With care, the man who owns the other 50% of this place.
With care? She didn’t think so.
Andnot negotiable? Perhapsit was her turn to make some nonnegotiable demands. It wasn’t that she cared so much about the placement or that she’d evenwanta cabin beside the river. It had more to do with his bossy and, frankly, rude manner. And to think this was their first interaction with their new business partner. What a childish, unprofessional—
“I don’t care if he said I can’t have a cabin by the river,” Richard spat as he drove them through the small and winding road that lined the dwellings. “I’ll take whatever one I’d like.”
“They’re all taken, genius,” Emmitt said, “in case you can’t tell by the freaking minivans, snow boots, and trails of footprints leading to each door.”
“Okay, detective. How do you know where the river even is?” Richard asked, tipping his head to see further into the wooded area.
“If you’d have been paying attention, you would know too.”
The cabins mainly looked the same to Andie, from the outside, anyway. It did seem that some were larger than others, but each boasted that log cabin appeal. Dark, weathered logs accented by large, river-rock looking stones along the base of the structure.
She’d spotted the same evidence Emmitt had in the occupied units, but like Richard, Andie wasn’t exactly sure which cabins bordered the water and which didn’t.
“I think we’re about to circle back around,” Richard said as he gripped tighter to the wheel. “Guess we can just take one of the vacant ones for now and figure the rest out later. I’m not about to be tied to the first one I choose right now.”
Just then spots of a hidden chimney caught her eye. Not because smoke billowed from it like some of the others, but because it was painted a bright burgundy red around the top.
“Wait,” Andie blurted. “I want the one back there.”
“Back where?” Richard asked while hitting the brakes.
“This road breaks off,” she said, pointing to a curve along the bend.
“Oh, so some of them are really hidden, huh?” Richard cranked the wheel enough to take the turnoff.
“You must really be off your game today, man,” Emmitt razzed. “We’ve passed dozens of hidden ones the whole way through. You just have to be looking for them.”
As they proceeded down the private pathway, the modest looking cabin came into full view. The red accents continued, she realized, noting that the paint lining the chimney matched the shutters, the framing around the rooftop, and the front door as well. A leafy green wreath made the dwelling appear occupied, but she guessed by the absence of any tracks or footprints that the wreaths were simply a signature mark of the inn.
“This one doesn’t border the river, does it?” Andie asked. “I really want it.”
“Then it’s yours,” Richard said. “Whether it’s on the river or not.”
“Really?” Emmitt chimed. “You still haven’t spotted the river?”
Andie threw a look of exhaustion to Emmitt.
“It’s not,” he assured from the back seat. “You’re fine.”
“I’ll help you take in your stuff,” Richard offered.
Her stuff. Yeah, there wasn’t much left to speak of after having to donate her old wardrobe for the most part. The high fashion clothing would, according to the program, set them apart too much in their new environment.
Andie tucked the handwritten note into her pocket and pushed open her door. “Thanks.” Her mind went a dozen different directions as she hoisted her bag over one shoulder while fisting the straps of her handbag.
“You going to help out or just sit there?” Richard asked Emmitt as he tugged her suitcase from the back.
“Why, you can’t handle heronelittle suitcase?” Emmitt razzed.
Richard replied by slamming the back hatch closed.
Andie resisted the urge to say anything about the way he rolled the designer piece—something she’d managed to keep—through the slushy snow.
“Guess we’ll have to go make a food run soon.”
