Chapter 4 #2
I finally remembered how to speak and cleared my throat before I said, “I thought about flying, but my friends will be coming in tomorrow. I thought it would be nice to have my own vehicle in case we decided to go off on our own.”
“Where are they from?”
“Ohio and Texas.”
“Sugar and I have some friends in Texas, and Juni is from there too.”
“It’s a big state,” Juni reminded him. “I doubt we’ve ever met her friend.”
“If you had, then she damn sure wouldn’t be flying all this way just to run into you again. She’d probably be heading south like a duck,” Chewie retorted.
“Geese fly south, not ducks, dumbass.” I glanced over at Juni at the same time Sugar and Claire turned to look at her. She suddenly seemed a little uncertain, and under her breath, she asked Claire, “Right?”
“City girl!” Chewie teased.
“Our ducks live here all year long!”
“Our ducks live in a heated coop and get fed twice a day,” Sugar reminded her. “They don’t know which direction is south and wouldn’t give a shit if they did.”
Juni narrowed her eyes before she said, “You’re supposed to have my back, Sugar Bear.”
“How can he when he knows without a doubt that you’re wrong?” Chewie asked. He nudged me with his shoulder. “Has Juni ever told you about all the things she had to learn when she moved here?”
“No,” I said as I looked over at Juni. She flushed before I asked, “Juni, was moving here an adventure?”
“You have no idea.”
◆◆◆
CHEWIE
When Juni snarked at Sugar again, Taya giggled, and I couldn’t help but smile at the joy on her face.
We had finished eating ages ago, and while Juni put Sweetie to bed, Taya and I helped Sugar and Claire clean the kitchen.
Once Claire left for her room to do whatever it was that teenage girls did to amuse themselves, we tried to go outside to sit by the fire, but the wind had picked up and forced us back in.
We had been sitting around the kitchen table for over an hour, talking and laughing together, and I realized this was something I’d missed since my move to Oregon.
When I lived in Tenillo, we were always gathering at one home or another for dinner and conversation, but I didn’t have that type of community in Oregon.
I had plenty of friends, but they were spread around the country, with only a few close enough to visit regularly. Taya and I had that in common. Her closest friends didn’t live in Oregon, but at least she had her children and even a few grandchildren to spend time with.
“She stared at that jar of milk like it was about to sprout arms and start fighting!” Sugar laughed himself breathless and had to take a second to get himself together. “You should have seen her face!”
“I can’t believe you didn’t know raw milk had cream in it. Where did you think cream came from?” Taya asked.
“The store!” Juni answered in a near shout. “So did butter, sour cream, cream cheese, yogurt, and an entire list of other things that Sugar and Claire make themselves. The man makes cheese, Taya! Cheese!”
The wonder in Juni’s voice had me laughing, too, and I reached for a paper towel so that Taya could wipe the tears off her cheeks as she dramatically cried, “For the love of God! How could he do such a thing?”
Sugar yawned, and Juni followed suit. It dawned on me that it was well past their bedtime, considering they were usually up before the sun to care for animals. I took Taya’s hand from where it was resting on the table and squeezed it before I asked, “Can I walk you to your cabin?”
“Take the Gator,” Sugar suggested. He looked outside and frowned before he said, “Park it next to your cabin, and just take the battery inside.”
“I will,” I assured him as we stood up. “I’ll get our coats.”
Taya looked at me as if I’d just offered her my firstborn. I was confused until Juni said, “The manners on these guys, right?”
“Are they like this all the time?”
“Yes!” Juni assured her. “It took me a while to get used to, but the other day, I left the house to go into town and stood there looking at the truck door like it was going to miraculously open itself. I’m so used to Sugar being the gallant gentleman that I wasn’t quite sure what to do.”
“I did my best to teach my sons manners, and I think I did a pretty good job. Jade says Blaine treats her like a queen, so I suppose I did something right.”
“Good job, Mom,” Juni said with a grin before she got up and hugged Taya.
I waited until the women finished embracing before I held Taya’s coat up so she could slip her arms in before I lifted it up over her shoulders.
“You two get inside as quickly as you can. That wind is brutal.”
“Do you think it’s going to snow?” Taya asked.
Sugar was still looking out the window when he said, “I can almost guarantee it will.”
As much as I wanted to enjoy the time alone with Taya on the way to her cabin, the frigid chill in the air along with the harsh wind made that impossible.
By the time we pulled up next to her cabin, my fingers were numb.
I laughed when I saw Taya had hunched down in her coat so that only her eyes were visible between the top of the zipper and her hood.
“What is wrong with these people?” Taya screeched as I turned off the Gator.
“Who?” I asked.
“Everyone who lives here on purpose. They’re mental!
” Taya said as she hopped out and hurried around the front of the Gator.
I thought our night was over and hated the fact that I hadn’t gotten to really talk to her alone, but she surprised me when she grabbed a handful of my jacket and said, “Come in where it’s warm.
Well, it better be warm or I’m calling management! ”
I was laughing as I unhooked the battery, thankful that it was easy to do since my fingers were almost useless at this point, and then carried it up the steps and followed Taya into her cabin.
I set it down beside the door and then stood up abruptly when Taya turned around with a very serious expression.
“Here’s the deal. I’m kind of new to this .
. . Well, not all of this, but this situation is one I haven’t exactly .
. . Okay, let me try again.” She was clearly exasperated and blew out a breath before she laughed uncomfortably and said, “I’m an author.
I use words for a living!” I burst out laughing, and she smiled before she asked, “Would you like to stay for a drink?”
“I’d love to.”