The next morning, they set out on a road trip to Cody, Wyoming. It was the peak season and no flight tickets were available at such short notice. It was a boon for them as they could enjoy an experience of a lifetime.
“We can visit the Zion National Park on the way,” suggested Ashton. They had rented the car from the lodge in Tusayan and the driver was amicable. He took a detour into Zion National Park, which was a bold desert park in South Utah, that fell on the way. There were trails traipsing the ridgelines to the river, wading under the steep canyon walls. On their return to the Highway to resume their journey, they stopped at a mountain ranch to tuck into their farm fresh organic lunch.
They resumed their journey, stopping at Bryce Canyon National Park after a while. Ashton showed her the iconic section of the park. The Bryce Amphitheater is home to the greatest concentration of irregular rock spires called hoodoos, found anywhere on Earth.
“How do you know so much about this place?” she asked him with awe as he explained to her about the formation of the hoodoos.
“Alexander and I came here on a road trip when we were eighteen, before he left for Switzerland.”
“Wow! Did Alyssa join you guys? How is it I know nothing about this trip? We could have accompanied you.” Ashton smiled and placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling him to his side.
“No, Alyssa knows nothing about the trip. Alexander would never have agreed to allow you girls. Believe me, I would have loved to have you around. You made me feel alive!”
“Liar!” said Hayley, although her heart skipped a beat with excitement at his admission.
He told her tales of his adventurous trip with Alexander as they drove down the Southern Scenic Drive, stopping to check out the lesser-seen geology and wildlife of Bryce Canyon.
Later, they resumed their journey towards Salt Lake City, Utah. Hayley closed her eyes out of sheer exhaustion. When Ashton woke her up, she looked around. The sun was about to set and the vibrant and picturesque urban landscape all around made her sit up with interest.
“Oh, have we reached?” she asked with hope, but Ashton shook his head.
“It’s a seventeen-hour drive. We’ll spend the night here in Salt Lake City, Utah. By flight, it would have taken longer as the layover time was more.”
Their driver pulled up to a rustic dude ranch, a few miles off the beaten track. Set amidst the stunning Uinta Mountains, Red Rose Dude Ranch was a brand new experience for Hayley who was used to living in luxurious five-star hotels.
“The food here is to die for. Everything is wholesome, affordable, and grown organically on their own farm. I prefer this place with my family as it’s secluded and peaceful,” said the driver.
“Thanks, Stephen. This is exactly what we needed before heading to Cody!” said Ashton. He parked the car in the ranch shed and they stepped down. The setting sun cast a halo all around and Hayley looked around with awe, gasping at the alpine meadows strewn with wildflowers and the breathtaking mountain views. A bald eagle soared high above them as Hayley watched it with wonder.
“You’ll find lots of wildlife here: elks, moose, deer, bears, and even mountain lions.”
Hayley gaped at Ashton, her jaws dropping with fear at the mention of lions. “Have you seen a mountain lion?”
“Yep, but not here.” He told her about his experience in Montana when he and Alexander had an encounter with a mountain lion. They walked around the property while Stephen went inside to arrange for a room for them. He summoned them inside and Ashton led her towards the reception. Taking the room keys, they headed towards the modern yet rustic lodge with a Western feel. The sun had set, but the place was warm, being thermostatically heated.
“Can we explore this place a little before going to Cody?” asked Hayley, admiring the full sun deck, and the outdoor hot tub.
“Sure, but first, let’s get some food in our stomachs. I’m dying of hunger.”
“Yes, me too.” Ashton dumped their luggage, and they freshened up before heading towards the dining hall. The Western-style buffet meals had them so excited that they ended up overeating.
“Let’s take a walk to digest all this.” Hayley pulled her fleece jacket closer and walked with Ashton, hand in hand, under the moonlight. It was an exhilarating experience, another dream come true for her.
“What would you have done if I hadn’t pursued you to Miami? Would you have forgotten me, Ashton?” It was a question that she wanted to ask a long time ago.
“I was going through a severe depression when I saw a news channel on television announcing my promotion. That’s what brought me back. I couldn’t get over my dad’s death.” It was an indirect answer, but Hayley understood his implication. Yes, he would have kept himself aloof and away from her.
“I came out of my depression because of you, Hayley. Else maybe it would have taken me years to get a grip over myself and finally pursue you. Would you have waited that long for me?” His question surprised her. So, it wasn’t just a one-sided obsession on her part. He would have pursued her!
“I would have waited all my life for you. Jason tried his chance again before I came over to Miami. I declined and this time, Dad and Uncle Robert supported me.” He tightened his hold on her hand, threading his fingers through hers. Her admission meant the world to him.
“I’m blessed to have you in my life, Hayley. It had always been my dream to make you mine and now it has come true.” They walked for some more time and then went to their room. The warm, cozy room, the sincere admission, and the burning passion in their hearts all led to amazing lovemaking. Their dream of turning this into a pre-wedding honeymoon finally came true.
The next morning, they explored the place, not in any hurry to leave. It was only after a hearty breakfast did they resume their journey. After checking out a few of the attractions on the way, they reached Baylor Group’s, Buffalo Bill Inn, Cody in the afternoon. At a walking distance from the city center and with two entrance points to Yellowstone National Park within an hour’s drive away, the Inn was perfect.
Simon Baylor welcomed them excitedly, showing them around before they could freshen up. In a few hours, they freshened up and settled down to work. The property was huge, with around 35 guest rooms and there was scope to add floors to the two-storeyed sprawling building. It was the first motel that Simon Baylor’s dad, Francis Baylor, had developed. The land was cheap, and he had bought a large tract all around the property.
They planned more amenities around the place. Simon Baylor was extremely satisfied with the performance of the hotel. The staff was all dedicated, and the profits were good.
“We can start marketing this place more. It’s perfect in every way to earn us good returns,” said Ashton. He video-conferenced with the marketing team back at their head office in Miami and asked them to submit a good marketing strategy by evening.
For the next few days, they worked hard, improvising the amenities and services. The marketing team started working on the suggestions and it was time to leave the place and move on to the next hotel in Washington, DC. Just like the last time, Simon Baylor left a day early while they had a day to explore Yellowstone National Park. They were on cloud nine and spend the day in each other’s company,
“I think Simon is giving us time to catch up with one another despite the busy schedule,” said Hayley, and Ashton nodded with a smile. He had figured that out the last time itself. But what he couldn’t understand was the urgency to check out all the hotels in one go. They were young and could make it, but wouldn’t it be too strenuous for him?
After two days of enjoyment, they reached Washington, DC. in the evening. Strategically located, The Baylor Suites, was a 50-bedroomed, four-star property that Simon Baylor visited frequently. They immediately got down to business since they were already a day late. However, Simon Baylor didn’t ask for any explanations.
They spend a fortnight in Washington DC as the hotel had tremendous scope to rev up the revenue for the Baylor Group and bring them out of their financial crisis. Mr. Baylor was extremely satisfied with Ashton to the extent that he started calling him ‘my boy’!
From Washington DC, they flew over to Hawaii, where there was a ready-to-be-launched hotel in Maui. It wasn’t in their schedule to visit it this time, but at Simon Baylor’s insistence, they had to go back instead of heading toward New York as planned. Despite being busy, they both noticed an urgency in Simon Baylor to get the business back to its previous glory. Why? They still couldn’t figure it out!