Chapter 2
Chapter Two
SAM
S am Larsson jogged through their first stop in Vermont to catch up with the curvy brunette six paces in front of him. Iris still walked with the conviction of a Baptist minister on the way to burn some naughty books.
Must be a benefit of the stick up her ass.
One thing that hadn’t changed since high school was how gorgeous she was. She’d only gotten prettier as she’d grown more confident after college. He’d seen her at weddings of mutual friends since then, but Jo had always been stingy with details when he would bring Iris up. She hadn’t, for instance, told him why Iris’s left hand was missing the engagement ring that had been there so long.
Interesting.
He’d meandered through the town, photographing the sights after they’d hopped off the train. Town ambiance was a big part of the appeal for an inn, and Sam loved photographing everyday life. He’d already taken countless photos of cute corner stores and fall decorations.
Brattleboro, their first stop, was quintessentially Vermont with its quaint Main Street and mom-and-pop shops that had been there for decades. Stores decorated for the fall season with hay bales and pumpkins outside, and a few leaves had started to turn, making for gorgeous photos in the sunny afternoon light.
He stopped to capture the swing and bounce of Iris’s ponytail with his camera as she marched into their first inn.
Orchard House was one of the oldest inns in the country. The stately structure of brick and wood had seen wars and presidents come and go and stood through hundreds of autumns like this one. The gardens outside of the inn were serene, interspersed with yellow leaves beginning to fall.
He took photos in the grand foyer for a full minute. It boasted an enormous crackling fireplace, despite the warmth of the afternoon. Spindly, historic-looking wooden chairs sat in front of it. The afternoon light was turning golden and he wanted to capture the charm and gravitas of the historic inn. It had operated since Revere had made his ride, and it would be a serious contender for the final list of most romantic inns for the Valentine’s Day issue of Discover it irritated him because it made her adorable and he couldn’t do anything about it. She’d already been with her long-time boyfriend then.
Jonathan presented them with two key cards. “We have you down for our queen suite. It features one queen bed with a lovely seating area and complimentary coffee and tea.”
“Only one?” Iris asked with surprise.
“Only one bed, yes,” Jonathan said, smiling, nodding as he set the receipt down for them.
I’m certainly not mad about it . As Sam met her eyes though, he saw panic in them. Maybe she wasn’t comfortable sleeping next to him.
Time to save the day, Larsson.
“You know”—Sam leaned in—“she has just the worst gas at night, god love her.” He squeezed Iris’s shoulders. “You sure you can’t find two beds for us?”
A thwack to his gut made him nearly break his serene smile.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry,” Jonathan said, looking pained at Iris. “I am, however, happy to send complimentary Gas-ex to your room?—”
“That”—Iris interrupted him, sending Sam a death glare—“will not be necessary. He was joking. What a great, handsome, and not at all punchable boyfriend. I saw online that you have an apple-picking tour. Do you have room for two more?”
Sam shook his head no at Iris. He didn’t want to be on a tour bus with screaming kids.
“In fact, we had two cancellations for tomorrow,” Jonathan said setting down a brochure. “It includes two bicycle and helmet rentals, a guided bike tour of our apple orchard, a picnic, and an all-you-can-pick basket.”
“Sounds fun. Let’s do it,” Iris said.
“You’re the worst,” he mouthed silently while Jonathan looked at the computer.
“Should I get a bellhop to get your bags?” Jonathan asked. “Our elevator is out of service, unfortunately.”
“Oh, no, that won’t be necessary,” Sam said quickly. “This one. Such a ballbuster. Insists on no help from any man,” he said, throwing an arm around her as she shrugged it off with a growl. “And you said we’re what, on the second floor?”
“The third,” Jonathan said.
“Perfect. Let’s go, darling,” Sam sang as Iris scowled at him. “This is going to be a fun two weeks.”