No thank you.
They made their way to the Pinecone Lodge and were directed to a conference room. Nine couples sat in a semi-circle, all listening intently to the man and woman who stood in the front, speaking to the group. The woman, who Leah assumed was Katherine Mumford, nodded toward the two remaining empty seats.
She and Caleb sat while Katherine gave a rundown of this weekend’s agenda, with an overview of the various workshops that would be conducted.
“Keep in mind that none of this is mandatory,” the psychologist explained. “You know your relationship better than anyone else, so it’s up to you to chose which program will be most beneficial. In the past we’ve had couples who decided to participate in every single workshop, while others only wanted to join in physical activities and yet others who choose to spend the entire weekend alone. Those are usually the newlyweds,” she said with a wink, garnering a laugh from the crowd.
She put up one finger. “However, I highly recommend that engaged couples participate in the activities marked with an asterisk. Our post-retreat feedback has shown that those workshops have had a tremendous impact on couples who have participated in the past.”
“Most of all, we want you to have fun,” Geoff Mumford interjected. “This is, after all, summer camp. We want you to enjoy yourselves while growing closer in your relationship. That’s what this weekend is all about.”
Katherine explained that the official start to the retreat would begin tonight with a Marshmallow Mixer at the fire pit. The couple ended the welcoming session with some marriage affirmation that Leah didn’t bother to pay attention to.
“So, are you ready to run home screaming yet?” Leah whispered to Caleb as they followed the other couples out of the conference room.
“Not yet,” he answered. “Although if at anytime we’re all asked to join hands and sing Kumbaya, I’m out of here.”
Leah’s head flew back with her laugh. “I’m right behind you.”
They walked past Birch House, which according to the map was the formal dining hall, and then past the Grub Shack, where visitors could grab a quick bite to eat.
As she breathed in the clear mountain air, some of Leah’s anxiety about this weekend began to fade. They hadn’t been here for an hour yet, and already she knew this would be better than spending the weekend at home, agonizing over her broken engagement.
They arrived at Cabin Fourteen. The lightheartedness Leah had been experiencing evaporated the moment she turned the doorknob and entered. Her eyes immediately went to the single queen bed. It sat in the middle of the sparsely, yet handsomely furnished cabin, like a living, breathing thing. It wasn’t until Leah heard Caleb clear his throat that she realized she was blocking his entry.
“Excuse me,” she said, moving inside.
Their bags had been delivered, sitting right inside the doorway. A sofa butted up against the wall. In front of it sat a rustic coffee table with a rug underneath it. That was it.
And the bed, of course.
The single, solitary bed.
Caleb stood next to her, his hands in his pockets. Leah was consciously aware of how close he stood, close enough for her to feel his body heat. It made her skin warm even more. Tension filled the air, as thick as the humidity in July.
“So,” Caleb said. “One bed.”
Leah attempted a nonchalant shrug. “I was supposed to be here with my fiancé, remember?”
“How could I forget?”
His expression remained neutral, but she wasn’t mistaken about the trace of resentment she heard in his voice.
“I…uh…” She gestured toward the couch. “I’m not sure if it’s a pullout, but it looks comfortable.”
“I guess I’ll find out tonight.” He followed that with a slight smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Maybe I can ask them to move us to another one,” Leah said. “The brochure shows cabins with twin beds.”
“The sofa is fine. It’s only for a few nights. I was supposed to be in a sleeping bag on the hard ground this weekend, remember?” His smile was a bit more genuine this time.
“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” Leah said, matching his grin.
He reached for their bags. “Here, let me take care of these.”
Leah watched as he brought their bags to their respective sleeping places, putting his on the coffee table and hers on her bed. She noticed the way the muscles in his shoulders and arms bunched. Something she was too shocked to acknowledge pulled low in her belly.
She quickly brushed off that twinge of interest she’d just experienced. She’d been engaged to another man not even twenty-four hours ago, for crying out loud.
