He turned onto a quiet two-lane road, the truck headlights illuminating the rolling landscape ahead.“I’m just up here on the left.”The end of the driveway was marked on either side by stone pillars.At the top stood the shadowy outline of a house and outbuilding.
“Did you build this?”she asked as his headlights illuminated a craftsman-style two-story house with a detached workshop next to it.They both had natural cedar beams on the exteriors, with the rest of the siding painted a deep slate blue.
“My dad and me.We hired a lot of contractors to help us out, but we did most of it ourselves.”
“It’s beautiful.”But isolated.Surrounded by a thick band of forest on at least two sides.She could see why he wanted that.Space and privacy from people.
“Thanks.”He parked and shut off the engine.
She got out, drew in a breath of warm night air.“It’s so quiet up here.I mean, even quieter than at my place.”Crickets chirped rhythmically in the grass.Stars glittered overhead.“Can you see the water from here?”
“On clear days, you can see down to the harbor.It’s too dark to see it right now, but there’s a vineyard next door to the east.Nothing but grapevines for acres that way.”He gestured down the hill sloping away from the house and forest.
“And your dad lives with you?”
“He’s got a smaller place at the back of the property with its own driveway.Wanted to downsize after my mom passed.”
She nodded.How sad to lose your life partner that way.
Willow opened the back door to let Rufus out, held onto the leash while Tripp grabbed the dog bed and led the way to the side door of the house.He unlocked it, flipped on the light.They stepped into a mudroom with a slate tile floor.
“Kitchen’s through here.”He walked into it and turned on the light, revealing a beautiful, clean kitchen with stone countertops, a large center island, and modern appliances.Yet it still had a traditional feel with all the honey-toned woodwork in the cabinets and trim.
“It’s beautiful.It smells like wood.”
He smiled.“It should.There’s enough of it.”He pulled a stainless-steel bowl from a drawer and filled it with cold tap water.“Here you go, Rufus.You must be thirsty after all that guard dog work.”He placed it on the floor, and Rufus went over to lap it up.
“Not too much, young man.I don’t want to have to get up before dawn to take you outside,” she told him.
“Guest room’s upstairs.”
She followed Tripp through the kitchen that opened up into a family room with a big fireplace on one end.There was cozy leather furniture made to stretch out on, but the wood was the star of the show.“This is absolutely gorgeous.The wood gives it such a warm feel.”
He flashed her a grin over his shoulder.“Thanks.I think it’s the best room in the house.Up this way.”
She paused in her tracks when she spotted a framed photo on a shelf they passed.Tripp with Peyton and some other guys in their military contractor uniforms with their arms across each other’s shoulders.
Her parents had the same one at their house.It had been taken on their second deployment to Syria, right before the attack when Peyton had been killed and Tripp was wounded.
A sharp twinge of grief stole her breath for a moment.She looked away and kept going, wishing her brother had been here.
Tripp was partway up the stairs when she reached the bottom.Her heart ached at all he’d been through.She was proud of him for fighting his demons and moving forward with his life.He was talented and deserved peace and happiness.
She stopped to trail a hand over the carved newel post that he’d probably made himself, her fingertips skimming the satin-smooth finish of the wooden railing as she walked up the stairs, her steps silent on the center carpet runner.
At the top Tripp turned right and led her down the hall.“You’ll be in here.I’m at the other end of the hall.”
Inside the guestroom she unhooked Rufus’s leash and slid her bag off her shoulder onto the wide king-size bed.The room was cozy with a patterned rug covering part of the hardwood floor, the walls a soothing, deep blue-green.
The whole house felt solid and safe.A reflection of the man in front of her.
Tripp set Rufus’s bed on the floor near the foot of the bed on the side they stood on.“Here okay?”
“Perfect.”
Rufus immediately went to his bed, did a few circles, and flopped down with a groan, his chin resting on the padded edge.
She chuckled.“He looks pretty comfy.”
