I give him a long look. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” He shakes his head.
“Wheeeew.” I turn to the vehicle. “Yeah, we can leave stuff here; I guess it’s safe? I just need my suitcase.” I reach for it, but he grabs it first and hauls it out, then hoists his own suitcase. “And these bags.” I grab some supplies I got for the cottage.
I walk to the door while he carries the luggage through the snow. The cottages are all different, and quaint, although not luxurious. Ours has a small veranda with wicker chairs. I open the door and enter. It’s a studio with one bed and one bathroom; I didn’t think I’d need more than that when I booked, obviously. But it has a sitting area with a couch and chairs. I cast a look at the king-size bed and sigh inwardly.
We stomp snow off our feet and remove our boots and jackets.
“So I gather I’m not getting my own room?” Carson says, echoing my thoughts.
I wince. “Well, that would look kind of odd, since we’re ‘married’.” I make the air quotes.
He rubs his forehead. “Yeah. Although nobody else is here yet. When’s the rest of the family coming?”
“Friday.” I eye him. “Do you want to see if there’s another cottage available tonight? Or maybe we could move to a two bedroom? No, that’s weird.”
“Shit, I don’t know. It doesn’t seem worth it. I can sleep on the couch.”
Carson is six foot two inches. He’s not going to fit on that little couch. But I’m not going to argue with him. He can scrunch himself up.
Then I feel bad for thinking that. He’s here. He’s helping me. I sigh. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”
Our eyes meet. We’re both prepared to fight.
“We can arm wrestle for it,” he finally suggests.
We used to do that. I could never win. My biceps are puny compared to his. But it made us laugh. It was our inside joke.
“I’ve been working out,” I tell him.
He huffs out a laugh. “Oh well… now I’m worried.”
I roll my eyes.
“Why are we here so early?”
“I have things to do.”
“Like what?”
“Well.” I plop my butt down on the couch. “I have to make the calendar and?—”
“Hold up. Calendar?”
“Yes. The schedule of events.”
He blinks and slowly sits in a chair. “Events.”
“Yes. I told you we’re doing all kinds of events. Trivia night. Card games. Afternoon tea. Family Olympics out on the skating rink and maybe tobogganing races.”
“Jesus.”
“And I have to finish the slide show I started. I’m going to play it at the party Saturday night. The photographer is comingSaturday evening to do a family photo. I have to put that on the calendar, too, so everyone knows where and when.”
“Coming from where?”
“Poughkeepsie.”
