Chapter Three #2
Finn smiled and turned his gaze back to the scenery.
He found himself enthralled by the stars sparkling above.
They were so bright that even the moon seemed to glow a little stronger.
The cabins looked just as they’d been described on the website.
There was plenty of space between each one, which Finn suspected was intentional for guest privacy.
From his research, he knew the resort was divided into two sections.
One was for families, and the other was for couples and singles.
The farther they drove, the closer they came to the lake.
Its dark surface mirrored the moon and scattered stars, making it look like the sky had been spilled across the water.
"So pretty," Finn whispered, though it seemed he had been heard.
"What is?" Prince asked.
"The sky. I can't recall the last time I saw the moon or even a star so clear and bright."
"Living in the city does have its disadvantages," Prince commented. "Besides the resort being beautiful, I have to admit the night sky was a big draw for me staying here."
They rounded a sharp corner, and in the distance stood a lone two-story cabin that appeared smaller than the others they had passed.
Unlike the rest, it was modest in design and sat quietly on the edge of the partly frozen lake.
The golden light spilling from the windows reflected softly across the dark, glassy surface of the ice.
As the car drew closer, Finn could see smoke rising from the chimney. The roof was buried beneath a thick, undisturbed layer of snow. The entire scene felt enchanting, almost unreal.
Prince pulled the car up to the cabin. "Your bags should be in your room," he said as he shut off the engine.
"Okay." Finn nodded.
"Let's go."
They got out of the car and walked up to the cabin.
Finn waited while the door was unlocked, then stepped inside.
The second the door opened, a comforting warmth from the fireplace washed over his chilled face.
It was followed by the scent of cedar, clean and slightly sharp, mixed with the light, fresh smell of split wood.
The cabin didn’t feel overly spacious, but it wasn’t cramped either. The dining area, living room, and kitchen were all in view, including the fireplace tucked neatly beneath the stairs that led to the second floor.
"It's small, but we won't crowd each other," Prince said beside him.
"I don't find it small," Finn replied with a smile. In fact, from what little he had seen so far, it felt perfect.
"Come on, I'll give you the penny tour." Prince walked into the kitchen and opened a cabinet filled to the brim with groceries. "I had the staff get some items for your stay. If there's anything you want and don't see, simply ask the concierge and charge it to the cabin."
Finn nodded, then walked over to the wide French doors that led to the snow-covered patio, where he could see a jacuzzi hot tub.
He smiled and reached to open the doors, but was startled when he felt something curl around his ankle.
Looking down in surprise, he saw the cutest blue-gray kitten rubbing against his leg, purring loudly as if it had already decided he belonged to it.
"Where did you come from?" Finn squealed, forgetting himself as he bent down and scooped the tiny creature into his arms.
The little one purred even louder when Finn scratched gently behind its ear.
"You are so cute," Finn murmured, smiling down at the kitten. "What's your name?"
Finn lifted the kitten closer to his face, rubbing his cheek gently against its soft fur.
He buried his nose in the kitten's neck and closed his eyes, breathing in its warm, sweet scent.
The kitten seemed to approve of the attention, purring louder as it tucked itself comfortably against his chest, its tiny body pressed close in quiet contentment.
"You smell so good," he gushed, then opened his eyes and froze when he noticed Prince watching him.
"Uh…" Finn stuttered, suddenly very aware of how ridiculous he must look, but Prince cut him off before he could say anything else.
"He doesn't have a name," Prince said, stretching out a hand to scratch the kitten behind its ear.
The small animal leaned into the touch, purring louder.
Prince then looked at Finn, his expression thoughtful.
Maybe Finn was reading too much into it, but the look lingered. "Maybe you can give him a name."
"Are you serious?" Finn asked, excitement lighting up his face, momentarily forgetting the strange feeling he had just experienced.
"Yes."
"Oh wow, that is a great responsibility."
Prince smiled and gave him a small wink. "You can handle it."
"Where did you get him? What breed is he?" Finn asked, the questions tumbling out one after another.
"He's a British shorthair, and he's a stray," Prince explained. "I guess he was abandoned. I was on a hike and found him almost buried in the snow."
"Oh, that's so sad," Finn whispered. He leaned down and kissed the kitten gently on the forehead.
"He really seems to like you," Prince added. "Since I got him, he refuses to let others touch him besides me."
