8. Charlie
Chapter 8
Charlie
A week had passed since Deacon completed the dock repairs and I was finally starting to settle into my new home.
I’d gone into town nearly every day to sit with Sarah and Stephanie at the bakery. At first, the venture into town had been strictly for the chocolate croissants. Then, I started to enjoy how easy it was to converse with the girls. They were both so sweet and made me feel like I wasn’t alone in my new town.
It was my every intention to make another trip to town this morning, but when I peered through the back door of the cabin while sipping on my morning coffee, I was greeted with a glistening blanket of snow. Snow had become rare in Charlotte, so I didn’t have much practice driving in it. Despite my newly developed cravings for chocolate croissants, I didn’t want to risk driving when the snow was pretty thick.
“Are you ready, buddy?” I asked Casper while fastening the final bootie onto his back left paw.
He chirped at me in agreement, and I was thankful he was starting to get used to his new footwear. This time, he only stood awkwardly for a few seconds before he bounded toward the front door with me.
I pulled down on the blush-colored beanie my mother got me this past Christmas. The fabric was soft over my ears, and I could feel the fluffy pom-pom move to the side when I slipped on my boots.
Casper nudged my leg with his face before I opened the door to the most beautiful winter wonderland I’d ever seen. A dusting of snow covered the top of the railing surrounding the front deck and the entire ground shimmered in the morning light. It looked like dozens of diamonds had been strewn about my front lawn, the view took my breath away.
I looked down at Casper who looked up at me and before he could get an idea of what I was about to do, I darted over the front porch and down the steps. Snow crunched under the heels of my boots while Casper’s white fur blended into the scenery around us.
We ran around in circles, Casper chasing after me. The cold air burned my lungs, but I didn’t care. The sky was moody above me, promising to send more snow that already had the surrounding pine tree branches weighed down.
Laughter fluttered past my lips as I fell to the ground and spread my arms and legs out wide, doing my best to make a snow angel in the little bit that covered the grass. Casper rolled his shoulder into it before plopping over completely, doing little wiggle worm movements so he could feel the coolness of the snow press into his fur.
I laid there for a while, giggling to myself as I watched Casper start to hop around in the snow, chasing after some imaginary bug that only he could see. Wet cold was starting to seep through my pants, but I didn’t want to move. Not yet.
There was nothing that could take the lightness and pure joy away from me. I’d wanted this so badly. I thought my heart yearned for it before I even realized what it truly was.
Open space.
Freedom.
Silence.
Joy.
The divine experience that only being out in nature could bring.
In the short time of being in my new home, I’d already completed three canvases and listed them on my website for sale. One sold almost immediately, reminding me how fortunate I was to do my life’s passion for a living.
Thankful for this life, I continued to lay in the snow. Watching endless gray clouds roll by, feeling my clothes grow wetter and colder by the minute. But that didn’t matter because I was here, in the exact moment I’d wished and hoped for, for so long.
Speckles of white, green and brown paint covered my forearms. The mural was starting to come alive. After our morning in the snow, I brought Casper back inside so I could work on bringing some of the beautiful nature into our new home. The wall behind the loveseat had been transformed into a misty forest scene and as I stood back and assessed the work I’d put in for the last six hours, I felt impressed with myself.
My craft had transformed from the years I’d spent in college, and I was just now starting to find my voice as an artist. I wanted to create things that spoke to me through quiet whispers or loud yells.
And the nature surrounding the tiny cabin told me that there was such peace and mystery in the woods. What trials had the giant trees endured from the time they were a sapling until their roots grew deep into the earth? How much time had passed for the rushing water of the river to hone the pebbles lying beneath its surface?
There were so many questions that would go unanswered, and it was beautiful. The humbling experience of never knowing something. It kept me grounded and curious.
Satisfied with today’s work, I gathered my brushes and went to the sink to start cleaning them. Lifting the faucet handle with my wrist, an angry gurgling sound rumbled beneath the sink.
“Oh no,” I said under my breath as the rattling sound grew louder right before water spewed from the cabinets below the sink. Kneeling, I threw open the cabinet doors and saw that one of the pipes had burst and was quickly filling up the space. Water leaked onto the wood floors and started spilling further into the kitchen.
“Oh my gosh!” I yelled, having no idea what to do to stop the water from jutting out of the pipe. I smacked the faucet knob back into the off position, but that didn’t stop the water from coming out of the broken pipe.
Hands dripping wet, I grabbed my cell off the counter and dialed Deacon’s number. It rang five times before going to his voicemail.
“Shit, shit, shit!”
I called another three times, but he still didn’t answer. “Come on, Casper!” I screeched as I took my car keys from the hook by the door and headed for Deacon’s house.
I should have put on a coat , I thought to myself as I walked up Deacon’s front porch steps. Snow had started falling again and my teeth were chattering as I shivered from the wetness that clung to the fabric of my long-sleeve shirt.
His truck was here which meant he had to be home. Two raps of my knuckles on the door and I heard footsteps sounding behind it.
Deep frown lines marred the sides of Deacon’s lips as he took me in.
“Ttthere’s a bbburst pipe in ttthe cabin,” I said, unable to control the chattering of my teeth.
“Come inside.” He ushered me through the front door quickly. Casper and I stood in his entry way while Deacon walked into his living room. He came back with a thick blanket and draped it over my shoulders.
My body relaxed a little as he rubbed my arms up and down, giving life back to my frozen limbs.
