It’s giving me a bad feeling, but I can’t put my finger on why.
Chapter 27
Karan
“Let me get that for you.”
“No, I’ve got it.”
I give up this one battle, which is sure to be only the first of many, letting Rachel grab her own suitcase from the trunk of our rental car while I focus on my own.
We roll the luggage through the freshly fallen snow on the long path up to the A-frame cabin nestled high up in the mountains. It’s late afternoon, and the sun has already begun to set, but I can still see the puff of steam escape her mouth as Rachel breathes heavily during our ascent.
Not that I’m faring any better. With my current job, I haven’t been able to spend as much time at the gym as I’d like, and I can tell. A five-minute walk up to a cabin shouldn’t get me winded like this.
But the gym is the least of my worries. Right now, I need to fix what’s wrong with me and Rachel. The rest can come later.
“I swear,” I say with a huff, trying to force a smile. “The view from the cabin… is worth it.”
“I hope we didn’t forget anything in the car, because I’m not going back down for it.” Rachel turns her head back towards the car, then shrugs. “Yeah, nope.”
“I think we got everything. I can go back if we forgot something.”
“How noble of you.”
“Well, I did pick the place.”
“Fair point.”
Finally, we make it to the cabin. This time, I don’t ask before I grab Rachel’s suitcase to lug both mine and hers up the wooden porch stairs.
“I was doing fine,” Rachel argues, placing a hand on her hip.
“I know. I want to help because I love you, Rachel.”
She parts her lips but doesn’t say anything as I make my way up the stairs, type in the door’s passcode, and open the door for her. She lowers her head with a shy smile and walks inside.
The place is stunning. At this hour, there’s minimal natural light making its way through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the A-frame, but the dark wooden floor and walls are still bathed in a golden glow.
A spiral staircase leads to a mezzanine where I know we’ll find a cozy sleeping area. The downstairs area is fully open concept, with the kitchen area underneath the mezzanine and a living area furnished with a plush, cream-coloured couch I can already imagine sinking into with Rachel in my arms.
“Wow,” Rachel utters, her green eyes wide.
She squints and looks toward the kitchen area, where more large windows showcase the patio with a stunning mountain view.
“That’s where the hot tub is, right?”
“Yup.” I lift my eyebrows and smile at her. “I knew you’d zero in on that first.”
Rachel and hot water are an inseparable duo. When shopping for our condo in the city, a large bathtub was on our list of must-haves.
Part of the reason I drove to see the place in person before booking it a few days earlier was to make sure the hot tub was functional, as advertised. I wasn’t about to risk telling Rachel about it only for her to be disappointed upon our arrival.
I’ve disappointed her enough.
I could tell she was anxious about this getaway—in a good and bad way. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Aunt Jocelyne’s cabin both went by without a hitch, but Rachel did keep to herself more than usual. I guess that’s to be expected, considering everything that must be weighing on her.
“Hmmm.” Rachel removes her boots and coat, then takes a few careful steps around the cabin.
