“Winter Rental”, Ch. 3: Dream lovers lead to morning cuddles, by Gratiana Lovelace, January 15, 2022 (Post #1439)

[“Winter Rental” is an original contemporary romance copyrighted by Gratiana Lovelace, 2022; all rights reserved];  [(1) the “Winter Rental” story cover (left) image credits are at the end of each chapter post]

 [Author’s note:  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, and others as noted.

I will post new story chapters weekly–on both my SAL blog, as well as, on my Wattpad site.  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.]

“Winter Rental”, Ch. 3:  Dream lovers leads to morning cuddles

After a few more hours of sleep, Saturday morning comes and everyone begins to wake up–to amusing circumstances.  Diana Langley is still mostly asleep, having her lovely dream again of being loved and cared for by her unspecified future husband as she lays in his caring arms in their bed.  She feels his arms around her as if he were really there in bed with her—their arms and legs entangled [(2) below].  Diana thinks that she’ll have to stay at the resort hotel more often if it gives her such lovely lifelike dreams like these.

Elsewhere, Connie Halliday is just beginning to stir awake—her having slept out in the sitting room on the loveseat couch after switching sleeping locations with her brother Greg who was too tall for the loveseat couch.  But she’s fighting waking up, since she usually likes to sleep in on vacation.  And she brings the blanket up to her chin to keep warm.

Sleeping in is diametrically opposite of Greg’s habitué.  Greg likes to be up early and ready to ski on his vacation days–packing the most fun that he can into his limited  time off.  And as he slowly wakes up this morning, he has more than he bargained for–but in a good way, in a very good way.

Dozing sleepily [(3) above], Greg also thinks that he is still having a lovely dream.  And he tenderly tightens his embrace around the lady lying in his arms in their bed–his hands rest lightly on the lady’s soft fabric covered stomach.  And under his chin is a soft skinned, almost bare shoulder as he spoons with her.  He kisses her bare shoulder and the lady sighs in her sleep and clasps her hands on his hands embracing her.

Then as Greg starts to open his eyes, he forgets where he is at first.  It doesn’t look like the bedroom that he had claimed for himself at their Winter rental, Lakeside Cottage —he had taken what looked like a guest bedroom with one king size bed, but no ensuite bathroom, such as the master bedroom has that he let their friends Ron & Sylvia claim. Which means, that his sister Connie gamely has the bedroom at Lakeside Cottage with the twin beds—which is Diana’s girlhood bedroom, but redecorated for her adult self.

Ah, Greg muses, as his memory comes back to him as he awakens more.  They’re at the Pineridge Ski Resort Hotel because of the raging snowstorm last night—and sleeping in Diana Langley’s hotel suite bedroom, his two for two in him displacing her from her beds.  But technically,  Diana is not displaced from her ski resort hotel suite bed.

Greg now looks more closely at the lovely lady spooning with him and nestled into his arms.  She has long silky brunette hair that falls in soft waves over her shoulders.  Her face is sweet and uncomplicated in her sleep–almost angelic.  And even without her makeup on, she looks like an angel to him.  Greg Halliday smiles when he realizes that it is Diana Langley sleeping in his arms.  He does not question how their cuddling in bed together in the same bed came to be, but he likes  it.

But then in the next moment, Greg worries that she might be startled or upset to be lying in his arms—perhaps her thinking that he put the moves on her—not that he would do that, as a gentleman to a lady–even though she was the one to join him in his bed.  So, he tries to gently extricate himself from Diana as he leans back from her.

But it is too late, Diana begins to stir awake.  Not yet, she thinks—and let my romantic dream of love continue.  Then she turns from lying on her right side and lies down upon her back.  Greg notices Diana’s slightly open and enticingly plump pink lips, and he can’t help himself as he leans in and kisses her ever so softly upon her mouth.  Diana’s sleepy eyes flutter open to see who her dream lover is.  Her eyes don’t focus at first.  But she sees kind eyes, a noble nose, and a strong jaw with a commanding  mouth whose lips have just kissed hers.

