by Kay Correll
“So, you’re leaving tomorrow?”
Cece turned and looked right at her. Bree’s heart raced at the look in her eyes. Hurt mixed with fierce determination.
“I’d like to stay for another few days and help you with the cabin. It’s not right that we dumped everything on you.” She paused in folding another sweater. “If that’s okay with you.”
Though it didn’t really sound like Cece was asking her permission.
Bree stood for a moment, unsure of how to answer. She needed the help, she did. And for the first time in a very long time, she wasn’t anxious to get away from Cece.
“It’s okay with me if you stay.”
She didn’t miss the tiniest smile that flashed across Cece’s face before she turned back to gathering her things.
Chapter 13
Petey left early the next morning, and Cody went out on a photo shoot with Hunt. Bree and Cece were left alone in the cabin. Bree did her best to pretend it wasn’t awkward as a three-legged race in the snow.
“We could finish up Mom and Dad’s room so that’s behind us,” Bree suggested.
“Okay, but I’m warning you, it’s not an easy job.”
Bree didn’t mention that she’d seen Cece crying yesterday while sitting on their parents’ bed.
“Well, let’s see if we can finish it all today.” They grabbed boxes and entered their parents’ bedroom. A wash of pain swept over Bree. Flashes of her mother sitting on the bed talking to her. Her dad reaching into his closet to pull out one of his flannel shirts for her to wear while they headed out to sit by the lake on the swing. The sounds of her parents talking and laughing. So many memories swirled around her.
“You want Mom’s or Dad’s closet?” Cece stood holding a box.
“Ugh. You choose.”
“I’ll take Dad’s.” Cece went over and opened the door to their dad’s closet. “Do you want anything?”
Bree crossed over to stand beside her sister. “Actually, I think I’ll keep a couple of his flannel shirts.”
Cece grinned. “You always did love to wear them.”
“I did.” She picked out two of her favorite shirts and held them up to her face. They still smelled of her father’s aftershave. Tears threatened to storm her eyes. She swallowed.
Cece reached out and set a hand on her arm. “I could do it all if it’s too hard.”
“No.” Bree busied herself folding a shirt. “I’m fine.” It was only a tiny white lie. She would make herself fine. She painstakingly folded each flannel shirt, then set the stack of them on the bed and turned to her mother’s closet, swinging open the doors.
That was a mistake. All of a sudden, all the air in the room sucked away. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. She backed away and sat on the bed as tears rolled down her cheeks.
The bed jiggled and Cece sat right beside her, crying herself.
They both sat silently while their tears ran free. Bree didn’t even try to stop them.
“I miss them so much.” Cece’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“I do, too,” Bree answered. Only, she’d missed them for so many years with her stupid choice to cut them out of her life along with Cece. Why had she been so determined that was a good decision? She’d lost so many years, so many days, she could have spent with them. Cody could have gotten to know them better. He could have come here to the cabin with his grandparents. Maybe even worked in town during the summers just like she had. He would have loved that.
Guilt and remorse, mixed with the pain of loss, flooded through her until she thought she might drown in it.
She turned to Cece. “I... I am so sorry, Cece. Sorry I basically left the family. Sorry I couldn’t get over it.”
“I’m so sorry for what I did to you. I am.” Her eyes shone with fresh tears.
“And I think it’s about time that we tried to work things out. Come to a better place. I mean, I’m still mad at you.” Bree paused. “No, that’s not even right. I’m sorry it all happened. But if I’m being honest, the pain of it is beginning to seep away. I... I wish I would have handled it differently.”
“Oh, Bree.” Cece threw herself into Bree’s arms.
She held her sister then, for the first time in years and years.
And it felt... right.
They finally pulled apart and swiped at the tears on their faces.
“Well, I never thought that would happen,” Cece said.
“I’m glad it did. I don’t know how things will work between us, but this is better than it’s been, right?”
“Even if it did take Mom’s and Dad’s clothes to bring us together.” Cece looked at the open closets. “So you think we should tackle the rest of the bedroom now?”
“Yes, let’s do. Let’s get more of the past behind us.” Bree resolutely walked over to her mother’s closet and started packing up the clothes. But not before she set aside her mother’s favorite sweater for Cece.
Chapter 14
Cece, Cody, and Bree headed to the lodge for dinner that night. Cody could not stop talking about what a great time he had on his photo shoot with Hunt. Something about aperture and depth of field and f-stops. Bree didn’t know what it all meant, but she was pleased that Cody was so happy.
They walked into the dining hall and Nora waved from across the room and motioned for them to take their regular table.
Jason came over to join them as they took their seats. “Good timing. I was just going to grab something to eat.”
Cody jumped up when he saw Hunt and Keely enter the dining room. “Can I invite them, too?”
“Sure, the more the merrier.” Jason nodded.
Hunt and Keely joined them, and Hunt and Cody immediately launched into a discussion of photography. Cece and Keely chatted about the upcoming predicted snow storm.
