Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Hudson
“You’re not giving me any slack. You’re going to end up leaving me splattered on the rocks below,” Flynn grumbled from less than twenty feet above me.
I sighed, and then did what all twin brothers should do, I flipped him off. “We’ve been doing this for how many years? You’re fine. Now get up the damn side of the cliff face.”
“I see that life in the mountains has really worked well for you,” Weston said with a laugh.
“I mean, you have the sun shining on your face, at least whatever face is showing considering your hair’s long, you’re wearing a hat, and your beard is getting bushier by the moment.
You’re hardly looking like a serial killer anymore.
” Weston reached out and gripped my shoulder, but I didn’t look at him, as I was spotting Flynn.
“Is there a reason that you’re trying to speak and discuss my facial hair while we’re trying to be out here and relax? You’re the one who made me come here to begin with.”
“You like hiking and mountain climbing. And also rock climbing. Since I guess that’s what we’re doing right now.” Weston moved forward and held out Cale’s water bottle.
“Hey, keep hydrated. I know you’re not used to the elevation out here.”
My brother-in-law pushed his hair back from his face. “Thanks.” He smiled as he took the water bottle from Weston. “I truly appreciate it. I know Denver’s the Mile High City, but damn, I guess the elevation change between Cage Lake and my house is just different enough that I’m panting like a dog.”
“You should get a dog!” Flynn called out as he reached the top of the relatively small cliff face we were climbing this afternoon.
It was late spring, and we’d had a week of full sun with warmer than average temperatures.
And that meant we could have a nice hike and not have to worry about a blizzard coming our way.
At least not yet. I’m sure there would be a freak storm coming at us at any moment, just because I thought it.
The lake was still frozen in some parts but was thawing enough that soon people would be out on their boats, and the places where people would go to swim, and not just off the docks, would be open to the public.
The few passes that were off to the east, that were easy to climb over, and Payne Peak would soon open as well.
That meant the resort would be changing focus from Winter sports, and into their spring and summer deals.
It would be rock climbing like we were doing now, trails, camping, and even tours out through the mountain itself.
I knew that my brother, I knew that Flynn had set up some sort of deal with the people who owned the cabins on the river on the west side of town, and while we as a company owned a few, including the rafting and boating section, they were still a different business than the resort itself.
That meant Scarlett was the one who worked on the contracts and ensuring that there were deals when it came to any guests in town.
I was just glad I had nothing to do with it. I had finished the painting for Sophia’s girls, and would be taking it down soon. I’d also finished the one for Ford’s son, and rather than shipping it to him, my brother would finally come to visit.
Each of my brothers had a house on the lake.
We’d bought it with our own money from the trust before we had found out that we’d even had additional siblings.
We also owned nearly all properties on the lake itself.
Scarlett’s home was set back so she didn’t own the land, but she did own the house.
I was the one who technically owned that land, not that I was going to tell her.
It didn’t matter in the end, because if she wanted to buy it, she could, but it wasn’t as if I was going to build on that land.
If I’d built something, that meant more people would be out there, and that was one of the last things that I wanted.
A bird cawed overhead, and I looked up for a bare instant, before setting my gaze back to Flynn who was rappelling his way down.
“I could’ve slipped in that one moment you were distracted by a bird or squirrel.”
“You’re fine.” I growled as Flynn’s feet touch the ground. “Did you always whine this much?”
Flynn grinned at me, as he slid his hand over his newly smooth skin. Now we barely looked like twins since he didn’t have a beard. But again it was nice to know what I looked like underneath it.
“I think you’ve just gotten grumpier. Which you shouldn’t be so grumpy considering I hear you have a woman finally.”
“Oh really?” Cale asked as he got ready to take his turn up the cliff side.
“I have no idea where you’re getting your news, but I don’t have a woman.
” I stood back and let Weston and Cale get set up.
Cale wasn’t as experienced in this as we were, but we were teaching him.
He might not have the Cage last name, but we were at least trying to be good brothers-in-law.
