“The pictures didn’t do this place justice at all,” I said, glancing at Noah whose appreciative expression mirrored my own.
“It’s bigger than I expected,” Noah agreed as I pulled into one of the marked spaces near the front door. Up close it was even more impressive. The log cabin façade boasted enormous windows, which were lined with white Christmas lights and a giant wreath hung over the door. While I didn’t envy the people responsible for hanging them, I appreciated the simple holiday accents.
We popped our doors open, scooting out of the car and grabbed our luggage from the trunk. Noah followed behind me as we dodged the patches beginning to freeze on the sidewalk. I pushed through the heavy door and was immediately enveloped in the warmth radiating from the fire burning in a huge stone fireplace in the spacious lobby.
Noah took the lead as my gaze scanned over the holiday décor dotting the rustic interior. Pine cones, burlap tied into bows, and greenery with pops of bright red holly hung in ropes of garland, and one of the biggest Christmas trees I’d ever seen took up a huge chunk of the room.
"Welcome to Eagle’s Nest Lodge," the receptionist greeted us. She was pretty with eyes similar in color to Noah's, but somehow lacking the same spark. "You’re here for the Stephens-Greene wedding?"
“We are,” Noah answered. “Noah Stephens and Rook Oliveira.”
“Ah, Kendra’s soon to be brother-in-law.” She grinned, lips the color of sangria stretched wide, plumping her pinkened cheeks. “You guys are the first to arrive. Most of the party seems to have been delayed due to weather, but Trevor, Kendra and the Greene’s are around here somewhere,” she said absently as she stared at her computer screen. “They have you both in the Pine Heaven room on the third floor.”
“The Pine Heaven room?” I asked with a cocked brow.
“Consider yourselves lucky. They let Kendra name them when she was younger. At least you’re not in the Snowman Snowglobe room.” All three of us laughed as she passed us our room keys. “Get settled in, and I’ll give them a call to let them know you’ve arrived.”
After giving us directions to our room, she pointed toward the elevator bank. Thanking her, we made our way over and rode the car to our floor.
Once the doors slid open, we rolled our luggage down the hall, reading the plaques posted on each door until we found ours. Noah scanned the key through the digital read and shouldered into the room with me close behind.
He stopped so suddenly, I ran into his back, gripping his shoulder when it sent him stumbling forward.
"What the hell?" I glanced around him, wondering what the issue was.
Noah stood still, staring at the king size bed covered with a red flannel, Sherpa-lined comforter. He cleared his throat. "There's only one bed. We asked for two."
He had. Insisted on it, actually. But as far as I was concerned, this was a good thing. "Don't even think about asking to switch rooms. How do you think that would look when we tell everyone that we’re dating?”
Noah grunted in annoyance as he tossed his luggage toward the closet.
"Don’t be a baby.” I sighed. “What's the problem, anyway? We've shared a bed before." Though we hadn't since I'd kissed him four years ago—until Knight's party a few weeks ago anyway.
"Nothing. It's fine."
It was an obvious lie, but so was my pretending I didn't know the reason behind his hesitation. When Noah had gotten out of bed the morning after Knight’s party, I'd stirred awake and realized the awkward position I'd put us in. I'd been sound asleep when it happened, and then pretended to still be asleep when I'd rolled over. It had been an honest accident, and I was sure it wouldn't happen again.
I dropped my suitcases next to his before unzipping my coat and tossing it aside. The bed was calling my name, and I flopped down on it, letting out a moan. "Fuck, we need mattresses like this at home." I patted the bed beside me. "Check it out."
He finally smiled before shrugging out of his coat, then followed suit and bounced back on the bed. He let out an answering moan, and I grinned. "Good, right?"
"The fucking best," Noah agreed with a yawn just as his phone rang. He groaned. “I bet that’s my brother.”
As he reluctantly pulled his phone from his pocket, I closed my eyes. It would be too easy to fall asleep after the hours on the plane and many miles on the road, but I could hear his brother through the speaker. “We have a meeting with the kitchen staff in five minutes, but should be done in about an hour. You want to meet us down at the bar?”
“Sounds good,” Noah replied with false enthusiasm. I knew he wasn’t looking forward to getting up either. He ended the call and rolled off the bed. "Get up. I could use a drink before this thing starts."
"Do I have to?" I mumbled sleepily.
"Yes. It was rhetorical. Get your ass up."
I cracked my eyelids open as he disappeared behind the bathroom door.
Groaning, I sat back up and called out, "You’re evil, Noah Stephens."
His muffled chuckle made me smile.
We took turns in the bathroom, getting changed before we headed back downstairs.
Sipping Moscow Mules from metal mugs, we sat at the burnished oak bar, turned backward on brown leather bar stools so that we faced the window overlooking a small frozen pond. The icy surface was lit with soft white light from lampposts that circled around the bank. A wreath was tied to each one by a red ribbon and a few wooden benches sat unused between the posts.
I leaned toward Noah. "You're quiet."
"I'm thinking," he responded as he stared ahead, and then took a long sip of the ginger, lime and vodka drink.
"About?" I angled my head, trying to make eye-contact, which he avoided.
"If my mom is going to buy us being a couple. If anyone is going to believe it." He grimaced.
"Relax. It'll work. Okay?" I reassured him again and settled my hand on his thigh just as a boyfriend would.
He knocked my hand away. "No one's here yet, idiot."
“Just getting into character. You should too. I’m not sure you could look more uncomfortable if you tried.” I tipped my head back and welcomed the burn of alcohol down my throat before it warmed my stomach.
I had to admit I was a little nervous too, though I'd never tell Noah. This had been my idea, and there was no backing out now. Though, when I looked at Noah, a part of me was glad he’d agreed to it. “You can always back out. No one has seen us yet. Nothing is stopping you from walking back to the front desk and asking for separate beds.”
Noah blew out a deep breath. “I really don’t want to get trapped into a week-long blind date. We’re doing this. I just… It doesn’t matter.”
It mattered to me, but before I could say so, movement near the bar entrance caught my attention. My eyes narrowed at the couple who were scanning the room. Brad stood next to a guy I recognized from the pictures I’d convinced Noah to show me. Andy. Short and slender with longish brown hair and elfin features, he wrapped one arm around Brad’s waist as he tapped on his phone with his free hand.
"Those motherfuckers," I gritted between clenched teeth before whispering, “Show time.”