Jason leaned over and whispered, “So, things going okay with all of you? You and Cece seem—I don’t know—less at odds.”
“We talked some. I don’t know where we are right now, but things are better. At least I think they are.” Bree reached for a menu the waitress brought. Not that she needed it. Except to see what the special dessert was tonight. Because she was going to treat herself to some empty calories.
“I’m glad things are better for you two. Have you heard from Abby since she left?”
“Nope. I’m pretty sure she won’t call. She was pretty mad when she left, but I think part of that was being mad at herself, too. She has a way of blurting things out, then regretting them later. She has no off switch.”
“Well, that was a rough way for Petey to find out the truth.”
“It was.”
They were interrupted when Nora came over with a bottle of red wine. “On the house for some of my favorite people.” She poured glasses, passed them around, and sat down beside Jason. “You heard we have a big storm coming tomorrow?”
“I did. Don’t worry. I’ll be ready to clear the roads.”
“We have that wedding this coming weekend. I’d hate for the weather to mess with that. The bride was so excited about having a winter wedding. Outside, of all things, though we did say we could host it in the main reception area of the lodge if need be. We can move the benches around and bring in chairs. It’s a small wedding. It would work.”
“Well, if she wants it outside, hopefully she’s got snow boots she wants to wear.” Jason grinned.
“I really think we should consider the expansion of a conference venue that could be used for meetings and weddings. We have that land at the far side of the property where we’d planned on putting in a few more cabins. I think a meeting venue might be more worth our while.”
“I agree. I’ve done up some preliminary numbers on it since you last mentioned it.”
“You have?” Nora smiled. “Well, of course, you have. You’re my numbers guy.”
“Let me have a bit more time to firm things up, and I’ll go over it all with you. Then we can make a decision.”
Bree wat
ched the confident businessman, Jason, as he discussed the expansion of the lodge. A businessman in a flannel shirt and jeans.
Nora stood. “I’ve got to head back to the kitchen and help Judy. We’re short a kitchen worker tonight.” She headed back to the kitchen.
Bree leaned toward Jason. “You love working here, don’t you?”
His eyes lit up. “I do. I love working with Mom, love the people who come here—mostly—and love helping her plan things that help grow the business.
A clatter of broken plates caught their attention. A young waitress stood over a pile of broken dishes on the floor. She fled out of the dining room.
“I better go help.” Jason rose.
Bree watched as he expertly spoke to the people at the table who were expecting the food that now sat piled on the floor amongst broken dishes. He promised them a free bottle of wine, a free meal, and that he’d rush their order through again.
She turned to Cody. “I’ll be right back.” He nodded but barely looked up from his conversation with Hunt. More f-stop thingies.
Hurrying over to where the dish bins were kept, she grabbed one, returning to start cleaning up the broken dishes on the floor. Jason walked up to her. “I was going to get that as soon as I told Mom to rush their order again.”
“I’ve got it. Just need a quick mop up.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to put on my waiter persona. Penalty of being an owner. Have to chip in where needed. That new waitress seems to have disappeared.”
“You go do that. I’ll finish up with this.” Bree mopped the last of the mess from the floor, then noticed a table nearby with empty water glasses. Without stopping to really think, she went and grabbed an apron from the waitress station along with a pitcher of water.
She spent the rest of the evening helping Jason with the dining room crowd. He slipped past her one time and grinned. “Just like old times, huh?”
Cody came up to her later as she was clearing a table. “We’re finished eating, but you never got your dinner.”
“I’ll grab something when we’re finished. You go on to the cabin with Cece. I’ll be back soon.”
“Hunt said I could go with him again tomorrow. He’s hoping the storm clouds from the snow coming in will make for some good photos. Can I go again?”
It didn’t escape her that he actually asked her this time. She smiled. “Of course. I’m glad you’re learning from him.”
“Okay, see you later at the cabin.” She watched as Cody and Cece left the dining room.
She busied herself clearing the rest of the tables and waiting for the last group of diners to finish up.
Nora came out of the kitchen and looked around at the dining room in surprise. “You cleared up all of this? I figured I’d be here for hours we’re so short-handed.”
“Just that one table left. Do you need help in the kitchen with the dishes? I seem to remember I was quite the expert on dishwashing.”
“When you weren’t starting water fights.” Jason grinned. “Anyway, I have a better idea.” He put his hands on his mother’s shoulders and turned her to face the door.”You go back to your cabin. Bree and I will finish up.”
“I can’t do that.” Nora shook her head.
“Yes, you can. Go. I’ll help Jason.” Bree nodded agreement.
“I don’t know...”
“We need to find more help for the dining room.” Jason continued to propel his mother toward the door.
“Preferably ones that don’t drop trays of food,” Bree added wryly.
Nora laughed. “That, too. Okay, I’m out of here. Thanks, you two.”
Jason looked around the kitchen an hour later. The dishes were finished. He’d double-checked to make sure the ovens were off, stove off, and fridge door was locked.
