The Man I Met on Holiday

I was worried before I even got out of the taxi in front of that inn. All the cold weather already indicated that snow would fall soon, and I would have to worry about it. Taking a vacation to work on the holiday was not ideal. I didn’t like Christmas. Beautify a stupid tree, pretend I care about others, and have a romance? I’ve tried this before, and it didn’t work out. It would be my first Christmas after the divorce. "Need help with the bags?" a voice echoed in the background. That’s when I noticed that I couldn’t manage to carry all the bags. I think that all my work material and clothes for the month-long stay were really a lot for one person. "I can help you, miss," the boy said again. I couldn’t help but notice how tall and handsome he was. His hair was dark and short, and he looked serene, as if he had total control of any situation. I got distracted enough to let one of the bags fall on my foot. "s**t!" I exclaimed, feeling the pain. I had barely arrived and was already hating everything. Looking to the sides, I noticed a pine tree. It would be a beautiful tree, if not for December. "Come, girl, I’ll take you," the boy offered himself, as he already took me on his lap, without any difficulty, and took me inside the inn. "I hope you already have a reservation, as it will be difficult to find a vacant room for now", he said while taking me inside. As soon as we entered, he placed me on the sofa in the entrance hall and asked one of the staff to pick up my bags, which were still outside. The hall was beautiful and cozy, with shades of beige and brown. Almost rustic. A royal fireplace was in the corner. More holiday spirit. The hanging socks didn’t help either. "Are you all right?" the boy asked as soon as he finished checking that the official had done what was ordered. "That suitcase looked heavy", he mentioned while looking at the black suitcase, the owner of that whole incident. "I’m fine, thank you," I said, severely but polite enough not to be rude. "I am Elena Moreou. I have a reservation for a month", I said at last. The boy, whose name I still did not know, stared at me stupefied and confused as he studied my face. I thought to ask what he was looking at, but he soon said. "Well, we were expecting a redheaded woman," he said. That’s when I remembered. "Oh, sorry, I don’t think I updated my photo in time. I am, indeed, red-haired, but now I’m experiencing a new me," I said. I didn’t have to explain, but it was the only justification for my current black hair. "I’m really sorry for the inconvenience," I said while showing my identification, which once again showed my red hair. However, my specific traits, my honey-colored eyes, and the sardines were undeniable. That was me. "You’re beautiful with red hair. It suits Christmas," he said, maybe trying to be kind or something. I just stared at him. "Don’t you like Christmas?" He noticed. "I have nothing to celebrate," I replied. Seconds later, I realized it wasn’t a good answer, but it was too late. However, to my surprise, he seemed to find my comment amusing. After a few minutes, the boy returned to me on the couch. "Here is your document, Miss Elena. I’m Theo Weiss, and welcome to the Weiss Inn," he said, almost pausing during the process. There was a nuisance there. I thought about asking if he was related to the place, but the answer was obvious. I didn’t want to prolong myself there anymore. Likewise, I asked if the place offered coffee in bed, and after confirmation, I requested that it be delivered to me half an hour later, when I was already comfortable. Theo agreed and finally led me to the room. I was in the back, reasonably isolated. Perfect. When Theo arrived in the room, I had just come out of the bath. I was not the kind of woman who would rush to wear clothes. If the inn provided a robe, I could use it, right? "Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were free," he said, noticeably embarrassed to see me. "By the way, that color fits you well," he said as he stared at me. "I also think black suits me; it’s chic", I mentioned while running my hands through my hair. Theo looked at me, a bit confused, but also withdrawing his lips, as if he was thinking about whether to continue that. He chose to continue. "Well, I was talking about the brown robe, not your hair. I prefer the redhead," he said, staring at me as if he hadn’t commented directly on my appearance. "What did you say?" I asked him, almost angry. "Are you saying I’m ugly?" I wanted to know. The truth was that black didn’t look right on me, and I knew it. However, I couldn’t think of a color that would darken my red hair more than that. Anyway, it would be interesting to see if the boy would answer my question. "Not ugly, just slightly lacking in natural beauty," he said. I was shocked. I didn’t expect such an answer. "If you’ll excuse me, I have other things to do," he said, already withdrawing from the room. "If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call the front desk." I ran to him before he could close the door and leave me. "I didn’t like that attitude of yours. I don’t care if you’re a brother, son, or cousin of the owner of this place. I want to make a formal complaint about your service directly with your superior", I said. Was I being exaggerated? Maybe. "Well, Miss Elena, unfortunately, that won’t be possible." "May I know why?" I crossed my arms. "Because I am the owner."