Britt would like it out here. I hope you do.”
“Well, I’m pulling into the driveway now.”
“Oh, shit that’s right. You’re two hours ahead. I’ll catch up with you later, alright? Tell Britt I said hi.”
“Will do. I’ll look forward to those photos.”
On the gondola ride back to the lodge, I admired the view of the mountains. The pines were barely visible beneath their thick blanket of white. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, leaving the sun to shine on the mountains until the snow sparkled. The rocky peaks seemed to go on for ages, and once I was high enough, I could almost make out the Denver city skyline in the distance.
If I was being honest with myself, Jack and Nora were both right. As much as I probably shouldn’t, considering he’s my boss, I liked Juniper more than an employee or friend typically would. For as much as he tried to act like an uncaring hard-ass, I could tell he cared a lot.
About the lodge.
About his dog.
About me.
But I had no idea what his baseline was for showing he cared. I didn’t want to get as giddy as a schoolgirl because he helped me when I was sick.
The train of thought continued as I returned to The Fox’s Den. In order to prevent my head from getting too fuzzy with the idea of catching feelings, I beelined it straight for Edgar where I’d dropped off some grocery items I picked up for him, and then straight to my room to unpack what I’d purchased. It wasn’t long before I heard a knock on the door.
When I opened it, I faced the very man who occupied my thoughts. From head to toe, he was ready to hike. His black hair stuck out from beneath a blue beanie that matched the flannel he wore beneath his down jacket. Snow pants hid the tops of his thick boots that were built to handle the snow.
“Hey, Rachel.” As his glove-coated hands adjusted the straps, I noticed that Juniper had a backpack with him, but there was no sign of his dog. He did that doorway lean he had before, where he gripped the top of the frame as he stretched his right leg out. My heart fluttered at the sight, but I choked back any flustered feelings in order to stay professional.
“Hey, Juniper!” I fiddled with the emerald ring on my pinky, holding my hands in front of my sternum since I didn’t know what else to do with them. “Where’s Sasquatch?”
“Probably against my better judgment, I’m giving him the day off. He hasn’t been resting super well lately, and I’m worried he’s working too hard. But I was going to head to the VIP cabins and see if there were any finishing touches we needed to put on them. Care to join me?”
“Sure!” I said as I grabbed a lemon muffin and handed it to him. “Muffin for the road? It’s lemon with pistachio.”
Juniper grabbed it. “Thanks. From your errand run this morning?”
“I cannot resist Nora and her baked goods.” I put on my hiking shoes and a down jacket, slipped on my front pack, then grabbed a muffin for myself before heading out the door. “She makes the best challah, way better than I ever can make it. Reminds me of my mom’s.”
“Speaking of your mom, if your family ever wants to come up, they’re more than welcome. They don’t have to wait until opening.”
“Thanks. I’ll let them know, though I think they’re waiting for the official day, so it feels more special.”
Our feet crunched through the snow, but thanks to my socks and shoes, my feet stayed warm. One of Juniper’s old down jackets kept me toasty, too, as we made our way past the dense rows of pine trees. The sky was thick with clouds, the grey overcast concealing the mountain peaks on the horizon.
“So, Florida girl,” Juniper said as we approached the first cabin, “what do you think of real winter so far?”
“Not gonna lie, proper seasons are refreshing.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s so weird because you think it’s just so fucking hot all the time,” I said, “but then summer rolls around and you realize how much you took winter for granted. Because even though winter was still, like, eighty outside, now it’s over a hundred degrees and you’re sweating from places you didn’t even know you could sweat from, strictly scientifically speaking.”
He chuckled. “Strictly scientifically, huh?”
“Yeah, it’s that bad! And then you’re like, ‘Oh, well, it’s gonna rain this afternoon. That’ll help cool it down!’ And every time, you’re wrong. It cools it down for about five minutes before it becomes unbearably humid to where you’re positive your skin is literally melting off. Now that I’ve swapped my skincare products to adjust for dryer weather, I could get used to this.”
Juniper unlocked the front door to the first cabin and smiled. “Good. Despite everything, I love it. No real reason. I always have.”
The log cabin was massive on the inside. Most of the furniture matched, with forest green and maroon patterns and accents in the carpets and furniture. The cabin was only one floor with an entirely open floor plan.
“This is the smallest unit. There are two-story cabins, too,” Juniper said.
“It’s beautiful. But yeah, it could use a dusting.”
“I’m not sure when everything was last washed, but each cabin has its own laundry unit in the back.”
We passed through the small kitchen so we could beeline it for the bedroom to strip the bedding. Once everything was in the wash, we got to rearranging a few pieces and giving everything a good wipe down until the hour was up and we had to toss the clothes in the dryer. Juniper purchased a carpet cleaner a few weeks ago, which came in handy with the area rugs in the living room and bedroom.
We made our way to the cabin next to this one to repeat the process. This one needed a lot more work, as the previous owner of the lodge must have missed this cabin entirely when they last cleaned or had housekeeping come through. As much as we wanted to move back to the first so we could remake the bed, by the time the bedding finished drying, we were only halfway through cleaning.
“Quick bed-making break?” Juniper offered.
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m starting to smell like cleaning products. My nose could use the break.” At least they were lemon scented.
He chuckled. “That makes two of us.”
Before we could do much else, though, a thunderous boom shook the entire cabin.
“I take it that wasn’t thunder,” I said as I fluffed the last pillow and put it back on the bed.
Juniper shook his head as the boom repeated mere seconds later. “No. I’d wager an animal.”
We both made our way back downstairs to the living room. Through the window, we watched as snow rained down from the roof in thick waves as the sound repeated, forming an unsettling rhythm. More fell with every thud, until eventually, we could only see out of the top halves of the windows.
I wasn’t sure what on earth it was, but I was pretty sure we were trapped. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be long—but as we moved upstairs in hopes of a better vantage point from the bedroom window, I had the feeling we’d at least be stuck for the night.
Alone together.
We were alone together a lot , I reminded myself. Even if we had Sasquatch with us, he was a dog and thus, that didn’t really count. Juniper was my boss. We were the only two non-restaurant employees as of right now, and this wouldn’t be any different from any other time we worked together.
No different from the time we fell asleep on the couch together, either.
Or would it be?
Something about being alone together like this felt different. I couldn’t place it, but as the cabin repeatedly shook, I didn’t have a chance to even think straight.
Alone together.
Tonight, we’d be alone together.