“I love it.”
“You do?”
Ria nodded. She couldn’t help the goofy smile that shaped her mouth as she tilted her head to look up at the tall ceiling. Both walls on either side came up at long, straight angles to connect at the apex of the ceiling in a point. An elaborate fixture with many lightbulbs and clear crystal ornaments hung from a metal pole in the center of the ceiling.
“It’s like a cathedral I saw a picture of once from another country on this planet.”
Cam also looked up. “This cabin is what’s called an A-frame design. Like the capital letter A in the alphabet, I guess.”
She nodded. “Like two cards of chance leaning against each other. It’s very tall.”
“Three stories,” he said proudly.
He was right to be proud. She could see two staircases from the front door and straight ahead. One went from the ground floor left to right and from the floor they were on to a platform on the next level. The other went from the right on the next level to the left up to the top platform. It was all open to the three-story high room they stood in.
Windows filled the front of the cabin, giving them a wonderful view of the lake.
“What’s up there?” she pointed to the upper levels.
“There is a bedroom on the second floor and a bathroom, more or less, since it’s pretty old and ugly, plus another bedroom on the third floor loft space.”
“And on this level?”
“We’re standing in the living room.” He gestured to the right and a tall counter with two stools like at a bar, and beyond it to what looked like a kitchen that had seen better days.
Cam said, “The kitchen is old and needs a desperate makeover, but I think it would be possible to remodel it. Down the hallway there is another bedroom, another bathroom, a small pantry and a place for a washer and dryer, but I don’t know if one was ever installed.”
“Are you going to live here someday?”
“That’s my plan. I mean, I’ll fix it up and everything.”
She nodded, wishing she could stay and help him fix this place up. She could add it to her bucket list, remodel a house and make it a cozy home. Probably she’d need more than two days to make that happen. A sudden and heartbreaking sadness filled her. She wouldn’t be the one helping Cam make this place amazing. She would be a galaxy away and miserable.
Commuting from Alpha-Prime would be impossible, of course. A swell of anger rose within her and burst, but she tried her best to tamp it down. It didn’t do any good to be angry. Mentally, she inhaled and exhaled the foolish anger out, telling herself to focus on the precious time she had left with Cam and not to waste her energy on the overwhelming feelings of unfairness that took up too much space in her mind.
Cam said, “Once upon a time I’d thought about just bulldozing the whole grimy, filthy place into a pile of kindling and starting fresh—”
“Oh, no. You aren’t really going to do that are you? Don’t tear it down.” Her gaze scanned the dusty surfaces and spider-web-filled corners with horrified dismay as if a demolition crew would blow the place up in front of her eyes.
“Nah. I decided not to re-build. The thing is, I love all the views from this place. My favorite part is the view from the bedrooms. They are all gorgeous.”
“I’ll bet they are. I’m glad you are fixing it up and not tearing it down. I love this place. I’d live here in a second.”I wish I could stay and help you make it perfect.
“Would you like to see the rest of it, dusty corners and all?”
“Yes, please. Give me the grand tour.” She’d read that phrase in her book. Thegrandtour was probably always the best one anyway. “I’d love to see all of it, the dusty corners, too.”
Cam walked down the dark hallway and opened a door on the left. A vast amount of light escaped from the open door. She followed him into a lovely room that had already been cleaned up, dust removed and there wasn’t a single spider web in sight. The bed was made up with a charming quilt like what they’d seen at the carnival. The spotless floor-to-ceiling windows facing the lake gave a spectacular view of the dock, the trees and the water. This was heaven.
She sucked in a breath and raced to the window. “Oh my goodness, it’s so beautiful, Cam. I’d give anything to wake up to this view every single day.”
“Would you?” he said from a distance behind her.
She spun around. He had an odd expression on his face.
“I would,” she insisted.
He didn’t say anything at first, but seemed unconvinced.
