AllFreeNovel
Share Us
As she rests her head on top of mine, a cool breeze cuts through the stifling heat and I shiver.
Chapter 38
Rain.
Cold, wet and torrential.
It pours down in buckets and curtains and streams. Soaking everything as far as the eye can see.
I stare out the window at Cedar Ridge Lodge, the fog has settled like a blanket over the pine trees. Only glimpses of mahogany and emerald and olive peek through the eerie mist. It feels like we're floating on clouds.
The weather on the mountain is as unpredictable as the terrain itself. Every season has its downsides. Winter is blizzards and avalanches razing mountainsides. Spring is flooding and bears waking from slumber. Summer is fires and slick roads when the rain does fall. And autumn is rutting elk and drops in temperature.
Yesterday, we were in an inferno. Today, we're drenched and soaked and waterlogged.
Life on the mountain is never dull. Not the weather. And certainly not the people.
“Hey, you,” I hear behind me.
I turn and see my sister-in-law, her dark hair straightened to perfection, even with the rain touching everything.
“Hey,” I smile as I give her a warm hug. “It’s been a while.”
She scratches the back of her head, clutching her iced coffee in hand. “The boys had fun in Arizona visiting my mom, but I’m starting to think spending a month with her at a time is too much.”
I laugh. “You should send them without you.”
“I might do that next year,” she raises her eyebrows, intrigued by the idea.
“I’ve missed you,” I tell her as we start walking towards the stone fireplace in the far corner of the room. I hadn't realized I was shivering, but Nora never misses a thing. She ushers us over to a warmer portion of the large space.
“Your mom has filled me in on what’s going on,” she exhales softly. “So, Kyle huh?”
I tilt my head to the side, scrunch my eyes closed. “I think I’m just as shocked as everyone else. I mean, what do I even have to offer him?”
Nora shakes her head, purses her lips. “You have so much to offer. You decorated the entire lodge in pink and blue for Matt and his baby mama. Who does that, Jenny?”
Me. That’s who. Because even though Matt’s not my friend anymore, I’m still his. And even if he never forgives me, never talks to me again, I’m still going to show up for him. I’m still going to love his daughter or son with all my heart because she or he is part of him.
I take a look around, smile at the hundreds of pink and blue balloons tied around the room. Blush-colored roses and aqua-painted daisies in frosted glasses. The crisp white tablecloths and floating candles in clear vases filled with water. It's intimate and beautiful, just like Audra wanted.
Diane enters my field of vision carrying a glass of champagne in hand. Something about her makes my skin prickle and my heart start racing. I'm not afraid of her, but there's something off. I can't quite put my finger on it.
"Kyle wants me to move to Boulder and live with him," I say quietly to Nora as she grabs a handful of cashews from the table to our right. "And he offered me a job."
She clears her throat as one of Audra’s aunts passes by. "What are you going to do?"
I sink into the plush green chair by the fire, the heat from the roaring flames warming my bare arms. "I don't know."
Nora sits down beside me in a matching chair. "Do you love him?"
I smile. "Of course, I do. It's just…" Nora waits patiently for me to continue. "I want to say yes and go, but I'm afraid I'm going for the wrong reasons. I want to get away from here. From everyone and everything."
Nora nods her head in understanding. "You don't want to use him as an excuse to escape."
"I want to be with him all the time. It kills me not to pick up the phone in the middle of the day and call him because I miss him so much.” I lay my hand on my chest, feel my heart thumping rapidly when I think about waking up with him every day. "I need to make sure I'm doing it for the right reasons, which is to be with him. I don't want to rush or force anything. I want to be certain this is the next right step."
"Do you want my take on it?" she asks as she crosses one leg over the other. I nod. "Go to Boulder. If working for him causes problems, find another job. If living with him doesn't work out, come home. You have options. Nothing is permanent."
