“Okay. Thanks, Mom.”
As Catherine turned to open the door, her mother said, “I mean it, honey. Relax. Enjoy yourself.” As Catherine met her gaze, they said together, “Let it go.”
“I know. I know. I promise to do my best.” Catherine kissed her mother’s cheek and was off to her next stop.
Light, fluffy snowflakes began to fall as Catherine followed Siri’s directions to Emily’s downtown address. The temperature hovered right around thirty, but the forecast called for a sharp drop later in the day and the light, fluffy stuff would become heavy and slick. She wanted to be safely tucked away in Emily’s cabin with plenty of time to spare.
When she pulled into the parking spot marked with Emily’s apartment number, Catherine shifted her car into Park and just stared. The six-story building was new and modern, and she remembered reading about it in the news when it was first erected four or five years ago. The Downtown Lofts, they were called. Simple and sophisticated. They were spacious, elegant, and very expensive. Catherine knew this because she’d gone online for giggles and looked at all the photos, envisioned herself living in one of them, cooking in the gourmet kitchen, pouring wine and mixing fun cocktails in the bar area for all the friends she’d invite over, stretching out in front of the huge stone fireplace, feet crossed at the ankle on her steel-and-glass coffee table as she gazed into the flames. Of course, she’d have to work seven extra jobs, not one, to ever be able to afford such luxury, but it was nice to fantasize about it for a while.
Inside the first set of heavy glass doors was a foyer, nicely appointed in bright, modern colors of aqua and cream, all the glass and metal polished so perfectly that Catherine could see her own reflection everywhere. On the wall was a block of mailboxes and buzzer buttons. Emily was—unsurprisingly—on the sixth floor, and Catherine pushed the corresponding doorbell. An intercom she hadn’t noticed made no sound as it came to life. It was as if Emily’s voice was suddenly just there.
“Hey, I saw you pull in. Come on up.”
And then, rather than buzz, the second set of heavy glass doors simply clicked and Catherine pulled one open.
The inner lobby was enormous and airy, with a large staircase in the very center and elevators on either end. Apparently, no apartments were on the first floor, as Catherine’s curiosity had her wandering the space. Doors for laundry, a fitness center, a storage area, and underground garage access circled the open space. That must be why she didn’t see Emily’s car in the lot. It had its own weather-free underground garage.
Returning to where she’d begun, she decided on the elevator rather than climbing six flights of stairs. As everything else in the building was so far, the car was clean, spacious, and modernly silent. Catherine barely felt like she’d moved before the doors opened to the sixth floor. To her left, a door was open and Emily’s face peered out, adorned with a huge smile that made Catherine feel warm inside almost instantly.
“You found me,” Emily said.
“Wasn’t that hard.”
“Come in. Meet Dave.”
Catherine crossed down the hall and followed Emily inside to the nicest apartment she’d ever seen in her entire life. Everything about it was inviting—which surprised Catherine. She’d expected modern and sleek to equal cold, and Emily’s place was anything but. It was warm, both in temperature and in décor, all deep purples and light beiges, very earthy and comfortable. Her furniture was big, bulky and overstuffed, the kind that made you want to kick off your shoes and flop onto it with a good book, and it would suck you in, cradle you like a lover. One side of the living room was covered by floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out over the city and framed the falling snow—a Christmas card view. It was stunning.
Before she could take in any more, Catherine’s attention was pulled by a stocky, barrel-chested dog with a square head and soft, gentle eyes. He nuzzled her hand and waited patiently for her to notice him, though his entire hindquarters vibrated with the effort to control himself.
“You must be Dave,” she said and squatted to look him in the eye. “You are just as handsome as your mom says you are, you know that?” She took his huge block head in both hands and let him swipe his tongue across her cheek, just once, very gently. “Oh, you are such a sweet boy.”
“He’s a ladies’ man,” Emily said, pride evident in her voice.
After another moment of dog love, Catherine stood back up. “Your place is beautiful.”
“Thanks. I like it.”
“That view is amazing.” Catherine pointed at the windows.
“That’s why I bought this one. I had to haggle and it took a long time, but this apartment has the best view in the building. Sometimes, I turn the lights off, click the fireplace on, and just sit there watching the city go by. It’s super relaxing.”
