Chapter 33
Sort Of Magical
“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise,” Walter drawls, walking into the cabin.
Miles steps to the side out of his way. I shoot a questioning look at him, but all he does is shrug.
“I was on my way into town this morning and noticed that both of your cars were in the driveway so I thought I’d come check it out.
Say howdy and all that.” His eyes land on Miles, who has become the poster for neutrality, as if he’s perfectly justified in being here.
Like he does it every day. It’s all I can do not to laugh at how obvious this is.
I don’t really care what anyone thinks of us together, but it’s still so soon. So fresh. I didn’t think our comfortable little bubble would be popped less than a day after we created it.
“Isn’t it a little early for you to be down here, Miles?” Walter asks, a hint of amusement in his voice. “You must have been gone before the sun was up, I didn’t even hear you leave. Or come home yesterday. Didn’t get much sleep last night?”
“Can’t say that I did,” Miles replies.
I choke back my reaction. “Miles was just fixing an electrical issue we found yesterday after the opening party.”
Walter’s eyes twinkle as he gives me a knowing smile. “I’m sure he was.”
“Was there any other reason you came down here, Walt?” Miles saunters over to my side, but not quite touching me.
His warmth radiates through the air. Why is he always so warm?
I lean into him slightly, not realizing what I’m doing until Miles’s hand comes to my lower back, steadying me.
I practically melt into his touch, wondering how I spent these last few months not touching him.
Walter looks between us, practically beaming at what he sees. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to come and take a look at all of your hard work, Katie. I loved this place, after all. When I saw the two of you were around I figured it’s my opportunity to have a look-see before guests arrive.”
“Of course, come on in,” I gesture to the living room. Walter takes off his dusty boots and wanders around the room, looking at all of the decor. Not a whole lot has changed since he was here last, but it’s become more homey. I’m glad he gets to see this place thriving again.
We make our way around the first floor before heading into the great room. I breathe a sigh of relief when he doesn’t look interested in going upstairs. It’d be pretty obvious exactly what’s going on between Miles and I with one look at the primary bedroom.
Miles stays by my side the whole time, constantly touching me in some way. His hand on my back, his shoulder brushing up against me as we walk, his hand reaching for mine in the hallway. As if he can’t hold himself back anymore.
Every time I glance at him, he’s looking back at me with a smile.
I can feel pride radiating from him every time Walter compliments another part of the cabin.
Miles looks at me like I’m a wonder, like I’m a powerful force he can’t take his eyes off of.
I think he always has, in some way. I just couldn’t see past the broken pieces of myself long enough to appreciate it.
The smell of the fire wafts up as we enter the kitchen. Shit. I totally forgot about that.
“Wow, look at this,” Walter exclaims. “That’s a damn nice fire.”
“Do you know anything about this, Walt?” Miles asks, a lighter edge to his deep voice. “Seems to have been burning for quite a while, but neither of us started it or kept it going. The flowers out back are looking a lot different than yesterday, too,” he nods to the window bursting with color.
“No, I don’t know anything about— you said it just appeared today?” Walter’s gaze snaps back to the fireplace, looking at it again. As if it could disappear at any second.
“Yes, it was already going when we–” I pause, searching for the words. “When we walked into the room. I didn’t see anyone come in on the security cameras, and the only person I know who might possibly know I was still here is two states away.”
Walter shakes his head in disbelief, turning back towards us. “This cabin always was sort of a mystery to me.”
My brow furrows, “What do you mean?”
He takes a seat, leaning his cane up against the countertop.
“You’ve been here for, what, a few months?
Have you ever noticed anything out of the ordinary about this place?
” The fireplace, sparks of light, visions of fall, stairs moving beneath my feet.
“It’s not a coincidence. This place has always been sort of magical.
I’ve always thought of it as having its own personality.
I may sound like a crazy old man, but I get the feeling you know what I’m talking about. ”
I nod, at a loss for words for the second time today. He’s right, it does feel like the cabin has a personality. Not a scary presence, or someone messing with us. Just a little sparkle of something more.
Walter smiles with a far off look in his eyes, as if he’s recounting a memory that’s dear to his heart.
“Back when I first met Isabella, she came to stay in our cabin for the summer. It was her first summer working in the park as a ranger, and I suppose my parents told the ranger service they’d house some of the new rangers that weren’t local on the ranch.
We lived in this cabin at the time. My parents always made little comments about the cabin having a mind of its own, but I always figured it was a story to keep me in line as a boy.
“That is, until I saw some of it myself. Isabella didn’t want much to do with me back then. Can’t say I blame her. I was a reckless young cowboy, and she was starting her career at the national park. But all summer, we were thrown together more times than I can count.
“Now, listen,” Walter shakes his head like he’s remembering exactly how it felt.
My heart skips a beat thinking about their wonderful love story I’ve heard in bits and pieces.
“I can sign off a couple of them to be coincidences, but things started to get more and more unbelievable as time went on. Until both of us didn’t have a choice but to give into it.
I’m not saying we wouldn’t have fallen in love without it, but it definitely sped things up between us.
We were married a year after we met, haven’t been apart much since. ”
“You can try to tell me it’s just fate, but I know fate had some help and I believe it has something to do with this place.” Walter looks out the window, smiling at the blooming marigolds.
My gaze snags on Miles, who like usual, is already looking at me with that same expression he’s had all summer. I used to think it was annoyance, or even anger. But now I know, it’s just Miles.
He winks at me before walking around the table. “I’m not sure I ever told you, Walt, but Katie and I actually met four years ago while I was in Salt Lake City for a cattle auction. Right after the fence broke for the first time.”
“Is that so?” Walter raises his eyebrows.
My stomach does another one of those flips it’s been doing all of the time lately when Miles smiles at me. Maybe it’s because it took so long to get a smile out of him in the first place, or maybe it’s because I know what he’s been through to cause all of those frowns.