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34
Nicolette
Getting to the cabin, we had to go through fields and the woods. As we came to the clearing, I can’t help but sing that Brad Paisley song about checking for ticks.
The cabin is beautiful and, of course, all wood. A smile crosses my face as I spy the rocking chairs on the front porch. Bowser is running around when he spots us and comes running right to us.
“Someone is happy to see us.” I laugh.
“Yeah, seems that way.” Kris bends down, scratching him between the ears before picking him up. “So-wanna check out the lake toys first or go inside?”
“Kristopher, what the heck took ya’ll so long?” A woman’s voice cuts behind us. “You’re animals do not like being without you, apparently.”
I whistle, seeing a thin Asian woman tapping her foot in cut-offs and a tank, turning as red as I am. One good wind will reveal my missing panties. I then look at Kris, waiting for him to respond.
“I bought a bike and took my girl for a ride. Michelle Archer, this is-”
“Nicolette Barnett.” Michelle smiles, putting out her hand. “Let’s get out of this damn heat and into the air. I’m your new publicist, and frankly, you all got yourself into a mess and a half.” This woman may look exotic in her way, but what comes out of her mouth is pure country sass.
I look from Michelle to Kris. “The biggest issue that everyone is having is our age. Look at Burton and Morgan. They’re sixteen years apart. There’s seventeen years between Amal and Clooney. Nineteen years between Tamblyn and Cross. McLean and Dylan are forty-nine years apart. I really think they can get over our fifteen.”
Kris laughs, and Michelle shakes her head. “You ain’t wrong, but they care less about the age and more about the cheating. An anonymous source is tryin’ to say that you were seeing a young man named Tate Jefferies and that he’s devastated by the news of being replaced.” She walks toward us, “Look, if you were seeing somebody, I just need to know so I can run interference. If it’s bullshit, I’ll correct it. In the meantime, you all got an album to cut.” She looks at Kris, “You had better be sure this is what you want. If this blows up—” She cuts her eyes back toward me. “Neither of your careers will survive. Now the house is stocked, everything put away, so just relax tonight. I’m sure you need it.” She pats our shoulders as she walks toward the Uber that just pulled up.
I shake my head with a laugh. “Starling linked us together when he and his sister became my backup dancers, so we were always together. I never actually dated him, nor have I done anything else with him. If someone is saying I have, they’re lying. Kris can attest to the fact that there was blood on the sheets this morning that I was a virgin.”
“That’s a whole other can of worms, but I’ll deal with the blatant lies.” Michelle turns back a moment, “Hey, Kris? Sobriety looks good on you. Thank you, Nicolette.” With that, she gets into her Uber.
"Why is she thanking me? I'm not the one that's staying sober." I wrap my arms around Kris' waist. "Did I say too much?"
Kris wraps an arm around me, and Bowzer gives me kisses. “You said just what you needed to. As for thanking you, it may not be fair to put on you, but it's working with you that made me climb out of the bottle I’ve been living in for almost a decade.” Kissing my temple, he pauses. “So yeah, thank you.”
"It must be my sparkling personality!" I twirl my hair like a high school cheerleader that I've seen in a movie, unable to hold my laughter any longer.
He opens the door and steps aside. “Welcome to your home for the next few months. It’s cozy, but if you find you need something certain, we’ll get it for you.”
Inside is more wood details. I raise a brow because it’s really well furnished. “You do this or have a decorator?”
“Little of both. So the first floor is pretty basic. Open floor plan, dining room there to the left, study to the right. It’s got some books, not a lot, but there’s room for more. I mostly drank whisky there. The living areas are flanked by the kitchen off to the left here.” He pulls me deeper into the cabin, and all the details are soft neutral but not boring. There are stone fireplaces and shale as well as hardwood floors. A few area rugs, but no real carpeting to speak of.
“It’s really nice." I turn in place, taking in the high ceilings.
“I’m not a man to presume, so the guest rooms are clean and available here past the kitchen. My room, where I hope you’ll lay your head, is back that way.” He thumbs his finger toward the front again. “Laundry is up past the stairs by the garage, and upstairs is my fully functioning recording studio.”
“Is there a downstairs?” Dear Lord, this place is bigger than back home. He should have had a family gracing these walls instead of me. I stop, look around and stare at Kris. I understand why he doesn't have a family, but he should. Not that I'm giving him that, just he should. Geez, Nikki, where are these thoughts coming from?
“Yeah, that’s all play. Game room, theater, a few more bedrooms that haven’t been touched, so I use them for instrument storage, and all the lawn stuff cause it walks out to the back and side of the house.” He smiles as Cat rubs up on him.
I nod. "I think I've got it all. So, tell me, boss, where do we start?" My watch alarm goes off.
“Take your meds, then I’ll show you the studio if you like.”
“I should probably call dad.” I sigh. “Do we know where they put my medicine?” I take a gander around and spot my bag in the kitchen. “Do you know if they bought me a phone or if I’m using yours?”
“I told them to have your old man forward your account info, and we’re gonna just need to order one.” He passes me his phone, “In the meantime, though. Or there is a landline, believe it or not.” He chuckles. “I’ll let you have our privacy while I check a few things and grab a quick shower.”
I grab his arm. “We okay?” Something in his response just seems off with the way we’ve been the last two days.
“Completly.” He caresses my cheek. “Go talk to your daddy.” He kisses me softly, “Then come find me, and we can go check out the stuff.”
