To reach the suite at the Spa hotel, you climbed onto the hotel’s roof and followed another short stairway. Within the eight glass walls were a large bedroom, a sitting room with a huge television, a vast, mirrored bathroom, and a dressing area. From one position, you gazed up at the Blue Ridge Mountains. From another, pools of hot springs shimmered in the distance. And from the bathroom window, the vista sank to low ground from the spring running underground.
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While checking in, Brian also checked his expectations. For him, a vacation with Hailey meant sex and more sex with breaks for conversation, eating and sleeping as necessary. Whereas, she would expect to do a few other activities: Spa treatments, hiking, possibly rafting, although November was too cold for that. So maybe shopping.
Brian was still so awestruck that when he wasn’t touching her as prelude, he fought the urge to gape open-mouthed at her beauty. This obviously didn’t bother her, however. She laughed at him. Had he wanted Carla the same way?
“Not ordinarily.” Brian cleared his throat. “I mean, no. Not ever.”
Stretched on top the huge bed, Hailey giggled. “Sometimes, though. Be honest.”
“Never. Not even remotely close.” Brian whispered endearments while undressing her in an agony of tiny increments.
After sex with Hailey, Brian often fought a creeping chill, the feeling being, why was he so lucky? And, until when?
This bit of fear stoked his passion—he couldn’t deny it. So afterwards, he paid close attention to how Hailey was feeling. That afternoon he asked, “What do you want? Just for yourself, no one else.”
She wanted her college degree, maybe graduate degrees. She wanted to paint the people studying at Black Mountain. And soon, she’d like it if Brian met her mother, who was religious and didn’t approve of her living with him.
“I’m eager to meet her. So long as you tell her I’m not charming like Trevor.”
Hailey giggled. “She’s never met Trevor. Probably never heard of him.”
Brian doubted that, but didn’t say so. Hailey’s mother worked for the mayor, so she must have heard of Trevor. If only for the Police Chief’s allowing him and Angelina to sell marijuana all over the county.
Friday afternoon, evening, and into the night surpassed Brian’s every ardent hope. So that by noon on Saturday, he suggested without calculation that they go hiking or anything else Hailey liked.
They agreed on a trek through the low, green fields. Hailey wore a pink knit cap and matching scarf and mittens.
They slipped through the fields, which smelled vaguely of sulfur, and shared last night’s dreams. Hailey dreamed about leaping onto Velcro walls, wiggling free, running and leaping suspended in air. Brian hesitated but then admitted he had dreamed that Trevor sent him a postcard from Spain. Like the ones their mother used to send.
Refracted sunlight shone in sheets off the damp, green fields. Brian and Hailey looked left at a bubbling green expanse. Millions of minuscule frogs moved in the water-covered grass. Hailey scooped one up. Brian backed away.
“You wouldn’t think they’d be here in November,” Hailey said, bringing her face close to the tiny, unblinking creature.
“I don’t know,” Brian said. “The spring water’s very warm.”
He was suddenly, desperately anxious for Trevor. But that was normal. Bouts of terrible, indistinct worry seized him even when Trevor stood beside him.
They crept along the edge of the frog world. Hailey found them mysterious, inscrutable, and cute. Brian claimed his boots weren’t waterproof after all. With the sun starting to sink behind the highest mountain peak, he suggested they return to the hotel. Hailey threw an arm around him. “Of course.”
Without her saying anything, she clearly understood Brian’s need to check on Trevor. Hailey said she’d wait in their honeymoon suite while Brian phoned Angelina.
“How’d you know?” Angelina asked. Because, yes, Trevor had gone off on his own vacation to Florida.
“But why?” Brian couldn’t think. “Is Jacob or Zanz around, Angelina? Could I talk to either of them?”
“I’m telling you what they told me. Trevor’s in Miami until Wednesday. They don’t know if he’s meeting Vivi or not. But if he is, they fully agree, he’ll be fine. Vivi wouldn’t even talk to Trevor unless his adversaries were gone for a while.”
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