A Winter’s Wedding (Christmas Cove #3)

Chapter 7

America looked out the windshield of the rented Range Rover and spotted Leo walking into the gas station. She had put him on snack duty while she was on call-home-and-explain duty. Talking to Carol would be easy. As the woman that kept Christmas Cove together, Carol knew everything about everything. People knew it was better to just tell her things up front and save the trouble of having to dig out of a hole later. Calling her parents was something America wished to avoid for as long as possible and was relieved that they were unreachable on a cruise for a few more days.

After a few rings, Carol answered. “America, is that you? You’re back already?”

“Hi, Carol. There’s been a change of plans, and I needed to let you know something.” America hesitated, not wanting to let down the woman who had become like a grandmother to her over the past year. “Leo flew out to Las Vegas to surprise me for Valentine’s Day, and well…” she paused not knowing how to say the thing that she didn’t quite believe herself.

Carol cleared her throat in the silence. “This sounds ominous. Is everything okay?”

“No. I mean to say, that we are both fine. Good, even. But we accidentally…”

“Is this about the wedding?” Carol hid a giggle in her throat. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you? The whole town is buzzing about the big day.”

“They are?” America knew they were, but hearing Carol admit it made it sound truer.

It was also true that the news of the wedding had brought more joy and excitement to the village than any other event had all year, except when the heavy spring rain added to the snowmelt and temporarily refilled the cove. It had been dried up for so long, people forgot what it felt like to dive in, swim, float, and splash. Now, with the wedding rapidly approaching in only one week’s time, and excitement building, she didn’t have it in her to tell Carol the truth yet.

“Our flight got canceled, and we decided to drive home. It’ll take a few days, but the earliest they could reschedule our flight was going to be Friday. This way, we should roll back to town Tuesday some time. There’s still so much to do and I don’t want to waste the week away.”

“Well, we can help out, if you need anything in the meantime. Where are you now? Still in Vegas?”

“We’re at a stop somewhere in Utah already,” America said. “Scrubby bushes and red dirt, that’s all I see around here.”

“Missing the Cove?” Carol said.

“You know I am.”

“So, you need me to help out with some of the last-minute items before the wedding. I am the maid of honor and it’s my duty to help the bride in a time of need.”

Not having considered a charade as a viable option, it now seemed like a ruse might work out after all. No one would need to know that she and Leo were already married. It was the church and the ceremony, and the reception with all their favorite people around, that mattered most. America would worry about the guilt of lying to everyone later.

“Carol, you’re a life saver. Well, a wedding saver maybe.”

“What’s in your planner for the next couple days?”

From her tote, America pulled out her wedding planning book. She opened the peony-covered cover and flipped to the calendar section. She scrolled the page with her finger. “Monday is the final menu selection at The Foundry with Alfonso. Tuesday is the day I was supposed to select the fresh flowers with Thandie. And on Wednesday, I should be able to make it in time for your dress fitting. I don’t want to miss it.”

“If you’re not back yet, I’ll just make Edwin come with me.” Carol laughed, and America pictured Carol dragging the old soldier around town doing the most girly things. “Other than that, consider it handled. You just concentrate on getting home safely. We’ll all do what we can here in the meantime.”

“I have no doubt you’ll do a great job. I appreciate it, and make sure to be careful. Apparently, there’s some big storm heading your way. That’s why all the flights heading east were canceled.” America saw Leo exit the little trading post with a big smile splashed across his face, and she wondered what had put him in such a cheerful mood. “I need to let you go, but just call me if you have any questions. And don’t be too worried if you can’t reach me for a stretch, we’re pretty much in no man’s land right now.” Leo opened the driver’s door and climbed in. America held up a finger and finished her call. “Thanks Carol. Talk soon.”

Leo passed her a chilled bottle of Dr. Pepper and a bag of her favorite sour cream and onion flavored chips. “I think I succeeded with my snack task. How did Carol take the news?”

“She’s fine with it,” America said.

“She wasn’t too shocked?”

