Chapter 27
Welcome to my Crib
“Kate, you so under-promised and over delivered here. This place is amazing. Why didn’t you tell me it’s literally surrounded by fields and mountains as far as you can see?
I would have visited a lot sooner.” My best friend in the entire world looks around the completed cabin like it’s Buckingham Palace.
I laugh, breathing my hundredth sigh of relief since Hazel arrived in Wyoming. “I thought it was pretty clear when I told you the cabin is surrounded on all sides by the ranch.”
“Well, you weren’t kidding, I’ll give you that.
” Hazel absentmindedly twirls her dark brown waves in one hand as she walks down the hallway towards the back of the cabin.
“Everything looks just perfect.” Her lilac dress swishes as she walks, giving her the illusion of floating, if it weren’t for the dirty cowgirl boots poking out the bottom.
You can take the girl out of the ranch, but you can’t take the ranch out of the girl.
The past two weeks have been a blur of finishing touches on the cabin. With everything that happened with Miles, I’ve been happy to throw myself into working all day and night anyway. It’s definitely a welcome distraction.
Miles must have finished the floors after I left the other night. When I came back the next morning, they were done, cleaned, and all of his tools had disappeared. I suppose it’s for the best. I know I’m the one that wants to stay just friends, but I’ll admit, it’s not going to be easy.
The one and only silver lining of all of this time alone to work is that the cabin is done.
Completely finished. Cleaned and decorated and ready for visitors.
Codie and I stopped by a flea market in town one day, and I ended up getting quite a few vintage items for the cabin at a bargain.
I picked out the larger furniture pieces from a few local stores, which hurt my company credit card quite a bit, but succeeded in helping the place fit into the high end brand MacPherson Enterprises has built.
The living room looks straight out of a western movie.
Extra long off-white curtains reach the floor, tied back to let in the natural light.
A brand new leather couch made in Wyoming sits in front of the fireplace, atop a brown and white cowhide rug.
There are photo frames hanging on the walls and placed on tables with images of the ranch throughout the years courtesy of Walter. He brought those by last week.
The rest of the cabin is similarly decorated, with each room just slightly different.
One bedroom focuses on sage green colors, while another has warmer hues.
The kitchen was the easiest to put together, since it was already great on its own after installing new warm oak cabinets.
I made sure the photographer came at sunset for the perfect glow in the listing photos.
The only detail I just can’t quite get right are the flowers in the garden out back.
I’ve been watering them on a regular schedule, but for some reason, these past two weeks they haven’t been living their best life.
They’ve all wilted and have lost a lot of their color.
The petals on my marigolds are touching the ground.
I’ve tried giving some more water and some less, with no change.
I even bought flower food, and added some nutrient-rich soil.
Nothing has worked.
The photographer, luckily, is able to angle them out of most of the shots. I was so proud of my little garden, and now all of a sudden, it’s as good as gone.
“Are you ready for tonight?” Hazel smiles, looking out the large windows on the back of the house. For a second I think Miles is out there fixing the fence, but once I blink, he’s gone.
I sigh. “I’m ready to be finished with this project.”
“I’m sorry it’s been so hard lately, Kate. I promise the second we get home I’ll take you out for shakes.” Hazel’s arm wraps around me pulling me into a hug I didn’t know I needed.
I told Hazel a short version of what happened between Miles and I. I haven’t processed it enough myself to get into it now. Hopefully I’ll feel like talking about it when we get back to Idaho.
Tonight, I’m not thinking about it at all. I’m having some of my new friends over for a housewarming party at the cabin. It started small, just Codie and the girls, and Hazel since she’s in town helping me with the final details.
Then Codie and Hazel suggested I invite the crew. Then Parker and the ranch hands. Then some of Codie’s rodeo friends.
I’m pretty sure they even texted Miles, much to my chagrin.
Hazel squeals as the doorbell rings, a low chime I haven’t heard before. I don’t even remember this cabin having a doorbell.
“They’re here!” she sings, grabbing my hand and pulling me to the front door. As soon as it opens, a real smile bursts out on my face for the first time in weeks.
Codie, Morgan, Erin, and Nicole stand on the porch. “Hey ladies, welcome to my crib,” I joke, opening the door further so they can shuffle inside.
“Wow, Katie! This place looks amazing,” Codie says, pulling me into a hug.
I introduce Hazel to the girls, and just as I suspected, they hit it off right away. We walk through the cabin on a quick tour, all of them poking their heads into each room and telling me their favorite parts.
“Do you have any openings in November? I know it’s close, but my family visits at the beginning of the month and I really think it’d be extra special to stay here. Also, I never want to leave. Like, ever,” Morgan says, collapsing onto the oversized leather couch.
“Seeing as I haven’t listed it anywhere yet, yes. I have a lot of openings.” I’m proud of this place on my own, but seeing other people enjoy it as much as I do really makes me feel accomplished.
“You’d better be booking some dates for yourself, Katie.” Codie sits in a chair across from the couch, sloshing a glass of wine from the box they brought over. Giggling friends, boxed wine, a cozy fireplace. There’s not much that could make this moment more perfect.
“I’ll come visit, but probably not here. I can stay in town while I’m checking up on the cabin.” I lean against the couch, plastering a smile on my face. I’d love to come visit and stay here. I stay at the other rentals with Hazel for shits and giggles sometimes.
