A Winter’s Wedding (Christmas Cove #3)

Chapter 15

Coming into Buffalo late Tuesday evening, the lake effect snow machine had cranked up ahead of schedule. America had traveled through Buffalo once, only waiting out a layover at the airport for a few hours, while Leo had spent time on the lake nearby as a child. Neither of them had visited in the winter. What had begun as a wintry wonderland with little puffs of snow gripping onto tree branches and flocking fence lines had turned into slick pavements and dangerous overpasses. America was just happy they had made it all the way through town before things turned even worse.

Leaving Ohio, they had a choice to take a more southerly route; a path that would have brought them very near New York but would have been hours out of the way. With her overactive optimism playing tricks on her, they had turned north towards home, by way of Buffalo, and hoped for the best.

Checking in at the motel, the clerk informed them that they were lucky because the highways were closing all around the metroplex. This part of the country was known for experiencing sudden and extreme snowfall totals, and America was surprised at seeing it pile up as quickly as it had overnight.

In the soft blue glow of morning, she sat by the window in their hotel room while Leo was off somewhere procuring breakfast—something sweet, she hoped. Her mouth watered at the thought of Leo’s sugary lips pressing against hers, the way they had last night. America’s hands crossed her chest, and she rubbed warmth into her arms, wishing she had grabbed a blanket from the bed to wrap around her body. As it was, her pajama shorts and button-down weren’t enough to keep the cold, emanating from the window, from pricking at her skin.

She retrieved the white down covers and sat where she had been at the sill. Leo’s scent filled her nose, and she closed her eyes as she let it fill her. She could almost hear the remnants of his soft moan as his hands had roamed her body under the covers last night. His soft skin ignited desire in her fingertips and stirred her need to explore all of him. He had enveloped her soul, and her heart threatened to burst from how she and Leo fit together.

After they shared vows under the St. Louis Arch, her reasons for withholding physical intimacy from Leo no longer seemed valid in her mind, nor heart. Her adoration for her husband swelled when she lay beneath him and wrapped in his arms. Although their delayed wedding night didn’t happen the way she imagined—in a villa in the Italian countryside with soft linen drapes blowing softly inside the opening to a stone veranda—she couldn’t have guessed how making love to Leo would leave her brimming with joy.

As though she conjured him with her thoughts, Leo burst through the door with his hands full. He used his elbow to throw the bolt, while a pleased grin left his eyes wide open. “You look cozy over there,” he said and made his way past the outdated art-deco bed-set to the small honey oak table in the corner. As old as the motel was, it was clean… and their only choice last night.

“What did you get?” America asked as the heater unit positioned in the wall below the window kicked on and blew lukewarm air up her pajamas. She switched from sitting at the window to sitting on the end of the bed.

Leo sat beside her. “I got breakfast. It’s not much, but I was able to find a place a block away that was still open.” He handed her a to-go cup with a dark brown lid, and she could smell the earthy scent of black coffee. “I got you a lemon curd pastry and some red velvet donut holes for me. But we can share.”

She would definitely want to share, but first she took a bite of the pastry and it practically melted in her mouth. The lemon was a refreshing addition to her delightful morning. “Thank you for this.”

“Don’t mistake my actions as being nice. It’s self-preservation really,” Leo laughed at what he was about to say, and the joke was already written on his face. “A hungry America is a dangerous America.”

“I object!”

“I bet you do,” Leo said and kissed her nose. “But you know it’s true. Now eat.”

With a mouth full, she asked the lingering question, “What are we going to do about all the snow? Maybe we should have waited in St. Louis for a flight.”

“And miss out on that five-way chili?” Leo teased. “No way.”

“Do you think the roads will open back up this morning?” America sipped her coffee and peered out the window at the curtain of falling snow.

“It’s not good. The lady at the donut place said the weather can last for days like this. The good news is that the local roads are being plowed pretty well.” Leo popped a donut hole and grinned while he chewed. “I even saw one of those road vacuums that sucks in the snow and then spits it into the back of a dump truck.”

“Oh my gosh, you’re such a little boy sometimes.”

“Oh, come on! It was so cool.”