Diana:  Caressing the side of his morning stubbled  face with her hand, she asks him softly.  “Are you real, or am I still dreaming?”

Greg:  Greg smiles at her charmingly innocent question—about their state of being in bed with each other. “I’m real.  I was too tall to sleep in the loveseat comfortably—well, at all really.”  He admits sheepishly.  For Diana had tried to warn him last night that he was too tall to sleep on the loveseat.  “So Connie switched sleeping locations with me in the night.”

Diana:  “Uh huh.”  She sighs sleepily, but with her having the growing realization of the unexpected sight of Greg Halliday lying on his side facing her–cuddling with her–she also feels his body next to the length of her body.  He feels warm and muscular and protecting to her.

Neither of them makes a move to separate from their cuddling.  And for Diana, she has never lain with a man– romantically or otherwise, ever–let alone slept with a man, even if she and Greg did just sleep.  They smile at each other, enjoying the tender closeness they’re sharing with one another–each tantalizingly wondering what will happen next.

Greg leans down and he kisses Diana again–softly, no open mouths or tongues–and she kisses him back, now tentatively running her fingers through his hair.  Their kisses begin to deepen as Greg pulls Diana closer to his body again.  Of course, Greg’s body’s sensual reaction to their making out is becoming quite evident to Diana–and that is also a new experience for her.  Diana startles, trembling with the understanding of what she thinks she is feeling.

Greg:  “Hmmm.  Sorry, Diana.”  Greg flushes in being a little embarrassed by his  body’s response to her–but also realizing that he is stirred by her because he genuinely likes her, maybe more.  And this is a new feeling for him—being attracted to and very much liking the same person.   “You feel so good next to me.”

Diana:  “I … I do?”  She asks incredulously.  She’s been so busy tending to everyone else’s needs for so long that she hasn’t tended to her own needs, her own hopes, or her own aspirations.

Greg:  “You do.”  He leans down and kisses her again–their lips seeking solace and warmth and tenderness with each other.  They kiss sweetly for several minutes, embracing and caressing each other’s faces, shoulders, and backs–with none of their hands straying into intimate realms.  It is too soon for such intimacies—for Diana, that Greg senses intuitively, but also for himself with Diana.

And then a dose of reality intrudes upon Greg and Diana’s lovely Saturday morning cuddling, as  the now wide awake Connie pads into the bedroom with the intent to visit the bathroom.  But she stops dead in her tracks at the sight of her brother Greg and their friend Diana kissing in bed.

Connie:  “Ooh.  Sorry.  I just have to pee.”  She says apologetically while closing her eyes and her gesturing with her arm flapping nervously toward the bathroom.

Greg and Diana look a little nonplussed in Connie’s direction as she retreats into the bathroom.  Then they look at each other–and they both burst out laughing at the slightly awkward situation they find themselves in.

Greg & Diana:  “Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”  Then they playfully embrace each other again as they blush crimson–for their private moment of sweet awakening to each other as more than mere acquaintances  being on public display.

***

And since it’s the morning, Greg and Diana also each need to visit the bathroom– after Connie is done in there.  So, they wait patiently, still lying in each other’s arms, with Greg gently caressing Diana’s waist and her womanly curvy hip.  They don’t speak, but Greg leans in and kisses Diana sweetly again and she responds to him.  She likes Greg’s kisses, but she wonders if it is just because she hasn’t had any dates and Greg is handy?  Or, does she like Greg?  For his part, Greg likes the sensation of newness in finding a lovely lady–who was right under his nose practically all his life—being the lady whom he desires.  They smile at each other warmly.

Then Connie exits the bathroom and looks in the direction of her brother and Diana and stares curiously.  But Greg and Diana do not respond to her implied question—of what the heck are they doing making out? Connie is not a prude—by anyone’s standards.  She just feels protective of Diana, since her brother Greg clearly stated last night that he was taking a break from being in a relationship.  She wryly guesses that that ship has sailed.

Diana:  “Uh, if you’ll excuse me Greg—and Connie.  I’ll just …”  She points to the bathroom.

