Page 26 of Stuck on the Slopes

For winging it, he’d done a good job. The list was comprehensive, including the lobby, all the rooms in the suites of various sizes, the indoor and outdoor pools, the lifts and ski rentals, and the trailheads nearby. We already had tons of photography from The Elk’s Head, so we could repurpose those pictures and spend more time getting detailed shots of the rooms and lobby.

“This is perfect,” I said. “You sure you winged it?”

He hid his smirk behind another sip of coffee. I did the same to fill the silence. When Juniper set his mug down, he said, “Okay, I may have Googled it. You have a little chocolate on your lip, by the way.”

I scrambled for the napkin to wipe my mouth. “Thanks.”

Juniper shrugged a shoulder. “I’d want someone to tell me.”

As I set my napkin down, a man who looked about fifteen years older than us approached the table. “Excuse me, are you Juniper Hart?”

Juniper didn’t bother to fake a smile as he looked up at the man. I glanced over Juniper’s shoulder, hoping to see a perfectly timed Edgar with our food coming to the rescue.

No such luck.

“That would be me.”

“My daughter, she’s a few tables over. She loves you, but she’s too shy to come over.” I looked in the direction he pointed with his thumb. The girl had the same shade of red hair as her dad but hid her face with her hands. “Would you mind coming over for a few to get a picture with her? Maybe sign something?”

I pulled out my phone and texted Edgar beneath the table.

Emergency refill. I don’t really need a refill.

Juniper didn’t hesitate. “Sorry, but no.” He certainly didn’t sound sorry, not that I blamed him. “I don’t exactly do that anymore.”

Edgar:Be right out. You ok?

Thank you!!!!

The father simpered. “She’s sixteen.”

As his gaze narrowed in annoyance, Juniper scowled. He waved a hand dismissively. “Good for her.”

Sasquatch perked up from his spot beneath the table, resting his head on Juniper’s right thigh. Since he'd taken his meds this morning, I knew this meant only one thing: Sasquatch was responding to Juniper's stress.

“We have a busy morning,” I said. “Thank you for understanding.”

He looked at our table. “You don’t look busy to me.”

“It’s a working breakfast,” I explained. Before things could escalate, Edgar came out with two glasses of water.

“Excuse me, sir.”

The girl’s dad had no choice but to step aside.

“Your food will be right out,” Edgar said to us. “Anything else I can get you all? More coffee?”

The dad got the hint and walked away as Edgar kept talking to us.

“No, thank you,” we both said at the same time.

Edgar dropped his voice to a whisper. “What’d he want?”

“Photo and autograph session,” Juniper said. “The hell does this look like, Disney World?” He looked at me. “You’re from Orlando. Does it?”

“Actually, yeah.”

Edgar stifled a laugh as Juniper rolled his eyes.

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