The rest of the drive didn’t take too long.
“There’s a hotel worth staying at. Your friend has good taste in wedding venues.” Leia made the comment as Castor drove them through the town to the Stanley. It sat up above a shopping center, high enough that you could see all of the building. The front of the hotel faced toward the town of Estes Park. Mountains rose up around them like a cathedral of granite. The hotel itself was stunning—Victorian in style, stark white with red tile roofs.
Rather than valet, they parked and walked their suitcases in.
“I’ll take that.” Castor held out his hand for Leia’s luggage.
“No, you won’t.” She pulled out the handle and started rolling it to the building.
Cas shook his head at her independent streak but didn’t argue and followed in silence. They made their way up a set of stairs to a large porch covered with white wicker chairs to enjoy the view. Several double doors leading into the reception area were thrown wide, letting in the warm May breeze, carrying with it the crisp scent of the pine trees.
Once inside, the receptionist at the hotel had a surprise for them both.
“Mr. Banes did what?” Leia squeaked beside Castor.
The woman’s smile wavered. “He placed you in the suite beside theirs.”
“A single room?” Leia asked for the clarification.
“It’s a suite, but yes.”
She turned to Castor. “You take the suite. It’s obviously meant for the guest of honor.” No surprise a demigod at the ceremony would have garnered attention. “I’ll get another room.”
“We don’t have any more rooms available.” The receptionist gave them an apologetic grimace. “And I doubt you’ll find anything anywhere else. There’s a horror film festival going on this week.”
Leia’s knuckles turned white as she crushed the nice brochure she’d plucked from a holder on the desk when they’d been waiting in line.
Caster covered her hand with his. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Don’t—” She bit down on the words when she turned and recognized the warning he was trying to silently communicate with his eyes.
“Let’s get settled. Then we’ll figure it out.”
Her lips were pale as she clenched her teeth, but she gave him a jerky nod. After they got their keys, she followed him without a word. Their suitcases made a clack-clack-clack as they crossed the lobby with its original wood floors. They passed large fireplaces with comfy seating around them, then headed up the grand staircase covered in a deep maroon velvet carpet.
“I can’t stay here with you,” she said as soon as they got to their room and the door closed behind them. “I’ll get a hotel room down in Denver or Fort Collins.” She crossed to the mini-fridge in the corner and pulled out a bottled water which she proceeded to gulp down. Never a good sign when Lyleia needed to chug water.
Guilt pressing on him, Castor shook his head. “There are too many events, and I don’t want you driving the canyons at night. I’ll sleep on the couch.”
She glanced at the couch in the sitting room, a piece deliberately created to imitate an old-fashioned sofa, with the scrolling back and armrests in wood, and the cushions in a patterned, pink silk. Then she moved her pointed gaze to him, as she eyeballed his six-foot-three frame. Like every demigod, his body was built for battle—broad shouldered, lean hipped, tall and muscled.
“I’ll sleep on the couch.” She wrinkled her nose as she grudgingly conceded.
But he didn’t like that option either. Having Leia on the uncomfortable piece of furniture didn’t sit right with him. Before he could offer another suggestion, the phone rang.
He held up a finger and crossed the room to answer it.
“How do you like the suite?” Marrok asked after they exchanged hellos.
“It’s great. Thank you for the upgrade.”
“My pleasure. Thank you for agreeing to stand up for me on the big day.”
Castor glanced at Leia in case she’d caught that. He hadn’t warned her yet. But she wasn’t paying attention to him. Instead, she’d started unpacking and hanging her garments in the closet. He took the opportunity to appreciate how her black skirt highlighted her lovely behind. She’d removed her jacket, allowing him to see her hourglass figure better. He loved those pencil skirts she favored.
“Cas?”
He pulled his attention back to the conversation. “Absolutely, buddy.”
“Tala and I would love to have lunch with you and your date today.”
Castor glanced at his watch. “What time were you thinking?”
“Noon.”
An hour to convince Leia should be enough time. “Sounds good.”
“We’ll meet you in the lobby then.”
Castor hung up and turned to Leia, conjuring up his most winning smile. Not that he’d seen it have any effect on her yet, but, still, it was worth a try.
She turned from the closet and crossed her arms. “Don’t even bother with that fake smile, Castor.”
He blinked and snapped his mouth closed, swallowing the words on the tip of his tongue.
“I heard.”
“I see.”
“I noticed you didn’t correct his mistaken impression that you’re here with a date and not your assistant.”
“Um.”
She held up a hand. “Are you going to correct them at lunch?”
“Well—”
“I see. Is there a business reason not to tell them?”
“No. But I’d accepted while I was still seeing Pamela. They obviously assumed they were doing us a favor with the room. I wouldn’t want them to feel bad.”
“Uh-huh. And what will they say when I show up to the business-related meetings?”
“That I’m a lucky man?”
She gave a delicate snort. “You will tell them at lunch.”
He could tell this was a sticking point for her. Her chin was up in the air and her back straight as a board, a sign of stubborn refusal to budge on a point. One he recognized after a year spending hours with her on a daily basis. “Yes, of course.”
She nodded. “Give me a half hour to wash off the travel and change. More casual for lunch with a friend, I assume?”
“Probably a good idea.”
She pulled a dress from the closet where she’d just finished hanging it. He stayed where he was as she gathered other things and crossed the room.
“By the way…”
Her voice pulled him out of the daze he’d been in after the conversation hadn’t gone quite the way he’d expected. Now she stared at him from the doorway to the bathroom.
He raised his eyebrows in question.
“Congrats on being the best man at the ceremony.” She winked and closed the door behind her.