Greg:  “Of course.”  He loosens his embrace of her.  But as Diana rises from their bed, Greg’s hand slowly, seductively, slides off of her baby [dolls] pjs barely covered hip, that he now admires quite visually as she walks away from him in her baby dolls pjs.

Diana:  Passing Connie and her open mouthed expression, Diana cheerfully greets her—as if she wasn’t just discovered kissing Connie’s brother in her bed—by Connie.  “Good morning, Connie.  You know, you could catch flies with that.”  She gestures amusingly at Connie’s open mouth, and then Diana heads into the bathroom.

***

Connie immediately goes and sits on her brother’s bed, and whispers urgently to him.

Connie:  “What are you up to, Greg?   Diana is a nice girl.”  She asks with concern.

Greg:  “Hey!   She joined me in my bed.  Though neither of us realized the other was there until we woke up this morning and still cuddling from our dreams.”  He smiles mischievously–for him, anyway.

Connie:  “Greg, You know that Diana isn’t the kind of girl to sleep with a guy she barely knows.  I mean she practically told us she’s a virgin.”

Greg:  “Connie, we were just kissing.  It’s harmless.” Greg casually dismisses his sister’s concerns.  He and Diana are both adults and can decide for themselves what is and is not appropriate.

Connie:  “Maybe to you, Greg.”

Greg:  Then as Greg usually does in awkward situations, he goes for misdirection. Though he misses the mark on this one.   “Well, however, lovely it felt kissing Diana, the roads should be cleared by now and we can be on our way and have our nice week of skiing and other fun in the snow.”  And Greg truly doesn’t realize how callous and arrogant he sounds just now—by him dismissing his tender kissing with Diana as merely a casual act.

Connie:  “By displacing Diana from her home.”  Connie replies pointedly.  “Greg, this is why your previous relationship didn’t last.   You took her for granted.”

Greg:  “No I didn’t.  She took me for granted.”  He pouts.   Sparring siblings, the two of them.

Just then, Diana walks out of the bathroom wearing a hotel terry cloth robe covering up over her baby dolls pjs.  Apart from her not wanting to [seem] forward to Greg in her baby dolls, she doesn’t actually want to [be] forward–especially given their lovely kisses just now.

Connie:  “Hi Diana!”  Connie waves cheerfully.   Why don’t you and I get some coffee started, while my brother ponders how to apologize to you for kissing and groping you.” Connie rolls her eyes.

Greg:  “I didn’t grope Diana.”  He pouts defensively.   “And she joined me in my bed.”

Diana:  “Sorry about that.  Force of habit.   I sleep on the twin bed on the right at home.”  Diana admits sheepishly and blushes.

Greg: “See Connie?  Diana just admitted  her joining me in bed.”  He whines, as if he were Connie’s younger brother.

Connie:  “Whatever.”  Connie rolls her eyes dismissively at her brother Greg.

Diana:  “Uh.  I need coffee.”  And Diana nearly sprints out of the bedroom to get away from the discussion of Diana being found in the same bed with Greg—and kissing him, etc.

Greg:  “Now you’ve done it, Connie.  Diana is all embarrassed by her unintentionally joining me in my bed.”

Connie:  “Well technically, it was her bed—again.”  Connie gives her brother Greg a steely gaze.

Greg: “Hhhh! I’ve got to pee.”  Now Greg bolts, for the bathroom–leaving Connie to pull on one of the other hotel robes over her barely there complimentary hotel t-shirt and join Diana in her suite’s sitting room for coffee.

***

Out in Diana’s hotel suite’s sitting room, Connie finds Diana with her back to her. And Connie wonders if Diana is upset and crying.  But as she  walks closer to Diana,  Connie  realizes that Diana is staring at the suite’s rather modern and complicated looking coffee maker.  With Diana benignly  wondering  how the coffeemaker works as a much needed distraction.

Connie:  “Are you alright, Diana?”  Connie asks considerately as she gently touches Diana’s shoulder.

Diana:  “Oh suuure. I always slumber with and kiss men I barely know–and in someone else’s bedroom. Hhhhh!”  There is no way to sugar coat it.