"I've always wanted a pet, but we couldn't even afford one. And they aren't allowed on campus," Finn said softly.
"Well, while you're here, he can be yours," Prince said with a smile.
"Really? You don't mind?" Finn asked, cuddling the kitten even closer.
"No," Prince replied with a smirk. "I don't mind. As I said, he likes you."
"Is that true, little Gray?" Finn asked, looking down at the kitten in his arms.
"Gray?"
Finn glanced up at Prince, suddenly worried. "You don't like it?"
"I do. It fits him." Prince smiled, immediately setting Finn's mind at ease. "Come on, let me finish showing you around."
"Okay." Finn continued cuddling Gray as Prince showed him the second-floor bedrooms and the shared bathroom between them.
"We'll come up with a system to alert the other when the bathroom is occupied," Prince said.
"Okay, Mr. Sullivan."
"Are you going to do that the entire time you're here?" Prince asked.
Finn blinked, clearly confused by the question.
"You keep calling me Mr. Sullivan?" Prince clarified, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Call me Prince from now on."
"I don't think I can do that," Finn said, holding the newly named Gray against his chest, looking quite cute.
"Why not?" Prince asked.
"Well, you're my elder, and I was always taught to show my elders respect."
"I see." Prince nodded slowly. "Okay then, out of respect for me, call me Prince."
Prince could see that Finn wanted to argue his point, but he was interrupted when his cellphone began to ring. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled it out and glanced at the screen, seeing that it was his special assistant, Blair.
"I need to take this," Prince told Finn. "Make yourself at home."
He didn’t wait for Finn to respond before stepping out of the bedroom, leaving him alone to settle in for the night.
He stood at the window with the phone pressed to his ear, one shoulder resting lightly against the frame as he listened to his assistant and commented at the right moments, but his mind was on other things.
His company was in the process of a merger for a luxury hotel chain that had been going on for months.
Still, his attention kept drifting to the young man in the other room.
He found himself wondering if the staff had left Finn enough blankets, since the temperature might drop later tonight.
They were in the mountains, not the city, and it got colder.
The staff was competent, so he brushed it off and kept his gaze fixed on the slow fall of snow outside, trying not to question why he would suddenly care about his son’s best friend.
Prince was momentarily distracted when he noticed someone outside playing in the snow like a child experiencing it for the first time.
A smile crossed his face, and it didn’t go unnoticed that he had been doing that quite often tonight.
In the span of a short time, Prince could already see why Bevin was drawn to the young man.
He had been so busy watching Finn that he only caught himself when he noticed there was a pause on the line.
"Yeah," he said, clearing his throat. "That works."
He listened again, truly this time, repeating the key points back, focusing on the call. But even then, he couldn’t take his eyes off Finn.
A brief memory of what could have happened in the car came back to him, and Prince wasn’t sure why he had reached over to pull the seat belt instead of simply telling Finn to do it himself.
Their faces had been so close, their lips near enough that all he would have had to do was lean down and kiss him.
"Fuck," Prince cursed under his breath, cutting the thought off.
"Sir?" the assistant said on the other end of the line.
"It's nothing. Keep going," Prince instructed.
What the fuck am I thinking? He’s my son’s age. I could be his fucking father, for crying out loud. Not to mention, I think Bevin has feelings for him that go beyond friendship. Maybe it was a mistake asking him to stay with me.
Prince had never second-guessed his decisions before, but watching Finn enjoy himself in the snow, he couldn’t help wondering if this rash choice would cost him something in the long run.
I need to keep my distance.
"Inform the board I will meet with them personally," Prince said.
"Are you sure, sir?" his assistant asked.
With one last look at Finn, Prince stepped away from the window as he made his decision. "Yes."
"I'll make the arrangements."
The call ended.
Prince went to the linen closet in his bedroom and grabbed the extra blankets then walked to Finn’s room laying it neatly across the foot. Gray lifted his head at the movement and let out a soft, offended meow at being disturbed.
Prince crossed the room and scooped up the kitten.
"Take care of him while I'm gone," he told the cat, then headed to his room to pack. Just as he zipped the bag closed, his phone chimed with a text confirming a car would pick him up early in the morning to take him to the airport.
"Good. I'll be gone before the kid wakes up," Prince mumbled.
He didn’t admit, even to himself, that it might look like he was running away. But for the life of him, he didn’t know what else to call it.