Chapter 9
CHAPTER NINE
Monday morning
Rachel was careful with where she put her feet as she climbed out of the car. She hadn’t bothered with the grip chains for the soles of her boots, figuring it would be too dangerous to attempt to drive with them. It was only a short walk from out the front and up the stairs of the ski lodge. “I think I can manage that without injuring myself,” she muttered under her breath.
Her bruises and cuts were healing well, and she was no longer limping every time she got up.
I hope that’s the last time I have that sort of accident.
She raised her head, staring up at the grand ski lodge. “You are a beautiful, old girl. And I am going to do everything in my power to save you.”
This morning was her first time alone at the Green Tree Resort. Dan had offered to come out to the site with her, but she wanted to be by herself. To let her inner designer get the feel of the place. She couldn’t do that if her brother-in-law was hanging around.
Maybe I should have said yes. Out here would be the perfect place for Dan to have his own little accident. All I’d need was somewhere to hide his cheating ass of a body.
She retrieved her satchel from the front passenger seat and slung it over her shoulder, then grabbed her coffee and takeout bag of food, before locking the car.
“Okay, I think I have everything.”
On her way out of town, she’d dropped off at the Manhattan Escapee and picked up a hot coffee and a spinach quiche muffin.
I missed seeing your smiling face this morning, Matthew. Hurry back.
Thinking of his face, brought back the memory of that kiss. He’d kissed her. Rachel let out a slow breath.
She now had his number but felt awkward about sending him a message. They were friends, coffee companions. She wasn’t sure what else. And what would she say?
Hi, Matthew, I can’t stop thinking about that kiss.
The kiss they’d shared yesterday morning, wasn’t the sort of kiss that mere friends shared. It had been tender and brief but edged with the promise of both of them wanting more. Matthew had to have known how much it had affected her.
And he wasn’t going to be back in Aspen until Wednesday.
That’s it, I’m messaging him. I can’t resist.
Inside the lodge, Rachel set her coffee cup and muffin down on a window ledge. Using the boarded-up window as a background, she took a photo and sent it to him.
Going out on a limb here
OK???
Spinach muffins are better than zucchini
Rachel laughed when the reply zinged back.
Shocked. Outraged.
Missed U at the cafe
She hesitated before sending that last message. Matthew and she were in the early stages of a something, and she wasn’t entirely sure where this might all lead. Or how he saw things.
But he kissed me. That has to count for something.
There was a full two-minute delay before a reply pinged back.
Missed U too. Hope I didn’t overstep with the kiss
Her teeth scraped slowly over her bottom lip. He’d missed her this morning, and he was thinking about their kiss. She couldn’t get that moment out of her mind either.
Unexpected but perfect
Something that was uncomfortably close to a teenage rush coursed through her body, and she swallowed deep. He had her feeling giddy.
Get a grip, Rach. You barely know the guy. One or two kisses don’t make a relationship.
The past year had been nothing short of traumatic—she’d be a fool to go clinging emotionally to a man she’d only just met. Her new life might be a blank page, but who was to say Matthew didn’t have his whole future already planned out? A romantic liaison might not figure in his wants or needs. She should reset her expectations.
But it would be nice if it could be more. If he turned out to be one of the good guys.
She pushed that enticing thought, along with the memory of Matthew’s lips, to the back of her mind. Leaving the phone resting on the window ledge, she drank her coffee and ate the still-warm muffin. Taking in the once elegant lobby of the ski lodge, Rachel gave thanks for the recent changes in her life. She had a roof over her head, a short-term job, and as of late Friday afternoon, money in her bank account. She’d been able to negotiate an advance part payment of her success bonus with Dan’s parents. In her privileged old life, ten grand would have been barely a drop in the ocean, but right now it was a small fortune.
Okay, so what’s on the to do list for today, Rachel?
First up, was concepts. She had to create a site plan that would not only get approved by the city planning committee, but which she and the Brocks could then use to pressure prospective buyers into accepting.
The central theme of that plan would be this building. The old lodge. In a worst case scenario some other parts of the site might still have to go, but if they could save the original main lodge, it would be a significant victory. It all came down to who the potential buyers were and the council’s appetite for preservation.
With cash in the bank she could now afford to update her expensive annual subscriptions for various pieces of architectural software. She’d already ordered an office printer/scanner online this morning. It would enable her to take copies of all the documents Dan’s parents were able to uncover. Never again would she take the simple things like work equipment for granted. Not fully appreciating what you had until it was gone had been a hard lesson. One she wasn’t going to forget .
Taking a bite of her spinach muffin, Rachel blissfully chewed away. Matthew’s response to her text was exactly how she’d hoped it would be, fun and flirty. Full of promise.
It would be nice to share this project with him. He seemed the type of guy who might find it interesting. Once the planning meeting was over, and any developers keen to make an offer knew where they stood, she’d talk to him. Keeping her real occupation a secret from her new friend wasn’t something she liked having to do, but it was necessary. Her contract with the Brocks was clear—no one was to know that they had engaged her as their architect.
I think he’d really dig this place.
After finishing up the last of the delicious muffin, she stuffed the empty coffee cup into the bag, and set it on the floor next to her brown leather satchel. Her trash would be going with her when she left.
Rachel stood, cleared her throat, and addressed the empty lobby. “Good morning, ma’am, my name is Rachel Little, and I am here to take your measurements. I’m hoping that you will consider my respectful suggestions for having a little work done. Just a nip and tuck, something to freshen up your appearance.”
Her phone pinged again, halting her speech to the grand old lady.
Back late Tues. C U Wed at the café?
The familiar comfort in Matthew’s words had her quiet, lonely heart stirring from its deep slumber. He’s nice. Maybe you are ready to give a nice man a chance.
Her thumbs hovered over the keys. “Shoot, he sent me a hug emoji.” How did she respond to that? If she was going to flirt with him, she wanted to do it face to face.
But what if I send him a smiley face?
She thought about it for a minute but just as she was on the verge of sending Matthew another message, the patchy Wi-Fi signal cut out. Her cell registered no signal bars. “Great.” Rachel sighed and set the phone down.
With no signal, she would have to work offline and then upload things later. Taking her iPad out of her satchel, she flipped it open and clicked on her favorite surveying app.
The touch of her old world, her beloved career, gently brushed thoughts of the handsome Matthew Jones to the back of her mind. She had work to do. A project to complete. A life to rebuild.
“See you on Wednesday, Matthew.”