I woke to movement and voices downstairs. My head turned on the pillow. The only sign that I hadn't just imagined the entire night was the large dent left behind on the mattress. I hurried into my robe and slippers and shuffled next door to my own room. I'd thrown all caution to the wind for the weekend, but there was no reason to let my charming hostess know that I'd crawled right into bed with my neighbor.

I walked straight into the bathroom for a hot shower and a quiet chance to relive some of the amazing moments from the night before. The tenderness between my legs was extra assurance that I hadn't just fantasized about sex with Holt. It had been real, every glorious moment of it.

I lathered up my long hair with the citrusy shampoo Coco had placed in the shower. Everything at the inn was a party for the senses, whether it was the food, the bedding, the lighting and furnishings or even the sundries, it made you feel as if you were experiencing everything in life for the first time. And for me, sex with Holt, was the same, like I was finally experiencing for the first time what it was supposed to feel like.

I finished the shower and thought about my poor bent car as I dried off. I would absolutely need it back tomorrow so I could head home. And that realization took the steam out of my engine. I blew out a long, disappointed breath. Home. Job. Regular life with its tiny ups and occasionally bigger downs. Ugh, it was going to be hard to face it after this weekend.

Brushing my long hair was an arduous and slightly painful task after the night of activity. I winced through the last snarl and pulled on my robe. A delicious aroma of something savory, like bacon and potatoes, struck me as I walked back into the bedroom. A pot of coffee, glass of orange juice and a plate covered by a silver dome was sitting on the tiny table in front of the window.

I sat at the table and shifted back the curtains so I could have a view along with my breakfast. I lifted the dome and somehow wasn't the least bit surprised to find my favorite breakfast of bacon, eggs and hash browns on the plate. The aroma was so rich, I almost didn't need to put the food in my mouth to taste it.

Down below, the yard was covered with a new layer of powder that hadn't been disturbed yet by footprints, man's nor animal's. I glanced toward the forest area where the bear had disappeared to the night before and then stared down at my own giant breakfast. The poor thing looked so hungry. Hopefully, she would find some form of sustenance to get her through the rest of the winter.

I lowered the curtains and picked up the crisp white linen napkin next to the plate. Coco saw to every detail. The Silk Stocking Inn had been hand embroidered in pink floss across the top. I felt more embroidery on the back and flipped it over, expecting to see the same on the back. But instead the same pink floss spelled out a quote. "The best fantasies grow into realities." I blinked down at the quote. It couldn't have been more appropriate for the way I was feeling. Uncanny. It was the best word I could think of to describe it.

I placed the napkin on my lap and dug into a breakfast that was nothing short of sublime. I picked up a piece of bacon. My attention was drawn to the window by the sound of a motor and deep voices. One deep voice in particular caught my attention.

I whipped back the curtains farther and found if I leaned my head sharply to the side I could see the front driveway. Holt's snowmobile was parked out front. My eyes swept past the machine to the tail end of a tow truck. My car was clipped to the end of it.

As I picked up my napkin, Holt stepped into view, temporarily making me forget that I should probably grab a coat and my keys and head down there. But by the time I stood from the table, the tow truck was heading down the driveway with my car. I looked at the dresser where I'd left my keys. There was a note in their place. "You were in the shower. I hope you don't mind, but I gave Holt your keys so his friend could pick up the car. Coco."

"Now that's service," I mused and headed back to the breakfast. I nibbled absently on a piece of toast, waiting for oversized boots to climb the stairs. Instead, the roar of the snowmobile's motor shook the window. Holt turned down the driveway and took off across the snowy landscape. That was when it hit me—I had no idea if he was coming back. He mentioned he took turns at the forest ranger station, but he never told me details about his work schedule. Maybe last night was it. He left this morning without a word. Maybe he thought that was the easiest way to end what we'd started. No commitments. No good-byes. No maybe I'll see you later.

I sank back against the chair. Suddenly, the delicious breakfast just didn't look all that yummy. A knock on the door made me sit up straight but then I reminded myself that Holt had just driven off.

"Jen?" Coco's voice came through the door. "Just checking if you need anything."

"Please, Coco, come in."

As she opened the door, I was certain I caught the fleeting image of an elderly woman, weathered with age and slightly hunched. But as she stepped into the room that image vanished and the beautiful, vibrant innkeeper returned. It was yet another mystery that I couldn't wrap any rational thought around.

"How is breakfast?"

"Excellent. Thank you so much. All my favorites." I glanced toward the window. "I saw that Holt's friend took my car away. I didn't get a chance to talk to him—the mechanic, that is."

"Yes, he was sure he'd have it back tomorrow. Said it wouldn't take much work."

"Tomorrow? Oh, that's perfect. I'll need to head back home and get ready for another work week. Uh, just out of curiosity, did Holt mention when he might be coming back?"

The subdued smile on Coco's face seemed to let on that she knew that there was something more going on than a room neighbor friendship. "He said he had some errands to run but that he'd be back later this afternoon. In fact, he wanted me to give you that information."

"Oh," I said a little too exuberantly. I dialed it back some. "That's nice. Then I might see him later. Great." Of course my insides were doing somersaults at the prospect, but I put on a nice cool exterior.

"It's a beautiful day outside. Clear blue sky. A little brisk, of course, but if you bundle up, it might be a nice day for a walk. The stepping stones out back lead past the gardens and onto a nice, quiet forest trail. Just stay on the path to avoid getting lost. I've left some hiking boots and an extra scarf and parka in the closet. Unless you'd rather just stay around the inn."

"Actually, a walk sounds nice. It's been a stressful few months at work, finishing up a project in time for a deadline. A peaceful hike in nature is just what I need to de-stress."

"Are you finished?" She pointed at the breakfast dishes.

"Yes, thank you. I can bring them down though."

"Nonsense." She busied herself collecting up the dishes.

I walked to my suitcase to pull out some warm clothes.

"That must be a fun job—creating video games. My nephew dreams about working in the video game industry. Of course, he wants the position of game tester."

"Hey, those people make good money, and they are invaluable for input."

"I'll tell him that. He'll be pleased to hear it." She lifted the breakfast tray and smiled at me. "I can't believe how real some of those characters look, like all the perfect human traits put into one lifelike drawing." She sighed as she walked past with the tray. "If only men like that existed in real life, huh?" She shot me a wink as she left the room.