“How’s the electricity out here?” she asked.
“Solar,” he said. “And a battery bank. We never lose power. One of the benefits of being off-grid is that when the grid goes down, we don’t.”
“Oh, I didn’t see any solar panels on the roof,” April said. She took the first bite of her sandwich and found it delicious. So much better than cold cuts, she thought.
Cal responded, “The solar panels are in a clearing behind the cabin, several yards back. We find that they get better sun that way. In the winter, we mostly heat the place with a wood stove. Saves us battery power. And the water comes from our very own well.”
“Sounds like you’ve got everything pretty much figured out,” she said. “And these sandwiches are delicious.”
“Thank you,” he said. “We have a picky eater in the house. He keeps me honest in the kitchen.” He winked at Owen, who grinned back.
April enjoyed lunch with Cal and Owen far more than she thought she would. Their ease in their own environment put her at ease, too. She felt like she was on vacation, camping—glamping even. The place was beautiful and relaxing, and the company was a joy to be around. She’d expected a certain level of awkwardness and had been looking forward to finding out what made Cal tick. He didn’t turn out to be that complicated in the end. What made him tick was fathering his son and creating a home for his tiny family.
She knew there was more to him, something that made the outside world feel unfriendly and unsafe. But what surprised her was the lack of that tension when it came to his own home. After lunch was through, she realized she didn’t really want to leave. The idea that she would never see the cabin again was breaking her heart a little. If April was nothing else, she was a risk-taker. So, she decided to take a risk.
“I’d like to return in a few days,” she said, “if that’s OK.”
Cal narrowed his eyes at her, looking distrustful of her motivations. “Why?”
“Just to check on his progress and make sure he’s completed his course of antibiotics. No charge at all. We want to make sure his infection doesn’t return.”
“No charge?” Cal cocked his head at her, and she could tell he didn’t really believe her.
She decided to be honest. “It’s not protocol, nothing required by the clinic. You can, of course, refuse. Personally, I like to be extra cautious.” She shrugged. “Also, I like you.”
April could tell that Cal was about to refuse her offer, but then Owen perked up and said, “Pleeeeease!” He hung on the word in the way children sometimes do when they beg, and Cal immediately melted.
“All right,” he said. “We’ll see you in a few.”
They walked her back to her car, and Owen continuously waved at her as she pulled away. They were such a charming family that April found herself feeling a little envious. She was thirty, and she’d wanted nothing more than to have a family of her own by now. Maybe that was why she was so eager to spend time with this one, borrowing them in a way, until she found a partner worth building something real with.
CHAPTER 6
CAL
Before April visited again, Cal actually forgot she was coming. He’d gone back to his daily routine easily and hadn’t thought about anyone other than Owen for the couple days between visits. The morning of the day she was to arrive, Owen was bouncing around like it was his birthday or something, and Cal couldn’t figure out why.
“What are you so excited about?” he asked.
“April’s coming today!” Owen shouted, still bouncing.
Cal’s jaw just about hit the floor. “She is?”
“Duh, Dad. Didn’t you check the calendar? I been checking it fordays.” He said the worddaysthe same way an adult might say the worddecades. Cal couldn’t help laughing. No matter how much life in general seemed to stress him out, he could always count on Owen to give him a chuckle. Then, it occurred to Cal. Owen’s behavior had been unusually helpful. He’d gone around fluffing pillows and picking up his toys. Cal had thought he was just having a lucky morning where his son’s behavior wasconcerned. But Owen had been cleaning up in anticipation of April’s visit.
Cal was touched by how thoughtful such a young child actually was. Maybe the woman’s visits would do Owen some good, teach him to be hospitable. Although if his recent behavior was anything to go on, he was already most of the way there.
April showed up that afternoon, giving Cal more time to straighten the place before she arrived. At the very least, he supposed, this intrusion was forcing him to stay on top of the housekeeping.
As soon as Owen heard April’s small car pull up, he ran out of the house to greet her. Cal was pretty sure he’d never seen his son that excited to see anyone. What was it about this one nurse that Owen loved so much? Cal stood out on his front porch and watched her emerge from her car, carrying her bag of tools and smiling like she was seeing an old friend after a long absence.
Owen threw his arms around her knees and squeezed her tight. “I’m so glad you’re here. Dad made lunch again, only I told him to make it fancier. I hope you like cherry-tree boards.”
April’s face scrunched up as she considered what the boy was saying. Then, her eyes lit up, and Cal knew she had translated correctly. “Oh, I love charcuterie boards!” she said. “How did you know?”
As soon as she asked the question, Owen’s ears turned red. He was blushing. Cal could hardly believe it. Like his father, though, he quickly recovered. “Oh, well, I just thought maybe you would.” He took hold of April’s hand by gripping half of her fingers on one hand and dragging her toward the cabin. “Come on! You’re going to love it. I picked out all the cheeses.”
“Did you go grocery shopping?” April asked.