“I bet.”
“So.” Emily clapped her hands once and rubbed the palms together, and for the first time since she’d arrived, it occurred to Catherine that Emily was nervous. Somehow, that made her feel better. “Let me grab my bag and we can get going, okay?”
“What about Dave?” The dog sat next to Catherine, who’d been absently petting his head nonstop.
“My friend Sandy’s going to pick him up later this afternoon and take him for the weekend.” Looking down at her dog, she said to him, “You’re gonna go have a sleepover with Spike, huh?”
Dave’s ears pricked up and in her head, Catherine heard a Scooby-Doo sounding “huh?” that made her grin.
“Sandy’s dog Spike is a Yorkie who thinks he weighs eighty pounds. He’ll spend all weekend reminding Dave that he is the boss. And Dave will let him, which is why they get along so well.” Emily held up a finger. “Be right back.”
Ten minutes later, they were on the road, Emily gently giving directions as she sat in Catherine’s passenger seat like she was always meant to be there. It was a strange feeling and Catherine did her best to ignore it.
“So, tell me about this cabin of yours,” she said, needing a distraction.
“Well, we have two. This is the smaller one.”
“You have two?”
“In the same vicinity, yes. The bigger one belongs to my grandparents and we used to all go up there together during the holidays and winter breaks, back when me and my brother and cousins were all kids. We’d sled and build snowmen and go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Stuff like that. As we got older, my parents decided they needed a smaller getaway for themselves, so they bought the little cabin. It’s just a one-bedroom with a kitchen and fireplace that allowed them to escape the madness of young, loud teenagers.” Emily chuckled at that and the sound made Catherine smile. “The entire family still uses the big cabin. My cousins have kids. They bring their in-laws. We actually had to make an online schedule and sign up, like we’re customers. But, it works.”
“And the smaller cabin?”
“That’s just for us. My parents and me and Clark. My parents will let others use it if they ask, but it’s mostly just ours.” Emily turned to her and her soft brown eyes sparkled. “I think you’ll really like it.”
“I think you’re right.”
A few beats of silence went by before Emily gestured to the radio. “Do you mind?”
“Knock yourself out.”
Emily fiddled with the buttons for a few moments before settling on a country music station.
“Country? Really? I would not have pegged you for a country music fan.”
Emily subtly bobbed her head to the beat of the Luke Bryan song as she gazed out the window. “I like all music, really. Country, pop, rap, R & B, jazz, classical. Just depends on my mood.”
“Well, you are full of surprises, aren’t you?”
Emily turned to look at her, eyes suddenly heavy with—Catherine refused to analyze it—as she said, “Oh, you have no idea.”
Catherine squeezed her thighs together as her entire lower body tightened with arousal. She looked back at Emily and purposely arched one eyebrow. “Oh, I
think I do.”
Emily dropped her head back against the seat with a defeated groan. “The damn eyebrow. Such an unfair tactic,” she said as she laughed. “I probably shouldn’t have told you how that affects me.”
“Probably not.”
The remainder of the ride went quickly as they talked about everything from the mundane to the somewhat serious, as if they were on a first date and collecting all the data about one another that they possibly could. City became suburbs, which blended out into country as the snow continued to fall gently. Before Catherine knew it, Emily was directing her to turn into a driveway that was camouflaged by the trees; she’d never have seen it without instruction.
“The driveway’s plowed,” Catherine said, surprised.
“Yeah, I called ahead.”
They drove slowly up a winding path that spit them out onto an open lot where an adorable log cabin sat, something out of an architectural magazine. Or more accurately, an HGTV show. The light-colored logs looked striped with white as the snowflakes blanketed the tops of each row. A charming front porch covered the entryway where a red door beckoned to visitors like an aproned grandmother. Come in, come in! Cookies are just out of the oven…
Emily’s slamming door jarred Catherine from her reverie and she followed, popping the trunk and pulling her overnight bag out. Reaching for a second bag, she said to Emily, “I brought some wine. For having me.” At Emily’s smothered grin and raised eyebrows, she blushed and amended, “For inviting me.” She couldn’t help but smile and shake her head.