“Well…” America cranked open the bottle lid and took a swig. The spicy bubbles sank down her throat and gave her a moment to word the next part just right. “I was about to tell her everything about the wedding being off, but she was so excited and said that everyone is looking forward to it so much. I couldn’t let her down and break her heart. I told her our flights were canceled and that we won’t be back to town until Tuesday at the soonest. So, she asked how she can help us move things along with the wedding and I decided there’s no harm in going ahead with the ceremony and party. I think we’ll regret not celebrating with the people we love.”

“I’m on board if you’re certain. So long as nothing else goes wrong,” Leo said.

“It’s settled then. We just pretend like nothing happened this morning.”

“Do we have to pretend about all of it?” Leo smirked.

“How about we just get to the hotel. Where are we staying tonight anyway?” America pulled out a cheap tourist map that she picked up at the car rental place and unfolded the half dozen sections. “It looks like there’s nothing from here to the other side of the Rockies.”

“The guy inside said there’s a place a couple hours from here near Four Corners. He said there would be signs when we get closer. You might not like it though.”

“Leo? Why won’t I like it?” She buckled her seat belt. “Where are you taking me?”

“He said it’s a little rustic, but it’s either this, or drive another few hours,” Leo said and pressed the ignition button on the center console. Pressing it again, nothing happened.

“What’s the matter?” America asked, though it was clear the car wasn’t starting.

“Jeez, I don’t know, America. The car won’t start for some reason.” Leo snapped his answer.

“Well, I didn’t do it. Don’t take it out on me.”

Leo pulled out his phone and typed something into the rental car chat app, while America popped open the glove compartment. A laminated trifold card sat right on top, with the word ‘Troubleshooting’ typed across the front. She opened it and skimmed the page.

“Leo, is the car in park?”

“Of course, it is,” he said sharply, and checked the shifter buttons anyway. “Well, no.” Leo pressed the P button and tried the ignition again. The engine started like it was supposed to. “Sorry,” Leo said with a sheepish crack to his tone. “I guess I had already shifted to drive before hitting the ignition. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I guess I’m feeling the stress of this drive more than I thought.”

“I’m just glad we can get on our way. The last thing we need is another delay,” America said with a sigh of relief as Leo pulled out from underneath the shade of the gas station roof.

For February, the desert sun was unforgiving. Though the temperature outside was cold, the rays poured through the windshield and heated the air inside the glass. Outside, dry wind whistled across the barren land and looked nothing like winter should. Cold, and cozy, and blanketed in white, that’s what winters are for.

The highway snaked out in front of them and dipped into a gulch-like canyon in the distance. The landscape of southern Utah consisted of rolling hills stained red with ancient rust. Small round bushes, gray from winter, carpeted the ground like sad little monuments to the harshness of life there. The scenery was so unlike home with its tall green pines and flocked split-rail fences that America would give anything to see a snowflake or two.

The hours passed by quickly, and slowly at the same time. There was little differentiation from one mile to the next, red earth, little greenery, and towering mesas on the horizon. The landscape lulled her into a daydream. America found herself picturing the date night she shared with Leo in Vegas, between one mile marker and another. Even though it was only last night, so much had happened that the moment felt remote in her mind, like it had all been a wonderful illusion.

Needing to feel her husband and ground herself in reality, she laced her fingers with Leo’s where their arms rested on the console between the two front seats. When she finally saw the brown road-sign indicating lodging ahead, she checked the map to see exactly where they were. Leo followed the signs to where the road split off from the sleek blacktop highway and turned into a red dirt road heading north.

He paused at the intersection and looked at her. “It’ll be fine. Nothing to worry about.”

“Convincing me, or you?” she giggled. “Like you said, it’ll be fine. Let’s just go see what it is.”

They traveled down the road for about a mile and crested over a small hill. Dozens of rustic structures came into view and a few RVs were parked in the shade of the only trees she had seen for an hour or more. “It’s like an oasis or something.”