She couldn’t help but love how he saw the world around him. “What do they do with all the snow they collect? Melt it?”

“They probably just dump it somewhere. Who knows?” Obviously, his curiosity had its limits. Leo threw a donut hole into the air and caught it in his gaping mouth, smiling when the sweet glaze hit his tongue. “Speaking of melting water, I think we might be able to go see it.”

“See what?”

“The falls,” Leo said. “I know you’ve never been. So, since we’re doing this whole adventuring thing, we should at least try and make it across town. And then after lunch, maybe the highway will reopen, and we can get out of here.”

“I guess I should text Carol and let her know I’m not gonna make it to her dress fitting. She’s doing so much for us, and I feel like I’m letting her down.”

“I’m sure she understands, this weather is sort of out of our control,” Leo said and gave a reassuring nod.

“You’re right, and if we’re here, I would love to see the falls. Let’s check the roads before we leave, just in case.” America opened the map app on her phone that showed traffic and road conditions. She nodded her head back and forth while the information loaded. One by one, the street layout materialized on the screen. Some showed up yellow or red, indicating slow or no moving traffic, but the green ones, mainly the local highways, stretched a path across clear through the heart of the city and all the way to Niagara. “Looks like we’ll make it. Should we go ahead and pack up and hope for the best?”

“I talked to the front desk clerk, and he said we can keep the room for now. Plus, we have to come back through this direction on our way out of town.” Leo chugged the rest of his coffee and shook his head from the caffeine rush. “I love this stuff. Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad. I’ll drink it any way it comes.”

“Just like beer?”

“I do love a good pint.”

America put her drink down on the small dining table and met Leo on the edge of the bed, dropping the blanket from her shoulders. “And I love you.” She straddled his lap and placed her knees on either side of him. Her weight depressed the soft mattress, and she used her leverage to push him back onto the bed. A giggle vibrated in her throat as her hair draped around their faces. “We don’t have to leave just yet.”

Leo held tight to her waist, pulling her hips against his. She liked how it felt to fit her body to his. She tilted her head and swung her hair around to one side, letting light flood his features. A fire lit his eyes from deep within him. No longer encumbered by the misplaced expectations of finally sealing their union, she knew what he wanted, because she wanted it too.

Sitting up on her haunches, she checked the time at her wrist and unhooked the watch clasp. Throwing the timepiece to the bedside table, she began unbuttoning her red plaid pajama top one agonizingly slow button at a time. She was fairly certain her tease was having an effect on him as he squirmed, pinned beneath her weight.

It wasn’t until later, when they were in the car on the way to the falls, that she realized she hadn’t put her watch back on. Being in love, and snowed-in, worked to scramble her brain, or it forced her to forget that she had ever enjoyed worrying about time at all. If stressing was a sport, she was sure she would have a rack of gold medals to her name. As she looked at her naked wrist, she wondered if her sporting days were truly coming to an end. She rested a hand on Leo’s right leg, and it hit her that she was no longer in charge of everything. She had a true partner to share life with.

With or without a watch, it was pretty clear that they weren’t going to make it back to the Cove in time for Carol’s dress fitting. All she could do was try to enjoy the rest of the day. If it ended half as good as it had begun, she would be a satisfied woman. Outside, the whitewashed city creeped by the car’s windows, and America decided to enjoy the view instead of calling Carol to let her down.

“You okay?” Leo asked. “You’re more quiet than usual.”

“I was thinking about missing Carol’s dress appointment. I really thought we would be coming into the Cove right about now, not stuck in Buffalo. Not that it hasn’t been great so far.” She felt her cheeks burn from a rising blush. “I was also thinking about how our morning went and how much I liked when you?—”

Leo grabbed her hand, halting her words, but the action caused the car to swerve. Even though he was driving slowly in the slick conditions, Leo should have had both hands on the steering wheel. America had other ideas and laced her fingers together with his, rubbing her thumb along the back of his hand.

She was truly married now, in all the ways that mattered. The papers had been signed, the vows uttered, and their love perfected. She caught her undeniable smile between her teeth. Looking at Leo, who glanced at her at the same moment, they both giggled. “Is it possible to die of happiness?” America said.

