Page 6 of Hot Chocolate & Hitmen

Running my hand down the smooth, notched wood of the bannister as I descend to the lower level, the smell of pine greets me and immediately snags my attention. Head snapping in its direction like a bloodhound on the hunt, I run the rest of the way down the stairs towards the towering nine-foot Christmas tree in the living room.

Thank goodness I requested that to be brought in, as there’s no way I would have managed to get something that big in here. Especially not on my own, which is how it likely would have gone. I had enough trouble last year when I had to drag one half the size of me through the mud and ask random strangers to help me get it in and out of the car.

The mud tracks through the house were awful and took me ages to clean. It took even longer when Jason decided to walk in from work without a care in the world and proceeded to track it through the cream carpet upstairs along with everything else on the bottom of his shoe because he, and I quote,couldn’t be bothered to take them off. I even had to go remove them off his feet after he fell asleep on the bed.

Rubbing my hands together to ward off the chill, I take one more huge sniff before heading over to the open stone hearth in the living area and starting up a fire. Tending to it until it’s got a good flame going, I take in the rest of the room and try to stop myself from flopping on the dreamy couch again. It was hard enough getting myself out of it last night. I don’t need those struggles again! Especially when I have so much planned for today.

Deciding to take a quick meander through the rest of the house, I write off most of the rooms for today, apart from the sauna and hot tub. They are a must! Positioned off the side of the swimming pool area, they have their own private rooms next to one another, and neither disappoints. I already know the hot tub is going to be my favorite.

Situated at the corner edge of the house, and by the looks of it, over a slight drop off, it’s secluded away and affords a fantastic view of the sprawling, snow-covered landscape outside. Both walls that meet in the corner of the house are single panes of glass fused together to create an entire half-room full of glass, making it feel as though you’re actually outside. The basic wooden coverings inside the room, the various plants dotted around, and the distressed stone floor leading up to the hot tub only add to the aesthetic.

My toes curl and a little squeal escapes my lips at the thought of being able to test this out later. The water is already steaming and bubbling, and the little lanterns on the side of the tub and the fairy lights interwoven with the plants trailing the ceiling are just waiting to be switched on in the darkness of night. Coupled with a mug of hot chocolate and a tray of cookies, I can already picture the cozy, inviting atmosphere Jason and I will be able to share.

“Okay,” I clap my hands together, drawing myself out of my reverie. “Time to go get everything ready, then you can have this as a reward later. Now, where to start?”

Humming to the Christmas tunes on the soundbar, I dance around the kitchen as I put the finishing touches on the breakfast spread. Fruits, pastries, sausages, hash browns, bacon…

You name it. It’s on the spread. It’s far too much for just two people, but who the heck cares, it’s Christmas! Plus, most of it will keep in the fridge anyway, and we can snack on it throughout the day. Which reminds me, I need to get the beef out for dinner tonight. There’s nothing like a good beef stew on a cold winter’s day to warm your insides right up!

Getting lost in baking and sorting out the cookies and gingerbread, I don’t notice the time until I hear Jason’s footsteps on the stairs.

“Shoot.” I place the tray of cookies down, discard my oven mitts on the side, and run over to a fully dressed Jason. “I’m so sorry I didn’t wake you up. I got carried away with food!”

Wrapping my arms around his waist, he grunts and pats my back a few times before asking, “Is there coffee?”

“Oh, erm, yeah.” I squeak, pulling away and doing my best to act normal as disappointment and Jason’s lack of affection tries to burrow its way under my skin. Hurrying over to the side, I pour him a coffee and put cream and a dash of sugar in it. Handing it over to him, he just grunts and gives me a half smile before disappearing off to the living area and throwing himself on the comfy couch without so much as a mention, or even a glance at what I’ve laid out for him this morning.

I wring my hands for a minute as I watch him rest his head back against the couch with one arm splayed across the back. Facing away from me, I can’t see his face to try and guess what’s going through his head right now. His lack of attention hurts, as always. But then again, he has just woken up, so it’s likely he’s just tired. I know I’m cranky when I’m tired.

I take a deep breath and walk over to him, trying to keep my voice light. "Hey babe, I made us a big breakfast spread. Come check it out!"

He doesn't even glance my way, eyes still glued to his phone. "Not hungry," he mutters.

I bite my lip. "Well, we should eat something before our walk. I was thinking we could explore the trails out back. Doesn't a romantic stroll sound nice?"

"I'd rather just relax here," Jason says flatly, still not looking my way.

My upbeat energy starts to fade. I perch on the arm of the couch and trail my fingers along his shoulder. "I know yesterday was a long travel day, but I was really hoping we could make the most of our time here. Maybe go for a hike or something."

Jason finally looks at me, annoyance flashing across his face. "Jesus, Grace, can't you take a hint? I just want to chill and be left alone."

His harsh words feel like a slap. I recoil, blinking back tears. "But...this trip was supposed to help us reconnect. I don't understand-"

“You never fucking do!” He cuts me off as he looks at his phone once more and starts typing something out.

“Are you freaking serious right now? What has gotten into you?” I snap as he surges to his feet and reaches into his pocket.

“Listen, Grace. I’m leaving. This trip was just a bad idea all around.” He pulls the car keys from his pocket as his gaze wanders to something behind me. Glancing over my shoulder at the door, I notice his bag packed and sitting neatly against the wall by the shoe rack. When did he have the chance to do that? And how didn’t I notice?

“Wha-” I flounder, not finding the words as my heart hammers in my chest.

“We shouldn’t have come. This was just…” He trails off, rubbing the back of his head with a detached look on his face.

“Well, let me just go pack my stuff…” I try to move, but he cuts me off once more.

“No.I’mleaving. I need to be alone. I’ll have someone come get you when I get back.”

I stare up at him, unable to form any words as my mind reels. This can't be happening. He can't be leaving me here,alone, on our anniversary trip that I had planned for months.

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