Page 16 of Fire in Cabin 27
“Really? It’s a snazzy little thing. You sure you want to do that?” It suited the snarky Juni I first met, but this calmer version I wasn’t too sure it did.
“Did you just use the word snazzy?” Juni rolled his eyes, a trait I’d grown used to and secretly enjoyed. “But yes. It suits past Juni but not future Juni.”
“What does future Juni want?”
“Hmm, an SUV, I think.”
“May I suggest one with all wheel drive for when we’re at the compound?” They tended to get a ton of snow there in the winter which was why my truck had 4-wheel drive.
His eyes widened. “The compound? Are you dragging me off to a cult in the mountains?”
My whole-body shook, I laughed so hard, and it almost caused him to spill his drink. “No. My entire family lives there. The log cabins are spread far and wide across the land but we all just adopted the word compound to describe our, well, village, I guess you’d call it.” Never really thought about any of that before. We grew up there, were homeschooled there, and made our first shifts and flights there. It held all my childhood memories.
“Why’d you move away?”
“Got frustrated with all the busy bodies. I wanted to be on my own, I guess. Kinda seems frivolous now that we’re considering moving there. Guess we all had to sow our wild oats in our own way. Now it’s time for me to move back and start a family of my own.”
Who knew I’d ever think, let alone say, those words.
“It’ll take a while to get the city out this boy who loves to shop. But if we’re going to start a family it’s probably the best place for us. I um, I’m what you call a trust fund baby,” Juni blushed and turned away.
“Sorry darlin’, I don’t quite follow.”
“Never went to college, never had a job. My parents pay for my living expenses and my fancy car, as you called it, was a high school graduation present from them. The money I spend comes from the trust fund my grandparents set up for me when I was born. I got access to it when I turned twenty-one.”
“Oh. Ohhh,” the words finally sunk in. “I’m a woodworker by trade. Have some of my creations in a couple of shops in Bellingham. I help with the cabinetry for new cabins on the compound. Built a lot of baby furniture for my fertile siblings.” Juni laughed. “Guess you still don’t need to work. Not that I’d ever tell you no if you wanted to.”
“I was afraid you’d think I was spoiled.”
“Princess, you are spoiled, but you’re my princess to spoil now. We do what works for us and our family. It’s no one else’s business but ours.” He sighed and moved half on my lap, cuddling into my chest. He fit perfectly there.
We spent the evening watching the worst movies possible, picking them apart and laughing while we polished off what was left of the food. It was a mish mash of things for sure. When the time came we began the countdown and at the stroke of midnight yelledHappy New Yearand rang it in making love in what had become our favorite place—the big fuzzy rug in front ofthe fireplace. Juni said he was ordering one for us as soon as we got settled in wherever we landed.
“Branson, my man,” I smiled as we walked inside the office and immediately greeted him. “We are checking out.” Juni was snuggled up, tucked into my side with my arm around him.
“Squee!” Branson cheered. “I’m so happy for you two.”
“We feel like we owe you a gift of some sort,” Juni smiled. “Never been happier in my life.”
“Ditto, my love,” I kissed his cheek. “Anyway, it’s time to say goodbye and I’m glad you didn’t lose your job. If I didn’t know any better, Branson, I’d swear you had a touch of magic in you, matchmaking as you did.”
Branson winked. “You’re not the first guest to say that to me this morning. Have a safe trip home and maybe the next time we see you it’ll be with a little dragon in your arms.”
“You never know, Branson, you never know.” I couldn’t wait for that day to come. We’d for sure come back and introduce our little dragonet to him. Hell, it wouldn’t be a half bad idea to name our first after him in some way.
Juni and I popped into the diner for lunch and then hit a couple of shops for trinkets, memories from our trip, Juni called them. If our brains weren’t already filled with all the finer points of this vacation, then what kind of memories was he searching for? “Magnets and mugs, just silly things that make us grin when we look at them.”That smile of his will be my undoingI thought as I happily handed over my credit card though he refused it.
“This is on me, dragon.”
We’d loaded his luggage into my truck this morning because he made a firm decision to trade in his car as soon as we got to Sacramento.
It was one long ass day, but Juni was right, money talks. I’d never been in and out of a dealership so fast in my life. They gave him a more than fair trade in for his sportscar and then he paid the difference in full for the new SUV he bought straight off the showroom floor. He used my PO box in Washington so he wouldn’t have to mess with his parents. Didn’t feel it was my place to point out that had we shopped around he’d likely have found a better deal. He was happy, the vehicle had fantastic safety ratings and all-wheel drive, which calmed my nerves a bit. It was hella safer than the go-speed-racer car he traded in. Not to mention there was no back seat for a car seat. Futuristically speaking, of course.
“Home sweet…who am I kidding, no place has ever felt like a home to me.” Juni sighed as we entered his condo. “Well, this is it.”
“When do you want to head out?”
“As soon as…”
