Page 8 of Staying for You

What if I lost all the good words that I have in me and my stories are dried up?

What if, what if, what if… it was an endless cycle. Eventually, I turned on the satellite radio and jammed out to my favorite classic rock. The second the sounds filtered through my speakers, it was as if a peace came over me that I’d long forgotten. Scott hated the guitar-driven sounds of the bands from the 70’s and 80’s, the soft, soothing rifts that calm me have always been my favorite.

The first night, I found a hotel and ordered in room service. The second night I became brave. I saw someone on Instagram chronicle her travels where she stayed in her car or tents along her road trip. While I wasn’t quite as brave as she was with a tent, I found a small campground that was open in the winter months, booked a single night’s stay and backed my car into the small space. I wished I knew how to start a fire, however, figure that sleeping in my car while it’s running in the middle of a strange campground was a large enough baby step. I moved around all my belongings in the back of my SUV and made myself a bed and had an admittedly horrible night of sleep. I was a nervous wreck the entire night and figured out that it probably takes a little more planning for spontaneous campground stays than I’d originally thought.

He pulls a car seat out of the pickup, walks to the front door, goes inside, and comes back a few moments later with empty arms. Slowly, he gets Brody out, his tiny little body cradled in Owen’s big arms. He spots me watching him and simply motions for me to follow him.

“Right. Duh. I probably look like an idiot just sitting here watching him while he manages two babies on his own.”

Unbuckling, I lift my purse off the passenger seat and get out of my warm car and into the frigid temperatures, grateful that I dressed in so many layers, including my Ugg boots. I’m also glad that I purchased the SUV instead of the two-seater car that Scott was urging me to drive. If I’d have been in that tiny thing, I’d have gotten stuck in the snowy back roads we took to get here.

I follow him through the door and he turns his head and says quietly, “I’m going to lay him down quick then I’ll be right with you.”

“Okay.”

He grips the handle of the car seat that Issy is sleeping in and effortlessly carries them both up a set of stairs in the back of the lodge. I take the time alone to look around the large space. There’s a big stand up cooler like one you’d find in a gas station that’s filled with different soda, water, and juice on one side and food staples on the other. Milk, cheese, butter, eggs, and a few other items. Next to the cooler is a shelf that’s sparsely stocked with pantry and snack foods. Behind the long counter, there’s rows and rows of whatever it is people use when fishing. Nets and hooks among other things that I’ve never purchased or even touched in my life. I knew when I looked online that The Escape was on a large lake that was popular for fishing. Families as well as groups of fishermen stay up here and spend their days in fishing boats on the lake. My guess is during his busy months he keeps the lodge stocked with basic necessities for his guests.

He has a gift shop on the other side of the lodge with t-shirts and hoodies hanging from racks to purchase. I make a mental note to check them out later because I’m a sucker for a good souvenir. An open room with a pool table, ping pong and foosball, which looks like a ton of fun if you had someone to play with. There’s even a big TV hanging from the wall with inviting leather sofas that I could see Gretchen and me curling up on to watch some chick flicks. In the corner nestled in front of a stone wall stands a large black stove with glass in the front. More dark chocolate brown leather furniture is all aimed in the direction of the wood burning stove with a unique wooden coffee table in the center. It looks custom made by hand and I move closer, wanting to see if it feels as smooth as it looks.

“Sorry about that. I needed to get them settled into beds so they’d take good naps.” Owen’s voice comes from behind me and I spin around and pull my hand back like I was about to be caught touching something I wasn’t supposed to.

He grins and adjusts the ball cap on his head even while holding a baby monitor. Wearing a blue plaid flannel shirt and jeans that look like he’s owned for several years, and a pair of well-worn brown work boots, he looks every bit of the sexy lumberjack I so often describe my heroes as. Only, something tells me there’s nothing about his attire that’s meant for anyone else’s benefit than his own.

“No worries. I snooped around a bit. I like it. I bet when you have full cabins they appreciate the lodge and the little shop over there.”

“I think so. I like to keep it stocked during the summer months especially. Most of my guests arrive and don’t plan to leave unless forced. Which is perfect. That’s my goal — for the guests to enjoy themselves enough that they don’t feel the need to be back in the middle of it all. Sorry that it’s pretty empty in here right now.” He gestures behind us where the store is. “I should have asked if there was anything you’d need before you got up here or at least stocked up better before you came.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be good for a while. I took your advice and brought plenty of groceries so I’ll be okay for a few weeks or longer.”

He nods, moving over to the counter I noticed when I first walked in. “Well, the kids’ parents will be arriving late tomorrow to pick them up so if you forgot anything, let me know and I’ll have them grab it for you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”

When he gets to the counter, he opens up a laptop and sets the baby monitor down.

“You gave me all the information I needed when you filled out the online form I sent over, so now I just need to get your signature and scan your credit card. After that I’ll show you around.”

“Sounds good.” I hand over my card, sign the printed out document he slides over, and he grabs three sets of keys, setting them next to the baby monitor.

He staples a few pages together then files them away in a cabinet beneath the counter. “I have a few areas you can choose from and they’re open for eight weeks.” He shows me a map of the resort, which isn’t hard to follow but I appreciate the map anyway. He points to three cabins then another. “This one is reserved for a long weekend in six weeks. These here on the other side,” he points to the cabins that back up to the trees, “are all open for eight weeks also. So really, you have your pick. If you’d like to be farther away from the lodge or closer, on the lakeside or against the tree line, it’s up to you.”

“I think I’d like to look out onto the water.”

He grins. “Yeah, it’s pretty, right?”

“It is. Even in the winter.”

“Nah.Especiallyin the winter. Just wait and see. I have a space heater I’ll bring over so you can sit on the screened-in deck and look out on the water. It’s incredible and helps you forget about life. Gives you a reset.”

I can’t stop the sigh that escapes my throat. “That sounds wonderful.”

“All right then. Follow me, you can pick which cabin you’d like along the way and then I’ll bring some wood down to you.”

“Wood?”

“Don’t worry. There’s a heater, too, but the fire will be nice.”

I shake my hands in front of me. “Uh, I’m not sure who you think I am, but this city girl has no idea how to start a fire.”

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