“I don’t think so,” he said, beaming. “But it makes me happy that you’re so happy.” He squeezed her hand.

They traded looks the rest of the way to the falls. Following the GPS directions, they creeped across a narrow bridge and followed the signs, heavy with icicles, to the car park. Whether from the cold or from the snow, she couldn’t see anything from the parking lot. Bundling up, they got out of the car and followed the marked walkways. The route to the viewing deck consisted of a series of slick sidewalks and short sets of stairs. Deciding to brave the terrain, they took the off-road path and avoided the icy sidewalks altogether, preferring the added traction of the deeper snow instead. Her feet would be wet and frozen before too long, as her boots were really more a fashion statement than ones meant for arctic snowshoeing.

Besides the snow piling up around her, the snowflakes obscuring the scenery were some of the largest she had ever seen. Not like the stuff in movies that falls to the ground like delicate glitter, this snow was like millions of frosty meteors hurling towards her face. The visibility was near to nothing, and she would be surprised if she was able to see anything at all.

Leo helped her across the last section of icy pavement to the observation area that faced north. The best view of the falls was on the Canadian side, not the New York side, but this is what they had since they hadn’t needed to pack passports for the trip to Las Vegas.

Desperate to see the falls, America leaned out over the railing and peered through the dense precipitation but had a hard time making anything out. “Why is it so quiet? Even small waterfalls make some noise.”

“Maybe it’s completely frozen this time of the year,” Leo said. “Sorry, I thought that we’d be able to see something. I’m going to walk down and get a closer look.” He tossed her a quarter that she nearly missed catching. “Use it in the giant binoculars.”

“You mean my step stool with alien glasses sitting on top of a pole?” America joked. She always thought the sightseeing binoculars were a hideous eyesore that dotted the most beautiful landscapes and monuments around the country. Putting the quarter in the slot, the lens covers opened inside the contraption. Peering through, she panned around to the west where the water should be, but the glass seemed to be frosted over. The view was no better than the one she could get by squinting her eyes through the daylight.

Leo was out of view and America knew she wasn’t alone. This is how those true crime podcasts always start , she thought and was irritated that her best friend Poppy had always forced their section of the office to listen to the disturbing things. Slowly, she turned her head while using the binoculars to shield her face and saw another couple approaching her spot. Hoping that the couple weren’t national park serial killers, she opted to scoot down the railing so they could use the device if they wanted to.

“Howdy,” the man said in a southern accent. “Cold day for sightseeing.” America nodded, but they came closer. “Isn’t it something?”

“What’s that?” America said and her heartrate immediately responded to the sound of Leo coming back.

“It’s empty,” the man and Leo both said in stereo from each side of her.

“Empty!” America couldn’t believe it. “Where, how? Do you mean frozen?”

“They rerouted the flow of the river to do a geological study of erosion. It’s a once in a lifetime event seeing it dewatered,” the man said with a very excited tone.

He might have thought it was a unique experience, but she couldn’t see much of anything to know whether it was, or it wasn’t historic. For all she knew, they were standing in an abandoned big-box store parking lot and not one of the world’s natural wonders. “Thanks for the info, mister,” America said and took Leo’s arm. “Can we see anything from over there?”

“A little bit more than from here,” he said. “I’ll show you.”

They walked along a U-shaped railing. and she could just make out the far edge of the famous falls. She’d seen thousands of photos before and had a reference point for what she was looking at. Across the river, the silhouettes of several multi-story buildings peeked through the snow, and red and blue neon signs shone between flakes. Below, a tree-covered cliff ended abruptly in a mass of broken gray stone.

“It looks so sad,” America said and took her phone out. She snapped a bunch of photos, changing the filter with every couple captured in order to find one that could cut through the poor conditions. Being somewhat let down, she knew if she ever got a chance to come to Niagara for a story, she would jump at the opportunity. “Looks like all we’re going to get today.”

“You ready to get out of here?” Leo asked as he put an arm around her shoulders.

Her fingers were red from the cold, and he blew on them to warm her up. She didn’t mind his lips being on her skin either. “More than ready.”