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ChapterTwenty-Nine
Leo
I wastired of playing by Lexi's rules.If she didn't want to talk about us over the phone, then I'd just have to go to her.She was going through a lot, a whole lot, but I'd be damned if I was going to let her push me away.I wouldn't go that easy.Hell, I wouldn't go at all.
That's why I'd taken a leave of absence from the hotel, and was now sitting in a rented SUV, driving towards the mountains.It hadn't been hard to get time off.I hadn't taken a sick day in years.When I told Roberta I'd be gone for a while, she just smiled and nodded as if she'd been expecting it.Knowing her, she probably had from the moment she saw me watching Lexi.
Once I'd made the decision to come and find her, everything fell into place.I found a flight, packed a bag and was jetting towards Canada in less than a day.It was once I landed that things started to get complicated.
The last time I spoke to Lexi, she sounded more upset than ever.I'd phoned to hear her voice and to see how she was holding up with the stress of dealing with her uncle's funeral and of course, things with her husband.I wanted to lend support, even from a distance.It wasn't that easy.
"Nicole and Ryan have been great," she said."They're helping out with Ben; he's so sad and..."
"I should be there with you," I said.
"No.It's fine, Leo."I could hear the strain in her voice."I think it's better if you don't come right now."
Was she lying?Or did I just not want to hear what she was saying?
"Lexi, I miss you.I..."
I stopped myself.It wasn't fair to make this about me.She had too much going on.I needed to be there for her, not demanding more.
"I'm going to take Ben and go out to the lake for a while," she said."I think it'll be good for us to get away and just be together, the two of us."
The two of them?
"I can get on a plane today."
"No, Leo."Her voice was thick with pain and I wanted nothing more than to make it go away for her."Don't come right now, please."
I'd promised her I wouldn't, but after I got off the phone, I couldn't get her voice out of my head.She needed me and I loved her.Of course I would go to her.I can't believe it took me so damn long.
I didn't have much of a plan.Heck, I didn't have any plan except to get to Canada.Once I landed, I tried Lexi's cell phone but it went straight to voicemail so I called Nicole, thankful that I'd thought to swipe her number out of the customer database before leaving.She'd been more than happy to give me directions to Lake Lillian and Lexi.
That was three hours earlier.It had taken longer than I thought possible to secure a rental car and get on the highway after getting lost in the city a few times.After a few turnarounds, the open road was finally in front of me.I could see the mountains in the distance and I was on my way.
The clerk at the rental company said Lake Lillian was a four-hour drive.So, barring any more navigational issues, I'd be there by dinner.I hadn't decided if I was going to go straight to Lexi's cabin or if I would wait until morning.I had to think of Ben and even though I couldn't wait to see him, I didn't want our first meeting to frighten or confuse him.
I had four hours to think about it, so I settled into the drive, set the cruise control and found a radio station to keep me company.
The scenery leaving the city was fascinating.I'd never been north of Arizona.There wasn't the opportunity or need, so I'd never seen anything like what I was driving through.The houses gave way to farmers' fields that were in various stages of harvest.Piles of what might have been wheat lay in rows across the rolling fields.But it wasn't long before the fields became hillier, with trees and large rocky outcroppings replacing the long rows of grain.The mountains that had seemed so small from the city limits now loomed in front of me.The closest I'd ever been to a mountain range had been Mount Charleston, outside of Vegas, when a tour group I was in charge of wanted to go for a hike.Faced now with the towering Rockies in front of me, I realized that the "mountain" I'd crawled to the top of huffing and puffing was a mere hill.
Pulling the car to the shoulder, I got out and stood on the side of the road.I looked straight up and as soon as I did, had to grab onto the Jeep to steady myself from the sudden rush of vertigo.The day was clear, and with the blue sky behind them, the mountains popped; their tips dusted in white gave them a surreal, dominating presence.There was no snow where I stood; after all, it was only the end of August, but the air felt cooler than it had in the city.Not enough for a jacket, but I was glad I had a sweater in my bag.
I got back in the car and continued driving.Slower this time, due to the tight twists and turns of the road.Occasionally I had to pull over and stand in wonder at a waterfall crashing down the side of a cliff or an icy blue river that wound its way through deep valleys below the road.In all my life, I had never seen such wild, unbridled beauty, and despite my hurry to get to Lexi, I allowed myself the opportunity to absorb my surroundings.Turning the radio off, I unrolled the window and let the crisp air fill my senses.
Walking up to the door of the Lake Lillian Inn, I wasn't even sure if it was open.My rental car was the only vehicle in the parking lot, and the potted plants on the porch didn't look like they'd seen water in weeks, but the woman at the grocery store, Enid was her name, said this was the only place in town to get a room.She hadn't mentioned anything about them being closed.I tried the door, expecting it to be locked, but it swung inward and revealed a cozy sitting room.The focus of the room was a huge stone fireplace, with a fire laid inside, but not started.A stack of logs sat on the hearth.Two inviting, overstuffed chairs stood in front of the fireplace and just beyond that was a small reception desk.A large tabby cat stretched on one of the chairs and hopped off to greet me.There was no one in sight.
"Well, hello," I said to the cat and bent down to scratch its ears."Aren't you friendly?"
"Chester's my door staff," said a scratchy voice and I looked up to see a man appear from a doorway."What can I do for ya?"
I straightened and went to shake the man's hand.He looked to be in his late sixties or maybe seventies, with white stubble covering his chin.His plaid shirt was untucked and his hand shook as he extended it."My name's Leo," I said."I was hoping you had a room."
"The name is Dex," he answered."And I have lots of rooms.In fact, there ain't nothing but room at the inn."
"So you're open?"
