6. Skylar
6
SKYLAR
“Do you think Woody would let me stay at the cabin for a few months while I figure my shit out?” I asked, staring at my feet.
I’d stayed the night at Rowdy and Kess’s place after the birthday party and woke to a big breakfast out by the pool. Kess enjoyed taking care of his man, and had always made me feel welcome when I came over.
When Rowdy didn’t answer right away, I snuck a peek in his direction. He raised his brows. “We have, like, three guest rooms that overlook this exquisite pool.”
“I can’t, Rowd,” I said, leaving off the fact that I could hear him and Kess go after it last night.
He let out an exasperated sigh. “We’d started using the cabin for extra storage, but I’m sure we can make it habitable for you.” Before I could thank him, he held up a hand. “But why would you think Woody’d say no to you?”
I shook my head. “Because I’m in a weird headspace right now and nothing feels certain anymore.”
Rowdy stood in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders until I looked him directly in the eye. “I get it. But you’re like a brother to me, which means you’re also important to Woody. We’ll be here for whatever you need.”
Rowdy was the one I told all of my secrets to, and he did the same. I was the only one who knew how sexually inexperienced he was before getting together with Kess, despite his reputation to the contrary. When he finally let Kess love him, I had a front seat to him taking down his walls. It was one of the most special things I’d ever witnessed.
I couldn’t figure out why, then, it was so hard to let him help me now.
I nodded, annoyed at the few tears that’d escaped.
It brought me back to last night, and the hallway with Kit. The way he was so quick to get angry on my behalf, to offer help, to give me a hug right when I needed one. I felt bad about leaving the lip print on his cheek, but when he came out of the bathroom, a few minutes later, his cheek scrubbed clean, he didn’t seem annoyed. The opposite, really.
I set that thought aside, because yeah, no. I had bigger fish to fry.
I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Rowdy. I promise, no loud parties.”
“I appreciate it. The animals need their beauty sleep.”
Shit. I’d forgotten about the animals. Woody’s land was a true-blue sanctuary for exotic animals, and while Rowdy always insisted they weren’t mean or aggressive, I was gonna have to figure out how to be okay with crossing paths with antelope and zebras, or whatever.
We finished breakfast, and Rowdy handed me the keys.
Yesterday, when I’d hired an Uber to take me from Austin, the very sweet, very large driver was happy to help me with my massive suitcases. Today, however, there was no driver. Even though I had no intention of asking for help, Rowdy and Kess each grabbed a large suitcase, leaving the final one for me. The path between their house and the cabin was relatively smooth, and the animals seem to keep their distance, watching as the three of us paraded up to the small place.
I opened the door, expecting the cute cabin that Rowdy and I’d upgraded last year with fresh paint and a few nice pieces of furniture. Instead, we were confronted with several large bags of something—soil, maybe?—as a stale smell washed over us.
Rowdy’s nostrils flared as he waved his hand in front of his face. “Sorry. Been a few months since I’ve been in here.”
He pushed past me and grabbed a bag. “Gimme a sec,” he said. “I’ll get these out of here.”
Kess and I also grabbed a bag apiece. According to the label, they were fifty-pound bags of feed and I narrowly escaped a press-on nail disaster as we followed Rowdy to the barn. We had to move a few things around to make room for the bags, but we made it work.
Once we’d cleared all the bags plus some equipment and tools that’d been stacked in the kitchen sink, I finally took in the small space. It was more cramped than I’d remembered and kinda lifeless without Rowdy’s music or guitar or any of his pretty tchotchkes. The bare mattress was decent, the few pieces of furniture were well made, and Rowdy and I’d painted the walls a gorgeous blue when he lived here. Still, the bare space was a stark contrast to the luxury condo I’d been staying in.
Don’t judge a gift horse in the mouth, Sky. You can make this place yours in no time.
There was the small dresser to the side of the bed I’d thrifted for Rowdy. The size’d made sense for his ‘wardrobe,’ but wasn’t near enough for my clothes. I shoved as many of my essentials into the dresser as I could, then set out a few personal items. There wasn’t a closet, per se, merely a sturdy shelf with a suspended bar on which to hang my things. After jamming most of the rest of my clothes onto the makeshift rack, I stepped back to take in the entire effect.
Not great, but not bad. And the work Rowdy and I’d done on the place meant that, with the bags of feed gone and all of my things in place, it was kinda cute.
Sure, I’d become accustomed to living in high style, but there was something to be said about having a place out in the Hill Country, with gorgeous views and access to nature.
Then again, there was still a lot to get used to. That I could see the entire cabin from the foot of my bed didn’t exactly feel like a step up from the penthouse I’d just come from.
“I know it’s not much,” Rowdy said as he helped me put a freshly washed fitted sheet onto the bed. “But this is a good place to reset.”
I snapped out the flat sheet and watched as it floated down to the mattress. “I think so, too,” I responded after a moment. “It’s the right environment for me to make a plan and then put my head down and get to work.”
Kess brought over a nice quilt and laid it out over the bed, along with some fluffy pillows.
“I hope that you’re also able to imagine a life beyond what’s happening right now,” Kess said kindly.
