Almost Like Being in Love by Beth K. Vogt Page A

Ronny—not about me.”
    â€œRight. Sorry.”
    â€œIt’s all good. Go on and finish the tour with Kade.” With a soft “excuse me,” Caron eased past them, escaping down the hallway and back toward the front of the house.
    Kade stilled. What did that exchange mean? Caron was looking for a job? That made no sense at all. Back when they dated, she was focused on achieving success at her father’s real estate office.
    He released a breath. Inhaled, catching just a remnant of her still-familiar coconut-scented shampoo lingering in the air.
    Back to work, Webster. You haven’t been able to figure Caron Hollister out for a long time. And if you want to indulge in the scent of coconut, go buy yourself a piña colada cheesecake.
    â€œYou ready to see the other two bedrooms?” He ushered Margo forward with a sweep of his arm.

EIGHT

    C aron slid out of the front seat of Margo’s car, Emma mirroring her movements from the passenger door behind her. An eager valet, dressed in a white shirt, black bow tie, and black pants, greeted them as he hauled their luggage out of the trunk.
    It was almost one o’clock on Friday afternoon, and all Caron wanted was the key to their hotel room and the chance to relax. To take a nap. Anything but sit in Margo’s car, scenery streaming by—no matter how captivating the mountains and glimpses of rocky streams were.
    And to think they’d be duplicating this long drive on Sunday, only in reverse, all the way back to Colorado Springs and straight on to Denver, to guarantee she made her late-evening flight to Florida.
    â€œFind me a decent cup of coffee and I may think the drive down here was worth it.” Caron stretched her arms over her head. “Is there any time for me to schedule a massage at the hotel’s spa?”
    â€œNot this trip.” Margo fought to remove her car key from her overloaded key ring so the valet could park her Subaru. “Butfeel free to schedule massages for us when we all come back here for your wedding.”
    â€œ If I come back here.”
    â€œOf course you’re coming back. We got up at six and drove for almost seven hours so we could discover all the reasons to convince Alex that he wants a destination wedding here.”
    â€œDriving through small mountain towns like Florissant and Lake George aren’t going to convince him, that’s for sure. Now, if he was a hunter or liked to fish, he might love Gunnison.” Caron rolled her shoulders backward, then forward. “Although you managed the whole ‘The speed limit’s sixty-five, oh, surprise! Now it’s forty-five’ experience like a pro.”
    â€œIt only takes getting caught in a speed trap once.” Margo tossed the words over her shoulder, navigating her way to the front desk. “And you have to admit some of the scenery was remarkable.”
    â€œYes, it was.”
    â€œYou certainly said ‘Stop the car, I need to get a picture of this’ enough times.” Margo waved Caron and her sister to move past her. “I’ll check us in. Go ahead and look around. Take Emma with you and find coffee.”
    â€œYou don’t have tell me more than once.” Emma tucked her arm through Caron’s and tugged her forward. “Don’t forget to ask if the events coordinator is around. We want to let them know their prizewinner is in the building.”
    Less than ten minutes later, Margo found them standing on a stone balcony overlooking a valley. “What, no coffee?”
    â€œNo, but we discovered this view.” Emma motioned with one hand. “If Alex saw this, he’d say yes to a destination wedding, right, Caron?”
    Mountains ringed the resort, covered with lush green trees—aspens and pines—with elaborate houses partially hidden withinthe forest. A grand golf course stretched out before them, golf carts rolling across the well-groomed grass. A patio