28. Cole
“Thanks for helping me carry this thing in,” Graham says as I adjust my grip on the large reading chair. “I’m glad I ran into you in the dining room.”
“No problem. You would have broken your back trying to get this in yourself.”
He grunts. “Yeah, well, Sydney and I were supposed to bring it in, but I convinced her to go back to her cabin for the night. She needs a break. She’s been working too hard.”
I agree but refrain from saying it out loud. I’m pretty sure he would be able to see right through my tone or any sort of reaction I might unknowingly have. I’d rather not risk him potentially pummeling me on the spot for having feelings for his sister.
I haven’t known Graham to be a particularly violent person in the time I’ve known him, but you never know where someone’s limit might be…and I sure as heck don’t want to test that right now.
“I think this goes back in this corner, but Syd will tell me I’m wrong tomorrow, I’m sure,” he says, leading us to the open spot in the corner of the library next to the empty floor-to-ceiling bookshelf.
“I guess it’s some viral reading chair?” He scratches his head as we step back to admire the oversized corduroy chaise lounge. “It’s supposed to be all the rage on social media.”
“It looks like a decent chair to me.” I nod, not exactly sure what the fuss is about but keeping that to myself. It definitely adds to the cozy feel of the room, anyway.
“Well, thanks, man.” Graham clasps a hand on my back as we maneuver around several boxes labeled ‘books’ and make our way out of the library.
“Anytime.” I feel a sudden burst of courage and consider broaching the Sydney subject—I even open my mouth to do so—but as we approach the dining room, we both notice a long line of guests at the bar.
“Oh, shoot. Catch ya later.” He rushes off, and I shove my hands in my pockets, letting the urge dissipate.
There’s always tomorrow.
Outside the lodge, the night sky is dark as I trudge down the porch steps. Instead of tracking down my ATV to head up to my own cabin, as I briefly considered doing earlier, I follow the stronger pull I feel toward cabin twelve. I’m in no hurry to pack up and move back into my cabin—I’m perfectly content to spend any time I can with Sydney while she’s here.
Twinkling lights hang between the trees, lighting the path in front of the cabins, and I admire the rustic beauty of the night, finding peace in it as I walk.
When I get closer, I spot Sydney sitting on the porch swing. In the dim light, I can barely make her out, but I can tell she’s curled up under a blanket with a book of some sort in her lap.
“Hey.” She smiles wide when I walk up the steps. She immediately lifts the blanket so I can slide in next to her. Crickets are chirping from somewhere in the dark, and the light from the cabin illuminates through the window behind us—just enough to see each other and not much else.
“How was your day?” I ask, sliding an arm around her, enjoying how she settles close into my side, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“It was good,” she replies. “Blair helped me haul a ton of furniture into the lodge before Graham kicked us out.”
She smiles, but it’s not hard to see the exhaustion written all over her face. I’m glad he sent her back here.
“Graham thinks you’re working too hard,” I tell her gently.
She sighs, giving me a slight eye roll. “Yeah, well, I get my work ethic from him, so he can pipe down.”
I chuckle at her snarkiness, wondering what it’s like to have a sibling who cares for you like they do.
“How was your day?” she asks, peering up at me.
“It wasn’t bad. I started making a new coffee table for the cabin. The old one needs to go.”
“Oh, that’ll look nice.” She tilts her head up to look at me, and when her eyes meet mine, I hold them there, feeling the subtle buzz of chemistry that zaps down my spine when I do.
She lays her head on my shoulder, and I lean down to press a kiss into her hair, running my fingertips across the top of her arm. I could sit like this for a long time, I realize, and not get sick of it.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing to the book on her lap.
She runs a hand over the cover with gentle care. “It’s a journal. Blair gave it to me a few weeks ago.”
“That was nice of her.”
She nods against my shoulder and sighs at the same time. “Yeah. I’ve been trying to use it to write down my feelings about my mom, hoping maybe that might help, but…I haven’t had much luck. Every time I sit down to write, I can’t seem to actually put anything onto the paper.”
I squeeze her shoulder then slide it down the length of her arm. I’m at a loss for knowing how else to comfort her in moments like these. I feel majorly underqualified to know the best thing to do.
“But…I was thinking about our conversation last night.” She tilts her head to look up at me again.
“Yeah?”
“I want to go see my mom.” She says it cautiously, as if she’s testing the words as she says them out loud.
“Really?” Pride blooms in my chest as the softest of smiles grows on her face. There’s a confidence behind it that wasn’t there before.
“Yeah.” She nods and then dips her head down briefly. “Do you think you could come with me? I feel like I could do it if you’re there.”
My chest warms as her eyes go glossy. I squeeze her arm again when she lays her head on my chest. The fact that she trusts me enough to be there for her in a moment like that means more to me than I could possibly express. I’m more than willing to be there for her in any way she might need, and if simply going with her is all she needs, then I can absolutely do that for her.
“You calm me for some reason,” she whispers, making the warmth in my chest even more prominent. “You keep me steady.”
“I would be honored to, Sydney,” I whisper back, brushing the hair away from her face. The faintest of smiles tilts her mouth, and I keep my gaze on it, absorbing it.
As I sit here with her under my arm, I realize that nothing has ever felt more true.