“Beginnings are scary,” Rowdy added, “but I have absolute faith in you, and I know you’re going to build something amazing.”
It seemed like he meant it. I didn’t know when he’d started to sound so wise, but I appreciated his words all the same.
“Thanks, bitch,” I replied with a smile.
He chuckled, and I shared a hug with him and Kess before they set off back to their house. Last night at Stevie’s party, they’d shared that their surrogate, the same woman who had Stevie, was pregnant. Today they were going to accompany her to another sonogram, and after they were going furniture shopping. Given Kess’s elegant style, I imagined some kind of deeply Scandinavian crib with thoughtful details.
I shuddered at the thought of having kids of my own, but loved that Kess made my friend so happy.
Setting up the rest of my things took a depressingly short amount of time. Still, I was exhausted, so I starfished face down on the bed, wondering what I was gonna do.
A few minutes into my aggrieved pondering, the notification went off on my phone. It was a text from Kit.
Kit: I noticed you deleted your other account. Are you okay?
Huh. Didn’t know he followed the other account.
Me: I’m good. Rich (sugar daddy) kept trying to get a hold of me, and since that’s not my life anymore, it was just easier to shut it down.
Kit: If he bothers you, let me know.
I couldn’t help but smile as I imagined his low, gravelly voice.
Me: Thanks, cowboy. I’m pretty sure making throwaway accounts is the extent of his technical ability, and I doubt he’ll find his way to my regular account.
Kit: Glad to hear it. What are you doing today?
Me: I just moved into the cabin and now I’m questioning my entire life.
Me: You know, keeping it light.
Kit didn’t respond right away, but after a few moments the dots started bouncing and stopping, like maybe he didn’t know what to say. Finally, his message came through.
Kit: I wish you’d have let me put you up in one of my properties.
You and me both.
Kit: Did you need help moving your things in?
Me: It was pathetically simple to move my things in. Though . . .
Kit: Tell me.
Me: I need to find a new car. stress emoji
Kit: That’s not so scary. Do you know what you’re looking for?
Me: Something both practical and cute.
Me: I’ve been looking at SUVs, and there’s a sky-blue Bronco I’ve got my eye on.
Kit: Can I assume sky blue is your favorite color?
Me: How did you know?
Kit: Your medical bag and that peignoir business your sugar daddy bought for you kind of gave it away.
Me: I guess I wasn’t subtle.
Kit: Subtle? You? Never.
Kit: Don’t never let someone make you think you have to be subtle about anything.
I shifted around, hating how much I could hear the deep concern in his whiskey-dipped voice.
Kit: Send me over what you’ve got on this sky-blue Bronco.
Smiling for no particular reason, I thumbed over to the tab where I’d saved the information and forwarded it to him.
A few minutes later, he texted again.
Kit: I like this smaller SUV for you, but I’m surprised you’re looking at used. Are you sure you don’t want to buy a brand-new model?
Me: I thought about it, but I want something I can buy cash while not depleting my savings too much. The seller said the warranty is transferable, and it doesn’t have a lot of miles on it.
Kit: True enough. I also like that you’re buying it cash.
Me: I have a good little nest egg, but I know how expensive it can be to set up this kind of a business.
Kit: Once you’re ready to get into the nitty-gritty of things, we’ll discuss when it’s best to buy something cash and when it’s better to get a low interest line of credit.
Me: And you’ll explain to me what all of those words mean.
Kit: lol. I promise I will.
I grinned at our little inside joke.
Kit: Is it too pushy if I insist on going with you to check it out?
Me: Honestly, I’d be so grateful. But when would you even have time to go with me?
Kit: We should actually jump on this deal right away because I don’t think it’ll be around for long.
Kit: How’s about this afternoon?
Me: Only if you let me buy you dinner after.
I waited for his response, but none was forthcoming, so I set my phone down. I could slow things down, take more time to consider my options, but I’d been chewing on Kit’s idea since he’d blurted it out, and my instincts were telling me this was the right move.
I got up, thinking I might take a shower before letting Kit see me, only to find another sack of grain in the shower stall, along with a large plant that sorta overwhelmed the space. I set the plant on the front porch and started dragging the grain sack along the ground. Somewhere along the way I’d sprung a leak, leaving a narrow trail of feed behind me as I walked.
This attracted several of the animals I’d been avoiding, many of them appearing at the edge of the tree line, their eyes tracking my every move. I froze, not sure if I should drop the feed and run, or if I should be nonchalant about it. No one was growling at me, so I shot for the middle with an unbothered jog to the barn. I shoved the bag against the neatly stacked bags from before and peeked outside.
The only animal brave enough was a tiny deer (antelope?), like maybe a teenager or something. She (no horns, so I assumed) didn’t seem too afraid of me, so I kept my chill demeanor and tried not to scream when she started grazing in my general direction.
By the time I reached the front porch, she was only a few feet behind me, so I raced inside and slammed the door shut. After my heart rate settled, I moved aside the curtains and spied her walking up the front porch steps like she owned the joint. Terrified she was about to knock down the door, I grabbed my phone and called the first person I could think of.