Connie:   “If it makes you feel any better—so you aren’t too uncomfortable about it—that happened to me once, too.”

Somehow, the worldly Connie’s revelation does not soothe Diana.  Then blessedly the phone rings, interrupting their conversation.

Diana:  “Ill get it.”  Then she picks up her suite’s cordless phone.  “Yes?”

Hotel Room Service:  “This is room service.  Miss Langley?”  They ask politely.

Diana: “That’s me.”  She replies sanguinely.

Hotel Room Service:  “The Hotel is offering a free breakfast for the guests inconvenienced by last night’s blizzard and having  to stay at the hotel—and/or  having to invite guests to join you in your suite, in your case.  Would you like breakfast sent up for three?  Or do you prefer joining us in the dining room for the breakfast buffet?”

Diana:  “Just a minute, I’ll ask my guests.”  Then she puts the phone against her chest.  “Connie, the hotel is giving [a freebreakfast to] all the guests inconvenienced by the storm last night. So shall we go downstairs after we get dressed?”

Greg walks out of the bedroom all dressed, and he responds to Diana before his sister Connie can.

Greg: “Oh please thank them for us, Diana.  But I think we have trespassed on your time and your space long enough.  And I’ve already showered and just need to visit, uh… Lakeside Cottage for a change in clothes.”

Greg is trying to be considerate.  But his less than warm reserved demeanor—despite his earlier tender kisses with Diana—lead her to think that he can’t wait to be out of her sight and the awkward but lovely situation that they found themselves in this morning. Though her kissing with Greg didn’t seem awkward to Diana at the time.  Kissing him felt natural to her.

Connie:  “Well, Greg, Diana and I have to get ready yet.  So you figure out how to run this coffee maker whilst Diana and I get dressed. Then we can all go down to breakfast.  Diana?  I had already showered last night and can change into my clothes in the bedroom.  So the bathroom’s all yours.”

Diana:  “Thanks, Connie.”  Then she remembers that the Ski Resort Hotel’s Room Service  is waiting patiently on the phone, and Diana returns to talking on the cordless phone.  “Gosh!  Sorry, we’ll be down to the dining room for breakfast, thank you.  No need to make the catering staff have extra work by bringing the food up here.”

Hotel Room Service: “Alright, Miss Langley.  We’ll see you and your friends in the dining room for breakfast.”  Then he hangs up the phone.

And, Diana also doesn’t want anyone to make assumptions about her sharing her suite with Greg and Connie Halliday—since it’s mostly townies like Diana who work at the ski resort hotel, and it’s a small town—with a penchant for hearing about tourists comings and goings and such. Then Diana turns and look at Greg with a cordially polite smile on her face—two can play the nonchalant kissing game, she thinks.

Diana: “So we’ll just have breakfast downstairs.  You have to eat [something], Greg.” Diana tries to smile blandly, disinterestedly—when she is anything but.  She will not give Greg Halliday the satisfaction of dumping her before they barely get started as couple.  The nerve of the man, she thinks.  Hmm!

Greg: “Well, thank you, Diana.” Greg replies haltingly.  “You’re being very gracious.”  He nods for emphasis.

For some unknown reason, Greg feels unexpectedly nervous around Diana—now that he has kissed her—let alone embraced and caressed her, and he technically slept with her—but not in the biblical sense.  Though Diana perceives Greg’s nervousness as his reserved disinterest in her—though their kisses earlier seemed to her anything but his  disinterest.

And as Diana heads into her hotel suite bedroom’s bathroom, she thinks that theirs will be an awkward breakfast.

***

After going through the breakfast buffet line in the ski resort hotel’s dining room, Diana, Connie, and Greg return to their table with a great window view of the ski mountain.  For a few minutes, they just focus on their food and eat, without conversing.  But then as Greg savors the warm rich flavor of his morning espresso, he really studies the fresh snow on the mountain and ponders his options.

