Page 76 of Awaiting the Storm
“There’s somewhere I want to show you.”
Matty doesn’t say anything else, just crosses her arms loosely over her chest and angles toward me in her seat, the curiosity clear on her face. I keep driving, heading about five miles farther up the road before I make a left onto a narrow drive. It’s nothing fancy, just gravel and dirt winding through a stretch of tall pines.
A white sign stuck in the grass at the turn readsFor Sale, half faded in the light.
Her brows knit together. “Are you buying land?”
I don’t answer yet, just pull up near a weathered split-rail fence and park. The truck rumbles to a stop, and I kill the engine, pocketing the keys.
“Come on,” I say, pushing open my door. “I want to show you something.”
She hops out of the truck and follows me, her boots crunching over fallen pine needles. We stroll down a wide path, shaded by tall,thick trees. A gentle breeze rustles through, carrying the frosty chill of a November evening. After about a hundred yards, the trees open up into a quiet clearing. Just beyond it, a large, still pond stretches out, its surface shimmering in the fading light.
Matty stops beside me, taking it in.
“Well?” I ask, sliding my hands into my pockets. “What do you think?”
She glances up at me, eyes wide, then back at the view. “It’s beautiful,” she says softly.
I nod. “That’s what I thought too. I put in an offer on it this morning.”
Her head whips around. “You what?”
“Yeah.” I grin excitedly. “It’s close to Ironhorse, close to town. It’s a hundred acres. There’s a little house that comes with it, but the real draw is this right here.”
She takes a few slow steps forward, the pond reflecting her like glass. “You’re serious?”
“I am.” I walk over and stand beside her, my voice lower now. “I figured this would be a good spot to build something. One house for me. One for my mom.”
Matty turns to face me again, blinking. “Your mom?”
“Yeah. I want her closer. The farm is too big for her to manage alone, and I don’t like her being out there by herself. Since I’m staying here in Wildhaven, I want her here as well.” I point past the tree line toward a gently rising hill in the distance. “Her house will go there. That hill is just far enough away that we won’t be on top of each other, but close enough for me to keep an eye on her.”
Matty lifts a hand to shield her eyes, looking where I’m pointing.
“Figure I can buy her a horse,” I add, “or maybe a four-wheeler. Whatever she wants to go back and forth.”
She laughs, shaking her head. “Well, you thought of everything.”
I shrug. “Tried to. I wanted it to be convenient for me to get to work at Ironhorse, but also easy for her to go into town. Coffee shop, salon, grocery store. She’d be leaving everything that’s familiar. I want the transition to be easy.”
Matty looks back at the water, her expression thoughtful. “It’s amazing, Caison. Honestly, I love it.”
“Me too. Now I just have to convince her to go for it.”
“You made an offer without telling her?”
I nod. “I mentioned that I was looking at it and hoped she’d come. She didn’t give me a definite yes, but she didn’t say no either. Besides, whether she comes or not, this is going to be my home.”
“I can see you here,” she says.
My chest loosens a little. “I’m glad. I really wanted you to see it. And to like it.”
We stay there for a few more minutes, watching the water ripple in the wind, before I guide her back to the truck. It’s completely dark now, and the stars are starting to appear in the sky.
Once we’re back on the road, I glance over at her. “You hungry?”
She smiles. “Starving.”
