Chapter 3
Chapter Three
S hivering from the slight draft seeping under the blankets, I turn over to cuddle up to Jason. Wrapping my hands over his chest, I nuzzle my face in the space between his shoulder and neck and take a deep breath in. The scent of his cologne is cloying and irritates my nose, making me want to sneeze. It’s not one I’ve smelt on him before. It’s a mixture of musky and sweet undertones that make a woefully potent, and not at all pleasant, aroma.
Scrunching my nose, I pull back a little to look up at him, hoping he’s awake, but his face is slack with sleep. The arm by his side is equally as limp. Even awake, he’s never been a cuddler. Yet, a part of me always hoped that he would hold me close and give me that hallmark romance moment.
“Jason, baby?” Stroking his arm, I kiss him on the cheek, but he just swats me away with a scowl. Turning over, he grunts something and takes all the remaining blankets with him.
He’s just tired. That’s all. I’ll get everything ready for him to wake up to, and he’ll be as right as rain. Not wanting my spiraling thoughts to ruin the first day of our reunion getaway together, I slip out of bed with the intention of exploring and getting everything perfect for when he wakes up.
After getting dressed, I head over to towering glass windows that look out onto the expanse of wilderness at the side of the cabin, giving myself a minute to admire the surroundings we couldn’t see last night in the cover of darkness.
With the bedroom being part of the A-framed portion of the house, the windows conform to the shape of the roof and extend all the way up and across the outside wall. With only a single strip of wood separating the frames, we have an unobstructed view of the snow flurries painting the landscape with their gentle touch.
The door to the balcony sits unobtrusively off to the side and could easily be mistaken for another window pane. It’s obvious from our view that we won’t be going out there any time soon. Seamlessly blending in with its surroundings, the balcony is covered in at least a foot of snow, not an inch of its wooden surface visible, making the whole scene look even more magical.
My breath fogs up the glass as the heat from the electric fireplace pounds at my back. Reaching out to the frost-covered window, my fingertips jolt and my mouth tips up in glee. The contrast between hot and cold, along with the snowy landscape, settles something deep inside me.
All we’re missing is the scent of gingerbread, hot chocolate, and mulled wine to make it the perfect Christmas getaway.
I stretch in my cute little cookie sleep set that I got especially for this trip, before grabbing the matching fluffy robe and slippers and throwing them on. Even though my bladder is screaming at me, and the toothbrush in the bathroom is calling my name, the rest of the cabin shouts louder.
Standing at the top of the stairs, my mouth drops at the sight of the two-story living space in the light of day. With a cozy little seating nook over to my right, full of blankets and fluffy cushions situated around an open stone fire, you can peer through the spindles and over into the open space living area and kitchen downstairs. To my left, there’s a mini bar area with six barstools equally spaced around it. All covered in white fur, they look far comfier than a bar stool ever should.
Running my hand down the smooth, notched wood of the bannister as I descend to the lower level, the smell of pine greets me and immediately snags my attention. Head snapping in its direction like a bloodhound on the hunt, I run the rest of the way down the stairs towards the towering nine-foot Christmas tree in the living room.
Thank goodness I requested that to be brought in, as there’s no way I would have managed to get something that big in here. Especially not on my own, which is how it likely would have gone. I had enough trouble last year when I had to drag one half the size of me through the mud and ask random strangers to help me get it in and out of the car.
The mud tracks through the house were awful and took me ages to clean. It took even longer when Jason decided to walk in from work without a care in the world and proceeded to track it through the cream carpet upstairs along with everything else on the bottom of his shoe because he, and I quote, couldn’t be bothered to take them off . I even had to go remove them off his feet after he fell asleep on the bed.
Rubbing my hands together to ward off the chill, I take one more huge sniff before heading over to the open stone hearth in the living area and starting up a fire. Tending to it until it’s got a good flame going, I take in the rest of the room and try to stop myself from flopping on the dreamy couch again. It was hard enough getting myself out of it last night. I don’t need those struggles again! Especially when I have so much planned for today.
