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Her smile broadened. "It is. When you don't have to wait for construction workers and plaster to dry and inspections, it moves right along."
"I guess so."
She turned to face him. "What brings you up here today?"
He took a deep breath and watched the men hoist another log onto the wall. Maya nudged him with her elbow. "You're feeling left out? Bored? Lonely?"
"You make me sound like a baby."
"I don't think you're a baby. I've had plenty of times up here where all I want to do is run down the mountain and see what everyone is doing. We've all been together for our entire lives. Especially you and me. I don't remember a time when Addy, Henry, Tate, Spencer, and Aidyn weren't there. Even during boot camp, Addy was with me. Our lives are changing. It's new and fun and scary."
"Yeah." He cleared his throat. "That's sort of what Dad said. He said it's another step-in time."
"You'll find that special someone and get married soon enough and then, we'll raise our babies together."
"I'm not necessarily looking for that, Maya."
She giggled. "I wasn't either. Now, look at me." She placed her hands on her belly, which was nicely rounded. Though in that bulky jacket, he couldn't see.
Jasiah made his way toward them, a smile on his face. He held his hand out to shake and Myles grabbed it and gripped it tightly. This new brother of his had been nothing but good.
"Myles. It's great to see you. We're expanding again."
Myles chuckled. "I see that. Soon you'll have several rooms added on."
Jasiah glanced at the cabin, then placed his arm around Maya's shoulders and kissed the top of her head. "Well, we won't be able to do it there. We're at capacity for that space on the mountain unless we can get approval to come out this way toward the common area. But we'll see what happens moving forward."
He squeezed Maya's shoulders, and she looked up into his eyes. The smile on her face said it all. She was happy. It pinched his heart a little, that someone else took up space in her heart. She was his twin and he missed her. Truly missed her.
That's when it hit him. That's what was wrong. He was so used to having her close all the time that he felt a bit lost now.
"Do you need help? I've never built a cabin before, and you'll have to teach me. But I'd like to be part of it for my niece or nephew."
Maya's smile shined on him, and he felt it in his gut. "Thanks, Myles."
"Well, we also have to have it ready for Mom and Dad. They're planning on spending some time up here next week."
"You spoke to them?" Maya asked.
"Dad. I called him before I came up here."
"Nice." Jasiah kissed Maya's lips, then nodded to him. "I'm happy for the help. Come on, I'll introduce you to those you don't know, and we'll teach you the ropes."
Myles grinned at his sister, then followed Jasiah to their home and the pile of logs still in need of hoisting. Jasiah turned to him as they walked. "We're connecting the logs to the house by notching the logs on the house and toenailing them. It will eliminate gaps that will let bugs and wind inside."
Myles chuckled. "Jasiah, I know very little about building. I did some building in the service, but not much. So, you have a complete newbie here. But I'm strong and I want my sister and my niece or nephew to be comfortable so mostly what I bring to you is heart."
Jasiah clapped him on the back. "Heart is the biggest element. You'll do just fine."
His heart quickened at the praise. His pulse quickened at the fact he was dipping his toes into the waters of something he'd never done before, and it felt good. Turning his head, he saw Maya watching them with a beautiful smile on her face. That made his heart swell.
5
Shianne woke and stretched. After yawning, she slipped from her bed and stumbled to the kitchen. Filling the teakettle with water, she set it on the stove and turned the burner on. Pulling her teacup from the cupboard, she opened the canister on the counter that held her tea bags. She dropped one in her cup and leaned against the counter waiting for her water to boil and her mind to fully wake up.
The tea kettle whistled, and she absently poured the steaming water into her cup. She inhaled deeply to bring the aroma of her tea into her nostrils. Moving to the little table near the window that overlooked the backyard, she watched the birds flying to and fro. The chirping permeated the silence of her quiet house. She sipped at her warm tea and mentally prepared for her day. She had about twenty orders to package up for shipping. She'd need to get those to the post office before noon. And she hoped her dress for the New Year's Eve Ball would arrive today. After last night, she was even more excited to try it on. They'd organized everything for the New Year’s Eve Ball and the colors came together beautifully.
After finishing her tea, she tossed her tea bag in the trash, placed her cup in the dishwasher, and headed to her bedroom to pick out her clothing for the day. It would be busy today with the packaging and shipping. She always made sure every piece of clothing was folded properly and included a handwritten note to the purchaser thanking them for their order. Presentation was important.
