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“Sawyer,” she exclaims as she pulls off her helmet. “This isn’t a cabin… it’s huge.” I follow her gaze. Admittedly, I made it sound like my parents had a small vacation home in the mountains. The reality is a two-story 2500-square-foot building with a wraparound porch and hot tub.
“Well, it’s still a cabin… just a big one. My parents always planned to retire here. When they had it built, they had visions of grandbabies and family get-togethers.”
“Did that not happen? The family get-togethers, I mean?”
“Sure. We spent summers here and quite a few Christmases as kids. Not so much now. It’s been a few years since we were all here together.” We’ve climbed off the bike, and I can see she’s itching to get inside. “Do you want to look round?”
“Yes!” she cries, and I go to take her hand but stop myself, instead gesturing for her to climb the steps leading to the porch.
I key in the code to the key safe, then reach inside and take out the spare key. Unlocking the huge wooden door, I push it open and follow Hallie inside. The cabin is something special and probably something I’ve taken for granted over the years. The entryway opens into a massive living room centered around an open fireplace. There is a large rug in front of the fireplace with leather sofas and a checkered loveseat surrounding it. To the right are floor-to-ceiling windows leading to a huge patio. Hallie walks to the picture window and peers outside. The patio area is completely secluded, overlooking the forest surrounding the cabin.
“Is that a hot tub?” she whispers, gesturing to the covered wooden tub sitting off to one corner. She turns to look at me, and I nod. She grins before frowning. “I don’t have a bathing suit.” She pouts, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I know for sure Brooke has bathing suits here. She’s got a load of them.”
“I can’t wear your sister’s bathing suits. I’ve never even met her.”
“She won’t care,” I tell her, brushing off her concern. “She won’t even know. We can launder them before we leave. It’ll be fine.” She looks unsure, but she needn’t worry because I know Brooke won’t care.
Hallie wanders through the living room, running her fingers along the loveseat’s woolen material. “This is beautiful, Sawyer. Are you sure your parents won’t mind us being here?”
“Not at all,” I assure her, making a mental note to drop them a message to let them know we’re here. With everything that’s happened, I haven’t gotten around to contacting them.
“Is this the kitchen through here?” she asks, gesturing to a doorway off to the left.
“No, that’s the den.” I push the door open, and she peers around the doorframe.
“That’s bigger than my whole apartment.” She chuckles. “And look at the size of the television. It’s like a movie theater screen.”
I laugh. It is a large television, although not quite as big as a movie theater screen. “My dad is a lover of watching sports. My mom, not so much. She banishes him to the den whenever he wants to watch anything. He upsized the television a couple of years ago. She can barely get him out of here now.”
Hallie laughs, her whole face lighting up.
God, I want to kiss her again.
She sees me staring, and a flush spreads over her cheeks.
“Your parents sound great. A lot like mine, I think.”
I show her around the rest of the downstairs, and she falls in love with the kitchen as I knew she would. It’s a massive space with marble counters and a huge island in the middle. Pots and pans hang from a rack suspended from the ceiling, and a big bay window looks out over the forest. Opening a few of the cupboards, I sigh in relief to see the kitchen is well stocked. We’ll need some fresh supplies, but we will be able to take the Jeep my parents keep here for that purpose.
“I’ll show you upstairs. You can take one of the guest bedrooms. You’ll have your own bathroom then too.” I lead her up the staircase and along the hallway.
“Which one is your bedroom?” she asks shyly.
“This one.” I come to a stop outside a closed door. “The guest bedroom is across the hallway.” I open my bedroom door, and she peeks inside.
“Every room in this house is stunning. The views are incredible.”
“Wait until you see the view from your room.” Unable to stop myself, I take her hand and tug her across the hallway, opening the door to where she’ll be sleeping. The guest bedroom has a queen-size bed, a walk-in closet, and double doors leading to a private balcony. Pulling her across the room, I open the doors and lead her outside. I watch her face as she takes in the view of the small lake that sits almost in the cabin’s backyard.
“Why is this the guest room? Why isn’t it your room or your parents’ room? This view is amazing.”
“I was fifteen when my parents had this place built. I didn’t care about the view then. My room is bigger, and that won out. My parents have the same view, though. Their room is next door.”
“I love this place.”
“Let’s find you some clothes from Brooke’s room.” I turn to head back inside but stop when she doesn’t follow me. “Hallie?”
