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We set out, and between the coffee, the lack of pressure to talk to Aubrey so soon after the incident this morning, and the sweeping vistas of the few mountains that surround Breck, I relax. The Goldfinch Ridge B&B is up the mountain just outside of a small town that neighbors Breckenridge proper. As Caleb points out things on the drive up to Frisco, I ask if we can see the motel he’s aiming to renovate. He agrees, and the girls are eager to check it out too. Lauren has seen it, of course, but Aubrey hasn’t.
Once we stop there, I fall into real estate mode, talking business with Caleb as we discuss what he should and shouldn’t do with this motel. It lifts my spirits, discussing the industry and business that comes so naturally to me. This will never change. Reviewing properties and talking about the pros and cons of each sale and plan is what I do, and having an opportunity to do that chases away some of the awkwardness I’ve felt since Aubrey opened that connecting door and helped me. She might be an unsteady presence in my life, making me feel on edge and somehow defensive all the time, but knowing who I am helps. I’m not changing completely. I’m just figuring out my footing after the heartbreak of a lifetime from Johanna. I’m not becoming someone else as a single man. I’m only adjusting to the emptiness of being solo when I felt like I was half of a pair. It’s not easy putting a wall up. Being so guarded gets old. It’s tiring me, but knowing I’m still me, Caleb’s friend who loves to talk about real estate, reminds me that I’m not a hermit or troll after having my heart ripped to shreds.
So, I’m alone, but talking about my passion and hanging out with Caleb helps me to move on. He’ll never know how much he’s helping me on this trip. When I realized how serious he was about Lauren, I feared I’d lose him entirely. That he’d be so ga-ga about her that he’d let our friendship waste away to nothing. It would’ve sucked big time to be a grouchy single while he takes off and leaves the city to be so happily taken as Lauren’s man.
Not everything is changing, I coach myself once we arrive at the resort after checking out the motel.
“We have a nine o’clock tee time tomorrow,” Caleb tells me as we get the suitcases out of the truck.
I grin. Now, he’s talking. I love to golf. It’s definitely my sport of choice. Football and basketball don’t hold my interest, and I learned back when I was a kid that contact sports just aren’t my thing. The calculation and precise skill required on the greens, though, that’s where my athleticism really shows.
I glance up at Lauren and Aubrey as they stroll arm-in-arm up ahead. They’re heading toward the resort, which seems emptier than I expected. Sure, it’s not winter. We’re more than halfway through summer, but I still thought it would be more crowded than this. It’s pretty quiet, and it helps to draw my attention to its stunning details. If we were in the thick of ski season, I bet so many people would be around here that I’d miss out on this beauty.
“The girls will go to the spa while we’re golfing,” he tells me as we follow after them.
“What are we doing today then?”
He glances at me, almost hesitant. “Well, Lauren and I were thinking about going hiking.”
Hiking? Today? I’m immediately reminded of those social media pictures Aubrey shared. She’ll be all for it. She’s outdoorsy. Me, though? I know I’ve got to be in shape for hiking, but I’ve never really done it. I’m a city guy, born and bred. When I travel for work, I always make a point of at least walking around outside, but ambling along paths and exploring the “nature” just outside cities can’t be the same as bona fide hiking.
Do I need a stick? Special shoes? A water thing in a fanny pack with straws leading to my hat to drape into my mouth?
I’m not sure I’m ready for this, but I’ll roll with it.
“Sure,” I say with a shrug.
“Yeah?” Caleb asks. “You game?”
After my early-morning mishap and Aubrey catching me practically naked, I’ve been feeling off my game.
“Yeah,” I reply, determined to just do it.
We soon find the four-bedroom chalet they reserved. It’s private and very generous for lodging of one night on the resort grounds, and I’m glad Aubrey and I will have our own rooms—without a connecting door between them. I look forward to a solid night of not wondering if she’ll show up like a dream in the night, approaching me with too few clothes on and teasing me with her soft fingers on my hands. She only helped me bandage my finger. It’s not like she felt me up. But her caring and compassionate gesture impacted me more than if she’d groped me.
I drop my bags in my room and hear Aubrey and Lauren talking out in the shared space. Both women sound happy and lively, and I smile to myself, secretly glad that for once, Aubrey seems to be in such good spirits. I can’t put my finger on what’s nagging me about her. The sense that she’s hiding something won’t disappear, but it’s good to witness her letting loose and just having fun.
After we stow our things, we head up to the top of the mountain for lunch. Riding the gondola is an experience in itself, and I’m amused by the many questions Aubrey asks about the resort in general. It reiterates what Caleb told me. She’s not like us. She’s never gone skiing or stayed at a place like this, and I hate that she’s been held back from such experiences.
Lunch is a quick but satisfying meal. We don’t linger and drag out any conversations because we have plans to hike down to the chalet.
I find that a hiking stick isn’t necessary, and the rugged shoes I have on are more than adequate for a hike. Caleb is wearing the same style and brand. My concerns seem like silly afterthoughts, like I was grasping for any argument to get out of doing this hike.
A few minutes into submerging myself in nature and getting into the groove of hiking, it all stops.
Lauren trips and rolls her ankle as soon as we reach a curve in the trail that would make the restaurant building vanish from sight. We just set off, and she’s already wounded.
Caleb and Aubrey fuss over her, and feeling like I’m an odd man out, I stand aside and make sure we’re not blocking the way for anyone who might need to detour on the path. Not many are out hiking, and after several minutes of comforting Lauren, Caleb helps her get to her feet. She hangs an arm over his shoulders, and I’m glad she’s up and free of any expression of pain.
“You two can go on,” Caleb says.
“Yeah. Aubrey, you and Dalton should still do the hike and not waste the day.”
Aubrey tilts her head to the side and narrows her eyes.
“What?” I ask. They can’t be serious. The woman saw me almost naked. Things are not cool between us. Being alone with her is the last thing I want.
“Not waste the whole day?” Aubrey asks in a suspicious tone.
