Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
ISABELLA
Coming back to Cage Lake oddly felt as if part of me was coming home. I wasn’t sure exactly what I was supposed to feel about that because this wasn’t home. Was it?
“Oh, Isabella. Thank you so much for helping me with my computer,” Ruth, one of the caretakers at the local nursery said.
I smiled at her as I stood on Main Street, the flower beds on each block blooming with their summer buds and colors.
They had decorated the entire main street for graduation.
Tonight would be the full-on event, with the small grouping of seniors walking across the stage, with apparently the entire town in attendance to watch.
I had gone to a high school with at least eight hundred in my graduating class.
There hadn’t been enough tickets for an entire family to show up.
Meaning, each student had two tickets. My father hadn’t come, he’d been on a work trip.
Or perhaps he’d been with the other Cages.
I tried not to think about that, but then again, one of my brothers maybe would have graduated that same day and he had chosen them instead.
I didn’t want to think it hurt anymore, and perhaps it didn’t.
Because I got my brothers out of the deal, and they weren’t that bad.
Cage Lake however was showing up in force, and I felt like a local. Even if I still didn’t have my own place. However, most of my things were at Weston’s anyway. I didn’t want to think too hard about that though.
“You’re so welcome, Ruth. You had it down. It’s just with the new update, they changed where the function was.”
“Why do they have to keep updating things? And then they add these programs to make it seem smarter and all it does is make me feel dumb.”
I reached out and squeezed her hand, something I wouldn’t normally do. But it just felt right. “Believe me. I understand. And I work with spreadsheets for a living.”
“You are just so good at what you do. Not that I know exactly what you do. But when your brother James was here last week to fill out some paperwork with you and Hudson, he just gushed over how much he appreciates you being part of the company.”
My cheeks heated, and a small smile played over my face. “He said that, did he?” I shook my head. “He was only here for a couple of hours.”
“And I’m pretty sure he went to every business he could, including the resort, just to sing your praises. I have a feeling he wants you to take over Hudson’s job. You are much easier to work with than that grumpy cuss.”
“I think Hudson would want me to take over that part of his job. Grumpy sort of is his middle name.”
“Oh, it didn’t take you long to realize that.
I’m just so happy that you Cages seem to be getting along.
I hate what that despicable man did, and though it’s wrong to speak ill of the deceased, I’m still happy that you got to come here.
We’re just so happy to have you. And you’ve made Weston just light up from the inside out. ”
“Now, Ruth, please stop taking all our dear Isabella’s time. She has a few things to pick up before we all head to graduation. And it’s such a lovely day before it gets too hot in the summers. So why don’t we take a walk?”
Ruth patted my hand and giggled at Ms. Patty. “You’re right. Look at me, gossiping again. Thank you so much. And I hope to see you soon.”
Ms. Patty met my gaze and rolled her eyes before she took Ruth away, leaving me slightly stunned.
She threw so much out there without even thinking, and yet it felt like she was reading my mind.
“Oh, Isabella!” Harper said as she came forward, her hands full of bags from her bakery.
“Oh, Harper, let me help you with that.” I reached forward and took a few from her hand, and nearly fell over. “What do you have in here?”
“Every single baked good I could possibly think of,” Harper said with a grin.
“Joshua was supposed to meet me here to help, but he got stuck in traffic at the Bend.” The Bend was the main part of Cage Street that branched off of the highway.
It had the only main bridge to get into the area without having to come from one of the other smaller roads.
With Aspen Creek River on the west side against the mountains, and the main peak on the east side, Cage Street was really the best way to get into the town.
The resort itself was by the main peak, right at the edge of Cage Lake.
While it was technically in the town zone, therefore taxes and other incomes could help with the town, it was almost a different town all on its own.
I knew that the Cages owned it, but I had never even been there.
The town spoke of it like it was one of the multiple towns that fed into each other, but it was like it was a whole different species.
“Anyway, I’m handing these over to the graduation committee, that way they can do what they need to. And then I have to go back to the cafe, set things up for the afternoon off, and then go get ready for the walk.”
“I really love how each of you guys are taking time out to be part of this.”
