“This is nice, man,” Alex sighed, savoring the strong flavor of the cognac that warmed his bones. “Think your uncle would mind renting it out for another weekend?”
Scott Woods fixed his oldest friend with a look of phony agitation. “Please, kid, you practically family. Uncle G. would knock my skull in if I asked how much he’d charge to rent this cabin to you.”
Alex chuckled, picturing Scott’s gregarious uncle Gary in his mind. “Well, tell him to be expecting a call from me,” he sighed.
“Considering the deal he got on this place, I doubt he’d even consider renting to anyone,” Scott remarked, his deep-set brown eyes feasting on the extensive spread of land visible past the glass of the French doors. The two-story, eighteen-bedroom cabin was snuggled deep in the picturesque mountains of Boone, North Carolina. The hilly landscape was already sprinkled with a light frost, while the towering tree leaves reflected vibrant autumn colors.
“I gotta admit, I didn’t think you’d take the invitation,” Scott was saying after downing the remnants of his bourbon.
Alex shrugged. “I really hadn’t planned to, but everything got so crazy back there, I figured I could use a break. It’s only a weekend, right?”
“Exactly, my brotha,” Scott drawled, deliberately overexaggerating the statement. “I promise you a feast for your eyes,” he added, smiling as they clinked glasses.
Alex turned back toward the view. “Yeah, I can believe that.”
Scott was shaking his head. “Not out the window, yo. I mean inside these very walls. Cice’s got some friends, man ...” He trailed away, emphasizing how impressed he was by his fiancée’s friends.
Alex rolled his eyes. “Not interested,” he said, downing what remained of the cognac.
“Sorry, brotha, but you know how she is.”
“That’s right!” Cicely Grays called as she entered the room. “I don’t want nobody mopin’ around on my engagement party weekend,” she told Alex while pulling him into a warm bear hug and kissing his cheek.
“I just need some rest, Cice. I needed to escape Charlotte for a little while.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Cicely acknowledged, propping her hands over her hips. “City’s a real hotbed these days, so I understand how you feel. No pun intended,” she added, realizing the way her expression might have come across.
Alex was clearly confused. He exchanged glances with Scott, then looked down at the voluptuous five-foot-three beauty standing next to him.
“What are you talkin’ about?” he finally inquired.
Cicely smoothed her hands across the sleeves of her mocha sweater. “The fire,” she whispered.
Alex stepped closer. “Y’all heard about that all the way in Raleigh?”
Scott shrugged. “We’d have heard about it anyway, since Topaz Emerson is a friend of ours.”
“Yeah, she owns the business.” Cicely explained.
“Topaz Emerson?” Alex slowly pronounced.
Scott grinned. “Mmm ... one of Cice’s girls. Talk about fine, man,” he sighed, chuckling and grunting when Cicely punched his side.
“Anyway,” she drawled, “she owns the place and has run it successfully for years. They say the fire started there at the garage, but spread to some of the other businesses. Topaz was hit the hardest, though.”
Alex appeared in a state of shock. “I can’t believe y’all know Topaz.”
“Wait a minute. You know her?” Scott asked.
“Very well.”
Cicely and Scott exchanged glances.
“This is perfect!” Cicely cried, clasping her tiny hands together. “I couldn’t have planned it better. Y’all are gonna have a great time.”
Alex didn’t have the heart to tell her he disagreed.
Alex asked Cicely not to tell Topaz he was there. Of course, Cicely obliged, loving the mystery. Meanwhile, Alex used the rest of the afternoon to survey Topaz without her knowledge. Clearly she wasn’t completely herself, but with so many interested suitors vying for her attention, she had little time to dwell on her woes.
Alex waited until nightfall to make his presence known. He found her just before dinner, near the boat dock. Her attention was riveted over the crystal lake and towering mountains with peaks dotting the skyline like skyscrapers.
“Topaz?” he called, noticing her stiffen in response.
Topaz bowed her head. “Don’t tell me you know Cice?” she asked, looking back at him.
“Actually, Scott’s my boy. We go back since nursery school,” he shared, strolling closer.
Topaz’s laughter seemed to echo in the crisp evening air.
“You mind?” Alex whispered, gesturing toward the spot next to her.
Topaz waved, urging him to take a seat. For a while, they enjoyed the silence. Both stared out at the view. Only the sounds of swaying branches, falling leaves, and animals in the distance filled the air.
“How are you?” Alex asked sometime later.
Topaz hugged herself, savoring the feel of the oversized black cotton sweater that enveloped her in warmth. “I’m all right, I guess ... considering my life’s work went up in flames last week.”