But this place is different. I didn’t do this on my own. Miles was here every step of the way. Fixing things, helping me paint, frustrating the hell out of me, kissing me on the porch. There are too many memories.
The doorbell rings again and Erin gets up to let in whoever else has arrived. I pull myself together, taking a deep breath. Soon, this place will be filled with people wanting to talk about the cabin.
My gaze catches on Hazel across the room. She’s already looking at me, with concern in her eyes. I can practically read her thoughts asking me what’s wrong. I shoot her another smile and her eyes narrow.
More and more guests arrive, and I’m starting to wonder if all of Jackson Hole is here to see the cabin. Someone put the record player on at some point, the living room filled to the brim with people chatting.
Some of the ranch hands are already chatting up Hazel in the kitchen. I roll my eyes and walk towards the front of the house. I’m not surprised in the slightest, Hazel is drop dead gorgeous. If anyone can handle rowdy cowboys, it’s the cowgirl herself.
I make my way to the living room to check up on the supply of wine, beer, and snacks that people brought to share. The hallway is so crowded, I don’t even want to know how many people Codie invited. Luckily, no one is straight-up partying or drunk, so the cabin should hopefully stay intact.
A familiar laugh booms throughout the living room over the chorus of voices. I whirl towards the sound, familiar chestnut hair poking up over the crowd next to the fireplace.
Parker.
Pushing my way past shoulders of people I’ve never met, I hear a group of girls asking each other where the booking link is for this cabin so they can come back.
A smile forms on my lips. Codie’s plan seems to be working.
Convince me to invite a ton of people over and they’ll all want to book the cabin for their vacations.
I should probably get this place listed on the vacation rental websites soon.
“Katie!” Parker yells as soon as he can see me.
“Hi, Parker,” I smile. He drapes an arm around me when I finally reach him, a cold bottle of beer in the other hand.
“The place looks great. Sure wish I had an excuse to stay here sometime,” Parker says.
“I’ll miss it, that’s for sure,” I nod.
“Look, I know you’re heading back to Idaho soon, but don’t be a stranger. We’re all gonna miss you around here. Especially Miles.”
I feel him before I see him. A familiar warm breeze sends goosebumps up and down my entire body. There’s a prickling feeling on my neck. My eyes dart around the room looking for Miles until a familiar deep voice rumbles on my other side.
“Don’t be gettin’ all sentimental, Parker. She’s not gone yet.” Miles’s low rasp travels up and down my spine, sending a shiver through me that I’m sure Parker can feel. His arm drops off of my shoulder the second he notices Miles.
Parker laughs. “I’m allowed a little sentimentality, Miles, our girl is leaving for good.”
“I live three hours away, don’t be so dramatic,” I elbow Parker lightly in the ribs.
Parker’s short attention span is captured by someone else in his circle. He turns to the side, leaving Miles and I staring awkwardly at each other.
“Hey, Mac.” The corners of his lips twitch upward, as if he’s resisting a smile.
“Autry,” I nod.
“Place looks great.”
“We did a good job,” I smile.
“You did a good job. I just helped fix some things that should have already been done.” He takes a drink from a water bottle. “This place is better than I could have ever imagined, much less done myself. It needed you.”
His body heat seeps into mine and I feel myself flush at his words. “Thanks, Miles. That means a lot to me.” My voice comes out barely over a whisper, emotion clogging my throat. But he smiles at my words anyway.
“He’s right, you know. We’re all gonna miss you.”
“I know,” I nod. I do know. I’ve never felt so accepted by a group of people in my life, besides Hazel and my Aunt Millie. And that includes my own family. “I’ll miss everyone too. And this place.”
I’ve never felt like I’m leaving a piece of my heart somewhere like I do now. I get into town, I do my job, and I leave. Hazel is the one that gets attached to people and places, not me. I’m the jokester. The outgoing one. The one that dates around and travels with nothing holding me down.
But would it be so bad to be held down somewhere? Have a place I can call home, with people who love me? I didn’t know it was possible until I stepped foot onto Lone Pine Ranch. I hope I can find that again. That feeling of belonging.
I was excited to get back home and away from all of the intense feelings at this place.
But now, I’m not so sure. I can’t imagine staying in Juniper Ridge anymore.
Especially not without having Aunt Millie around.
Sure, I want to see Hazel when I can, but we don’t need to be right next to each other to be close.
Maybe I’ll ask MacPherson for a transfer somewhere. Stop dating all together. Focus on figuring out what I really want in life.
That is, if my parents allow it. It feels so childish to still be under my parents’ rule somehow, but they do own the company I work for. If they don’t want me to leave Idaho, it’ll make it really hard for me to figure out a way to move and keep my job.
I love this job. Even though it’s at MacPherson Enterprises, I feel like I make a real difference in the company. I have more creative freedom than I would working for someone else, and I’ve got a great groove in my role.
Leaving would be tough.
Almost impossible, if I want to still have any sort of relationship with my parents. We may not be best friends right now, but what we have going is still better than no relationship at all.
My relationship with my parents is just another reason I shouldn’t be with Miles. I’ve never been in a committed relationship in my life, and the only examples I have are my dysfunctional parents and my chronically single aunt. Not exactly the best grounds for a stable relationship.
Yes, it’s a good thing that everything broke down so quickly between us. It would have happened at some point anyway, better to do it now while it hurts less.
Because if this is how much it hurts before we even gave it a real chance, I can’t imagine how much it’d hurt afterwards.