We walked over to the admin center that was situated next to the welcome building right when you entered the town on Main Street.
There seemed to be a large drop-off for everyone to put their donated or purchased goods and the administrators and committee members would bring it over to the school area.
It seemed that they had everything well in hand, very efficient, and had been doing this for years.
The fact that I was starting to learn people’s names, and they knew me as well, startled me. I didn’t even know all of my neighbors back in my apartment, let alone saying hello to them other than with a small smile. But no, walking down Main Street was an event in itself.
I recognized many people as they were helping with the committee, and there were still a few tourists walking through the streets.
I knew some of the businesses would be closed during the graduation time, but others would be catering to the tourists themselves.
Such as the gift shops, but all in all, it was starting to feel so familiar I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when I went back home.
I ran my hand over my chest not liking that feeling. Because home didn’t really feel like a true word anymore.
Because Weston wasn’t there. But he hadn’t asked me to stay, and we hadn’t discussed what would happen next. So I wasn’t quite sure what I was supposed to say at all.
A man with a dark beard and wide shoulders bumped into me, and I nearly fell into Harper.
“Sorry,” the man grunted as he kept moving, and I blinked.
“Who was that?” I asked Harper, but she shrugged.
“He’s one of the off-gridders,” Hudson answered, and I jumped, not having realized he was there.
“Where did you come from?”
“I was at the hardware store,” he said, pointing across the street. “Don’t worry about him though, he is grumpy, but he at least apologized.”
“You have off-gridders?” I asked.
“Yes, they live off the grid, down the trail near Hudson’s place actually,” Harper said with a grin.
“And contrary to what Dorian says, I’m not joining the camp.”
“There’s a camp?” I asked, convinced I was being played.
“You learn something new every day about Cage Lake, don’t you? Don’t worry. The camp’s nice. They just tend to do things on their own without wanting to deal with people.”
“The fact that Jefferson is walking down the street means he’s probably headed to the graduation.”
I blinked. “Really?”
“Hey, Cage Lake is Cage Lake. You sort of just assimilate.” And with that, Hudson went to his truck, leaving me standing there next to Harper.
“I really don’t understand him,” I said after a moment.
“Nobody does. That’s why we love him.”
I raised a brow, and Harper blushed.
“Not like that. Plus, Joshua would kill me if I ever dated a Cage. They’re off limits.”
“You know, if he says that, it only makes it worse.”
“I know right? One day I’m going to go on a fake date with one of them and just annoy the hell out of my brother. Because it’s fun.”
“I used to annoy Kyler just for fun, and now I have more brothers to do so.”
“I thought you were the responsible one.”
“That’s just what she says, but she has a mischievous streak.”
I jumped once again at Weston’s words and scowled at him. “Really? You couldn’t have stomped or something to let me know you were behind me?” I asked, even as my heart raced.
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against mine, and my shoulders eased. “I’m sorry, Bella. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You guys are so sweet. I hate it,” Harper said, even as she sighed happily. “Okay, I have to get back to work, alone. Without a man of my own. But it’s okay, you go off and be happy and ride into the sunset.”
“You know, I do have single brothers,” I teased.
“Ooh, like the rock star?” Harper asked, and Weston scowled.
“Joshua would kill them,” he said, sounding serious.
“Why am I killing people?”
This time I didn’t jump, because I’d seen Joshua walk forward, and Harper just blushed.
“No reason.” She dashed off toward the bakery, and Joshua raised a brow.
“Do I want to know?”
“No,” I said.
“Not even in the slightest,” Weston put in.
Joshua shook his head and followed his sister to the bakery.
I slid my hand into Weston’s and smiled up at him. “So. Are you ready to watch the girls graduate?”
Weston cringed. “How are they adults now? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“It’s okay. They’re brilliant girls who know what they’re doing. They’re going to be fine.”
“You say that, and yet all I think about is the fact that they’re going to be off in college. Living in dorms. Dealing with boys.”
“They both have boyfriends.”
“Yes,” he growled. “I like Mason though. Even though he and Sam are going off to college together.”
“And staying in separate dorms. And they’re both eighteen. Breathe.”
“I do not have to breathe.” He paused. “You know what I mean.”