Chapter 15

Alec’s POV. "Alec, what are we even doing here?" Alana asked, her mouth gaping as she looked at the cabin in awe. "This is where we’ll be staying for the remainder of our honeymoon," I replied, my eyes on her as she took in the sight. “If you’d like to, of course. The resort is always still an option.” "This place is incredible!" she said excitedly and walked past the gate with me, her enthusiasm contagious. "Alec, how did you manage to get this place? I thought it was private property." "It is," I began, weaving a web of deception with practiced ease over time, "but I know a friend who knows a friend and basically called in a favor he owed me for a while." I concealed the truth about the immense effort and expense it took to secure this cabin at such short notice. Alana was worth every penny, and I wanted to make every moment of our honeymoon special. "Your friend's friend has a stunning place, and thank them for me," Alana's smile remained as she looked around, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Are you sure we're allowed to be here?" "Trust me," I assured her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "now we don’t owe each other anything. He even made sure we had everything we could ask for, though I was told it might smell a little bookish inside. There wasn't enough time to get cleaners or something." "The smell of books adds to the comfort!" Alana decided as we entered the cabin. I fished out the key from my pockets and handed it to her, allowing her to take the lead, while I went back to retrieve our luggage. The inside of the cabin was even more inviting than the exterior, cozy and spacious at the same time. Alana admired it briefly, her eyes twinkling with delight, but her excitement was drawing her towards the backyard. Without hesitation, she made her way to the back patio, eager to explore the backyard she’s been so curious about for a while now. The surprise was working like a charm. As we stepped out into the secluded backyard of the cabin, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. The smile that lit up Alana's face as she gazed upon the picturesque scene before us was worth every bit of effort I'd put into planning this. The backyard was a winter wonderland straight out of a postcard. Pristine snow covered every inch of the ground, untouched by human footprints. Towering pine trees, heavy with snow, framed the yard, providing a natural barrier that shielded us from prying eyes. It was the epitome of privacy, a world of our own. I watched as Alana took in the sight, her eyes sparkling with delight. The winter sun cast a soft, golden glow over everything, making the snow twinkle like a blanket of diamonds. The air was crisp, and the silence was only broken by the gentle rustling of the snow-laden branches. “This place is beyond perfect,” Alana hummed. “Do you care to make some snowmen and angels?” I offered, remembering our conversation from last night. My number one objective was to make her fall in love with me and I’d do that by showing her how much she means to me. Anything she wants I’ll give it to her. “As if I’d turn that offer down,” she smirked. Granted, she knows more about all of this than me. Back home there’s never enough snow to do these things and whilst I’m rich now I never once took a vacation day until the day of our wedding and now honeymoon. I fell backward into the untouched snow, creating a perfect snow angel. Alana looked at me, puzzled at first, but then her eyes widened with understanding. With a mischievous grin, she joined in, falling back into the snow and flapping her arms and legs like a child. We finally got up and looked at our creations, mine much bigger than hers but hers much more defined than mine. “Mine is far better,” Alana bragged. “My snowman will be far better than yours,” I challenged and that was all she had to hear. We both started gathering snow, forming them into balls then we ran off to grab pebbles and sticks, anything we could find to decorate our snowmen in the end I happened to be right because Alana’s snowman had a smile that was falling off pebble by pebble and the sticks for arms had already sunk. I couldn't help but notice how genuinely happy she looked. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and the stress and expectations of her previous life had momentarily evaporated. At that moment, I couldn't help but feel that making her happy had become my unofficial job. With a competitive glint in her eye, Alana scooped up a handful of snow and hurled it at me. I barely had time to react before I was hit square in the chest. Cold snow slipped down the collar of my jacket, making me shiver. Alana giggled triumphantly, readying another snowball. "Oh, it's on!" I declared, gathering my ammunition and launching it back at her. Alana's gasp of surprise filled the crisp winter air as she sprinted away, desperately dodging my incoming snowballs. I chased after her, seizing every opportunity to launch snowballs in her direction. While some of my projectiles ended up misshapen, it hardly mattered as long as it made her laugh and enjoy herself. Her happiness was all that truly mattered during this snowball fight. She managed to stay hidden for longer than I expected, causing a flicker of concern to creep into my mind. I imagined all sorts of playful tricks she might be plotting. But just as I began to worry, she burst out from her hiding spot with a handful of snowballs, her laughter filling the air. In a daring move, she leaped toward me, her arms stretched out. Snowballs scattered in every direction as she landed against me, and I fell once again onto the snowy ground. My hands instinctively found their place on her hips, helping her to settle onto my lap. A soft groan escaped my lips as my back met the cold snow, and Alana nearly collapsed onto me. She braced herself with her hands on either side of my head, her body straddling mine. Our faces were inches apart, and a mischievous spark danced in her eyes as she gazed down at me.