Wakingup without Atlee isn’t my favorite thing to do. I missed the hell out of her last night, but I know it’s important that she has time with her sister, just like it’s important for me to have time with my brothers where we aren’t stressing over Noah and Richard.
Glancing at the clock, it’s way too early to be up after drinking the night before, but I know I’m not going to be able to sleep any longer. Going into the kitchen, I greet Cookie. “Morning.”
“Morning to you too. Are you staying for breakfast?”
“Nah, I think I’m heading home after I grab some coffee. There are a few things I wanted to get done today.”
I’ve been thinking about building a couple of shelving units so that Atlee has a place to put her stuff when I ask her to move in with me. I just hope she says yes.
Cookie nods and pours hot liquid into a to-go cup. “Fix it up however you want it.”
“Prefer it black. Thank you.” I tip the cup to him.
“Not a problem. I’ll let everyone know that you left if you want me to?”
I nod and take a healthy drink. “Appreciate it, Cookie. See ya later.”
Walking out to my truck, I shiver, realizing I should’ve brought my jacket. I get in and wait for the engine to warm up enough for me to leave.
The drive home is peaceful, the kind of quiet that settles into your bones. The sun is just starting to peek over the mountains, painting the sky in shades of gold and pink. It’s the kind of morning that reminds me why I came back to Grizzly River, why this place will always be home no matter how far I roam.
As I turn down the long driveway that leads to my cabin, something in my chest loosens. There it is, my place. Not grand like the main house, not fancy by any stretch, but mine. Built with my own two hands, every board and design was my own choice, with no one telling me when I had to do things, or that they had to be a certain way. It’s been my expression of creativity since I started working on it.
I pull up to the cabin and sit for a moment, just looking at it. When I came back from the military, I was a mess. Nightmares kept me up at night, and the smallest sounds would set me off. I needed space, needed walls that belonged only to me, a place where I could breathe without feeling like I was being watched or judged.
Jesse understood, even if he didn’t like it. He gave me this little parcel of land without question, helped me clear it, and then stepped back and let me do the rest on my own. I designed this place to be a sanctuary, somewhere quiet where I could put myself back together.
Never once did I think it would become a home for two.
But now I can’t imagine it any other way. Atlee fits here like she was always meant to be part of it. Her laughter fills the empty corners, and her scent mingles with the cedar and pine. It’s not just my sanctuary anymore. It’s ours.
I grab my coffee and head inside, letting the familiar smells wash over me. The wood from the walls, the spice of the candles that Atlee likes to burn—it smells like home in a way it never did when it was just me.
Setting my coffee on the counter, I head to the spare room where I keep my tools. I’ve got most of what I need for the shelving units, and what I don’t have, I can improvise. I’ve been doing that my whole life.
I haul the lumber I’d stashed in there out to the living room, lay it all out on the floor, and start taking measurements. I want to make sure these shelves fit perfectly in the bedroom, right next to the closet. Someplace Atlee can put all those little bottles and jars women seem to collect, plus room for whatever else she wants to bring over.
If she says yes, that is.
The thought of her saying no makes my hands still for a moment. What if she thinks it’s too soon? What if she’s not ready to give up her independence? What if…
I shake my head, forcing the doubts away. Can’t live life asking “what if.” If there’s one thing the military taught me, it’s that you make your move and deal with the consequences as they come. No use worrying about things you can’t control.
Besides, she loves me. She told me so herself, right out there on the back porch under the stars, and I believe her. I have to believe her, because the alternative is unthinkable.
I work steadily through the morning, measuring twice, cutting once, just like my dad taught me. The physical labor feels good, keeps my mind focused on something other than Noah and Morrison and all the shit hanging over our heads. For a few hours, I can just be a man building something for the woman he loves.
By early afternoon, I’ve got the main frames built for both units. Five shelves each, solid pine that’ll last for years. I justneed to sand them down, stain them to match the bedroom furniture, and mount them on the wall. Not bad for a day’s work.
I’m so caught up in sanding the rough edges that I don’t hear the car pulling up outside. The front door opens, and I look up to see Atlee standing there, a smile spreading across her face as she takes in the mess I’ve made of our living room.
“What’s all this?” she asks, setting her bag down by the door and picking her way through the sawdust and wood scraps to reach me.
I set aside the sandpaper, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. “Just doing some upgrades to the cabin.”
She raises an eyebrow, surveying the half-finished shelving units. “Looks like more than just some upgrades to me.”
I rub the back of my neck, sawdust falling from my hair. “Yeah, well…I thought it was time to make some changes around here.”
