Ciaran showered and changed for dinner after a well-deserved nap. He shook the aches from his body. He didn’t stop often on the road.
He grabbed his phone and called his mom.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Mom, it’s Ciaran. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m doing wonderful,” she said. “How’s the drive so far?”
“It was nice. I’m staying at a bed-and-breakfast in Washington. I’ll be heading up in the morning, and I should be there by lunch.”
“That’s great, dear,” she said. “Remember the traffic. The border gets busy this time of year. You’ll want a full tank of gas.”
“I will, Mom, thanks.”
“Are you bringing anyone?”
The same question every time. “It’s just me.”
“Okay,” she said. “I just hope one Christmas you’ll bring a nice boy home.”
His mom was the biggest supporter of his finding love. She’d set him up with a boy in Canada the last time he visited. Nice guy, but too far. Starting a long-distance relationship was not his idea of a relationship.
“I will one day.”
They talked about how his sister, niece, and nephew were doing when there was a knock on his door. “Dinner is ready, Mom. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
“Come in,” he said.
“Dinner will be ready in about fifteen minutes,” Geoff said. “I can walk you over.”
“I can’t wait,” Ciaran said. “What are we having?”
“Teddy is making beef lasagna with garlic bread and red wine.”
“After road food for two days, a home-cooked meal sounds heavenly.”
“I’ll bet,” Geoff said. “So, did you plan to wear a shirt?”
Heat rose in Ciaran’s face. He’d not put on his shirt yet.
“Yes,” he said. “I have it here.”
He put on a gray polo to match his pants. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you to come in before I’d finished dressing.”
“It’s okay,” Geoff said. “It happens.”
Ciaran turned to see Geoff eyeing him.
Ciaran tied his shoes and followed Geoff down a freshly shoveled path to their cabin.
He mimicked Geoff by pounding his shoes to get the snow off.
He gaped at the interior. They’d built it to resemble the inside of a large tree with curved, grainy walls. The television stand and coffee table were both connected to the floor with gnarled legs. The couch had a soft brown cover, maple-leaf-colored pillows, and a bear-flag-colored, hand-knitted throw over the back of the couch.
The fireplace, while made of brick, blended with the wall. A warm fire lit the room, giving the already natural look an ethereal appearance.