“What were you thinking going out in this weather without a coat, Charlie?” he chastised. But through the sternness in his voice, I heard the note of concern shine through.
I stole a deep breath, and my teeth finally stopped clattering together. “I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. The water is still running. I couldn’t get the sink to turn off, so I rushed over here.”
He blinked at me like my answer wasn’t good enough for why I’d put myself in the position of getting hypothermia.
“You should probably go check on it,” I urged, gesturing at the door behind me. “The water is still rushing into the cabin.”
“I don’t care about the fucking cabin, Charlie.” He took a step toward me and grasped a wet lock of my hair in his hand. “The only thing that matters is you not getting sick from being out in the cold, soaking wet.”
There was such a seriousness to his tone, like the idea of me being ill was beyond his ability to handle. My heart clenched at his display of worry. This was the same Deacon who had saved my life. The version of the man who made my heart flutter and had my mind whirling to find some way to get closer to him.
His voice was gentler as he let the strand of my hair fall over the blanket wrapped around my shoulders. “Take Casper and go sit by the fire, I’ll be back soon.”
“Okay.” My voice was hoarse from the adrenaline of getting to his house as fast as I could.
Casper and I walked into his living room. Still feeling the wet cold from my clothes, I sat right next to the fire as Casper curled up on the ledge of the stone hearth.
Looking over the large leather sofa, I watched Deacon as he slipped on his coat and gathered his keys. When he got to the front door, he paused, his large shoulders tensed. Then he looked over at me and I swore there was a whisper of a smile on his lips before he turned back around and headed out into the night.
My eyelids had started drooping from fatigue by the time Deacon came back. As soon as I heard the door open, his presence jolted me awake. My clothes were still wet, but the warmth of the fire had kept the cold at bay. I gathered the blanket he’d given me around my shoulders again and rose.
He shrugged off his coat and set his keys and a bundle of something on the counter. Water soaked his pants legs from the knee down.
I swallowed. “How bad was it?”
His eyes were bright as he turned to me and said, “I was able to shut off the main line and used my wet vac to get the water off the hardwood. But the damage was pretty severe to the pipe, so I’ll need to get a plumber in there to fix it. Apparently, my handiwork with the new sink didn’t hold out very well. ”
My fingers combed through the still damp strands of my hair. “Gosh, Deacon. I’m so sorry. I feel like I’ve made a mess of the place and it’s only been a week and a half.”
Dark brows merged together, and he shook his head. “This wasn’t your fault, Charlie. There was nothing you could have done to prevent the bird’s nest in the chimney or the pipe from bursting.”
He was right. But I was starting to feel like a major imposition to his once peaceful life. He’d said it himself. He moved out here to be alone and here I was in his space once again.
“I know.” I threaded my fingers together and rubbed my thumbs over one another. “I just wish there was more I could do to take the burden off you.” I half-laughed. “I’m sure this wasn’t what you were thinking of when you decided to renovate the cabin and turn it into a rental property.”
His right hand flexed at his side. “No, it wasn’t what I had in mind.”
My stomach sank as I held his fierce gaze. There was so much hidden behind the pine green of those eyes. The questions were buzzing on my tongue, but they couldn’t find their way past my lips.
Suddenly feeling anxious, I unwrapped the blanket from my body and folded it neatly into a square before setting it back on the couch.
“I’ll get out of your hair. Come on, Casper.” I patted the side of my leg, and the sound made his eyes go wide. He did a quick stretch before hopping off the stone ledge and making his way to my side.
Keeping my eyes cast downward, I headed toward the front door. I knew if I looked at Deacon, some part of me would try to find a way to stay. But I’d clearly become an unwelcome burden, and it was time for me to go.
Focusing on my boots by the door, I walked past him. Or, I tried to until his arm reached out and his large hand circled my wrist.
“Where are you going?” he asked gruffly.
My chest heaved up and down as my breaths quickened. A tingling sensation pricked where the palm of his hand closed over my wrist. It was hard to deny that every time we grew near, my body came alive.
“It’s late,” I whispered, peering up at him. His lips pulled back into a tight line when I continued, “I’m going to a hotel to get some sleep.”
“No.” He stepped into my space. He didn’t let my wrist go.
“Deacon,” I said softly. “I’ve already become a nuisance. The last thing I want to do is bring that annoyance into your home.”
Frustration flashed across his face. His nostrils flared and a muscle feathered along his square jaw. Then, he shifted toward the kitchen counter and swiped the bundle of fabric I’d seen earlier off it.
“I wasn’t sure what to grab, so I just brought you some pajamas. The rest of your things are in my truck.” My chin lowered as I noticed the clothes in his hand. My clothes. It was the sage green set I’d gotten for Christmas. The material was soft and lined with dainty cream-colored lace.
I looked back up at Deacon. Long thick lashes cast shadows over his tanned cheeks. Being this close to him, I noticed the veins that ran down both sides of his neck and just how broad his shoulders were. Under the layer of his flannel and T-shirt, I could see the muscles honed over years of doing hard labor. Everything about him was rough and yet…he was so damn handsome; it took my breath away.
“You want me to stay? With you?”
His Adam’s Apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed. “It’s too dangerous to drive on these roads. This was our first snowfall of the season, so they haven’t salted the roads yet.”
It was so hard to reconcile how he was acting right now with the guy who slammed his front door in my face. He was ice and fire, and I never knew which version I was going to get.
Something about that made my blood hum.
“Okay,” I whispered, taking my pajamas from him. “I’ll stay.”