Bree rested on a stool, her faced flushed from the heat in the kitchen. She looked—adorable. She also looked relaxed, and a hint of a smile teased the corners of her mouth.
Not that he was staring at her mouth.
She sat finishing up a piece of apple pie. He walked over, smiled, then pushed a damp curl away from her face and ignored the shot of heat that raced through him when he touched her skin. He jerked his hand away and shoved it in his pocket. “You did good tonight, Breester. We really needed the help.”
“I’d forgotten how tiring it is.” She self-consciously pushed back more of her hair and set the plate on the counter beside her. “The time goes fast while you’re working, but then, it just kind of hit me.”
“Let me take you home. You do look beat.”
“I don’t think that was a compliment.” She shoved at her hair again.
“Well, what I meant to say was you look wonderful.”
“Much better. So we’re all finished here?”
“Yep.” And yet he stood there and stared down at her, perched on the stool. He stared at her lips and watched while her tongue darted out to moisten them.
Time froze for a moment, trapped between the days when they were young, carefree kids, and the present.
He reached out to pull her to her feet, her hand lighting a fire in his. She stood in front of him, inches away, the electricity between them impossible to ignore.
He wanted to kiss those lips.
But they were friends. He didn’t want to mess that up.
He was almost certain he saw desire darken her eyes. And uncertainty.
Before he could make up his mind to actually kiss her, she turned away. “I’ll go get my jacket.”
Once again, he was just a little too late...
Chapter 15
Cece sat in bed reading. She was too mentally and emotionally tired to tackle more of the cabin tonight. She heard Bree come home and the low tones of her talking with Cody. After a bit, she looked up to see Bree standing in the doorway to the bedroom.
“You jumped right in there to help. Just like we used to do when we were kids.”
“It was kind of instinct, I think.” Bree leaned against the doorframe.
“Did you ever get something to eat?”
“I did get a piece of Nora’s apple pie. So good.”
“Jason drove you home, I guess?”
“He did.”
Cece sat up straighter. “He likes you, you know.”
“What? Don’t be silly. He doesn’t. We’re just friends.”
“I see how he looks at you. His eyes do not say friend. They say... more than that.”
“You’re crazy.”
“No, I’m not. He had a crush on you when we were kids, you know.”
“He did not.”
“Bree, you were always clueless. Listen to me. He liked you then, he likes you now. More than like.”
“I think you’re wrong.” Bree turned to leave.
“Bree?” Her sister stopped. “I’ve... I’ve never had anyone look at me like he looks at you. You should give it a chance. He’s a great guy.”
Bree sat on her bed in the room she used to share with Cece. She had happily banished her to Abby’s room when Abby had left.
Now the room felt... wrong. Like Cece should be in here with her. Chatting. Talking. Laughing.
She was sure Cece was wrong about Jason. He didn’t like her like that. He didn’t.
Though, there was that one moment in the kitchen tonight. Something had been going on between them. Some kind of magnetic pull.
She’d thought he was going to kiss her.
So she’d stood there like a fool, and he hadn’t, so she’d turned away. Maybe she’d misread things.
Maybe she didn’t know anything about anything anymore.
Just as she started to drift off to sleep, one more thought tormented her mind. Cece had said what a great guy Jason was...
Did she have to worry about Cece going after Jason now?
Not that there would be anything wrong with that, because there wasn’t a she and Jason.
He was a free agent. Able to date anyone.
But the thought of Jason
dating Cece pretty much strangled her heart.
Chapter 16
Hunt knocked on the door early the next morning. Cody bounded to the door and tugged it open. “Hi, I’m almost ready. Come on in.”
Bree came up to Hunt as he entered the cabin and glanced around. “Nice place.”
“A bit torn up now, with all the boxes.”
“Cody said you were getting it ready to sell.”
“So far it seems like an endless job.”
He shook his head. “I’m sure it is. Has to be a lot of history between these walls.”
He was right. There was so much history here. So many memories. It seemed impossible to stuff all that in boxes and make it go away.
Cody came up, shrugging on his winter coat and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “I’m ready.”
She glanced out the window at the weather, unsure if this expedition was really a good thing. The storm clouds were already gathering in the distance over the mountains.
“I’ll keep my eye on the weather. We’ll head back to town if it looks like the storm is moving in faster than expected,” Hunt assured her.
“Well, I’ll be here.” Bree looked around the great room, mentally ticking off the list of things that still needed to be packed up in this room. Not to mention they had to figure out the whole furniture situation. Should they try and sell it with the house? Donate it?
More decisions. She was so tired of making decisions.
She watched as Cody and Hunt pulled out of the drive and turned as she heard Cece come into the room. “I’ve finished up with the bathroom in the master suite.”
“You did?” Bree was grateful to have one more thing taken off her plate.
“Yeah, it wasn’t as hard as I thought. Not as bad as the closets. Mom had every lotion known to mankind, though. And fifty shades of lipstick, yet I rarely remember her wearing any. I do admit to opening up Dad’s aftershave bottle and sniffing it. I miss that scent.”
