Page 52 of Ember Meadow
I had big plans to go straight back home to my guest cabin and curl up with a good book, a cup of coffee and some snacks. All of that is put on the back burner now, as I walk my way back to the Old Cabin.
I left my phone at my desk when I packed up. I’m not attached to it, but I can’t exactly leave it in the cabin for the night. If something ever happened to Aunt Millie and she needed to get ahold of me, I’d never forgive myself for not answering the call.
I take my key out of my back pocket, opening the front door and making a beeline straight for the desk. Sure enough, there’s my phone sitting right on top. No notifications, thank goodness.
I take a sigh of relief, soaking in that nothing bad has happened in the time I didn’t have my phone. It has always been hard for me to fully disconnect. Probably something to do with waiting for my parents to call me. Not that they ever did.
When I turn to leave, a spark of light catches my eye by the front door. Great. I’m seeing things again. What is with this cabin? I swear, it has a mind of its own.
A warm breeze throws my messy curls back over my shoulder as I walk towards the front door. Like usual, there’s nothing there. Although, the temperature of the cabin is a lot higher over by the door where the spark of light was.
I can’t deal with this right now. I’m tired from work, and all I want to do tonight is relax. Take my mind off of renovations. And mysterious indoor breezes in a cabin I’m pretty sure is haunted.
I wonder what Codie is doing tonight. We are halfway through the renovations, after all. I should have the girls over for a little party to celebrate. There are beers in the fridge, and we could order takeout. It might be fun.
Pulling out my phone, I shoot off a text to Codie and the girls in our hiking group text thread. Within five minutes, I’ve got confirmations from Codie, Erin and Morgan. Nicole is out of town visiting family.
I clap my hands together, turning back around to face the cabin. I’m pretty sure there are some blankets in the cabinet we can put out on the floor. I can play a movie for us on my laptop, or we can just hang out. A smile spreads across my face.
Yep, this is exactly what I need.
An hour later, Erin and Morgan are here and we are all sitting on the blankets two beers in. Well, the girls and Hunter, Erin’s boyfriend. He’s quiet, letting us all chat and do our thing. Codie texted us she’s running late.
“It looks amazing, Katie, really. The fireplace is gorgeous,” Erin looks around the cabin.
“Thanks, but I can’t take credit for that. It was already here,” I shrug.
“Really? I could have sworn it was brand new. It looks like it’s never been used,” Morgan says, her brown eyes growing wide.
“I thought the same thing when I saw it, but I asked Parker and he said they for sure have used it many times.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “But the rest of the house is pretty new with everything we have done. I’m excited to see the final result.”
“Speaking of Parker—“ Morgan starts with a smirk.
“Oh my god, you shouldn’t have mentioned him, she’s obsessed with Parker Bailey,” Erin laughs.
“What can I say, he’s super hot!” Morgan exclaims, arms flailing.
Erin rolls her eyes and laughs. “She’s been saying that about him for years. I swear, he could be an ax murderer for all she knows, but she’s smitten anyway.”
“You’re so lucky you see him all the time, Katie,” Morgan says.
I’ve missed nights like this. Hanging out with friends, not doing anything at all but having fun. As much as I’d like to be productive every second of the day, I need this.
A bead of sweat collects on my forehead. “Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?” I ask. I swear it’s at least eighty degrees in this cabin. The air conditioning was installed a few weeks ago, I wonder if it broke or something.
“I think it’s just you,” Morgan giggles, taking another sip of beer.
I pad over to the thermostat to check it out just in case, but it says sixty-eight degrees. Perfectly cool. Why am I sweating if the air conditioning is on?
I walk back to the living room through the dark, narrow hallway, but as soon as I take a step, I’m dizzy. As clear as day, a memory flashes in my mind of the night I met Miles. So vivid I could reach out and touch it, if I weren’t so afraid it’d vanish into dust.
Miles pulls me along the sidewalk of the busy street in downtown Salt Lake City. It’s dark out, but when I look up at the sky expecting thousands of stars like back home, I’m disappointed. Another reason I could never live in the city. The sound of car horns, sirens and people laughing surround us. The skyscrapers spin before my eyes as I look straight up at them, still tipsy from the whiskey sours we shared at the bar.
“One more block, Mac,” Miles says, his low voice rumbling all the way to my gut. I detect the smallest slur in his words.
I look down, right into his chocolate brown eyes. “You’re so handsome.”
He chuckles, pulling me closer as we walk towards my hotel. I couldn’t care less where we are. I just want to be near him. Soaking in his energy, staring at his smile, feeling his arms wrap around me.