Hell, I was trying just to be a good brother at this point.
“That’s not what I hear. I mean, riding your bike with Scarlett on the back through town probably wasn’t the best thing to do if you’re wanting to keep things secret.”
“You and the manager of the resort? Wow.” Cale’s eyes widened.
“It’s not like that,” I grumbled.
Flynn gave me a look.
I let a sigh. “It’s a little like that. I don’t know. We’re just starting out, and I could really use some time before the Cage family group chat goes insane.”
“I have noticed you haven’t responded to any texts in the group chats,” Flynn pointed out.
“Neither have I. You Cages and your group chats,” Weston put in.
“I’m truly afraid of the group chats. There’s so many,” Cale said with a shake of his head. “Oh, speaking of, thank you for letting me stay at your place on the lake.”
“No problem,” Flynn said with a grin. “It was fun bunking with Hudson last night and annoying him. Though I am heading home tonight.”
“You snore.” I grinned as I said it, and Flynn just flipped me off.
“I like how all of you guys have houses. You don’t always use them,” Cale added. “Do you know if you and Isabella are planning on getting a house out on the lake?”
Weston shook his head. “We like the house that we’re in now.
Even though I’ve always been in it. And if we want to head out to the lake for any recreational things, we have plenty of places to do so.
I do know you guys are all talking about making sure that the rest of the Cages have opportunities to buy in, right? ” Weston asked.
I looked over at Flynn, and my twin just rolled his eyes at me.
“Again, it’s in the group chat.” He turned to the others.
“We all built on our land when we were younger, and everything just made sense with Cage Enterprises. We have a few houses that we rent out right now but they should be coming up soon that we can work on selling slash giving them to our siblings that want a place. I know Kyler’s been thinking about building on one of the empty plots, and Emily said that she was fine staying with you and Isabella.
But I don’t know about Phoebe, or even you guys,” Flynn said.
“I don’t know. I know we were able to come out this weekend, and while Sophia and the girls are with her sisters shopping downtown or doing whatever, it’s hard for me to take off so much time at work.
But it would be nice to have a house out here.
To feel like a Cage.” He winked as he said it, and I shook my head.
“It’s not always fun feeling like a Cage. To the point that I don’t even know what that means anymore.”
“Huh.” Cale gave me a puzzled expression, before he turned to the cliff face and began climbing.
“Speaking of not understanding what’s going on, are you going to tell us about the Ackerson place?
” Flynn asked. “Because Dorian’s being very careful about not talking about it.
” Considering I’d bought the place from Dorian for a dollar, and all of the negative aspects that came with it, I wasn’t surprised.
I didn’t want to hurt my brother, but I wanted to try to find a way to pay it forward.
At least pay for what my father had done.
“The whole place is a gut job, I’m tearing it down.”
James’s eyes widened. “Seriously? Good on you. You need help?”
I laughed. “Demo is the fun part of the job.”
“I’m in too. I thought you were going to refinish things, but with half of it gone, I guess it makes sense.”
“I was going to try, but I know my own limits. I have contractors coming and doing most of the work, but I’m going to build some of it.”
“What are you putting in its place?” Weston asked, his attention on Cale.
“I’m putting in cabins.”
Cale nearly slipped down the rock face and looked over at me. “You? Cabins?”
I barked out a laugh at the three incredulous looks staring at me and let out a breath. “Not for tourists, but for people like me.”
“Mountain men with attitudes that like to hide in the forest?” Flynn asked, but I heard the worry in his tone.
Because I remember seeing his face after I’d returned home.
All of my siblings had been worried about me when I’d nearly died.
The day that I’d lost all of my friends in that explosion and gunfight.
The bullets had torn through my shoulder, had nearly taken me, but it had been Flynn’s face that nearly sent me into the abyss.
He hadn’t been able to feel my physical pain, but I swore he could sense everything else.
I knew the jokes and the laughing were to set me at ease, just like he did with everyone else, but he was worried about me.