Rachel blew her bangs from her forehead. “Well, maybe you shouldn’t have had me do it, then,” she snipped at me.
It was time to lay it on a little thick. “Thank you, Rachel, for everything back there. You are seriously the best friend a gal could ever, ever have.” I batted my eyelashes at her.
Rachel laughed grudgingly. “Oh, just shut up, will you?” She flipped on the radio, ending our conversation.
We arrived at Clay’s house ten minutes later. Daniel, Ray, and Clare were already there. Ruby and Lisa were talking to them on the front porch. Clare waved at us as we pulled into the driveway. We parked and got out of the car.
“Everyone ready?” I asked, barely able to conceal my excitement. I moved to Clay’s side and gave him a quick squeeze before greeting Ruby and Lisa.
Lisa dangled a key in front of her. “Here you go, guys. Have fun. There should be cut firewood up already, and there’s a small grocery store about five minutes away. Have fun and be safe.”
Clay took the key and gave Lisa a hug. “Thanks, Lise. You’re the best.”
We all called out our thank-you’s as we piled into separate vehicles. Rachel, Clay, Daniel, and I loaded up into Rachel’s car while Ray and Clare followed in his SUV.
I snuggled into Clay’s side in the backseat, laying my head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head and laced his fingers through mine. I sighed in contentment. This was the most relaxed I had been in weeks.
Franklin Lake was only forty-five minutes away. Close enough that you didn’t spend all day driving but far enough that you felt like you were getting away from it all. Things in the car were a little awkward at first. But finally, after a while, everyone started to get comfortable and we were able to engage in conversation that wasn’t entirely stilted.
Rachel and Daniel were still tense around each other, but even they made an effort to enjoy themselves. I could have sworn I even saw Daniel smile at one point. Clay and Rachel talked about their creative-writing class. Daniel spoke endlessly about the basketball team. For the first time in weeks, I felt a sort of civility fall over my friends and me, and I realized with a pang how much I had missed them. I hadn’t noticed how much I had pushed them away in my pursuit of my relationship with Clay. When was the last time I had talked to Daniel about something that wasn’t in any way related to my roller-coaster love life? I couldn’t remember. And that was sad. I was determined to rectify that this evening.
Clay wouldn’t let go of my hand the entire ride. His thumb caressed the sensitive skin of my palm, shooting sparks straight to my belly. Running his nose up the side of my neck, he murmured in my ear, “I love you, baby.” I squeezed his hand in return, my insides a twisty mess at his closeness.
Finally, Clay looked out the window and pointed to a turnoff just ahead of us. “You want to pull down this road,” Clay told Rachel, pointing to the narrow dirt path to the right. “Are you sure my car will make it?” Rachel asked hesitantly.
Clay chuckled. “Your car will be fine. It’s a little rough the first fifty yards but the rest is packed dirt; you’ll be golden.”
Rachel made the turn. “All right, but if I eat it, you’re paying for the repairs,” she grumbled.
“Stop worrying,” I said, leaning forward and squeezing her shoulder. Of course, the first thing she did was hit a giant, crater-sized pothole, tipping the car precariously.
“Fuck!” she screeched after getting back on the hard road.
Daniel was laughing in the front seat. “You should have seen your face, Rache! That was priceless.”
Rachel smacked his arm. “Shut up, Daniel, or you’re hoofing it to the cabin.”
Daniel snorted. “Whatever,” he muttered, but didn’t make another comment. We drove for another two miles before the forest ended and we came to a clearing. Sitting up on a hill was the most fantastic house I’d ever seen.
“Shit, man, this wasn’t at all what I was expecting when you said we’d be staying in a cabin,” Daniel said, whistling. The wooden structure was built to resemble a Swiss chalet. The entire front was nothing but windows, and there were not one but two large stone chimneys jutting from the roof.
“Wait until you get inside. It’s incredible,” Clay promised as Rachel pulled into the two-car garage off the side of the cabin.
“I had no idea Lisa had the money for something like this,” I told Clay, a little awestruck. Clay reached into the trunk and pulled our duffel bags out.
“It’s actually Lisa’s parents’ place. Her family has the money but no one uses the cabin but Lisa. Most of her family has moved away, so she makes sure the property is maintained.”
Ray and Clare had just gotten out of their car. “Damn... this is awesome!” Ray remarked. Clare seemed as amazed as the rest of us. I still couldn’t believe that this was where we’d be spending the night.
Clay pulled out the keys and unlocked the door leading into the house from the garage. He quickly punched a code into an alarm panel on the wall, making it chirp. “Be careful—it’s dark through here, so let’s just get into the living room.” Clay grabbed my hand as I trailed behind him through the dark hallway.
He pushed through a swinging door and flicked on some lights and I was totally dazzled. The living room, kitchen, and dining area were an open floor plan. A large sectional sofa sat in front of the huge windows overlooking the forest; a beautiful stone fireplace sat to the right. Just off to the left of the living area was an enormous kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, and a magnificent island topped with a gas range.
The dining area was truly spectacular. A magnificent cherry table sat in an alcove off the kitchen, and the wall was one large window overlooking the lake. A glass chandelier hung above the table. Wood floors, dotted with area rugs, ran throughout the first floor.
I walked to the window in the dining area and looked out. It was a sunny day and the lake glistened. I could see a gazebo down below with screens enclosing it. Clay came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. He pointed to the gazebo. “That’s where the Jacuzzi is. Wewillbe enjoying that later.” He nibbled my earlobe, making megiggle.
“So, who gets what rooms, dude?” Ray asked. Clay let me go and turned around. He pointed down a hallway leading from the kitchen.
