SWNOVELS Take Me To The Cabin: Chapter 5
the items I’m taking into the shop. It’s mostly smaller home decor stuff. I keep looking over at the corner with the table and chair I set up for Jenna. I was going to take them into the shop today, but they already feel like they’re hers like that’s her spot, and I can’t bring myself to remove them.
I want her to have a place when she comes here. I hope she continues to visit because I enjoyed having her in my space. Even if I didn’t understand her fascination with taking pictures of me while I work.
As I head into town, I get more and more excited about seeing her in just a few short hours. The guys and I are meeting at the shop at noon, which should give us plenty of time to catch up and unload our stuff for Jack before she shows up.
When I get to the shop, I find Axel and Bennett’s trucks at the back, but Cash isn’t here yet. I park my truck, grab a box, and go in the back door.
There are boxes already sitting on the table Jack has set up in the back room for us so I’m assuming that Axel and Bennett are done unloading. Going back to my truck, I grab the last two boxes and set them on the table.
A quick peek in the other boxes shows Axel brought in a bunch of his homemade jerky and some of his hand-carved knives. He carves these intricate mountain scenes on knife handles. If Jenna thinks I’m great at the detail, she should see his stuff.
Axel focuses more on hunting equipment–bows and arrows, in particular. Cash brings in items made from the furs of the animals he catches.
Once I have my boxes unloaded, I go into the store and find them chatting with Jack by the register.
Emelie comes bouncing up to me with a huge smile on her face. ‘I’ve been waiting for you to get here. You have to tell me how it was with Jenna at the workshop, and I want all the details.’
She wraps her arm in mine, walking me back to the group. Axel watches her but doesn’t say anything. He always has his eyes on her, making sure she’s safe while allowing her to be herself.
‘When Cash gets here, so I don’t have to repeat myself,’ I reply.
The smile falls from her face and her shoulders sag a little, but Axel pulls her into his side and her smile returns.
Watching the two of them together gives me hope I might be able to find that, to find what my parents had. It didn’t seem possible up here on the mountain until I saw how Axel and Emelie found each other.
‘I thought he’d be here by now. He’s usually one of the first to arrive,’ Jack says.
None of us gets a chance to respond as Cash walks through the door. He looks tired and worn out, and while we won’t pry, I know Emelie will.
‘Cash, is everything okay?’ Emelie rushes to his side.
‘My brother is getting sicker, and declining fast. Now he’s delusional and the doctor only gave him a month to live. In order to get here today, I had to wait until he was asleep from the sleeping medication so I could slip out.’
Cash told us his brother had been sick for a while. When he finally got a doctor to look at him, they found a brain tumor. He refused treatment because he doesn’t trust the government or doctors. From the time Cash was six, his brother has raised him and he knows no other life than here on the mountain.
‘What can we do?’ I ask him.
He shakes his head. ‘Over the next few weeks, I might need you to come to get my stuff for the shop. He’s sleeping now, but I don’t want to leave him again because he’s going downhill fast.’
‘You got it. Let me know when you have things to pick up,’ I tell him.
This is the reason I insisted on the radio for these guys, so they had a way to ask for help when needed. Now, I’m even more relieved that I thought about it and I’m sure Cash is, too.
Of all the guys, I’m the one who will do extra town runs for them. I don’t mind people as much as they do. Axel moved to the mountains because his size tended to scare people and he got tired of all the stares–at least until he met Emelie.
Cash only comes to town to drop off items here at the store. Since their parents died, his brother has handled everything else.
As for Bennett, none of us know much of his back story, other than he was in the military and doesn’t like to be around people.
These men would be there to help me with anything I needed at the drop of a hat–and they have in the past–so I have no problem doing the same for them.
‘I’ll put together some freezer meals that you can warm up, so food is one less thing you have to worry about,’ Emelie says.
‘I can take your payments to the bank and deposit them,” Jack says. “Then Phoenix can bring you the receipts.’
‘Thank you,’ Cash says, but I know he’s uncomfortable asking for help. We all are, but we do it when we need it.
‘Tell me what else is going on. I could use some good news,’ he says, looking at me.
‘Phoenix was going to tell us about his date with Jenna!’ Emelie says excitedly.
‘It wasn’t a date,’ I grumble, but something in my heart flutters.
Was it a date? We had lunch, we worked together and talked. I’m pretty sure she flirted, but there was no kiss. I’m pretty sure it’s not a date if it doesn’t end in a kiss.
‘If she came out to your place to spend time with you, it was a date,’ Emelie smirks.
‘She came out to work because there was no phone service and no distractions,’ I correct her, but that only earns me an eye roll.