Greg: “I wonder if the snow pack is sturdy enough to allow for downhill skiing today?”  Greg pensively thinks out loud, then he looks at Diana because she is a resident of the area—and her family runs a sporting goods store mostly catering to skiers.  Therefore, he thinks that she might be an expert about it.  And snow is an innocuous topic to talk about, he thinks.  Except, it seems, with Diana as he looks at her pointedly.

Diana:  “Hmmm?”  She finishes chewing, then notices his shrug and then his head tilting  toward the ski runs showing through the window behind her.  “What?”  She asks him tersely. If she weren’t so polite, she would tell him to use your words, Greg.  But she does think it.

Greg:  “The snow?  Do you think it will be safe to downhill ski today?”  He asks hopefully.

Diana:  “I don’t know, Greg.  I’m not a skier.”  And Diana sadly thinks, that she is not a skier anymore.  “You’ll have better luck asking the ski resort about skiing possibilities for today.”  Then she pops a morsel of icing slathered cinnamon roll into her mouth.” Greg scowls at Diana disbelievingly dismissing his question, because he is accustomed to people answering his questions directly—not avoiding nor deferring them to someone else.

Connie: “Oh Greg. Crack a smile.”  His sister looks at him in bemused annoyance [(4) below]. Her beautiful open face with sparing makeup—coupled with her naturally outgoing personality– are a dynamite combination.

Greg:  “But  Connie, her family owns the local sporting goods store.  We’ve bought skiing stuff from her for years.”  He counters.  Greg senses that Diana does know about skiing, but he cannot reference any particular knowledge on his part about that.  Greg just has a gut instinct about Diana—despite his uncharacteristically bumbling his trying to distance himself from her after their lovely morning kisses, when that is the last thing in the world that he wants to do.

Diana:  “Greg?  That was just on Summer and Winter vacations—with my helping out at the cash register [only].  My brother Gary manages the store and has a great and knowledgeable staff about the sports our customers are interested it.  And I don’t work there anymore, unless he gets truly busy and needs me to help out ringing up customer purchases.”

Connie:  “See, Greg?”  Then Connie looks over toward Diana and she is transfixed.  “Gosh, Diana, your cinnamon roll looks so good.”  Then Connie bleakly looks down at her own plate of one boiled egg and a selection of fruits.  Unfortunately for her, a cinnamon roll—with its many carbohydrates–is not on Connie’s diet plan.

Diana: “I’m sure they have more cinnamon rolls, Connie.” At first, Diana misunderstands Connie’s food concern, then she guesses rightly the truth of it.  “Oh!  Connie, you’re on vacation, live a little—and have a cinnamon roll.”  She encourages.

Connie: “Maybe, I will!”  And Connie jumps up and dashes over to the buffet to select the smallest cinnamon roll that she can find, and returns to their table, noshing happily—washing it down with some hot chocolate.

Greg:  Changing the subject again, Greg asks rather officiously–as if he were a human resources interviewer and Diana were a job applicant.   “So, Diana, what is it that you do for a living, then, if you don’t work at the store?”

Hmmm, thinks Connie.  Her brother Greg inquiring about Diana’s life is the first step in dating.  And Connie smiles cordially at her brother Greg, her enjoying watching his exchange with Diana.

Diana: “Uh. I’m a teacher, of English literature—at Galena High School.”  Diana states a bit defensively.  She is not sure why, but she feels that she—or anyone—is more than their credentials or what their job is.  “And you, Greg and Connie?  What are your jobs?”  Turnabout is fair play in Diana’s mind.  And despite the warm and cozy tingles she felt lying in Greg’s arms this morning, now she finds him rather off putting.

Connie:  “I’m a buyer at a women’s clothing store in New York City.  So I’m always on the lookout for new and unique outfits to offer to our customers.”

Diana: “Uh huh.”  Of course, Connie is tall and almost model thin.  So Diana thinks that Connie would look good in anything—unlike her own slightly shorter and womanly curvy self.  “That sounds fun.  And how did you get into that line of work?”  She asks interestedly.

