SWNOVELS Take Me To The Lake: Chapter 23
days of calm since our hunting trip. But today I’m really excited because Jana is coming up to the cabin, and she’s bringing snacks. Cash will be going to go check his traps to give us some girl time, which is desperately needed.
When I was using the Wi-Fi at the cafe, we would have lunch together several times a week. Now that I’m living with Cash on the mountain, that doesn’t happen, so we have to schedule girl time.
Last night we talked on the phone and when I mentioned how I was craving some snacks, Jana suggested she bring some up. Cash agreed and now I’m waiting for her to get here.
‘I’m going to leave Hank with you. I hate the idea of leaving you. We still don’t know what’s going on with the person in the woods, but with Jana and Hank here, I think it will be okay. Well, at least as long as you keep the doors closed.’ Cash says as he packs his bag, getting ready so he can leave as soon as Jana gets here.
Even though we are expecting company, we both get tense when there’s a knock on the door. Hank growls and is at full attention as Cash gets up and answers it with his gun. Almost like it was rehearsed, the moment he drops his gun, Hank relaxes and stops growling.
Jana steps into the room and stops short when she sees Hank.
‘You didn’t tell me you got a dog. I would have brought some dog treats.’ She says, before heading right to the kitchen and setting the bags down that are in her hands.
‘I’m going to head out. Make sure you lock the doors behind me,’ Cash says. Then he gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving.
I do he asks, checking that both doors are locked before going into the kitchen and putting away the stuff that Jana brought over.
‘I didn’t mean to run him off,’ she says.
‘You didn’t. He had plans to go check his traps, so it just worked out perfectly. Now, what is new in town?’ I ask curiously.
She launches into all the newest town gossip. Apparently, word got out about Alex and how he treated her and everybody that he’s asked out on a date has turned him down. Rumor has it he would have to go into hell for the weekend to get some action from any girl. But it has to be one who has no idea who he is. That makes us giggle.
Then she tells me the community garden is doing well. Though next year it’s really going to need to expand, but she’s not quite sure how she’s going to get more room.
‘So, you and Cash have really been the big topic in the town, though,’ Jana tells me this after she’s covered all the basic topics.
‘What do you mean? What are they talking about?’
‘Well, they’re talking about the guy that stole Cash’s money and how he was arrested. I guess a few more charges have been brought because people that were using him started double checking their accounts. Apparently, Cash isn’t the only one from whom he was stealing money. Big surprise there. Then that always tends to lead into talk of how you and Cash moved in together and yes, the whole town noticed.’
‘I bet you it was Mrs. Tipton. She watched the whole thing, and you know how she likes to gossip,’ I grumble.
‘Actually, no. It was the landlord’s wife that started blabbing about it. She was in the office, but in the back room the day you guys broke the lease. As soon as you left, she told her gossip buddies. Though Mrs. Tipton only confirmed it when she was confronted at the hair salon a few days ago.’
‘What are people saying about it?’ I ask hesitantly.
‘In general, the town is happy for both of you. They think it was a little soon which sparked rumors of how you might have been dating longer than you let on. When news leaked that your old cabin was broken into last night, that became the hot topic,” she says, taking my hand.
I freeze, and my whole body feels cold. This is exactly what Cash was trying to protect me from, and I thought he was overreacting. Though I was happy to use it as a reason to move in with him because I really wanted to take us to the next level. But if I’m being truthful, I really wanted to be up here on the mountain.
‘What did they take? I’m surprised the cops didn’t call us because we talked to a detective, to let them know about my mom being in town and everything.’ But I forget which one. Someone that Cash knew.
‘Well, from the looks of it, nothing was taken. A few things were moved around and shifted through. The landlord had been there doing a few updates before he rented it out again and all his tools had been gone through, but nothing was missing. Only the lock had been picked.’
‘Honestly, it sounds like my mom. She was coming back to steal from me. Only to find out that I no longer lived there. But I was hoping she would leave town, but I guess not. If she was coming to steal, then she hadn’t turned over a new leaf like she tried to tell me which honestly, I didn’t expect any different.’
I hate that the tiniest smallest part of me was hoping that my mom really meant it this time. Though I’ve gone through this so many times with her. Why do I still hope and think that she can change? But she’s proven over and over that I’m not worth changing for.
‘Well, let’s hope that she sees that you’re gone, and she moves on. The sooner, the better, that she heads out of town, right?’
In my head, I’m in agreement. Although in the back of my mind, I keep thinking how far Montana is from Georgia. Why did she make that trip? There’s no way she made it just to try to make amends with me between guys.
Right then, I’m pulled from my thoughts when Cash walks back in.
‘Any luck?’ Jana asks.
‘Yeah. Got a few small things and I reset the traps. It’ll be enough to keep me busy for a few days.’ He walks over and gives me a kiss.
‘Well, I’m going to go. I want to get back into town before the sun starts to set because I do not know this mountain as well as you to do,’ Jana says.
We walk her to the door and exchange some hugs and she promises to come back out next week so that we can do a girl’s night.
When she leaves, I start working on dinner.
‘What did Jenna have to say while she was here?’ Cash asks when we sit down for dinner.
‘Apparently, we are the biggest source of gossip in town. Between the financial advisor that stole money from you, which incidentally it’s come out, he stolen from other people in town as well to how quickly we moved in with each other. We’ve given them quite a lot to talk about.’
Cash studies me for a moment, but I can’t begin to guess what’s going through his mind.
‘Do you think we moved in with each other too quickly?’ he asks. Even though he’s trying tries to hide his emotions, he’s not very good at it, at least not around me.
‘If you had asked me before I met you, I’d say yeah, it was way too fast. But with you and me, well, our relationship felt right. I don’t know how else to describe it, other than it just felt like it was time.’
He nods and gives me one of his sexy smiles that I don’t think he realizes is so hot.
‘I agree.’
‘But sadly, that isn’t the biggest news that she brought.’
‘Oh yeah, what is it?” He asks his playful side still there.
‘The cabin that I was renting was broken into.’ He sets his fork down and looks right at me.
‘When?’
‘Last night. Apparently, the lock was picked, but nothing was missing, which if I’m honest, sounds like my mother.’
‘I’ll call detective Greer in the morning and see if they have any leads or information.’
‘There’s something that’s kind of been sitting in the back of my mind. I keep wondering why she made the trip all the way from Georgia out here to Montana.’
‘She could have been running from some crime she committed, or maybe this was the one time that she really meant she wanted to fix things. Regardless, it’s not going to do any good to harp on it and if this break-in was your mom, she’s proving that she hasn’t changed her ways.’
I know in my heart he’s right.
‘I’ll be the first one to say I hope that someday she changes and you two have a mother daughter relationship. But I will always protect you and your safety and security will always come first, especially with me.’
With the gentle look into his eyes, I can tell he means it. It’s been a long time since someone had my back other than myself. If ever.
Against all odds, I’m praying that this break-in had nothing to do with my mom.