I’d stayed the night at Rowdy and Kess’s place after the birthday party and woke to a big breakfast out by the pool. Kess enjoyed taking care of his man, and had always made me feel welcome when I came over.
When Rowdy didn’t answer right away, I snuck a peek in his direction. He raised his brows. “We have, like, three guest rooms that overlook this exquisite pool.”
“I can’t, Rowd,” I said, leaving off the fact that I could hear him and Kess go after it last night.
He let out an exasperated sigh. “We’d started using the cabin for extra storage, but I’m sure we can make it habitable for you.” Before I could thank him, he held up a hand. “But why would you think Woody’d say no to you?”
I shook my head. “Because I’m in a weird headspace right now and nothing feels certain anymore.”
Rowdy stood in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders until I looked him directly in the eye. “I get it. But you’re like a brother to me, which means you’re also important to Woody. We’ll be here for whatever you need.”
Rowdy was the one I told all of my secrets to, and he did the same. I was the only one who knew how sexually inexperienced he was before getting together with Kess, despite his reputation to the contrary. When he finally let Kess love him, I had a front seat to him taking down his walls. It was one of the most special things I’d ever witnessed.
I couldn’t figure out why, then, it was so hard to let him help me now.
I nodded, annoyed at the few tears that’d escaped.
It brought me back to last night, and the hallway with Kit. The way he was so quick to get angry on my behalf, to offer help, to give me a hug right when I needed one. I felt bad about leaving the lip print on his cheek, but when he came out of the bathroom, a few minutes later, his cheek scrubbed clean, he didn’t seem annoyed. The opposite, really.
I set that thought aside, because yeah, no. I had bigger fish to fry.
I took a deep breath. “Thanks, Rowdy. I promise, no loud parties.”
“I appreciate it. The animals need their beauty sleep.”
Shit. I’d forgotten about the animals. Woody’s land was a true-blue sanctuary for exotic animals, and while Rowdy always insisted they weren’t mean or aggressive, I was gonna have to figure out how to be okay with crossing paths with antelope and zebras, or whatever.
We finished breakfast, and Rowdy handed me the keys.
Yesterday, when I’d hired an Uber to take me from Austin, the very sweet, very large driver was happy to help me with my massive suitcases. Today, however, there was no driver. Even though I had no intention of asking for help, Rowdy and Kess each grabbed a large suitcase, leaving the final one for me. The path between their house and the cabin was relatively smooth,and the animals seem to keep their distance, watching as the three of us paraded up to the small place.
I opened the door, expecting the cute cabin that Rowdy and I’d upgraded last year with fresh paint and a few nice pieces of furniture. Instead, we were confronted with several large bags of something—soil, maybe?—as a stale smell washed over us.
Rowdy’s nostrils flared as he waved his hand in front of his face. “Sorry. Been a few months since I’ve been in here.”
He pushed past me and grabbed a bag. “Gimme a sec,” he said. “I’ll get these out of here.”
Kess and I also grabbed a bag apiece. According to the label, they were fifty-pound bags of feed and I narrowly escaped a press-on nail disaster as we followed Rowdy to the barn. We had to move a few things around to make room for the bags, but we made it work.
Once we’d cleared all the bags plus some equipment and tools that’d been stacked in the kitchen sink, I finally took in the small space. It was more cramped than I’d remembered and kinda lifeless without Rowdy’s music or guitar or any of his pretty tchotchkes. The bare mattress was decent, the few pieces of furniture were well made, and Rowdy and I’d painted the walls a gorgeous blue when he lived here. Still, the bare space was a stark contrast to the luxury condo I’d been staying in.
Don’t judge a gift horse in the mouth, Sky. You can make this place yours in no time.
There was the small dresser to the side of the bed I’d thrifted for Rowdy. The size’d made sense for his ‘wardrobe,’ but wasn’t near enough for my clothes. I shoved as many of my essentials into the dresser as I could, then set out a few personal items. There wasn’t a closet, per se, merely a sturdy shelf with a suspended bar on which to hang my things. After jamming most of the rest of my clothes onto the makeshift rack, I stepped back to take in the entire effect.
Not great, but not bad. And the work Rowdy and I’d done on the place meant that, with the bags of feed gone and all of my things in place, it was kinda cute.
Sure, I’d become accustomed to living in high style, but there was something to be said about having a place out in the Hill Country, with gorgeous views and access to nature.
Then again, there was still a lot to get used to. That I could see the entire cabin from the foot of my bed didn’t exactly feel like a step up from the penthouse I’d just come from.
“I know it’s not much,” Rowdy said as he helped me put a freshly washed fitted sheet onto the bed. “But this is a good place to reset.”
I snapped out the flat sheet and watched as it floated down to the mattress. “I think so, too,” I responded after a moment. “It’s the right environment for me to make a plan and then put my head down and get to work.”
Kess brought over a nice quilt and laid it out over the bed, along with some fluffy pillows.
“I hope that you’re also able to imagine a life beyond what’s happening right now,” Kess said kindly.
