“And I’m trying to make a name for myself with my company.”
“Oh please, you’ve been there for years, Theo. Someone lower can work holidays.”
“If it were—”
“Don’t say easy. Thanksgiving, I understand, but not Christmas.”
“You’re forgetting the snowstorm.”
“Right,” she muttered. Where he lived, it snowed heavily versus the rain where she was. That was another reason she didn’t want to move east. She wasn’t a big fan of the snow. It was pretty, but she preferred it off in the distance, not at her doorstep. She continued to look out the window, hoping she’d be able to get out of the funk she was in. Forgive and forget; she needed to do that, or her attitude was going to ruin the weekend.
She placed her hand on Theo’s thigh, and when he put his hand down on top of hers, she looked over and smiled. She was determined to make the upcoming weekend one to remember. He adjusted the station to something she liked, and she started singing along to the tune. Before long, they were pulling into the circular drive of the hotel, and the valet was opening the door for Renee.
“Welcome to the Grandview Hotel,” he said as he reached for her hand.
“Thank you.”
“What name is the reservation under?”
“Wri—”
“Wallace,” Theo interrupted. He met Renee on the passenger side of the car, smiling. He put his arm around her and handed the keys to the valet.
“Why is the room under my name?” she asked.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “When I made the reservation, I think it had something to do with all those appointments you booked. Your name is showing on the email.”
Renee and Theo walked through the double doors and were immediately enveloped by warmth and liveliness. The hotel was bustling with skiers, and the decorations were still festive but without overdoing it with leftover Christmas cheer. She could hear a fire crackling nearby, and the front desk clerk seemed to love her job. She confirmed the appointments booked for Theo and Renee and offered a free upgrade to their honeymoon suite, which had a jetted tub with a view of the mountains.
“Just think, my love, when I’m swishing down the slopes, you can watch while you soak in the tub.”
Renee rested her hand on his chest and rose up on her tippy-toes to give him a kiss. “Sounds about perfect to me.”
The clerk handed Renee a printout of her appointments, along with their keys. She gave them brief directions of where to go and told them the bellhop would be up shortly with their luggage and that they could store their skis in the ski room until they were ready to hit the slopes.
They held hands as they walked to the elevator, and every few steps, Theo would stop them so he could kiss her. Each kiss grew more and more passionate. “I think when we get to the room, we should see exactly what it means to be on our honeymoon.”
Renee agreed. “I think we need to, Theo. I feel disconnected from you.”
“I agree, darling, but first, let’s get a drink.”
Instantly, her mood soured. Could he not wait to drink until after they made love or, better yet, call for room service? Reluctantly, she followed him to the bar and sat down on the stool next to him. The bartender was the exact opposite of her favorite one, Graham. He wore a white shirt with black bow tie and black pants. He didn’t spin the bottles on his fingertips like Graham, nor did he repeat the orders. And he worked much slower. Graham could take multiple orders and make as many drinks at the same time, whereas this man would focus only on one customer at a time.
“What can I get you?” he asked Theo.
“Two chardonnays,” he said, without asking if Renee was okay with his choice. She wasn’t. She wanted something hard and powerful, something to leave her body with a zing. She watched as the bartender painstakingly opened the bottle of wine, found two glasses, and bent down to pour the exact amount in each one. He scooped the glasses up by their stems, situated them between his fingers, and, with his free hand, set two coasters down in front of Renee and Theo, followed by their wine.
They reached for their glasses at the same time, and Renee paused with hers midair. She waited for Theo to make a toast or say something to start their vacation off, but he drank and did so greedily.
“Thirsty?” she asked after taking a sip.
“I guess I was.” He finished the glass and motioned for a second. Renee thought about doing the same but wasn’t feeling it. The wine wasn’t what she wanted. When the bartender came back, she spoke up. “I’ll take a vodka tonic, please.” She slid her glass of wine to Theo and smiled.
“Vodka?”
She nodded. “I need something a little stronger.”
“Huh” was all Theo said as he picked up the glass in front of him. He downed it quickly. He ordered his third before Renee even had her tumbler of vodka.
She sipped her drink, growing more irritated the longer they sat at the bar. One drink, and then they should’ve been in their room, reconnecting. There was something wrong; she could feel it in her bones. Or maybe she wanted something to be wrong. Ever since she’d started hanging out with her old friends from Cape Harbor, she’d started second-guessing her life. She felt as if she were two different people. Renee versus Rennie, and she wanted to be Rennie.
After Theo finished his fourth glass, she asked for the check from the bartender. Theo started to balk, but she put her hand up. “We have plans, Theo.” Renee signed the bill, adding the charge to their room, and grabbed ahold of his arm. He was drunk, and she was pissed.
In the elevator, he leaned against her and professed his love for her very sloppily in her ear. Theo wasn’t known for holding his booze well, and wine was one of the worst. Renee knew once they entered their hotel room, he would pass out. The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. There was a couple waiting to enter, and they gave a wide berth for Renee to help Theo navigate his exit. She smiled softly at them, only to have them scowl at her.
“Judgmental assholes,” she muttered when her back faced them.
“Who?” Theo asked with a slight slur.
“The people waiting to get on the elevator. They’re judging you because you’re drunk, but honestly, so am I.” They stopped in front of their door, and Renee fished the key card out of her purse.
“I’m not drunk, baby.” Theo pawed at her, grazing her breasts with his hand. “I’m going to make love to you,” he said rather loudly. She shushed him as she slid the plastic card into the metal key holder and pushed down on the handle to open the door. She held it open with her foot and slowly guided Theo in.
“Theo Wright, is that you?”
Renee turned toward the voice and saw the same couple who gave her and Theo a dirty look approaching them. Theo stumbled slightly, righted himself, and every ounce of color in his face drained. He tried to clear his throat, but it sounded more like someone was strangling him.
“Karen, Chad, wh . . . wha . . . what are you doing here?” he stammered.
It was Karen who spoke while eyeing Renee. “We’re on vacation, and who might you be?” The question was directed solely at Renee.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Theo cut her off. “Hotel staff,” he said. “She was just helping me to my room.”