20 Questions

Chapter 45

Hunter

I didn't think I was ever going to get the guys to leave the damn slopes. It was eight thirty before we finally left, but if I am being honest, I was ready to go about five hours before that. I love spending time with the guys, but I was afraid I may let it slip about the engagement. I've never been more excited about anything in my entire life. I wanted to scream it from the ski lift. I wanted to tell the entire world that I am deeply and madly in love with Jenna. I wanted to leave the guys at the slopes and head back to the lodge to be with her. I love my brothers, but from this moment on, she is the most important person in my life. She is going to be my wife, the mother of my children and the person I will grow old with. I wanted to get back to her. I want to spend every single second I have left here with her.

We have so much to talk about. We need to discuss our flight times and what the plan is after I land. We need to talk about when I am going to meet her parents officially. I want to ask her dad for his blessing. I can't stand another second being away from her. If it were up to me, I would get off that airplane and immediately go talk to her dad. Then we would drive to the courthouse and get married the same day. That's how much I want to marry that woman.

When we finally reach the lodge, I go straight to her door and knock. I wait a couple seconds, but there is no answer. I don't hear any movement inside and the TV isn't on so I knock again, a little louder this time. Still no answer. She didn't tell me she was going out anywhere. She said she was just going to be packing and would wait for me to get back. I knock one more time, but I get no response. Figuring she may be in the shower and can't hear the knocking, I decide to go to the bar and get a drink. I'll come back and surely she will be out.

I order a drink and watch the game on TV. The guys have all went back to their rooms for the night. I'm about halfway through my beer when something doesn't feel right. I can't put my finger on it, but something feels off. It's not like her to not answer her door when she knows what time I am supposed to be back. I pay for my drink and decide to try again.

I knock several times, but still no answer. Now I am getting really worried. I walk up to the desk and ask the lodge employee if he happened to see Jenna leave. I give him a description of her, but he says he just came on shift and has not seen anyone by that description. Knowing he isn't going to give me a keycard to a room not reserved to me, I tell him that I am really worried something is wrong with her and ask if there is any way he can open the door and check on her. He hesitates and I get the feeling that he isn't going to budge, so I tell him that she has a medical condition and she may be lying unconscious on the floor of her room. It's not true, but I am desperate. He calls the supervisor and they agree to go check it out. I walk behind them and when they open the door, I nearly fall to my knees.

The room is empty and all her stuff is gone.

Where is she? Why did she leave?

My mind is racing and horrible thoughts invade my mind that maybe I pushed her too far with the proposal and she decided to back out. I don't understand. She loves me. She wanted this as much as I did. She told me that. But what if she changed her mind and felt like this was the only way out?

There must be some logical explanation for all of this. I won't accept that she doesn't love me. She wouldn't have left me without a goodbye. I know her. She's not like that. The supervisor had almost made it back to the desk when I run up to him.

"Is there any way you can look to see if she has checked out?" I beg him. Maybe she went out for a little while and her suitcases were in the closet. Maybe I didn't see them and she will be right back. He checks his computer and I don't need him to tell me that my worst nightmare has come true. I see it all over his face.