then the dogs barked and raced to the door.
“I’ll get it,” Jeremy said standing and stretching.
He opened the door to find Gabriela wrapped in a robe and shivering. “There’s no hot water.”
With no makeup on and untamed curls surrounding her face, she looked ten years younger than the last time he’d seen her.
“Oh no, I’m sorry dear,” his mother called out. “Bring your things here and shower in our bathroom. I bet Rick forgot to get the water heater going.” His mother came to the door and stood beside him. “Jeremy be a dear and take her to get her toiletries. Then bring her back.”
“I-I ….” Gabriela met his gaze. “Okay…that would be great.”
An hour later, dressed in sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt with no bra, Gabriela came down the stairs. He’d not meant to notice, but her breasts jutted forward when she put the thick robe back on. On her feet were furry boots she called Uggs, and on her head she wore a knit cap that miraculously held her curls down.
“All right I’m ready. Thanks for taking me back and forth.”
When she smiled at him, Jeremy swallowed. “Not a problem.”
They rode in silence back to her cabin and she hesitated before getting out of the truck’s cab. “Do you appreciate how beautiful the snow looks at night? Or, is it so common you stop looking?”
In the moonlight, the snow appeared to be blue and with the outlines of the trees the scene seemed more like a painting than true life. “Some nights, I’ll sit outside and take in how pretty it all is.”
“That’s good.” Gabriela smiled widely. “Because I won’t forget how beautiful this night is.” Abruptly she opened the door and slid out. Missing his cue to open her door, he climbed out of the truck.
When he rounded the truck, she was at the front door opening it. “Have a good night, I’ll see you at lunch maybe,” Gabriela said. “Thanks again.”
He waited for her to go inside and then went back to his truck. It was close to eleven and now he wasn’t sleepy at all. Jeremy chuckled. The things a pretty girl did to a man.
The next morning started with a bang. Literally.
Thud. Thud. Ripe Curse. Thud.
Jeremy was instantly awake. “What the hell?” He rushed to stand beside the window and peeked out between the blinds. Henry stood just outside his window attempting to split wood or maybe just doing a Michael Jackson impersonation. Each time he lowered the ax and the wood split, he jumped back. “Son of a bitch.”
Jeremy opened the window. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Earning my keep, that’s what,” Henry shot back. “A bit rusty at this though.”
“Parents have truckloads delivered for the festival. We don’t need any wood.” Jeremy shivered from the cold air. “Do something else.”
Henry didn’t seem convinced. “Like what?”
“Check on the horses.” Jeremy yawned so wide, his jaw cracked. “Or the cows.”
“Ha. You don’t have cows. Good one.” Henry gave him a toothy smile. “I’ll make some coffee. Is the front door open?”
He looked to the digital display on the nightstand. “I don’t know, it’s only six-thirty. I’ll let you in. But you best be quiet.”
“There’s a coffee maker in the bunk house,” Jeremy said, sitting at the dining room table a few minutes later. Henry didn’t do random things without reason. He’d probably had a rough night and needed to find a way to distract himself. Sometimes he wished the man would find someone else to be his reality check. And yet Jeremy understood. Having done a couple of tours over at the hellhole himself, it wasn’t something you just got over.
“Did your Dad tell you I’m going to work here for a while? Helping with the festival.”
Jeremy nodded. “He needs the help.”
Henry lowered to a chair with coffee and a plate of toast. “He said I can stay in the spare bedroom in here, but I’ll stick to the bunkhouse.”
“How about you wait until at least seven before popping up?” His father shuffled into the kitchen, scratching his head. “Who in the hell chops wood at six in the morning?”
“I apologize,” Henry said with a sigh. “I was trying to wake Jeremy up gently.”
“That was gentle?” Jeremy huffed. “How about next time you tap on the window?”
“Good idea,” Henry said.
Jeremy’s phone chimed. Cassandra again. Who in the hell did booty calls at seven in the morning? He pressed the silent button and got up. “Gonna take a shower.”
Chapter Five
Upon waking, it took a