The Hopeful Bride

Gabriella

The weeks that follow the wedding go perfectly. Troy takes guests out for fishing trips, making sure the staff are squared away. That the guests are happy and Gabriella feels comfortable behind the desk. It was a little awkward at first, but she found a pattern that worked for her.

And every once in a while when things were running efficiently Troy would sneak her off to a nearby closet, bathroom, barn, boat in the middle of the lake and she would show him just how bendy she was.

He even got better at listening to her suggestions for improvement on guest relations. Simple things like having a before-dinner cocktail hour, offering cigars and whiskey neat on the porch. They even compromised on Yoga. Instead of Yoga on the dock she would hold a class a few mornings a week for the women who stayed back at the lodge during the day.

Life as Gabriella Bolton was good.

"I see here in my notes, Luis, that you and your wife have stayed here several times. I hope you'll be pleased to know that you'll be staying in room twelve again," she says handing the older gentlemen the room key.

He smiles warmly as he takes it. "The news about the Boltons just tore us to pieces," he says, looking over at his wife, Julie. She nods, her frown sincere.

Reaching out for Gabriella's hand, she says, "Seeing someone beside Lucile behind this desk just breaks my heart. Did you know her dear?"

"No, I just...um." Gabriella pauses, realizing that they never really worked out a backstory for how they met. She wasn't really sure Troy wanted people to know she was a mail-order bride. "I met Troy after they passed."

"Well, it's wonderful to meet you, Gabriella."

"You, too." She offered a smile. "There's an itinerary waiting for you in your room and lunch service is until two-thirty, so you have time to grab a bite."

When they leave she notices Troy watching her from the other side of the desk.

"Hey? Need something."

"I do," he says with a small smile, making his way around the deck and over to her. Greeting her with a kiss on her temple. "How about later tonight we lay in bed and watch a movie."

"We still haven't finished the movie from two nights ago," she said accusingly.

"To be clear, I never want to actually watch the movie," Troy said. "I don't really care about Lord of The Rings."

"Then why are we watching it," Gabriella scolded. "Better yet, why have I suffered through the first 15 minutes of that movie four times."

Troy smiled. "Fine, we can ditch the movie, and find something else to do."

"I bet," Gabriella said, reaching for the incoming fax.

"I'm just trying to put a baby in you." He said quietly so that only she could hear. "I can't wait to see you pregnant."

At that she smiled. The truth was she was already a few days late so there was a small part of her that was already hopeful that she was carrying his child. But she hadn't taken any test just yet.

"Are you done for the day? Is that why you're here at the front desk bugging me?"

He laughed and placed another kiss on her temple. "Wish I was, I got two more tours to give this afternoon and then I gotta help Chad reinforce some of the bear traps we got out back."

"Be safe."

"Always am."