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“That will be fun.”
“Thank you for helping us with this. I know you have your own work to do.”
I shrugged. “The reality is I can work anywhere. My viewers have gotten used to the ocean in the background of my videos. But they are intrigued by the shots I’m giving them now, too.”
“I’m glad you’re still able to get things done while you’re here.”
If not, I would have had to head home, and I wasn’t ready for that yet. I wanted to explore whatever this was. For the moment, I’d enjoy it and not worry about Aiden or the future.
“We’re going over to the main house to eat. Then there will be a bonfire and the movie.”
“Do you have impromptu family get-togethers a lot?” I asked him.
“Occasionally, but more now that the girls are part of the family. Everyone wants them to be happy, and we like spending time with them.”
“They must have a blast on the farm.”
“It’s a playground for Addy and Ember and the new puppies.”
I used to hike the woods and run the property to get away from my home life. I helped out a lot at the hotel, but it was in the woods where I felt like I could let go and be myself.
Heath pulled on a jacket. “Listen, I need to stop at Sebastian’s cabin on the way. I want to make sure the crew turned everything off when they left, and the tools are put away.”
“I’d love to see his place,” I said, grabbing my phone.
Heath smiled as he held the door for me. “It’s almost finished. I hope they’ll move in before the holidays.”
Heath drove down the mountain and down a new lane I hadn’t noticed before. “We had this put in when we broke ground on Sebastian’s place. He wanted to be near the main house and me and Emmett but still have some privacy.”
We drove until there was a clearing and the two-story cabin came into view. It was similar in style to Emmett’s and Heath’s cabins, with a large wraparound porch.
“Ember insisted we build her playhouse first.” Heath pointed to the back of the property, where a small cabin, a replica of the larger one, stood.
“That’s amazing.” I couldn’t imagine my parents or an uncle building me a playhouse because I insisted on one. It was an alternate reality growing up with people who loved you. Gram made me feel loved, but she didn’t step in other than when it came to food. My parents would criticize her if she tried to buy me shoes or clothes. But she could provide me with food without raising any questions.
Why they cared if someone else took care of me, I never understood. I didn’t think it was possible that it made them feel inadequate.
Heath opened the door, and it smelled like freshly cut wood. The walls were painted, the wood floors gleaming.
“We just have the finishing touches left, then a few areas that need trim. We can’t seem to get the fridge flush with the counters. We need to fiddle with the hoses in the back. Then there are a few fixtures in the bathroom that are on back order, and we’re waiting on final inspections.”
“You think Sebastian and Ember can move in before Thanksgiving?”
“Absolutely. Mom will be thrilled to have them close. When it snows, we can all go sledding together.”
“You still go sledding?” That seemed like a childish thing to do, yet it brought back memories for me. All the local kids would converge on the Monroes’ hill, and his mom would bring out hot chocolate and candy canes.
Heath grinned. “We love snowmobiling and sledding. We still have to clear the lane, but once that’s done, it’s playtime.”
“You’re being serious?” I asked him.
“I don’t joke about playing in the snow. It’s the best few days of the year. Last year, we had a large snowstorm on Thanksgiving weekend. That’s when Ireland was snowed in with Emmett. It lasted so long that it felt like a cleansing of the earth. Everything is wiped clean, and anything is possible.”
“I used to feel that way about the ocean. Each crash of the wave was cleaning out the old, preparing for the new.”
“Same concept,” Heath said as he moved from one room to the other. When he was satisfied, he showed me the deck.
“This is my favorite place in each of the cabins. Everyone has an amazing view.”
