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Sierra
Annie broughtus to a cozy bed and breakfast, and for the first time in days, we each get our own room. I'm looking forward to sleeping alone and leaving my stuff everywhere. The quaint accommodations are decorated in an old-fashioned Victorian style with throw pillows, an overstuffed chair, and a fluffy duvet that has me longing to climb under it.
After dropping us off to freshen up, Annie is headed to the store to close and then back to pick us up for dinner. I give myself a quick freshen-up and walk over to Carly's room. I'm worried about her and think she's feeling insecure. That comment about not surfing because she's too fat made me sad.
My knuckles rap on her door. "Hey, it's me."
She opens up and says, "Stunning as always, my friend."
Carly has put her hair up in a clip that lets soft strands fall around her face, framing her gorgeous eyes and full lips. "You look pretty hot yourself. Nervous?" I perch myself on her bed.
"So much so I might throw up." I watch as she applies lipstick in a soft pink shade. "Sierra, what if Brady finds I'm not what he expected? And I've moved all the way across the country for something that isn't?" Carly plops down in the chair and sighs. "I don't think I can go."
The silver flecks of light I’ve grown accustomed to seeing aren’t in her eyes. I cluck my tongue at her. "You don't have any idea how amazing you are, do you?" I stand with my hands on my hips for an ego-boosting speech. "Girlfriend, your blue eyes lure them in, and when they get there, your body has sexy curves that make them never want to stop touching you. But you know what the best part is?" I think about my loving friend. "You have a heart of gold, and when you let someone in, they get a loyal, courageous person that treasures the gift they are. Any guy would be damn lucky to have you."
Carly smiles at me, and I think I got through when she says, "I'm lucky to have you too. Thanks." She takes the hand I hold out to her and stands up. "Annie will be here any minute. Let's do this."
I nod. "On it."
We make our way to the sitting area to wait for her. I spy the red Hummer through the window. "She's already here." Which is good, because Carly's still smiling from my pep talk.
After driving a short distance from the bed and breakfast, we pull into a long paved driveway that winds up a small hill. Near the top an incredibly tall wrought-iron gate opens when Annie pushes a button on her visor. It's dark out, but as we go by the gate I think I can make out a design of bears and trees on it.
Carly asks, "Is that a custom gate?"
Annie answers, "Yes, for Bear Mountain Tree Company."
I wonder how much something like that costs to have made. We approach a very large log-cabin-style house–no, it’s a fortress. I have my answer. It costs too much if you have to ask. I say, "What a gorgeous home." This is the kind of house that keeps a family safe.
Annie grins in the rearview mirror at me. "Thank you. We've been blessed with a rich heritage and parents that made sure we knew how to run a good business."
We pull into a garage and park next to a large black pickup truck. It's muddy but appears to be a recent model. I guess it's Brady's, and it fits my image of what kind of men we're about to meet.
While neat, the space is full of stuff. Multiple pairs of snowshoes are hung on the wall, downhill skis are next to them, and mountain bikes hang from hooks in the ceiling. This is an active family. It occurs to me we don't know their last name.
We climb out of the Hummer, and our heels tap on the concrete as Carly and I follow Annie into the house. The front door closes behind us with a deep thump that blocks off all noise from outside. This place is solid as a rock, and it makes me wonder if there’s a sheet of metal hiding in the wood.
The aroma of thyme and sage roasting wafts toward us, and I assume we're having baked chicken. We’ve stepped onto tile, but it quickly turns to hardwood as we enter a great room that's more than two stories tall. Open beams frame their way up to a peak, and windows are set up high to let in light. A chandelier hangs down, and an oversized fireplace roars at the end of the room. I marvel at the huge logs that fit with the super-sized atmosphere.
Off to our left is the kitchen, separated by a deep green granite island. I turn toward the dark cherry cabinets that glow in soft light. Beyond them is a table set lit with candles. Heavy footsteps sound behind me, and we all turn toward the staircase off to the right of the great room.
Holy shit.The largest man I've ever seen is coming our way. He's close to seven feet with shoulders that must span the length of my arm. They taper down to a fit-looking waist and thighs the size of tree trunks. He's focused on Carly, and when her gaze manages to get to his face, he grins with bright white teeth.
"Ladies. So nice to have you here." He may have addressed all of us, but it's clear he's only seeing Carly. A flush rises to her cheeks when she puts her hand out and says, "Carly Cutler."
