"Holy shit!" Cole says, as we walk through the ski chalet, toward our room. He releases his luggage and puts his hands in his hair, spinning around, staring at the ceilings, the windows, and all of the other things an architect would stare at. "Holy shit! You didn’t tell we would be staying in one of Heinz Julen's designs! What an artist.”
"I don't know who that is," I tell him, with a quizzical smile, watching him behave like a fangirl. “Owen didn’t give me all the details.”
"This," he says pointing, to one side of the structure. "And this! See how he uses the light? Just windows, windows everywhere!”
“Okay,” I say with a laugh. “It’s pretty impressive."
The structure is nestled high up on a picturesque, snow-capped mountain, above a village in the Alps. It's kind of hidden and cozy, and in addition to the light from all sides, the views are stunning.
"Oh my god," Cole says as we reach our room and enter the suite. He drops his luggage immediately so he can walk forward, lifting both of his hands to gesture in awe. "Look at this magnificence. That's how you build a house on a damn mountain."
I giggle slightly, putting my luggage beside his and taking off my purse, and coat, and boots. "Silly Cole. Your designs are just as nice as this.”
The temperature change is quite significant up here, and we stopped to grab some warmer clothes and coats in the village, just in case. For the actual ceremony, we just plan to use the formal attire we got on Fifth Avenue. Upon arriving, we were greeted by Helen's father, Richard Winters, who seems like a very nice person. I remember Helen telling me that her mother died a few years ago—and her father just introduced us to his new wife, Dr. Leslie Winters, explaining that they decided to have an impromptu wedding in Michigan, since everyone was already gathered for the one Liam walked out on.
My biological brother isn't here yet, and neither is Helen, but her sister, Carmen chatted with us a little. Even though she is dating Owen, she flew in with her father, to let Owen spend some time with his depressed best friend, and cheer Liam up on the plane. The family is having cocktails and appetizers in the reception area, while waiting for the bride and groom to arrive.
They all seem so sweet and understanding of Liam’s cold feet, and genuinely excited to be here.
I move toward the bed and turn around, collapsing backward onto it, exhausted from traveling. The Winters family sent a car to pick us up from the airport, but it was still a long trip from Geneva up into the mountains. A beautiful trip, but a long one, nonetheless.
"This is an odd situation for a wedding," I tell Cole, thoughtfully. "The bride and groom haven't even seen each other since the last wedding I ruined, and she went on their honeymoon with a different guy. She isn't even aware that they are planning a second, surprise wedding for her. Weird, right? What if she has changed her mind?"
"I think it's all very romantic," Cole says, as he moves to the window and stares out at the mountains. “Maybe it will give us some ideas for our second wedding," he suggests.
"Do we really have to have one?" I ask him. "It just seems like a lot of work."
"Of course, we do," he responds. "We were high school kids when we got married—and you were only a high school kid because you stole the identity of a slightly older girl. Anyway, Snow popped out for a few seconds before our wedding to insist that she wanted a real one someday, in a beautiful location, with a real dress, and dancing, chandeliers, and cake."
I lift my head slightly to gaze at him. He remembers that I said that?
"Maybe later—someday soon," I tell him in a quiet voice. "Later—just later. I think we should focus on building your tower first, and both of us getting back to work and feeling more like ourselves."
"You keep saying that. Don't you feel like yourself?"
"No, not so much."
He comes over to the bed and throws himself down beside me, and we stare up and the mountain through the towering glass windows.
"It's been a rough few days, with meeting your parents and everything. I'm sure you'll feel better soon."
I turn toward him, and shuffle closer, putting my head on his chest and wrapping my arm around his middle. "At least you seem to be enjoying yourself. It was worth coming all this way just to see your eyes light up like a little boy getting Hot Wheels on Christmas."
"Excuse me, but I was never into Hot Wheels. Complex Lego sets, on the other hand, and those 3D puzzle sets of landmarks like the Notre Dame or Eiffel Tower. That was my jam."
"Okay, Cole. If you ever get dementia and revert to a childlike state, that's what I'll buy for you."
"Or you could just buy some for me to play with this upcoming Christmas, if you promise not to tell anyone," he says with a wink, and I laugh.
He looks down at me, suddenly serious. "You know what, Scar? I am enjoying myself. Family weddings are supposed to be weird and have tons of drama. We've never been able to experience that. And in-laws are supposed to be awful and make me want to commit vehicular manslaughter. So, I was even pretty glad to meet your terrible parents!"
"Are they in-laws if they were never really my legal guardians? Technically Benjamin was my parent. So, I already killed your father-in-law—my apologies. But you know, it's funny. Even with all that Benjamin did, in some sick way, he actually cared about me more than my real father. Is abusive, violent love better than no love at all? I wonder what kind of a person I would have been if I had grown up in that house, with Janet and Jim Larson. I wonder if Liam is more emotionally healthy than I am."
"I think you would have survived anything," Cole says. "But seeing your mother get hurt constantly—I don't know if you could have taken that."
"Nah. I would have killed Jim, too."
"Probably," Cole says, squeezing my shoulders. "Well, maybe after today, I'll inherit a brother-in-law who's a semi-decent guy."
"I don't know if he's semi-decent. Maybe quasi-decent?"
"We can't hold him to the same standards we use for normal people. We need to give him a little bit of leeway, and expect him to be slightly off."
"Leeway for Liam. Got it," I mutter. "I mean, he did manage to be a doctor in Manhattan, so how damaged can he be?"
"Scarlett. You managed to work for the CIA, while having multiple people inside your head."
"Fair point."
"Plus," Cole says. "He hasn't been okay lately, according to Owen, remember? When he heard about what happened to you, he left his wedding and hasn't been able to go to work."
"Okay, okay. I will try to be nice."
"Good," Cole says, pressing a kiss on the top of my head.
"And even if he's a complete and total asshole, just like the rest of them I won't attempt to murder him today.” I say with a yawn. “It's his wedding day, and Helen doesn't deserve that drama, on top of all the drama I've already caused her. I could always murder him tomorrow, if things seem to be going in that direction."
"That's..." Cole sighs. "Let's hope things don't go in that direction."
"I could even make it look like an accident," I muse in a sleepy voice, glancing out at the mountain. "Like, hey, Liam! Let's go skiing. Oops, guys, I don't know what happened. He just fell down the mountain and hit his head on a rock. Like ten times."
"Jeez, Snow has been a really bad influence on you."
"Don't worry, I'm just joking,” I say with another yawn. “I'm just nervous about all this, I guess. I'm not the best in social situations."
"You'll be fine. Besides—no matter how badly things go, out there, we can always come back to this room, together, and relax, and look at that view," he says, pointing at the mountain. "Through those perfectly designed windows."
“Mmmm,” I mumble, snuggling closer to him happily as I gaze at the scenery. “That does sound nice. Hey, Cole? Thanks for convincing me to do this. The Alps are gorgeous beyond belief. It feels a little otherworldly.”
“It’s paradise,” he says softly. “Being here with you.”
I wrap my leg around him, smiling happily, as my eyes drift closed.