Page 11 of Maybe This Christmas
The trip up the mountain had exhausted her.Davis had been on a conference call for half of it, fully ignoring her as usual.For the rest of the trip, he’d moaned about the lack of cell service in the mountains.
She must’ve needed the rest as it was well after six the next morning when she woke up.
As she slowly came to consciousness, the sound of tapping on a keyboard was the first sound she heard.She groaned and pulled her pillow over her eyes.
“You managed to get connected to Wi-Fi, I see.”Emma pulled the pillow off.Davis sat in bed beside her, his laptop screen resting against his long legs.
“Yeah, of course.I figured I’d go through some emails before we got started on this ho-ho-holiday nightmare.”
He kept his eyes on the screen.She’d gotten so used to his casual jibes that few of them even registered anymore.But this one hit a little too close to the mark.
“Why the hell did you come if you think it’s a holiday nightmare?You could’ve gone to Canada to spend time with your family.Or wherever they’re spending the holiday this year.Vail?St.Moritz?”
He snorted.“They’re staying home for once, remember?You and I both know that would be even worse.Mom would be expecting some sort of production, given that we’ve been together for years now.”
By production, he meant a fuss over his proposal.An engagement party, to show them off to all their snobbish friends.It’d been well over a year since they’d visited, so they hadn’t seen them since it became official.Though Davis’ mother hardly seemed to tolerate Davis, let alone Emma, she still saw them as boxes waiting to be checked off.Good job?Check.Nice wife?Double check.Children?Triple check.
Mommy Dearest would be demanding wedding dates or even wanting to plan the wedding for herself in Ottawa.Given that Emma hardly had any family left, she’d say something like, “It just makes sense, dear.”
She tossed the blanket off.“Nice to know that you see this trip as a lesser level of hell.”
Davis made a start at a protest before Emma stepped into the bathroom and swiftly shut the door behind her.
She gazed at herself in the mirror.Given the unfamiliar space, it took a moment to register the scene.The sage green and white guest towels gave a subtle hint as to where she was.The larger clue was the tasteful Christmas tree tucked into the vanity corner.She was glad she’d slept through Davis’ inevitable tirade about bathroom decor adjacent to the toilet.
She quickly washed her face and then stepped out into the main part of their cabin.Davis was on the phone and hardly noticed her absence.
A traditional Christmas tree sat in the corner of the room, its soft golden lights still twinkling, since they’d forgotten to turn it off the night before.
The lodge had been recently updated, and it showed.The walls were painted in shades of white and green, and they featured unique detailing, creating a subtle tree pattern on the far wall.Her fingers itched to sketch the room in her art journal.She could add a watercolor wash afterward.
Davis would likely chastise her for getting paint on the furniture though, so her journal stayed in her bag.
A small, modern kitchenette stood opposite a walk-out balcony at the rear of the cabin.
She stepped into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee before heading toward the balcony.Despite the frigid December temperatures, she needed fresh air.She pulled her robe tightly against her as she tugged the door closed behind her.
The vague, blueish-purple-hued mountains were the backdrop for the scene.Around their cabin were countless others.Some were only steps from the main lodge, and others, like theirs, were only accessible from a series of wooden bridges.Fairy lights were strung along the bridges and rooftops and tossed onto the lower branches of some of the trees.
She took a large inhale, taking in the sharp scent of coffee mixed with the cloud-heavy sky and the nostalgic aroma of pine trees.Her breath spiraled out in front of her.
This place was perfect.That said, she didn’t foresee a Christmas miracle.They’d been here less than twenty-four hours.Davis was miserable, and he was making Emma miserable in turn.
She’d been a fool to think otherwise.He’d taken pity on her when he’d told her to book this trip.This break-up was inevitable, and she hated that she was finally facing the music in this picturesque wonderland.
Letting that depressing thought linger, she leaned forward on the railing and took a hearty sip of her coffee.
She wrapped her hands around her mug and exhaled.
The softwhooshof the sliding glass door opening alerted her to Davis’ presence.“Hey.I’m sorry for earlier.”
She didn’t turn.“For which part, exactly?”
There was anotherwhoosh—this time of his breath exhaling on a sigh.“Aren’t you freezing out here?Can you come inside?”
“In a minute.Let me enjoy a moment of solitude, then we’ll talk.”
She didn’t need to see Davis to know he was staring at her like a fish, desperate for breath.He was accustomed to being the one with the sharp tongue.
