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But not once did I ever feel threatened.
I had all I needed to keep me safe.
I had Colt.
A tear reaches my eye as I stare at the dented disaster of the vehicle I will have to return at some point. My brother will be sick to his stomach by now. He’s probably sent a search party out for me, but even this far up the mountain, they’ll be doing well to find me.
The truth is, I don’t want them to. After almost leaving the other day, now… I’m not sure I want to go.
I left a life of routine and being controlled by my family. And ever since I stepped out of that vehicle, nothing here has been predictable. The moment my eyes open at my small apartment, I know what I’m about to do. And if I don’t, someone will sure as hell set my day out for me like I’m still a child who can’t control their own life.
Each step of my day is the same old thing, over and over again like a throbbing ache at the back of my skull.
Up here… That’s not the case.
I didn’t know I would be reunited with my best friend. I didn’t know I’d be losing my virginity in the comfiest, adorable mountain cabin I’ve ever slept in. I didn’t know I’d forage for my lunch, and I certainly didn’t think I’d catch a fucking fish with my bare hands.
Looking around the rugged, mountainous land, I know there’s something deeper here.
I swipe my eyes and force my legs to drag me inside, catching one final breath of fresh air. I set down the bag Colt left me to carry inside and find my way across the kitchen. The pots and pans from yesterday are still dirty, so I fill a clean pot with water and wait for it to boil while scrubbing the dirty dishes in the sink.
My mind begins to drift as the water boils on the stovetop.
I love him.
I find some tea leaves on the rustic wooden shelf by the fridge. The label on the jar has ‘Cherry Bark’scribbled messily on the front. I twist the lid to open it and it pops loose. The smell of the dried leaves bathes the air, allowing me to inhale a deep, long breath as the sweet, woody aroma hits my nose.
“Smells good, right?” Colt says from behind me. He steps inside holding four eggs in one hand and a small pumpkin tucked under the other arm. “A luxury of the forest up here, cherry bark.I harvested it last year. Dried it by the fire.”
“Can I taste it?” I ask, my curiosity of this land and the wonders it offers only growing stronger.
“Of course you can, baby…” Colt slips in behind me, pressing a rough kiss to my neck. “What’s mine in this cabin is yours.”
My tummy sparks with excitement.
Does he really mean that? What if I wanted to stay? Shit, do I want that?
“Where do you get it?” I ask, spooning the brown leaves into a mug, squeezing the confusion swirling in my head away.
Colt pulls a chair from behind the table and sinks his big frame down. “It’s from the trunk of a cherry tree. A lady who stopped by to welcome me many, many years ago taught me how to make it turn into the rich, deep flavor this batch has.” I listen to him, loving the passion in his words. He really does love living up here, and it’s easy to see why. “It’s good for you, too. Whenever I get a cold, I’m straight into it.”
I smile, pouring some water into the mug. A sweet perfume wafts instantly towards my nose, filling me with the scent of blossoming cherry trees in the springtime.
Colt reaches across and grabs the stack of paper on the table. I sip the tea while he gazes over my condition report. I’ve left it unattended, which strictly speaking, isn’t allowed.
But I have my delicious tea, and my life back home is suddenly even less important than before.
“It’s so nice,” I say, clutching the cup at my lips, allowing the steam to take over my senses.
“Yes, I’m grateful to that lady. She showed me so much.”
“Who was she? Does she visit anymore?” I settle down opposite Colt and sip the tea.
He shakes his head. “No. She’s lived on the land for a few years, married a man over the hill a few miles back. They keep to themselves these days.”
Colt’s head dips, and I wonder if there’s something he’s not telling me. He’s busy reading my evaluation, and although he’s not really permitted to do so, I let it slide.Just for him.I study his gaze, watching for a hint as to why nobody seems to come around here to visit him.
“Do you get lonely up here?” I ask eventually.