“That was very sweet of you.” Emily swung her arm out in a huge sweep. “Follow me, young lady.”
The porch was cleared of snow. “Your plow guy shovels as well?” Catherine asked.
“No, I did that.” Emily slid her key in and pushed the door open.
Inside, Catherine simply stopped and stared.
The cabin was something out of a movie. The cathedral ceiling made it feel huge. The walls were log beams and held ski lodge décor: old-timey snowshoes made of wood, a pair of crossed skis from decades ago, a sled that Catherine thought was something her grandfather might have used as a kid. A huge fireplace took up an entire wall, and much to Catherine’s surprise, a wood fire burned in it, warming the living space and giving off just enough scent of wood smoke to make her want to sit down and relax. In one corner, a Christmas tree that had to be nine feet tall stood, completely lit and decorated. Small, twinkling lights reflected off the two gifts wrapped in silver paper sparkling beneath it. The furniture was chocolate brown leather; a large couch and two oversized chairs with matching ottomans. Beneath it was a thick, soft-looking beige area rug, presumably to keep bare feet from being too cold on the gorgeous hardwood floor that matched the walls. In front of the fireplace was a second rug, similar in color scheme, but it looked even thicker and softer. To the right was one door—the bedroom and bath, Catherine guessed. To the left, entry to the kitchen. Catherine stayed where she was for a moment, knowing if the kitchen was half as beautiful as the rest of the cabin, she’d get light-headed and possibly faint from pleasure.
“What do you think?” Emily asked from beside her. When Catherine looked at her uncertain expression, she was shocked to realize that Emily was worried.
“What do I think? I think I’m in a dream. This is…it’s just so beautiful, Emily. Why aren’t you here every single day?”
Emily chuckled and Catherine could hear a note of relief. “It’s a hell of a commute to work.”
“True, but possibly worth it.” Catherine winked and toed off her boots. “Um…crazy question for you: how is there a fire going? And a lit tree?”
“Oh.” Emily took her own boots off, then took Catherine’s coat from her and hung it in the closet next to the boot tray. “I was here yesterday.” Catherine was sure she saw Emily’s skin tint pink. “I wanted it to be pretty for your visit, so I got the tree and decorated it, brought in wood, changed the linens, stocked the fridge, stuff like that. We have a caretaker who lives down the road. He got the fire going for me—” she glanced at her watch “—about an hour ago.”
“Wow. You thought of everything.”
“I tried to.”
They stood face-to-face for a long beat before Emily leaned forward and kissed Catherine on the mouth. It was soft, almost chaste, but not quite, and she pulled back before Catherine had any time to sink into it.
“I’ll show you around.” Emily slid her hand down Catherine’s arm and grasped her hand in a move so natural, Catherine simply went with it, following her around the cabin as she pointed out rooms and artwork and told stories of her times there. “This is the bedroom,” Emily said, her voice growing husky at the same time Catherine registered the one king-sized bed. “There’s a bathroom off in the corner there.” Emily quickly tugged Catherine out of the doorway and toward the kitchen.
“Wow,” Catherine breathed as she entered the modestly sized but richly appointed room. Granite countertops in black topped light oak cabinets and brushed iron handles and knobs tied the two together. All the appliances were stainless steel and top-of-the-line, including the double convection oven and the Sub-Zero refrigerator. A large window over the sink gave a stunning view of the woods out back, the trees reaching their bare branches toward the misty gray sky like mothers’ arms stretching for their children. “This is…it’s breathtaking.”
Emily looked absurdly pleased by the comment, her smile widening radiantly. “I’m glad you like it. I’ve got stew in the fridge for later, if that sounds good. I wanted something hearty, but simple. I’m hoping we’ll work up an appetite.” At Catherine’s arched eyebrow, Emily laughed and added, “Hiking. We’ll work up an appetite hiking and being out in the fresh air. Get your mind out of the gutter.”