Leo pulled up to the front of the only log style cabin in sight. A welcome sign, affixed above a small, covered porch indicated where to park. Leo was the first out and came around to open her door. She hopped down from her high position and shielded her eyes from the sun hanging low in the sky. On the porch, an empty rocking chair moved by its own volition and tumbleweed rolled past her feet. “Nothing to worry about, huh?”

Walking through the saloon style door was like walking back in time to the wild west. A long, polished wood countertop stretched along one side. Behind the counter, shelves overflowed with essential, yet modern, items from canned goods to band-aids. Seeing no employees, America dinged the brass desk bell sitting at the closest corner of the counter.

“Hello?” she called out without having waited for anyone to answer the bell’s ding and turned back towards the doors. “I guess no one’s here. We should just get back in the car and keep going.”

It was Leo’s turn to laugh. “Let’s just see what?—”

“Good evening, weary travelers,” a man said as he came out from a back room. “You need somewhere to stay the night?” he laughed, though America was unsure what was funny. “Just a joke. No one comes out here unless they need a place to sleep. I have the market cornered. It’s either this or whatever horse you came in on. Do you need a hook-up for a recreational vehicle, or do you need a hogan?”

“A what-an?”

“A hogan. It’s a traditional dwelling of the Navajo people. You’re not from around here, are you?”

“Is anyone?” Leo said.

“That’s rude,” the man with dark black hair said and turned to leave. “I’m just messing with you. This is tribal land, but even Navajo know better than to rough it in this harsh land nowadays.”

Leo wiped the mortification off his face and forced a grin. “A hogan will be great. Thank you.”

“Do you have one with two beds?” America asked and looked at Leo. In the year since being engaged, they hadn’t been intimate yet. She had wanted to wait until their wedding night. Their real wedding night. “I know we technically got married today, but it doesn’t feel right just yet.”

“Married? Today? Congratulations,” the man said. America and Leo nodded in unison. “But I’m afraid we only have rooms with one bed. King size, you can sleep on opposite ends if you need to, but I don’t know many newlyweds who would do that.”

America was officially embarrassed. “One bed is fine. Thank you.”

Leo slapped his credit card on the counter. “Do you take AmEx?”

The man nodded and took Leo’s card. “My name is Nahele. And let me know if I can make your stay any better.” He handed over a metal room key attached to something that looked like a scrap of a two by four. “Number eight. Can’t miss it, and you can park right in front of your unit.”

Leo thanked the man and tucked America’s shoulders under his arm as they walked out.

“There’s a community bonfire at eight o’clock and breakfast is at sunrise at the circle.”

After driving around a large circular road, Leo parked in front of the hogan numbered eight. They grabbed all of their luggage, including America’s dress tucked away in the satin garment bag, and went inside. The eight-sided structure was made of sticks and packed mud, but inside, light from several windows lining the outer walls of the one room house flooded the space. In the center of the room, there was one king size bed with loads of white linens and plush pillows calling to America.

Wasting no time, she dropped the luggage and flopped down into the center of the mattress. The fluffy covers seemed to hug her. “It’s almost as good as your beds back at The Foundry. Nahele is giving you a run for your money. You may be known in Christmas Cove for expertly made-up beds, but this one is pretty darn good.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Leo said and walked behind a bulkhead that acted as the bed’s headboard and separated the bathroom area from the bedroom. He turned on the water and she could tell he was washing his hands. When he came back out, he looked longingly at the bed. “How am I so tired?”

America patted her hand on the covers beside her. “Come lay with me?”

“Are you sure it’s not too soon?” His words were tinged with annoyance.

She turned to her side and looked at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sound hurtful, about the two beds. It’s just…. I don’t know.”

“A lot to take in?”

She nodded because tears were pushing at her eyes.

Leo swept the tear from her upper cheek and kissed her lightly on her lips. “We can take as long as you need. We’ve waited for fourteen months… Let’s just sleep. And attack tomorrow with everything we have.”

She kissed him back. “Thank you for understanding.”