While she waited, she perused her surroundings. Although the lodge was local, it was the first time Anna had been there. It was pretty impressive, standing two stories high and made from round, glossy logs. It was set apart from town, and it made the perfect retreat for people who were tired of the big city life.
After knocking the snow off of her boots, Anna raised her arm to knock again, but the door was opened before she got the chance. A dark-haired man of average height and weight stood in the doorway. “You must be Anna,” he said, motioning for her to come inside. As she moved forward, he lifted his chin to stare her straight in the eyes.
Anna did a double take at the first sight of his eyes and hesitated in the doorway. They had a weird reddish glow that felt wrong, almost evil. She blinked again and saw nothing but an ordinary brown. Feeling foolish, she gave him a small smile and asked shyly, “Is Jesse here?”
He shot her an impatient look and beckoned her in again. “Jesse will be right with you. Come in before you let the heat out. I can't stand the cold.”
She stepped into the dim room and wondered why the rustic interior was so dark. Various lamps were scattered across the tables, but only one was lit. It was as quiet as a tomb, and so hot it felt like the air was too thick to breathe. Despite the heat, a shiver shot through her as she wondered where everyone was. With so many cars parked in the large driveway, she would have expected to hear a lot of noise.
Anna turned around with the intention of asking, but she didn’t get a chance. He closed the door and left quickly, disappearing down the dark hallway. “Weird,” she muttered, shaking her head at his strange behavior. Left to her own thoughts, she stood and patiently waited for Jesse to come greet her.
Within a few minutes, Jesse came down the stairs. A smile split her face as she pushed aside her uneasiness. He was buttoning up his shirt and his blond, wavy hair was tousled, as if he had just come from bed.
He walked right up to her as she tilted her face, hoping he would finally kiss her. It was an invitation he didn’t accept. Instead, he looked down at her with a scowl. She was very disappointed when he took her arm and led her into the den.
“Anna, why are you here so early?” he asked, his lips compressed. It was obvious he was upset with her, but she didn’t see why her early arrival bothered him so much. He led her over to the couch.
Looking up at him shyly, Anna gave him a small smile. “I didn’t think you’d mind,” she said, softly. “I just thought we could spend some extra time together, that's all.”
Jesse stood still and stared at her silently, his expression dark. She looked back at him in confusion. He wasn’t the same sweet and flattering man she’d come to know, and the feeling of unease continued to grow inside of her.
With a grimace, he said, “It’s fine. I’ll bring you something to drink.” He quickly rushed off before she could tell him she wasn’t really thirsty.
Momentarily, he returned, carrying two small glasses. Smiling, he handed her a glass and said, “Drink this, it’s my own special recipe.”
“Thank you.”
Turning, he slid his athletic frame into a high-backed chair across from her. She flushed at the obvious cut. They were all alone and in love. She’d hoped Jesse would sit next to her and hold her hand like other lovers did.
“Where’s everyone at, Jesse? Who do those cars belong to?”
He didn’t immediately respond. Instead, he raised his glass towards her in a silent toast and chugged it down. Finally, meeting her eyes, he said, “You haven’t even drank yours yet. Don’t you like it?”
When she didn’t respond, he glared at her and said in a cruel voice, “Drink it, Anna. Otherwise, I will start to think that maybe you don’t like me as much as I imagined you did.”
She felt her heart stop at his words, and tears stung her eyes. She didn’t want to fight with him. Raising the small glass to her lips, she took a sip and struggled not to gag. The drink tasted terrible.
He continued watching her, his face hard. It was obvious she had angered him, and she didn’t want him to break up with her over a drink. Tilting the glass back, she forced it down her throat.
“That’s better,” he said, once she set the empty glass down. His black eyes seemed to gleam with satisfaction in the dim lighting of the room. “Now, just relax.”
Coughing at the bitter aftertaste, she tried to speak again, “I thought I was going to meet your friends tonight. Where is everyone?” Dizziness made the room spin, but she was determined to ease the tension between them. He was unhappy with her, and it hurt.
Jesse leaned forward in the chair and rubbed his hands together. “You’ll get to meet them soon,” he replied, watching her as if he were studying her. “Believe me, they are very eager to meet you. Does anyone know you’re here?” he asked, his lips curling up in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Anna gently shook her head no, surprised that the motion made her feel slightly nauseated. She ran a palm across her forehead. Her poor mom would be worried sick. She hadn’t thought to call her and let her know where she was.
Although they’d been dating a few weeks, Jesse had never asked to meet Iris. Looking back,
