Show them to their cabin

“Let me show you out to the cabin,” you say, stepping out from behind the heavy desk and gesturing toward the side entrance of the lodge. “The path is covered, but it’s best to get you settled before the temperature drops any further.”

Jack finishes his wine with a smooth, deliberate swallow and places the empty glass on the counter. “Lead the way, Mark.”

You lead them out along a heated wooden boardwalk that winds through a dense grove of towering pines. The evening air is biting and sharp, making the warmth of the lodge feel miles away. Anne buttons her heavy winter coat tightly against the chill, her shoulders tensing slightly as she walks.

The master cabin sits on a private, elevated ridge, its massive logs glowing amber under the porch lights. You step inside ahead of them, turning on the subtle, recessed lighting to reveal a sprawling space with a stone fireplace, a plush king-sized bed, and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the darkened valley.

Anne walks toward the view, slowly unbuttoning her coat again. As she steps out of it, she arches her back slightly, placing a hand against the small of her spine and letting out a soft, weary sigh.

“Oh... that drive really did a number on me,” she murmurs, her voice carrying a trace of strain. “My lower back is completely stiff from sitting in the car for so long.”

Jack steps up behind her, taking her coat and draping it over a nearby chair. He rests his hands heavily on her shoulders, his thumbs pressing into the base of her neck. “I told you we should have stopped half-way, darling.” He looks over at you, his eyes glinting with that familiar, self-assured sharpness. “She doesn’t handle long road trips as well as she used to.”

“Well, you have a few options to help with that,” you say, keeping your voice professional but grounding it in a warm, welcoming hospitality. “Directly out on your private deck, you have a hot tub that’s already heated to a hundred and four degrees. And just off the main lodge, we have a cedar sauna that is excellent for relieving muscle tension.”

Anne looks back over her shoulder at you, her dark eyes reflecting the soft lighting of the room. “The hot tub sounds wonderful right now.”

“And if that’s not quite enough to work the knots out,” you add smoothly, letting your gaze linger on her for a beat before looking toward Jack, “both myself and my co-host/wife, Lauren, are certified massage therapists. If you need some deep tissue work to fully relax, we’d be more than glad to help you out with that.”

The mention of a personal touch causes a sudden, intense stillness to settle over the room. Jack’s hands stop their slow movement on Anne’s shoulders. His eyes narrow just a fraction, not in anger, but with a deep, intensely focused curiosity. The idea of another man, or another woman, hands-on with his wife clearly strikes a powerful chord in him.

Anne’s breath catches visibly. A deep, unmistakable flush creeps up from the collar of her conservative sweater, staining her cheeks. She shifts uncomfortably under Jack’s hands, her gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before she forces a polite, reserved smile.

“Oh... thank you, Mark,” she says softly, her voice fluttering with a nervous, guarded friction. “That’s incredibly kind of you to offer. But... no, I think a good night’s sleep should do the trick.”

“Of course,” you reply with an easy, reassuring nod, stepping back toward the cabin door. “The offer stands if you change your mind. We’re entirely flexible.”

Jack doesn’t say a word, but the slow, heavy smile that spreads across his face speaks volumes. He likes that you offered, and he likes even more how intensely it affected his wife.

“I’ll leave you two to get settled and unpack,” you say, resting your hand on the doorframe. “I’m heading back to the main lodge to start preparing dinner for tonight. It’ll be ready in about an hour and a half. Take your time.”

“Thank you, Mark,” Jack says, his deep baritone carrying an appreciative, slow cadence. “We’ll see you shortly.”