Page 19 of Peaked Desires

“There’s a storm coming. A big one.”

***

“Everyone is accounted for,” Tracy tells Huxton as they march ahead of me through wild winds. “The bureau is forecasting the storm to hang around for at least a few hours.”

Huxton’s carrying an axe over his shoulder, his sleeves rolled up his forearms. He’s wearing a face of pure determination, lines furrowed across his brow, every muscle tense.

“Make sure no one leaves,” he says, yanking the door to the restaurant open. He holds it as blast of wind shakes the windowpanes overlooking the retreat. Tracy moves inside and Huxton looks at me, gesturing for me to join her. “It’s not safe outside. Stay in here and I’ll be back.”

Tracy waits for me, but I take a step towards Huxton. “What about you? You’re coming inside too, right?”

His expression doesn’t change. “No.”

“But Hux-”

“I need to secure the cabins. If this storm is as bad as they it is, I’ll need to be on alert.” He looks over his shoulder at the dark clouds moving up the valley. “We’re too close to opening day for everything to be ruined now.”

Tracy waves me inside but I ignore her.

“Let me come with you then,” I plead, but Huxton’s shaking his head before I finish the sentence.

“No.”

“Huxton, please-”

“Elise, I’ll need you to move inside.”

I continue to plead my case, but suddenly his voice is different. He’s not my Huxton right now. He’s my boss.

My clenched fists loosen. My heart deflates and I take a sorry step backwards.

I stare into Huxton’s eyes as Tracy grips me by the shoulder, leading me into the safety of the most secure building on site. Huxton closes the door without another word, his expression hardened.

Tears well at the corners of my eyes but I suck in a harsh breath. Tracy opens her mouth to speak, but sees the emotion streaming from me. With a rub in the center of my back, I bite my lip, unsure of how to go on.

There’s a scary silence inside the restaurant. It’s unnerving. Eerie. It’s usually so noisy in here, the clattering of pans and soft trinkle of knives and forks.

Looking around, I move towards the window where I had lunch with Huxton on that very first day. I can see the storm beginning to take hold of Mountain Lodge Retreat. Dark clouds move quickly, like an ominous shroud over the land. The first crack of thunder echoes in the valley, bringing a gasp from all the employees Huxton has whisked to safety.

My heart feels like it breaks, thinking about the lonely man outside. He built this haven with his bare hands. Every nail, every perfectly stacked log. Each cabin, built so beautifully, such detail in each one. Every employee he’s taken on. Every family he’s helped.

The woman he’s brought hope, change and new life to. He’s helped me.

It’s all him.

The whipping treetops look dangerous as they move from side to side in a frenzied dance. The weather is getting worse, changing rapidly just like Huxton said it would.

But this is nothing yet. It’s about to get a whole lot worse.

I bite my nails as the shutters on the cabins rattle, holding on for dear life already. The fireplace behind me casts a warm glow throughout the room, but the howling wind whistles down the chimney, reminding us just how dangerous it is out there.

And then the downpour starts.

Raindrops, heavy and relentless, pounding against the roofs and windows, sounding like a thousand bullets firing at once. The wind picks up, angry whipping winds that show no mercy. Tears fill my eyes, my heart breaking and that’s when I see it.

The carving of Huxton and his father crashes into the mud. My entire body clenches as I see it break before my eyes, splitting right down the middle along with my heart.

Without thinking, I turn and run for the door.

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