‘Really? She could have parked at any mountain overlook outside of town, but she wanted to be around you,’ Emilie says.
Switching gears, I tell them she’s coming by in a bit so I can follow her to her place and measure for the table she wants.
‘If she makes plans to see you again, no matter if it’s coming to your place or meeting you in town, she’s interested,’ Emelie says, and the guys all nod their heads.
‘Interested in having me build her table.’
‘It’s more than that, and you know it,’ Emile says sternly.
‘I guess we’ll see.’
‘If things go well at her place, invite her out to do something you enjoy but not work-related. If she accepts, you’ll have your answer,’ Emelie says with a twinkle in her eye.
We chat for a little longer with Jack before the bell over the door rings, and I turn to see Jenna walking in hesitantly.
Like every time I see her, she takes my breath away. Even in everyday clothes, she’s the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen. When her eyes land on mine, she smiles, and with that simple smile, my nerves evaporate.
She walks over to the group, and I take a few steps toward her, deciding I should make introductions. ‘Jenna, let me introduce you to the guys.’
Jenna nods, looking around me. Placing my hand on her lower back, I guide her over to the group. That simple contact set my whole body on fire. Though I’ve felt like this before, it’s something I want a lot more of.
‘The guy behind the counter is Jack. You met him when you were here last time. And this is Bennett and Cash. Over there is Axel and his wife, Emelie. Everyone, this is Jenna.’
‘It’s so nice to have another girl around. We’ll have to do lunch and town one day.’ Emelie walks over and wraps Jenna in a quick hug.
‘I’d like that. I haven’t had time to meet anyone in town yet,’ Jenna says.
Suddenly, I wish I could introduce her to everyone in town, but outside of the people currently in the shop, I don’t know anyone.
‘You ready?’ I ask, and Jenna nods. ‘My truck’s in the back, so I can follow you there,’ I tell her as we head towards the door after saying our goodbyes to everyone.
‘I saw your truck when I pulled into the parking lot, so I parked near it. Hope that’s okay.’
‘It’s perfect as it allows me to walk you to your car.’
Even though we walk the rest of the way in silence, it’s comfortable and easy. Once I help Jenna into her car, I follow her back to her cabin.
Not far from the town, her place is secluded with no neighbors, and she has a pretty decent-sized yard surrounded by woods. After the leaves fall, I’m sure she’ll have a beautiful mountain view.
‘It’s small, but it’s all mine.’ She smiles as we go into her house.
I don’t say anything but look around as we step inside. It’s a true wood cabin with logwood walls, vaulted ceilings, and big windows to let in tons of natural light. There’s a stone fireplace in the living room and some stone accents in the kitchen.
It’s pretty empty inside. There are a few boxes in the living room but no couch or TV. There’s one bar stool at the kitchen island, but no place to eat in the dining room. The only wall decor is what she bought at the shop the other day.
‘When does the rest of your stuff get here?’ I ask without thinking.
‘This is the rest of my stuff. It’s what I could fit in my car.’
My mind starts racing about how I can help her furnish the house.
As if she can read me, she steps up and places her hand on my arm. ‘I have what I need and I’m enjoying slowly decorating my house. I don’t want just anything. I want the perfect items. Besides, I haven’t been spending much time here, anyway.’ She smiles as she looks me right in the eye, and I can’t argue with her.
I open my mouth to ask her to spend some more time with me tomorrow, as Emelie suggested, but she removes her hand from my arm and clears her throat, taking a step back.
‘This space over here is the dining room. I’d like a table to fill it and the chairs to go with it. The way I figure, if I build a large table, I’ll have plenty of time to fill it with friends and maybe family later on.’ She shrugs her shoulders as she shows me the space beside the kitchen.
For a small cabin, it has a large dining room. I take my tape measure and the notepad I brought in from my truck and start making some notes.
‘Would you like some iced tea?’
‘That sounds good. I’m just going to measure the space,’ I tell her.
No sooner does Jenna set the two glasses of iced tea down on the kitchen island than there’s a knock on the door. She looks a little startled but doesn’t say anything as she makes her way to answer it. I keep taking my measurements, angling myself so I can keep an eye on Jenna.
She opens the door to a man dressed in a smart suit. The kind of man my parents used to do business with. Instantly, I’m on edge.
‘Hey, baby. I missed you, and I couldn’t wait to talk to see you again. Can we talk?’ he asks in his smooth voice.
Of course, she’s taken. I’m such an idiot. Why would she want anything to do with the mountain man who has zero experience with women when she’s got a man like that waiting on her?