Plenty of people didn’t like what they were doing here, but that wasn’t his problem. No, he just had to focus on keeping the place open and doing everything he could to protect those who trusted him enough to stay here.
He wasn’t sure how long he stayed in that shower. But by the time he stepped out, the cold had soaked all the way through to his bones and his mind felt a little bit clearer. He knew there were probably better, more comfortable ways of dealing with these dreams than ice-cold showers, but the showers worked just fine for him in a pinch.
Maybe it would be smart to utilize some of the therapy they offered to their guests, but he had too much to do to spend his time talking about his feelings. Plus, again, what would everyone think of him? The lodge still needed some fixing up, even though it had been months since the fire, and he felt like it would be a long time before it was truly back to the way he wanted it.
Making his way back up the corridor toward his room, he found himself slowing, not wanting to be alone in there again. Instead of a place to rest and rejuvenate, his bedroom had become a place of torment these last few months with the nightmares that filled his head whenever he closed his eyes.
Even though it had been years since he lost his brother, the memories of that day still bled into his mind all the time. That last look Max had given him, the way he had told him that he was happy going out this way… Had he meant it?
Xavier had to believe he did. Because the alternative was too horrible to imagine.
He reached his bedroom door once more and was immediately struck by how cold it was. Not just the cold he was carrying in from the shower but something else—somethingthat jumped out to him at once. He tensed, looking around, his instincts telling him something was wrong.
Inside the room, he took in anything that had changed since he was last there.
The curtains had been pulled back. The window had been thrown open, letting in a rush of the freezing mountain air. No way would Xavier have left it that way himself. He never slept with the curtains or the window open. It was way too dangerous to open yourself up to an enemy like that, especially when you were in such a vulnerable state as sleeping.
But he flicked on the light and saw more out of place.
The dresser drawers had all been pulled open, and it looked as though his clothes had been rummaged through. He widened his eyes, making his way toward the piece of furniture cautiously, as though it might have been rigged with something. He rooted through his belongings, trying to see if there was anything missing, but nothing jumped out at him.
He had left the door unlocked when he went for his shower. A mistake on his part—but he had no reason to think he couldn’t trust everyone in this lodge. Unless there was someone here who meant trouble, someone they hadn’t done enough research into, someone who was going to cause problems down the line.
Whoever had been in here, they hadn’t just been going through his stuff for no reason. No, the way the room had been turned over, they had been looking for something. Searching for something specific. But what?
He couldn’t see anything missing, and it wasn’t as though he kept anything of importance in his room anyway. Unless they counted the small handful of family memorabilia he kept on his bedside table, pictures of him and Max and their parents.
But just because he didn’t think there was anything worth taking in here didn’t mean everyone else agreed. Someone had to have been keeping a close eye on the place to know when hehad left his room, and they had pounced on the opportunity to get in there and search through all of his stuff.
He closed his dresser drawers, then pushed the window back into place and locked it. Then, he scanned the dark grounds outside, checking to see if there was anything that looked suspicious before pulling the curtains shut again. Not that he thought whoever did this would hang around long enough to be seen.
There was nothing but the sound of crickets in the air, and stillness that suddenly seemed eerie knowing there was trouble afoot.
Whatever it was, he would get to the bottom of it, Xavier promised himself. He always did.
And this time would be no exception.
Chapter Two
Hannah Davies wandered away from the lodge, the scent of maple syrup still fresh in her senses after cleaning up from the breakfast crowd in the cafeteria. Part of her morning routine after eating her first meal of the day was to go out for a walk around the property. She used it as time to clear her head and ready herself for her daily duties and to see how the seasons were changing at the place she had come to call home.
It was a cold, crisp February morning as she made her way down the path toward the cabins in the forested area. Along the edge of the path were the flowerbeds she had planted before the first frost back in the fall. It was going to be a few more months before she saw them come to fruition, but she could hardly wait for the explosion of color and scent her tulips and peonies were going to bring. Lawson, her brother, had tried to tell her there was no point putting so much energy into the flowers here, but she knew he was going to see why she had done it when they all started to bloom. This place could use a little color after the fire, and she was glad to be the one to make that happen.
She could still hear the buzz of activity inside the lodge as everyone went about getting settled into their daily routine. Hannah would be at the front desk for the rest of the day, which was why she was so intent on stretching her legs and clearing her mind for a while. If there was one thing she had learned in her time here, it was that it didn’t suit her to be cooped up all day. With the beautiful scenery just a few feet from the door, she hadno excuse not to get out into nature for at least a few minutes every day.
Tipping her head back, she paused as she reached the small cluster of cabins at the end of the path. Inhaling a deep lungful of air, she let the chill rush through her. Nothing cleared her head like the cold. She loved the summer, of course she did, with all the brightness of life around her, but there was no doubt she was going to miss these cold mornings when they passed.
Suddenly, a noise caught her attention—a laugh. She glanced around and quickly located the source coming from the newest cabin that had been built over the last few months. Through the large front window, she saw Bailey laughing as Aaron playfully chased her.
Hannah smiled. She was so happy for the two of them and that they had found each other once more. Every time she saw them together, it was clear they had been made for one another. Anyone could tell how much they loved each other. It was obvious in their actions and written all over their faces whenever they were together.
A little pang of jealousy twisted in her chest, but she tried her best to ignore it. She wasn’t going to let her own lack of luck in love stop her from being happy for her friends. That was what this place was for, right? A chance for people to make a new start and discover their own calling in life. And for these two, that calling was with one another, taking care of each other and supporting each other through whatever life threw at them. And life had thrown a lot at them over the past several months.
Turning her back to give them some privacy, Hannah was about to head back up to the lodge when she caught sight of someone else making their way up the path toward the cabins. A familiar figure, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes downcast, about thirty feet away.
She bit her lip and smiled, then lifted her hand to greet him. “Hey, Xavier!”
He didn’t seem to notice her.