The rest of the afternoon went just like that. Catherine couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed spending time with somebody so much. It wasn’t the best of days for snowshoeing—the sky remained gray and got grayer as the day went on. Just as the meteorologists had predicted, the snow turned from happy, fluffy flakes to near-sleet, and the wind kicked up a bit, pelting them in the face with tiny frozen ice balls. But the woods were gorgeously serene and Catherine happily pushed through the snow behind her hostess, who seemed to know the land like the back of her hand.
“I used to build forts here with Clark,” Emily said, gesturing to a small, cleared space. “In the summer, we’d each build our own ‘camp.’” Her mittened hands made her air quotes less distinguishable, but Catherine got the gist. “I’d find two tall sticks that had a Y-shape on one end and I’d stick them into the dirt. Then I’d find another stick to lay across the top in the Y’s and boom. Instant doorway.”
Catherine smiled as she watched the memories play across Emily’s face.
“And then I’d lay sticks all around the area I wanted to be mine.” As she tromped in a circle in the snow, the small clearing became more delineated. “And lastly, I’d gather stones and put them in the center of the room and lay small twigs side by side across them to make a sort of grill for my ‘stove.’” More mittened air quotes. She looked up at Catherine then, her cheeks red with cold, but her eyes sparkling with the recollection of a happy childhood. “I had the best camp around. Way better than Clark’s. And he wasn’t allowed in mine. He always tried to make his like mine and never could, so he always wanted to come in.”
“No boys allowed?”
“No boys, no brothers, and no jerks. He hit all three sometimes.” Emily smiled and after a pause, she added, “You could have come in. I’d have let you.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. But just you. Nobody else.”
“Well. I’d have been honored to be a guest in your stick camp.” When eye contact threatened to become too intimate, Catherine looked around the woods. It was so peaceful, with the wind singing a soft, mournful song through the bare branches of the trees. “It’s so quiet out here,” she said on a whisper, simply because it felt like she should.<
br />
“Isn’t it?” Emily asked, just as quietly. “I used to love to come out here and just…be.” She turned to her right and pointed. “There was an old tree stand in that direction. The hunter my parents bought the land from must have put it up. I used to swipe my mom’s romance novels and climb up into the tree stand and just sit there and read for hours.” Her expression became wistful. “Sometimes, I still want to do that.”
“You read romance novels?” Catherine asked, her mouth quirked up in a half-grin. “Like, Harlequins? Danielle Steel? Like that?”
Emily squinted at her. “Oh, sweetheart, you had best not be mocking the romance novel. Them’s fightin’ words.”
Catherine couldn’t help but laugh at Emily’s statement as they turned to head back toward the cabin. “I guess I just never would have pegged you for a romance reader. Sci-fi maybe. Or mystery. Something with a puzzle to figure out. But romance? You already know how they end.”
Emily shrugged. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Don’t you find that boring? Knowing the ending before you even start?”
Emily scrunched up her face in an adorable display of thinking and Catherine, walking next to her, had to bite back a grin. “But, it’s not about the ending. It’s about the ride. Yes, they’re going to end up together. That’s the whole point. But I read the book because I want to take part in the ride. I want to tag along, sit in the back seat and watch, see how they get there. Haven’t you ever heard the saying ‘life is about the journey, not the destination?’I’m all about the journey. That’s the meat and potatoes of life. It’s what makes it all worth living, that journey.”
Catherine looked at her then, tromping through the snow in her snowshoes, red ski cap covering her head, her dark hair dangling from beneath it. Her cheeks no longer looked cold to Catherine; rather, they looked healthy. Full of life. That sparkle in her rich brown eyes was suddenly not just cheerful, it was gorgeous, one of the most beautiful things Catherine had ever seen. The corners of Emily’s mouth were always quirked up just a touch, but Catherine now understood how rare that was, for somebody to be so perpetually pleased with life. Watching all of this, taking it all in at that moment, Catherine was envious, but for once, it wasn’t of Emily’s money or status. She was envious of her view of life. And more than that, Catherine wanted to emulate Emily. She wanted to be that content with life all the time. She wanted people to be around her and feel like smiling, they way she felt any time she was next to Emily. Catherine’s own smile slowly stretched itself across her face and she let herself feel it even as she concentrated on her footing in the deep snow.
Run To You (Puppy Love Romance Book 2) Page 21
