AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Navigating another corner, he turned off the county road and onto a smaller gravel road that looked like it went right up the mountain. She stopped studying him and began to examine the scenery around them.
"Look, Megan. I know this seems weird, but my job puts me in contact with many bad people. I've seen the likes of the Marcuses, the Waylons, and unfortunately, the Bobby Ray Junes of the world. I get that they prey on people who’ve done nothing wrong except being in the wrong place at the wrong time. This time, I'm in a position to help one of those people. It's not that big of a deal. At my heart, I'm a good person from a good family, and my parents raised me well."
As they meandered along the road, she gripped the edge of the seat tightly as some portions of the road seemed like it’d lead them right off the side of the mountain, tumbling down to their death. The only comfort was the trees that began crowding the edge on the downslope, which felt like a cocoon enveloping them between the mountain and the trees. Small comfort if they careened off the road and down the side, but she'd think of something else.
"Look up instead of down; it's not as scary."
Now he could read her thoughts. Great.
"How much farther?"
"One more corner and we're good."
Turning the wheel to maneuver them around the side of the hill, a large gate came into view and beyond that, a picturesque ranch home seemed to jut from the side of the mountain as if it were a part of it. Designed of wood and sided to look much like the very trees that surrounded it, it blended so well that from the bottom it would be hard to spot. Stopping at the gate, Ford rolled his window down, reached into a box at the edge of the fence and entered a code on a hidden keypad. The gates popped open and allowed them entry.
"Wow." It came out before she could stop it.
"We're safe here. As you can see," he pointed down the mountain from where they were, "it's nearly impossible to get up here without being noticed. And, once someone makes it this far, they'd need a code. The only people with the code are Emmy, Dawson, and me."
"Your siblings?"
"Yes."
Stopping at the edge of the house, he pushed the garage door button built into his truck, and they waited silently for the door to open. She had plenty to take in as they waited. The scenery from up here was fabulous. Wild flowers dotted the area here and there where the trees parted and allowed the sun to shine through. Most of the remainder of the terrain was rocky but serene. They pulled into the garage, and the first thing she noticed was it was finished off and decorated in a country motif. Large eight-by-eight beams served as headers for the doors and windows. The doors were vertical barn boards with crossbeams creating an “X” in the middle of each. The whole garage looked heavily built and sturdy.
"Come on in and welcome to my home."
"I thought you said it wasn't yours or it was empty or something."
"Yeah. It's a long story."
"Well, it appears we'll have the time."
Ford lifted the tonneau cover of his truck and pulled her bag and purse from the back. He handed them to her as he walked past, pulling keys from his pocket. Inserting a key into the door, she watched as it swung open and the inside revealed itself to her.
Stepping into the kitchen, the same eight-by-eight header beams were evident as well as the barnwood doors. White cabinets graced three walls, and the dark granite countertops gleamed. The light fixtures all looked like old Mason jars, and rusty frames and shades held them in place. The pendant lights above the center island looked to be an old hay trolley with the same Mason jar lanterns suspended from it. Across from the island was a floor-to-ceiling fireplace of stacked stone in earth tones, and the same wooden beam as the headers served as a mantle. Completely unique and so incredible.
"Wow. This is amazing."
Looking to Ford, she saw the pride on his face. That same peaceful smile formed on his lips. "Thank you. The wood for the headers, mantle, and doors came from my father's barn. He helped me build this place. It was the last thing we did together."
He sucked in a deep breath and her heart hammered in her chest. "You have this beautiful home to remember him. Did you enjoy the process of building this house with your dad?"
Nodding, he stood at the French doors and looked out onto the side of the mountain. "It was very special. As a kid, Dad could always fix everything, but building this home, I realized just how incredible his talent was." Turning to face her, he finished, "I learned so much from him."
Watching his face soften and then sadden broke her heart. She knew what it felt like to know you'd never see the people you loved anymore. It hurt.
"He left you with the most special gift. He taught you how to do something for yourself. Someday you'll be able to teach your children something their grandfather taught you."
His posture straightened. Clearing his throat, he said, "Um, yeah, well, anyway, your bedroom is over here." He walked toward a room off the living room/kitchen, the open concept intriguing and homey. The dark hardwood floors gleamed, the light tan walls soothing. The huge cream colored large pile area rug in front of the fireplace made her want to lay down and burrow in.
"You'll have your own bathroom just outside your door here." Reaching in, he flipped a light switch, and a classy bathroom with cream colored walls, a half bourbon barrel pedestal for the sink and the glass block enclosed shower greeted her. The copper fixtures and tile in the shower blended to create a sense of arms wrapping her in warmth. Whoever decorated this home knew what they were doing.
"It's beautiful."
Redness tinted his cheeks, but he smiled softly and locked gazes with her. When did those deep black pools begin to look sexy to her? Swallowing, he ducked out of the bathroom and stepped into the room next door. "This is your room. I hope you'll feel safe and comfortable here."
Stepping into the room, the dusty sage comforter and matching pillows called to her. When was the last time she'd slept? Three or four days now, if she were counting. Walking to the windows across from the bedroom, she marveled at the view she'd see when she’d wake in the morning. Mountains were in the distance, dotted with colorful flowers and green trees. How long did it take a person to tire or get used to this view? The blue of the sky was the crispest blue and set off the colors of the ground scenery perfectly. Turning, she saw a large wooden dresser, the drawers decorated with wrought iron handles.
