“Oh, I know who you are. We’ve been waiting for you two.” The hostess picked up two menus and led the way, slow enough that Beks could follow easily. They stopped at a table in a quiet corner by a window with a view of the mountainside, the ski slopes all lit up. “A special table with a special view.”
“Oh, wow… Mari,look!” Bekka’s expression was pure awe.
“Very cool. Although I can’t imagine skiing at night. I can barely manage the daytime.”
Another server came by with champagne and put it on ice on a stand next to the table, and yet another with two glasses of water.
“Fancy! I’ve had more champagne in the last few days…”
“I guess we’re celebrating.” Marissa took her hand and held her gaze. “Celebrating what though?”
“That we’ve reconnected. That you were brave enough to come here after the shit that went down.”
Marissa nodded. “I’m glad we reconnected. I really am. But I don’t know if it was brave. I needed out of New York.”
“It was brave. You could have just been still. Entropy, you know?”
“I guess so. Maybe you’re right. I can be pretty badass when I want to be.” Mari shook her head and picked up her menu.
“You so can.” Beks studied the menu for a minute. “Oh, do I want the steak or the risotto?”
“Risotto with a side of steak?” Mari waggled her eyebrows. “This all looks amazing, but tomorrow I want a big fat cheeseburger.”
“Ooh… You know my thoughts about a bacon cheeseburger. Can we have onion rings too?”
“Of course, they’re a must.” Mari put her menu down. “Tonight I’m having the penne vodka.”
“Mmm… I’m going for the risotto, I think, and a Caesar salad.” Beks shook her head, grinned. “So, are you staying all the way through the holidays?”
“This honeymoon thing includes a Christmas dinner and pictures with Santa so hell yes I’m staying through Christmas. And then…we’ll see. The brochure said First Night here is a big deal too, so…maybe I’ll just stick around.” Marissa poured them each a glass of champagne, then caught her eye. “You?”
“I’m staying, for sure. I love it here. It snows!”
“You’re too much, pretty. We can’t stay in the honeymoon suite forever.”
“So, we’ll get ourselves another room, or we could rent a place that’s got a kitchen.”
“I like that idea. Shack up for a week or two?” Mari winked at her. “I’ve just been so surprised by you.”
“It’s been new, that’s for sure. I thought you hated me, but I don’t think you do.” Beks explored her face with a smile. “I think we were both in different places in our lives.”
“You can say it. I took myself way too seriously. I tried too hard to be perfect. I know. I still like the ideal, but I’m just more realistic now.”
“Me too.” She caught Marissa with an arch look. “I am! I’m just not as grounded in the physical as you are.”
Marissa huffed a laugh. “That makes me sound so shallow.”
“I was thinking it made me sound so flighty…”
“Hm. Well, if I’m shallow, and you’re flighty then we’re meeting somewhere in the middle, right?” Marissa lifted her glass of champagne. “To the middle.”
“To the middle.” Beks waggled her eyebrows, so dirty. “I like your middle.”
“Thank you. It’s work, but I’m just shallow enough to be proud of it.” Mari tried to keep a straight face, but she lost the battle.
“It’s beautiful. I admit, though, I’m trying to love my curves.”
“It’s not so hard. I’m pretty fond of them.”