Page 64 of Finding Love on the Slopes

Leigh was feeling a little nervous at meeting his family, but after spending so much time interacting with Gabe as the men finished putting the final touches on opening the resort, she knew she would love them. She wasn’t sure how they were all going to feel after finding out that Enrique had secretly married and left them all out except Gabe. Julio and Enrique were tight, and she anticipated some hurt feelings there.

Christmas day arrived with snow falling gently from a grey, dreary sky. The view out the windows from this high up was surreal. It was like it was just them cocooned in their happy home wrapped in a cozy white blanket.

The first time she visited the penthouse, she was taken aback and wanted Enrique to sell it. Gabe stepped in and helped her see the asset to the family, as they all used it when they needed to come to the city on business and host company events. She conceded but worked with the decorator Enrique had sent to her in Florida to make it more like a home and less like a billionaire’s bachelor pad. She felt comfortable here now, and with it draped in Christmas decorations, it felt like a scene from a Thomas Kincaid painting.

Curtis and her grandmother had decided to spend Christmas with her mother and new family to allow the newlyweds time to enjoy the holiday alone. She felt a little sad to be without her family but was happy for them to enjoy their time together.

After preparing a Belgian waffle breakfast with strawberry compote, scrambled eggs, and fresh-cut fruit, they settled down in front of the fireplace to exchange gifts.

“Can I just start by saying that you are a difficult person to shop for,” Enrique stated, turning to face her as they sat next to each other on the couch. “I love giving gifts but worried that every item I chose would upset you. We will have to work on that in the future. For now, I think I did good.” His smile was triumphant as he pulled three small yet elegant gift bags from where he had hidden them on the floor beside the couch.

“Three!” Leighann exclaimed.

“See, I’m not sure if that is excitement that you are going to get three surprises or exasperation,” he complained good-naturedly.

“I’m not sure to be honest. I wasn’t expecting three.” She covered his hand with hers, “I will be grateful for anything you get me and will try to appreciate the thought and effort even if the cost still nags at the back of my mind. You are doing a great job limiting your extravagant spending. I’m not worried about that as much anymore.” Kissing his cheek, she added, “Don’t take that as carte blanch to go crazy on jewels.”

His expression tickled her warning receptors as he handed her the first gift bag. She removed the tissue paper to reveal a rectangle wrapped in shiny silver paper with a dark red ribbon tied around it.

“Two wrappings?” she asked intrigued.

“The first one was done at the store. I put it in the bag to disguise it a little better,” he replied, his leg bouncing with anxious energy as he watched her unwrap the gift.

When she got down to the cream-colored box and lifted the lid to reveal a black velvet jewelry case, she looked at him in trepidation. “Is this going to give me a heart attack when I open it Enrique?” she asked teasingly but worriedly as well.

“I hope not. I tried to be very mindful of your desires to be sensible with our spending, even though it kills me sometimes when I have billions in the bank and just want to drape you in queens clothing. I will say this: there are no diamonds. Well, that isn’t true. It’s notalldiamonds. Just look,” he said, running his hand through his hair. “I think you’re going to like it.”

Leighann cautiously lifted the lid of the box, revealing a full set of pearl jewelry. Her breath caught at the sight of theluminous pearls nestled in the black satin. The centerpiece was a graduated pearl necklace, with delicate diamond studs anchoring each end of the elegantly thin silver chain. Beside it rested a matching bracelet, mirroring the necklace’s design. Nestled in the corner was a stunning ring featuring a large pearl flanked by two sparkling round diamonds on each side. Completing the set were dangling dewdrop earrings, each adorned with a small diamond at the top.

She covered her mouth with her hand, in awe of the beautiful gift and the obvious attention to detail he put in to make sure it matched her style perfectly. “Oh Enrique, I have no words. It’s perfect. I can see myself wearing this. It looks like us!”

“That is what I thought when I saw the necklace. You are the pearls with your elegant warmth, and I’m the cold, shiny diamonds. Put them together, and they make quite the pair- just like us.” He lifted the necklace from the case and clasped it around her neck, then followed with the bracelet around her small wrist. After each piece was in place, he slipped the wrapping from his lap and handed her the next bag.

Inside, Leighann found a manilla envelope. Confused, she slipped a finger under the seal to open the flap and remove the documents inside. “What is this? Why am I holding the deed to my grandmother’s property, and it has my name on it?”

“I had her make a video to explain. She wasn’t happy, but it works.” Pressing play on the video, he turned his phone so Leighcould see the screen.

“Leighann, sweetie, I know this may come as a surprise, but I put the property in your name as a wedding gift. I was planning on it being announced when I died, but that rascal of a husband has convinced me to move to Florida full-time, so I’m telling you now as I don’t want the responsibility of taking care of it when I’m not there to do it in person. I know. I never thought I would leave my precious home either. After all, I need my hot springs to stay young. That silly young man of yours offered to ship the water to Florida every week to fill a hot tub for me as long as I promised to stay. That won’t be necessary. I took this time to pack my things and see your mother again before I make the trip home to you for good. Merry Christmas, sweetheart. I’ll see you soon.” Her grandmother ended the recording at that point, and Leigh stared at the frozen screen in disbelief.

“She’s coming home to stay? This whole Christmas thing was a ruse so she could go pack up her house?” she asked Enrique, disbelieving the turn of events.

“Yep. But wait, there’s one more.” He placed the last gift bag in her lap, the smallest of the three, barely large enough to hold an egg.

Removing the tissue, she glanced inside, not seeing anything.

“What am I missing?” she asked, looking at him confused.

“Feel around. You might not be able to see it, but it’s there.” Excitement lit his eyes, and he was on the edge of his seat.

She felt around the bottom of the bag and felt something move. Using the tip of her fingernail she pried a small piece of paper off the bottom. Lifting it out she realized it was a smallround sticker, a decal for one of her brother’s shops. The white backing had blended in with the inside of the bag.

“Look closely,” Enrique instructed.

It was a new design. Not the sunset canyon of his Arizona shop, or the sunset behind the rocky mountain of his Colorado location. Not even the forested mountain of his New York one. This was a sunset reflecting off water, and read “Parker’s Outfitters and Coastal Adventures.”

“Curtis is opening a location in Florida? I know he was throwing the idea around, but nothing was nailed down. Is my brother moving to Florida?” she asked, her excitement flowing through her, but she did not want to get her hopes up.

“Yes, he is. We had been talking about different locations and what he was looking for. The couple who owned the little house next to the resort passed away suddenly, and the family wanted to sell. I made them a good offer and gave it to Curtis as a welcome-to-the-family gift. He could do whatever he wanted with it. It just so happens the permits went through for a small outfitters shop and a single-family home on the farthest corner. He will be less than a mile down the beach from you.”

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