Chapter 26 Nora
NORA
Rae’s guest room was dim with the blackout curtains drawn shut.
I preferred it that way, and honestly, I had no intentions of getting out of bed at all.
Except I didn’t plan on staying with Rae and Davis…
and the idea that I might be crashing here was probably stressing them both out.
Davis was insanely private, and as nice as he was to me as Rae’s best friend, I knew it was hard on him to have people in his space.
Especially as he worked through some tragic family stuff that had recently happened.
So, reluctantly, I pulled the covers back and got up.
The house was quiet as I lugged my overnight bag with me down the hall to the guest bathroom.
Turning the spray extra hot, I stood under it for a little longer than necessary, but my face felt like old leather from all the tears I had cried last night, so it felt justified.
I massaged my hair, washed my face, and waited until my skin was tinged pink.
Finally, dressed and somewhat ready for the day, I went downstairs.
Rae was sipping coffee at the table; her laptop was open, and a million papers were spread in front of her.
“You never use your office.” I clipped, heading to the coffee machine.
Since Rae moved in, Davis had transitioned to something fancier than his old Keurig. A large pot with an attached frother for milk, that I never learned how to operate, sat in its place.
She slid out of her chair and walked up behind me. “I do use it…just not in the mornings when he’s off doing deliveries and I’m alone.”
I grunted something unintelligible.
She watched me, softening her tone. “How are you feeling this morning?”
I settled into one of the chairs at the table, watching her backyard as the snow slowly fell and the sun glittered on every piece.
Up here, on Mount Macon the winter had hit about a million times harder than it did in town.
Which was why it always stirred up vacation vibes when I stayed over at their house.
“I’m sad,” I said, watching the snow drift over their hen house and goat pens. None of the animals were out, but it still was peaceful as the snow floated everywhere like tiny pieces of gold.
She tucked her chin in, likely unsure of what to say.
“So…you’re taking a break from being neighbors with Colson…where are you going?”
I shrugged, and I knew the next thing out of her mouth would be an invitation, but I would never do that to my best friend, so I rushed to add.
“I think I want to go somewhere…maybe I could rent a small camper trailer and travel to Montana or something…”
Rae hummed from her spot near the sink before shoving off it.
“But…the fact that you’d die in that scenario because you don’t know how to drive with a camper trailer on the back of your truck tells me that maybe you should shoot for something else.”
Slumping in my seat, I griped morosely. “Dammit. You’re right, I totally would get stuck or something and be eaten by wolves.”
I thought over some other ideas. “What if I stay in a cabin for a while…up here, all alone. Get some perspective. The community center should be good for a bit…there’s enough for them to go on.
All my other projects are in the initial stages, so I won’t have to travel anywhere.
I have savings…I think it’s exactly what I need for a while. ”
Rae settled in across from me, propping her knee in checkered flannel pajamas.
“You whisked me away when I needed it, so if you need to stay here, you know you can.”
“Thank you, but I think I need to be alone…” I swallowed around the small truth I needed to acknowledge.
“I’ve tried so hard to prove that I’m independent, buying my own house and doing everything on my own, basically being the opposite of everything I was accused of being, that I never stopped to think about what I wanted.
All this time, I have been crafting this image that I wasn’t weak, that I didn’t need people.
When really, that wasn’t what this was about at all… ”
Shaking my head, I tried to sort out what I was trying to say, but it was all a mess in my head. I needed some space to figure it out.
“Can you make sure that Colson doesn’t find out where I am?”
My best friend’s eyes softened. “Of course. I think Davis plans on talking to him, but yeah, we’ll keep that a secret.”
Which meant Davis would end up knowing. I guess it didn’t bother me if he did, as long as his friendship with Colson didn’t get in the way of my privacy.
Rae clicked around a few things on her laptop and then slid it toward me.
Images of private cabins tucked away in the snow next to a frozen lake reflected on the screen.
“Davis did all the light fixtures and ironwork at this resort. They have cute, secluded cabins and Davis gets an insane discount because he’s not just a vendor, the owner is a friend of his.”
Taking the laptop from her, I clicked through the images. The cabins were furnished, with massive fireplaces, precut wood, cute kitchens, and log beds.
“I don’t want to abuse the discount, but if it’s not any trouble, then I would love to use it.”
Rae waved me off. “It’s no trouble at all. Let me call Davis and ask what we need to tell them, and we’ll get it all set up.”
Giving her the best smile I could muster, I nodded and watched as she dialed her fiancé.
The new four-wheel-drive vehicle was already proving to be the best purchase I ever made. The trip further north up the mountain was a breeze and uneventful as I followed the GPS on my phone into the Point Macon Resort’s parking lot.
Checking in was a bit crazier as an entire school of kids had checked into the ski resort, but when it was finally my turn, the staff was incredible.
The owner came out to greet me personally because of my connection to Davis, who had told this man God knew what about why I was staying here.
But they offered me a spa package at no extra cost and gift cards for their market and restaurant, so I decided it didn’t matter.
I took them up on the gift cards by stocking up on goods, and at the restaurant I ordered a meal that I could devour later.
Once I was ready and had my room key in hand, I got back into my truck and followed the small map around the rather large loop.
The whole resort was mostly inside the lodge, with rooms and varying balconies that hung on all five levels, but pushing past the outdoor pool and tennis courts, I saw more and more private cabins and fewer guests. Before long, I ventured off on a small side road, into a dense tree line.
The frozen lake sat undisturbed to the left, surrounded by tall evergreens and frosted with fresh snow. Clearing a small hill, I closed in on a lone cabin resting at the edge of the lake.
It was modest, but well-kept, and the logs looked freshly sealed. After parking in front of the small porch, I gathered my luggage and swiped the key across the small access pad.
The door opened to a cozy room, with pine floors running under my feet and beautiful throw rugs softening the space.
A beige two-seater couch faced a large fireplace which had a fresh set of wood ready to be lit.
The kitchen butted against the living room and was large enough for maybe two people to move around in, but it had a gorgeous view of the lake.
Down the hall was one bedroom, which had a massive king-size bed, with a log frame and quilt beautifully stitched with deep red and blues.
Another fireplace stretched along the wall, facing the bed, and at the back were French doors that led out to a hot tub.
Setting my things down, I tried to ignore the silence…
but it was so loud, screaming all the things I had shoved down.
My insecurities taunted me that this secluded getaway would do nothing to help me get over the heartache shattering my chest. What I wanted was to scream at Colson, have him hear how badly he hurt me, but I didn’t want to hear anything he had to say in return.
What I needed to do was come to terms with why I had been trying to prove to someone that wasn’t even in my life anymore that I wasn’t spoiled when that someone had decided I wasn’t worth the effort or time.
I had a few things to sort, and while I sorted, I was going to enjoy my time alone…at least as much as I could.