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Oh. Thank. Fuck.
The cabin is exactly like its picture. An enormous fireplace sits along the wall, wood already aflame, crackling in the tiny space and emitting a warm yellow glow. A cozy brown couch and soft armchair sit in front of it, the perfect place to curl up and read. To the right is a small table, with only two chairs, and a tiny kitchen, with a, thankfully, full-sized refrigerator. A large bed with a thick, red plaid comforter sits along the back wall. The space isn’t large, but it is completely open and the high ceilings make it feel even more spacious. There is a door by the foot of the bed, and I assume that leads to the bathroom.
Dropping my bag on the wood floor, I gently place the tree by my feet before hanging my coat on the rack by the front door and toeing off my shoes. The heat from the fireplace has permeated the air and filled it with the scent of burning wood. The gentle aroma mixes with that of the snow, making a smell that I wish I could bottle. It’s a veritable winter wonderland. Perfect for my weary soul.
My special tree is still bubble-wrapped, so I lift it from the floor and place it gently on a stool to keep it safe so I can carefully unwrap it later; but first the food.
Hauling my groceries into the kitchen, I place them on the countertop, eager to put them away. I grab the ice cream first, stashing it in the empty freezer.Yeah, yeah. Blizzard or not, a girl needs her ice cream.
My mouth pops open in surprise when I bend down to place my groceries in the refrigerator. The entire space is completely full.
“What the heck?” I ask, to no one—since ya know, I’m alone and all.
“I’ve never rented a place, with a fully stocked kitchen before,” I mutter, looking through the contents. There is everything I could ever want in here; fruits and veggies are piled high with eggs and cheese. Yikes, this host is getting five stars for sure. Rolling up the sleeves of my black sweater, I begin reorganizing the space, moving things around to make room for all I brought. Carrots to the veggie drawer, tomatoes in there too. Whoops, butter can go on the door.
“Looks like I’m stocked up for a while. What should I make for dinner tonight?” I wonder aloud.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Whirling around, I almost trip and fall over at the sound behind me. My heart pounds, blood whooshing in my ears, unsure of what I’m going to find. But, staring up at me is the sweetest furry face, black with brown and white, adorned with two startlingly blue eyes.
“Why, hello. Who are you?” I wonder, looking around. Did I enter the wrong cabin? It looks just like the pictures.
The pup lumbers to her feet, walking slowly toward me as though she’s afraid of scaring me and I fall completely in love with her. Opening my hand, I extend it toward her, introducing myself. The pup’s cold, wet nose touches my fingertips, letting out a little whine before pressing harder, clearly asking for some love.
Confusion swirls within me. Where did this dog come from? The door is still closed—did I just not see her when I entered? I continue to slide my fingers along her silky fur. Working my way over her neck until I can see the collar through her dense coat. It has a little silver tag that reads Winnie.
“Nice to meet you, Winnie,” I coo to the big dog. “I’m not sure where you came from, but I can’t say I’m sad to have some canine company up here during the snowstorm. Still, I better call the cabin owner and let them know they left you here.”
How anyone could just leave their dog behind baffles me, causing anger to roll through me, heating my blood.
Jerks. Dogs are family. You can’t just fucking forget about them. She could have been stuck up here all damn week by herself if I hadn’t made it. Dogs are precious—so much better than people. Every stroke of her sweet head, every contented sigh she makes, stokes the flames of my wrath.
Enraged, I grab my phone from the counter, quickly scrolling through my emails to find the rental confirmation. Using my finger, I stab the numbers in and push to call.
Straight to fucking voicemail.
“Hey, Tilly,” I say in a clipped tone. “This is Sloane at the cabin rental. I just wanted to let you know you left your dog here. She’s sweet and beautiful and you clearly don’t deserve her. If she’s still here when I leave, then I’m keeping her.”
Jamming my thumb against the button, I end the call. My throat feels dry, so I grab a water bottle and crack open the seal.
“Do you need some water too, pretty baby?” I ask the dog, who is still waiting patiently at my side. There is a bowl on the floor, but it’s mostly empty, so I quickly fill it and set it back down.
She makes no move to drink.
“Guess you aren’t that thirsty, huh?”
She tilts her head to the side, looking at me, and then she flicks her gaze toward a little pink bag on the counter. When she does it again, adding in a little whimper, I realize she clearly wants something. The blue label on the bag reads ‘New Moon Bakery’, and when I open it a heavenly smell wafts out.
Guilt lodges in my stomach. Maybe I shouldn’t have yelled at the rental lady. Clearly she cared enough to come here and start the fire, and she even left baked goods. Maybe forgetting the dog was just an accident—like she was worried about the storm, or had kids with her or something.
“Winnie, I’m with you. These smell amazing, but I don’t think you can have chocolate croissants or cinnamon roll… muffins?.” She barks softly, looking back at the counter where I spy a second pink bag. Opening it, I find a large assortment of dog treats.
“Well, I’m sure these are all right,” I say, tossing her one. Chewing on my lip, I try to piece it all together. Nothing is adding up here.
The cabin looks like the picture.
The code worked to get the key, and the key worked in the door.