Connie:  “Well, I modeled a bit in high school.”  Connie shares sheepishly—her remembering her feeling awkward and on display.  “But I was more into the clothing fashions, than modeling them.  So I earned my degree in fashion merchandising.  Then after college, I joined my present employer in an entry level position—think advertising campaign photoshoot gofer–and I eventually worked my way up to cosmetics and jewelry, then to being the store’s personal fashion stylist for special customers, head of the women’s department,  and eventually now to being a buyer.”  Connie blithely relates her rise in the fashion merchandising business.  But Connie has worked hard for her current position, and she does it very well—with her customer/client  focused approach and friendly professional demeanor.

Diana: “Good for you, Connie!”  Diana smiles in praise of her.   “I hope you brought all your trendy clothing needs with you.  We’re not exactly high fashion around here, but I like a comfy style for the every day.”  Diana winces.  Her velvety soft and warm light tan corduroy skirt and soft ivory sweater that Diana wears [(5) right] are nice, she thinks to herself–but they are, perhaps, more on the dressy sporty casual LL Bean style range, rather than being trendy.

Connie: “Oh, but I love your fashion style, Diana.”  Connie states sincerely.  Connie has noticed how focused her brother Greg seems,  in him paying attention to what Diana says and looks like.  And the other guests and ski resort hotel staff also seem to be very cordial with Diana.  So Connie thinks that she must be well liked in town.

Diana:   “Thanks, Connie.  I shop a lot online.”  She demures with a bemused grin–her belying the serious need for a family department store in town with the full range of recreational, leisure, casual dressy, business professional, and dressy clothes for women–unlike the limited variety of the high priced clothing at the ski resort’s in hotel clothing store.  Then she turns to Greg to bring him into the conversation.  “And you, Greg?  What do you do for a living?”  Diana pleasantly asks Greg.  She is merely making conversation—now that Diana believes that she is no longer the center of attention.  The shoe is on the other foot.

Greg is rather startled to become the focus of Diana’s attention again.

Greg: “Oh!  Why, I’m a …”  He hesitates—since people usually seem to have decided feelings about his line of work, pro and con.

However, Diana patiently waits for Greg to respond to her.  She is also patient with her students who seem shy.

Connie:  “Greg, now don’t be modest.”  Connie smiles widely at her very successful brother.  “He’s a …”

Greg: “I can tell Diana what I do for a living, Connie.”  He whiningly bites out.  He is not so much annoyed with his younger sister Connie for talking about his work, as he is irritated with himself for his long standing reserve.  Diana still waits patiently for his response.

Connie: “Well then?” She looks at him pointedly.  In turn, Greg scowls at his sister Connie.

Diana:  Trying to lighten the moment, Diana jests.  “Now Greg, if you’re a spy and you’re on a secret mission, don’t worry.”  “I won’t tell a soul.”  Then Diana smiles very cheekily at him—as she pretends to zip her lips shut.

Greg: “Ha ha ha ha ha!  No!  Nothing so important, nor as glamorous.”  Greg laughs modestly [(6) below].  “I’m a corporate lawyer, that’s all—mergers and acquisitions, mostly.”

And Diana thinks that Greg seems so much more lighthearted and open when he laughs—compared to his usual reserved and dismissive demeanor. Well, except for their lovely cuddling and kisses this morning.  But Diana thinks what would Connie do (WWCD) in trying to get a man to relax around her.  Diana mirthfully shakes her head slightly.  No, Diana just can’t get Greg into a lip lock in public to get him to loosen up.  Can she?  No!  And Diana thinks that there must be a happy medium between her own shy self’s usually reserved and polite self, and Connie’s vivaciousness.

Connie: “That is not all, brother.  Diana, Greg is a very successful lawyer and travels extensively for work.” She says quite pridefully about her older brother—who, of course, squirms in his seat for his sister lavishing her praise of him to Diana.

Diana:  “Ah.  Well good for you, too, Greg!”  Diana smiles pleasantly.  Then they each continue to enjoy their breakfasts without as much small talk, which gives Diana time to reflect upon the events of the last 24 hours—not the least of which involves Greg and Connie Halliday.

