Page 29 of Mountain Dreams

It was a big, four-post bed made of logs, so it blended in with the walls. In keeping with the log-cabin motif, his bedspread had bears on it, and a matching lamp stood on his nightstand. She moved closer and saw a book lying there. It was part of the Bourne series, and he’d used a gum wrapper for a bookmark. She chuckled, recalling how he’d used gum wrappers as bookmarks in school too.

I need to buy him an actual bookmark, she thought. Then she went over to the large picture window that covered most of the back wall. The curtains were pulled back to reveal a magnificent view of the woods and mountains beyond. It was a cloudy day, but the scene was still awe-inspiring and peaceful.

Finally, she turned away and went over to his dresser, where he’d displayed some framed photographs. There was a recent-looking one of him and his siblings in front of a Christmas tree and another of him standing on a riverbank, holding up a big fish on a hook and grinning proudly. She took a long look at the picture in the center, which was of the entire Sawyer family when his parents had still been alive.

She was overcome with a wave of sadness for Cody and his siblings. Even though she’d chosen not to go to her parents’ home this weekend, just knowing that she could have was comforting. Sadly, Cody didn’t have the option of turning to his parents in times of need. Still, there was some consolation in knowing he had his siblings.

Then she heard a car door slam, and she raced out of his room in a panic. “Ohmigod,” she muttered as she hurried into the bathroom and locked the door. She hadn’t expected him back so soon; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been nosing around. “This is my punishment!”

She was just about to turn on the shower when the doorbell rang. Huh? Why would he ring the doorbell, unless he’d forgotten his key?

She went downstairs in her robe and pajamas, but at this point, she didn’t care. He’d already seen her in them, along with something else he shouldn’t have seen!

The doorbell rang again as she approached the front door. She peered through the peephole and saw the receptionist she’d met earlier, Avery, standing there, stamping her feet in the cold. She hurriedly unlocked the door, swung it open, and motioned her inside.

“Hi. Sorry to bother you,” said Avery, taking in her attire.

“No problem. I was just upstairs.”

Avery glanced around. “Is Cody here?”

“No. He had some work to do this morning. I’m Maddie, by the way.”

“I’m Avery, the front desk manager.”

“And Jax’s girlfriend, right?”

Avery smiled. “Yes.”

“Would you like some coffee? Cody brewed some earlier, but it’s still warm.”

“Sure, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, as long as you don’t mind me in my pajamas.”

Avery laughed. “No.”

She followed Maddie into the kitchen and sat down at the table like she was used to being there.

“Cream or sugar?” Maddie asked after she filled two mugs.

“Black is fine,” Avery replied.

Maddie added a dash of cream to her cup and then joined Avery at the table. She didn’t usually drink more than one cup of coffee a day, but it would give her hands something to do. For some reason, even though Avery seemed friendly, she was still nervous.

Avery wrapped her hands around the warm mug and blew on the coffee while Maddie observed her. Jax, though polite, was reserved and somewhat unapproachable, and she wondered how this woman had managed to steal his heart.

“Sorry we didn’t have a vacant cabin for you, but as you know, tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day,” said Avery.

Maddie nodded. “I understand, but Cody was insistent I come here last night.”

“Let me guess. He was worried about you driving.”

“Yes.”

“Jax is like that too. It stems from—”

“Their parents’ accident. Yes, I know.”