"Winter Rental", by Gratiana Lovelace (Done 2022) (copyrighted 2022)

Ch. 10 (End): Slipping away for some privacy

"Winter Rental", Ch. 10 (End): Slipping away for some privacy, by Gratiana Lovelace, March 27, 2022 (Post #1454)

["Winter Rental" is an original contemporary romance story copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2022; All rights reserved.];  [(1) the "Winter Rental" story cover (left)] 

[Author's notes: I cast my characters as I write my stories—to help myself and my readers visualize the main characters. So my main characters for "Winter Rental" are: Richard Armitage as Greg Halliday; Cameron Diaz as his younger sister Connie Halliday; Anne Hathaway as Diana Langley; Liam Hemsworth as Eddie Hughes; Rege-Jean Page as Mike Porter, Octavia Spencer as Octavia Porter, Perry King as Phillip Townes, and others as noted.

This is also a gentle romance (with chapters being rated as PG-13 or so, unless otherwise noted), with some heartfelt romantic moments—and some mature romantic discussions put to humorous effect. So if you cannot or will not attend a movie with my maturity ratings, then don't read that chapter. And though I set my story in the lovely city and area of Galena, IL—which I have enjoyed visiting many times—for the purposes of my storytelling here, I use dramatic license of the facts, individuals, locations, etc. These are my disclaimers. And I will post new story chapters weekly on both my SAL blog, as also on my Wattpad site.]

"Winter Rental", Ch. 10 (End): Slipping away for some privacy

With Greg and Diana declining Greg's boss Phillip Townes kind invitation/command to join he and his family for lunch at the Pineridge Mountain Ski Resort Hotel restaurant this day—and then realizing that if they stay at the Ski Resort Hotel's restaurant for lunch today they will be very likely to run into Greg's boss Phillip Townes and his family again--they elect to lunch in the town of Galena itself at Logan's Inn.

Galena's Logan's Inn is a charmingly renovated local bed and breakfast inn on the second floor of an old brick building from the early 1900's and with a restaurant bar on the first floor that Diana suggests to Greg for their alternative lunch venue. However, the Logan's Inn restaurant's actual bar area is off to the side of the dining room and tucked away with a lattice privacy screen wall—with no big screen tvs blasting sports events. So the restaurant's dark wood décor, comfortable booth and chair seating, and the window views of the bustling Galena shoppes in the pristine snow covered downtown area give the restaurant an intimate upscale hometown feel.

As Greg and Diana peruse the food and wine menus, an attentive waiter stands discreetly nearby—to give the obviously sweetly romancing couple their privacy, their gently intertwined fingers giving them away.

Greg: "Diana, this restaurant bar is an excellent choice—if only due to their wine list." Greg notes as he gazes at their impressive wine list. "Too bad, that I don't drink alcohol before evening." He grins sheepishly.

Diana: "Well Greg, we'll just have to come back again for dinner here, sometime before you leave Galena." She suggests somewhat sadly. Diana knows that Greg will be leaving soon. It just seems to her that they haven't had enough time together to get to know each other better, as Diana had hoped after their lovely romantic cuddling interludes.

Greg: "Definitely!"

Greg smiles, puts down the wine list, squeezes Diana's hand, then picks up his food menu. But in turning his attention to his stomach, Greg misses seeing Diana's face fall at him confirming that he will be leaving her at some point. But she puts on a brave face.

Diana: "Yes, their evening menu is divine. I especially like their chicken and mushroom crepes." Then Diana tilts her head ever so slightly toward their waiter, who walks over to she and Greg. "I think I'll have half and half of a cup of the New England Clam Chowder soup, and a half grilled cheese sandwich—using swiss or provolone and not American cheese slices, and with a tomato—with a small order of French fries on the side please, Nancy." Diana smiles at the former student of hers waiter, who is also the daughter of the Logan's Inn Restaurant owner. Nancy is apprentice learning hospitality management after earning her business degree last year. She hopes one day to take over the business—and maybe expand its concept to other regional cities.