Deciding to take a quick meander through the rest of the house, I write off most of the rooms for today, apart from the sauna and hot tub. They are a must! Positioned off the side of the swimming pool area, they have their own private rooms next to one another, and neither disappoints. I already know the hot tub is going to be my favorite.
Situated at the corner edge of the house, and by the looks of it, over a slight drop off, it’s secluded away and affords a fantastic view of the sprawling, snow-covered landscape outside. Both walls that meet in the corner of the house are single panes of glass fused together to create an entire half-room full of glass, making it feel as though you’re actually outside. The basic wooden coverings inside the room, the various plants dotted around, and the distressed stone floor leading up to the hot tub only add to the aesthetic.
My toes curl and a little squeal escapes my lips at the thought of being able to test this out later. The water is already steaming and bubbling, and the little lanterns on the side of the tub and the fairy lights interwoven with the plants trailing the ceiling are just waiting to be switched on in the darkness of night. Coupled with a mug of hot chocolate and a tray of cookies, I can already picture the cozy, inviting atmosphere Jason and I will be able to share.
“Okay,” I clap my hands together, drawing myself out of my reverie. “Time to go get everything ready, then you can have this as a reward later. Now, where to start?”
H umming to the Christmas tunes on the soundbar, I dance around the kitchen as I put the finishing touches on the breakfast spread. Fruits, pastries, sausages, hash browns, bacon…
You name it. It’s on the spread. It’s far too much for just two people, but who the heck cares, it’s Christmas! Plus, most of it will keep in the fridge anyway, and we can snack on it throughout the day. Which reminds me, I need to get the beef out for dinner tonight. There’s nothing like a good beef stew on a cold winter’s day to warm your insides right up!
Getting lost in baking and sorting out the cookies and gingerbread, I don’t notice the time until I hear Jason’s footsteps on the stairs.
“Shoot.” I place the tray of cookies down, discard my oven mitts on the side, and run over to a fully dressed Jason. “I’m so sorry I didn’t wake you up. I got carried away with food!”
Wrapping my arms around his waist, he grunts and pats my back a few times before asking, “Is there coffee?”
“Oh, erm, yeah.” I squeak, pulling away and doing my best to act normal as disappointment and Jason’s lack of affection tries to burrow its way under my skin. Hurrying over to the side, I pour him a coffee and put cream and a dash of sugar in it. Handing it over to him, he just grunts and gives me a half smile before disappearing off to the living area and throwing himself on the comfy couch without so much as a mention, or even a glance at what I’ve laid out for him this morning.
I wring my hands for a minute as I watch him rest his head back against the couch with one arm splayed across the back. Facing away from me, I can’t see his face to try and guess what’s going through his head right now. His lack of attention hurts, as always. But then again, he has just woken up, so it’s likely he’s just tired. I know I’m cranky when I’m tired.
I take a deep breath and walk over to him, trying to keep my voice light. "Hey babe, I made us a big breakfast spread. Come check it out!"
He doesn't even glance my way, eyes still glued to his phone. "Not hungry," he mutters.
I bite my lip. "Well, we should eat something before our walk. I was thinking we could explore the trails out back. Doesn't a romantic stroll sound nice?"
"I'd rather just relax here," Jason says flatly, still not looking my way.
My upbeat energy starts to fade. I perch on the arm of the couch and trail my fingers along his shoulder. "I know yesterday was a long travel day, but I was really hoping we could make the most of our time here. Maybe go for a hike or something."
Jason finally looks at me, annoyance flashing across his face. "Jesus, Grace, can't you take a hint? I just want to chill and be left alone."
His harsh words feel like a slap. I recoil, blinking back tears. "But...this trip was supposed to help us reconnect. I don't understand-"
“You never fucking do!” He cuts me off as he looks at his phone once more and starts typing something out.
“Are you freaking serious right now? What has gotten into you?” I snap as he surges to his feet and reaches into his pocket.
“Listen, Grace. I’m leaving. This trip was just a bad idea all around.” He pulls the car keys from his pocket as his gaze wanders to something behind me. Glancing over my shoulder at the door, I notice his bag packed and sitting neatly against the wall by the shoe rack. When did he have the chance to do that? And how didn’t I notice?