Their area’s ski mountain in winter–and its surrounding forests and lakes in Summer–attract a lot of high income people to enjoy themselves on vacation, or in their second homes here–as the Hallidays had formerly owned.  And that tourism is what has kept the economy going in their medium sized town of Galena.  So Diana has no complaints nor does she sneer at Greg and Connie and other wealthy people.  Because in Diana’s view, everyone works for someone else.  Even the CEO of a company—of which many visit or live in their area—has to report to their board of directors and shareholders.  So Diana takes quite a non-judgmental  view of wealthy people.

And yet, Diana is happy with her own modest life style.  She has never aspired to jet away to Paris or London on a whim–though she would like to visit them sometime–or to rent other people’s homes while on vacation, she thinks wryly. And with her inadvertently renewing her acquaintance with the Halliday siblings—Greg and Connie, Diana supposes that anything can happen.  Be careful what you wish for is a phrase that comes to Diana’s mind, in that regard.

To be continued with Chapter 4

References for Ch. 3 of “Winter Rental”, January 15, 2022 by Gratiana Lovelace, (Post#1439)  

1) The story cover for my original contemporary romance “Winter Rental” is a composite of three images:
a) a Wintery image of ski chalets previously shared by Sueli; Grati edit for color and size; with AR Berkley text;
b) Greg Halliday–2022—is represented by British actor Richard Armitage-in cream-sweater-pensive-photographed byKaitlynMikayla_Jan04-2022viaNobleman-Mag_;
c) Diana Langley—is represented by the Anne-Hathaway-2021—in butterscotch-sweater-flyaway-hair-no-makeup_Jan09-2022viaVariety—Grati-crop-szd; image found at https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/anne-hathaway-jared-leto-wework-series-apple-1234895727

2) Dream-lovers-feet-under-covers_Oct1012instforenergyresearchorg_May1614-crop-sized–Jan14-2022Grati-crp-szdsml-clr2-drk; the original image was found at https://ak7.picdn.net/shutterstock/videos/4728737/thumb/2.jpg?i10c=img.resize(height:160)

3) Greg Halliday sleeping is Richard Armitage as Lucas North in Spooks; image found at  https://ancientarmitage.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/lucas-sleeping.jpg

4) Connie Halliday–in-creamsweater-coverup-and-knitted-scarf-isCameronDiaz-inTheHoliday2006-viaEW_Jan14-2022grati-crop-szd ; original image found at Entertainment Weekly at https://imagesvc.meredithcorp.io/v3/mm/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.onecms.io%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F6%2F2017%2F12%2Ftheholiday-2000.jpg

5) DianaLangley-in-ivory-sweater-isAnneHathaway_Jan14-2022viaPinterest_Grati   ; original image found at; https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9a/18/11/9a18119402cedc64bfb4552b19a930da.jpg ;compsited with Utah-ski-resort-breathtaking-view-of-lower-ski-runs-representing-PineridgeSkiResort-in-story_Jan14-2022viaSLTrib; original image found at https://www.sltrib.com/sports/2020/03/20/part-time-utah-ski-resort

6) Greg Halliday is represented by Richard Armitage 2022 portraits  in cream sweaters by Kaitlyn Mikayla found in the Nobleman Mag interview at https://noblemanmagazine.com/richard-armitage-a-nobleman-to-watch/?fbclid=IwAR1kYnjjbbab03_pgQ2aDdLK02xTUarLq9DS4S8JDyvH0IHhvTqd78jua1Q&doing_wp_cron=1642221318.9211430549621582031250

Gratiana Lovelace Wattpad site link for Ch. 3 “Winter Rental”:
https://www.wattpad.com/1179414833-winter-rental-by-gratiana-lovelace-copyrighted

SAL blog Post#1438 link for Ch. 0 Prologue through Ch.2 of “Winter Rental”:
https://gratianads90.wordpress.com/2022/01/10/winter-rental-ch-0-prologue-ch-1-snow-falls-and-the-ski-tourists-return-ch-2-dinner-ends-unexpectedly-by-gratiana-lovelace-january-10-2022-post-1438/