Page 60 of Family: Posy 4

"Oh, Cole, it's incredible!" I covered my mouth with my hands, then dropped them to ask, "Is it yours?"

"Jay's grandpa had it built for his grandma. We spent every summer of our childhood here with all the families. The parents still bring the younger ones up after school lets out, then again over spring break."

He paused and drew in a deep breath before letting it out slowly, his whole body seeming to loosen up the closer we got to the cabin.

"Mase and I haven't been here for a couple of years, though," he said in a soft, quiet voice. "It's like coming home again."

"Then I'm glad you're here, and that you brought me along. Let's sneak up here - all six of us - sometime, even if it's only for a long weekend or overnight."

"Yeah, I'm sure Mase misses it just as much as I do. Maybe during the winter, huh? It's so pretty up here with the snow on the trees. Plus, the lake freezes over and we can go ice skating."

As he rambled, I heard his words, and one part of my brain was evenlisteningto them, but mostly I was too busy absorbing this side of Cole. I never realized how tense he was most of the time until I saw him like this, and I loved that he was relaxing.

After he parked, he got out and was at my door before I got my seat belt unbuckled. Then he lifted me up by my waist and set me on my feet. Holding my hand, he led me up a flagstone path to a pair of French doors.

"Welcome to Pippi's Place," he said as he threw them open and waved me inside.

"Was that Jayden's grandma's name?"

"Yep. And we've always called it that. Or just the cabin. Goddess, I can remember coming through that door and smelling all kinds of cakes and cookies baking in the oven. Pippi was always feeding us homemade goodies. She used to say that feeding boys was like filling a silo; neither were ever full."

I didn't know what a silo was, so some of the expression was lost on me, but I got the gist of it and smiled to know yet more facts about my mates.

He took me on a quick tour of the massive living room with its stone fireplace and arching ceiling. We went into the kitchen, which was outfitted with black cabinets and a big old stove that looked straight out ofLittle House on the Prairie, but he assured me it was a modern gas stove.

"We replaced all the appliances and updated the electricity and plumbing," he said. "We tried to keep Pippi's style as much as possible, and Wyatt insisted this was the right stove. I have to say, it really does make the kitchen come together, doesn't it?"

"He has a great eye," I agreed. "It's the artist in him."

When we got upstairs, Cole had me stick my head in the guest rooms. They weren't huge, but each was done up in a different theme, which I thought was cute. Then he led me into the master bedroom, and it looked just the way I expected it to: An enormous bed the size of ours at home, two big windows showcasing the mountain scenery, a stone fireplace, comfy chairs, and another set of French doors leading out onto a balcony.

"It's so pretty! I love it." I whirled around to tell him and he caught me in his arms.

Picking me up, he tossed me onto the bed and I bounced before he followed me down.

"Itispretty," he agreed as he laid next to me. "I'm glad you like it. The cabin is one of my favorite places to be."

"And this is one ofmyfavorite places to be," I teased him as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down on top of me.

He laughed and hugged me, then propped himself up on one elbow.

"I have something for you. Wait here."

My heart rate picked up, knowing it was probably his sorry card. I felt bad for a moment. I didn't need them to keep apologizing, but Ididlike seeing the cards they'd created and reading their special words.

"Here, honey."

Cole held out a white envelope. Sitting up, I propped a few of the dozen pillows behind me - probably Wyatt's doing; that boylovedpillows - and accepted his card.

Once I got it out of the envelope, my jaw fell.

"Oh, my! This is so pretty!" Then I opened it, and my jaw fell further. "And your handwriting is beautiful! This is cursive, right? Emerson said he'd teach me and Ty how to do it, and I hope he remembers. I want to know how to write like this."

"I can teach you," he murmured. "Mase can write in cursive, too, but forget Jay, Ash, and Wyatt. They can't read it or write it. My class was the last one to be taught penmanship in elementary school."

"The school stopped teaching it? I wonder why."

"I don't know. I guess the powers-that-be thought it wasn't necessary in this digital age." He shrugged, then his eyes widened. "Uh-oh. I just realized that you probably can't read this."

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