“Wha-” I flounder, not finding the words as my heart hammers in my chest.
“We shouldn’t have come. This was just…” He trails off, rubbing the back of his head with a detached look on his face.
“Well, let me just go pack my stuff…” I try to move, but he cuts me off once more.
“No. I’m leaving. I need to be alone. I’ll have someone come get you when I get back.”
I stare up at him, unable to form any words as my mind reels. This can't be happening. He can't be leaving me here, alone , on our anniversary trip that I had planned for months.
"You...you want to leave?" I finally choke out, my voice small and shaky.
Jason nods, not even meeting my eyes. "Yeah, this was a mistake. I should have just told you I didn't want to come."
On trembling legs, I move closer to him. "But why? Talk to me, Jace. If something's wrong, we can work through it together." I reach for his hand, but he snatches it away.
"I just need space."
My hands curl into fists as anger rises up to join the swirling storm of shock and hurt inside me. I straighten my spine, lifting my chin.
"No. You don't get to just run away instead of communicating with me. I deserve an explanation." My voice wavers, but I push on. "If you want to leave, fine, but you owe me the truth first."
Jason's jaw tightens, eyes flashing with something that looks dangerously close to hate. "You want the truth, Grace? Fine. I've been fucking Tina behind your back for months. And I’m done with you."
His cruel words hit me like a physical blow. I stumble back, collapsing onto the couch. I’m silent for a few seconds as my mind processes what he just said before sobs wrack my body. Jason just stands there watching me fall apart, his face an emotionless mask.
This can't be real. My boyfriend–and my best friend–betraying me like this?
I look up at him through blurry eyes. "Why?" I whisper.
Jason shrugs. "It just happened. Tina understands me better. She’s fun. You're too naive, too annoyingly happy all the time. It just…grates on my nerves."
His callous confession shreds the last fragile pieces of my heart. I spent years loving this man with my whole being. And now I'm nothing but an irritation to be discarded.
I push up from the couch–not wanting to have him looking down at me during this conversation–and swipe angrily at my tears, nausea churning in my gut.
Bang!
I jump as the front door blasts open, a flurry of snow and three large, imposing figures barging in with a hefty package and duffle bags. They sweep into the room with the cold, slamming the door shut behind them.
Shock roots me in place, and a long silence follows as I take them in–my eyes widening, jaw going slack.
The one in the center commands my attention first. His sharp, piercing eyes are an icy blue, cold and calculating as they assess me. Dirty blonde hair is shorn close on the sides yet left longer on top in an artfully messy style. His strong jaw is darkened by stubble, adding to his rugged aura. As he removes his thick winter coat, the tattoos covering his muscular arms are revealed. Black ink swirls and twists over his skin in intricate tribal patterns. When his intense blue gaze lands on mine, something dangerous flashes in those icy irises, making me shiver.
To his left is a hulking beast of a man, dwarfing the other two in size. His shoulders are massive, straining against a black thermal shirt. Shaggy dark hair hangs in unkempt waves to his collar, matching the wildness of his full beard. His heavy brow is furrowed, narrow green eyes flicking suspiciously between me and the other men. The green is so dark it appears almost black, like murky swamp water. Scars slash across his face, from his temple down under his shirt. Meaty hands hang loose at his sides, fingers flexing. He looks like he could easily snap someone in half with those bare hands.
The smallest of the three has an athletic, nimble build. Messy chocolate brown waves hang over his forehead, partially obscuring a set of warm amber eyes. There’s an almost boyish innocence to his soft features that contrasts with the other two men. But the sly glint in those tawny eyes hints at cunning and mischief. His gaze darts around the room restlessly as he removes black leather gloves, revealing long dexterous fingers. When he notices me watching him, a smirk twists his lips.
My skin flushes, and I avert my gaze to the massive package they dropped at their feet, which has suspiciously started moving and groaning in a decidedly human, male voice.
My head shakes in denial, my mouth opening and closing without a word forming.
What in the name of holly and jolly is happening?