42. Sydney
“So this is a glamping tent,” Cole murmurs under his breath.
“Yup.” I wiggle my brows at him as he helps me reposition the small couch along the canvas wall of one of the tents.
“It’s like a mini cabin,” he points out skeptically, as if he’s not understanding the appeal.
“Precisely.” I move to where the rectangular table is set up and straighten each of the chairs to fit underneath.
I look around, my hands on my hips as I take in the completed interior. He’s right. It is very much like a mini cabin—complete with a king-sized bed, rustic light fixtures, a bathroom tucked in the corner, and even a mini kitchen.
“I guess I still don’t understand what all of this is for… Isn’t the whole point of camping to be outside?” He scratches his head.
“Trust me, some people like to be in nature without actually being in nature, okay?”
“That makes no sense, but I trust you.” He chuckles, shaking his head.
“The ones who need it will appreciate it.” I pat his back as we step out onto the small deck portion of the tent and look around.
Now that we were able to build on Cole’s property, we’ve been able to execute my initial plan for the glamping tent area. We constructed six fully functioning tents, each with a million-dollar view and a personal fire pit of their own.
“They got a lot done in such a short amount of time,” Cole says, watching Neal’s crew as they work on the last tent. Another group is working on the brick outdoor kitchen that has a grill and a flat top for the guests to use.
“Yeah, Neal actually recruited some help from another construction company so we could make the deadline on time,” I tell him. “Since it was a last-minute change—and we added three more tents than we would have had in the space down by the lodge—I don’t think we would have made it without the extra manpower. With the grand opening only a couple days away, we’re just barely going to make it as it is.”
“Wow.”
“But yes, they did move fast. I think the most time-consuming part was running water, plumbing, and electricity to each one, but with that many workers, they were able to cruise on it.”
“Do we need to do the interior for the rest of the tents?” he asks, seemingly along for the ride to do whatever needs to be done.
“Nope. The last three cabins won’t have furniture for a little while since I had to order those last minute.”
I can feel him studying me out of the corner of my eye.
“Those’ll be empty for the opening,” I admit. “It won’t be perfect, but that’s okay. I’m pretty proud of it as it is.”
I breathe in, taking a full breath while a slow smile lingers on my face. The view alone from these tents is enough to lure flocks of people here from miles away. It’s going to be great—I just know it.
“It’s just like I envisioned,” I say quietly, wrapping my arms around Cole’s torso, taking comfort in being near him. He slides an arm around me, squeezing tightly.
“Have you come up with anything for the space behind the lodge yet?” he asks.
“I did.” I grin up at him. “Do you want to hear about it?”
“Of course.”
“That area will officially be The Ruby Lodge Event Pavilion. We’ll have a gazebo and a large concrete slab where chairs can be set up, and we can host events—weddings, family reunions, you name it.”
“I love that. It’s perfect.” He squeezes me once as a show of excitement.
“I think so too. It’ll be completed after the grand opening, of course—another thing that won’t be perfect on the day. But I’m okay with that. They can do that without me. There’s not much I need to oversee there.”
“Well, it’ll be fun to come back and see the progress the next time we’re in town.”
He says it as if we’re a package deal, which I have to agree, we are. My heart warms at the way he says it, though—so matter of fact and nonchalantly, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Yes.” I smile up at him. “What do you think? Should we head back down?”
“Sure,” he says, offering a hand to help me step off the deck platform. “I have to do some work back at the cabin. I need to make arrangements for getting the shed I finished for my client delivered.”
“That’s at Paul’s currently, right?”
“Yup. His garage has also become a second storage space for me,” he chuckles.
“I’m sure he doesn’t mind.”
We hop on the ATV and head all the way back down to the lodge. Instead of passing by the lodge to get to cabin one, Cole brings us to a stop near the dock where we notice Paul and Shirley on the very end of it. Behind them, the ferry is just now coming into the bay.
“I’m going to go check in with Paul before he heads back to town, okay?” Cole asks me, squeezing my wrist briefly.
“Sure, go ahead.”
I wander to the beach and smile as Shirley walks off the dock toward me.
“How are you doing, honey?” she asks, sliding an arm around my shoulders.
“I’m good,” I tell her, and it strikes me how much I mean it. So often in the past when I’ve been here and people ask me that question, it hasn’t been the full truth when I say I’m fine. But this time…I truly mean it with every fiber of my being.
I really am fine. More than fine. The renovation is nearly done. My soul is full from so much quality time with Graham, Blair, and my dad. My relationship with my mom is different than I’d hoped it would be, of course, but at least I’m at a place with my own grief where I can physically be in the same room as her, which is more than I could say as of a few months ago.
And then there’s Cole. I flick my gaze out to where he’s helping Paul climb in. What do I even say about the man who has given me so much? The man who strengthens me. Who supports me unconditionally. Who loves me with an intensity I’ve never known before.
Shirley elbows me in the side. “Easy, there. You might look too happy if you’re not careful,” she teases.
I huff. “Look who’s talking. Are you going to fill me in on what’s happening with you and Paul yet? Or are you going to keep us guessing?”
She pushes her lips together while lifting her shoulder in a shrug. “I’m not sure what it is yet. But I can tell you one thing about life, Sydney…sometimes your past has a way of coming back to surprise you.”
I hum under my breath, watching the wistful way she looks out at Paul, and then my own gaze finds Cole again.
“Yeah. It sure does.”