Page 39 of The Wedding Twist

“Last summer. And I guess the correct expression is ‘after Matt left me.’”

“Complete idiot,” Jack said. “Certifiable.”

Celeste rolled her eyes, but a smile crossed her face. “What do you do when you’re not teaching?”

“Changing the subject?”

“There’s nothing else to say.”

“All right,” Jack said. “Well, I take Bodie on a couple of long walks each day. There’s always stuff to do around the house. I FaceTime with my brother and his wife and my niece.” He paused. “Now that I say it out loud, it’s no wonder Christine left me.”

Celeste grinned. “We’re just a couple of left-behinds, aren’t we?”

“Seems like it,” said Jack. A soft breeze came off the lake, blowing some strands of Celeste’s hair onto her face. He watched as she brushed them away, the sight of her pink nails making him smile.

“So, you walk, hang with your family,” she said.

“And I go out to my cabin now and then.” His cabin, a small structure his grandfather had built years ago, was on one of a very few privately owned small plots of land in the provincial park, and while Jack didn’t get out there too often, a flash of being there with Celeste entered his mind. The fire crackling, a great bottle of wine. No TV or internet, so plenty of time for other distractions.

“Where’s that? And what do you do there?”

“You know that blue painted rock at the turnoff to where I took the bachelor party?”

“Yeah,” said Celeste.

“That’s the beginning of the trail that leads to the cabin. It’s about a two-and-a-half-mile hike in.”

“What’s there to do there that you can’t do at your place?” she said.

Jack grinned. Being at the cabin with Celeste would be fun. Getting her there, however, might not be considered as enjoyable in her books. “It’s just nice to be somewhere different now and then. Change of scenery.”

“I can see that,” she said. She was quiet for a few moments. “I’ve been thinking lately that maybe the sale of the lodge is what I needed to move on. Maybe I’ve gotten too comfortable here. I could use a change of scenery of my own.”

Another breeze rippled across the water, then the turquoise surface smoothed again, so clear you could see right to the lake’s bottom. Jack stole a glance at Celeste, whose bright green eyes held a warmth that delivered a jolt of desire. She was lying outstretched on the dock, propped up by her elbows. “I can see why you wouldn’t want to leave here, though,” he said. “It’s spectacular.”

“It truly is,” she replied softly. “Thanks for today. It was pretty great.”

“Glad you liked it,” said Jack. “See you down there again tomorrow?”

“I saidprettygreat,” Celeste said. “I can think of other ways I’d prefer to spend my time.”

“Oh, so can I.”

Celeste shot him a look, but she was still smiling. “Plus won’t I see you at class tonight?” She looked at her watch. “I’d better get inside, actually. I have a bunch of stuff to do beforehand.”

They packed up the basket, and Celeste walked Jack to his truck.

He’d see her again in a matter of hours, but somehow it wasn’t soon enough.

*

After doing spotchecks on three of the rooms, Celeste went back to the office to review the upcoming check-ins for the afternoon. The third-floor turret was reserved for three nights by a single traveler who’d requested a late check-in. She’d upgrade him to a walk-out on the main floor. Another one of the main-floor suites would be occupied for two nights by a couple arriving from Boston, who had noted in their reservation details that they were celebrating a sixtieth birthday and had requested that Celeste make a full suite of dining reservations for them at a place in town and then the next night at the 1888 Chop House at the Banff Springs Hotel. She would make sure a bottle of prosecco and some chocolate-covered strawberries were awaiting them in the room.

And the last booking, a four-night stay for a group of three friends traveling together, was for the two adjoining rooms on the second floor with a partial water view and deep soaker tubs in each room. They’d noted in their reservations that one of the party had a serious nut allergy and also inquired about spa treatments in the area.

Celeste loved catering to each guest’s individual requests and always did her best to add an unexpected touch wherever possible. She would make sure that the breakfast buffet had a section that was clearly labeled nut-free and made a mental note to remind Jeannie to prepare those items separately from the rest of the pastries. They had a massage provider who would do on-site appointments. She usually reserved the stargazing room for this, since it wasn’t in use during the day.

When she checked her phone, she saw that there was a voicemail waiting for her.

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