Page 74 of Cabins Cows Critics
“If you don’t like it, you can always bring your own desk. I mean, you probably have other things you would want to bring,too, but I thought we could run bookshelves around the top of this wall, and either side of the window. I also saw these beds that have bookshelves under them. I could build you something like those, too, if you wanted. I am assuming you have a lot of books. But whatever you need, I can make it exactly how you want it. If you want it,” he finishes, rubbing the back of his neck, a rosy glow to his face, and a small nervous smile on his lips.
“It’s amazing,” I say, and he sweeps his arm around my back and lifts me to him like he did the first time he kissed me, and this time is just as electric. I kick the cabin door closed. “Now time for me to give you my present,” I say, and he shakes his head.
“You being here with me is the only gift I’ll ever need.”
Epilogue
Connor
FINDING OUR FOREVER
Matthewslidesmeanotherstack of papers across the table. We’re meeting at the diner, partly because he’s been staying at the bed and breakfast a few streets over for the last week, and partly because I didn’t want to drag him out to the ranch for the third time in as many days. I know it’s his job, but he has to be pissed he’s been given the task of managing…well, me.
The diner is reasonably full, but we scored a booth by the window. The table is a neon pink plastic, and the booth seats are neon green. The color combination alternates each booth down as they run along the window side, as do the stools that run the length of the retro-feel counter. Sally-May used to own this place but sold up years ago to retire. Or semi-retire. I’m not sure that woman will ever stop working. But something this scale just got too much. It didn’t look like this when she owned it, though. It was filled with mismatched furniture, wooden stools that hadbeen collected over the decades, and had a sweet country vibe. This place is loud, even without the music playing on the jukebox in the corner.
“These, too,” Matthew says, and I pick back up the fancy pen he handed me an hour ago when we started. Turns out taking control of a billion-dollar company and all associated assets is a little more complicated than I first envisioned. My grandfather’s bank accounts were transferred over in a few days, the bank already having my biometrics and signature on file from when I was a very active member of the family, which helped in that regard. Though it took me a second to remember my old signature, given that I hadn’t used it in over a decade. I still can’t believe I’m the heir. The years were hard on the family. After my mother died, my father wasn’t far behind. My uncles passed before I was even born, and that just left me and my cousin to follow in my grandfather’s footsteps. I guess that’s why the push was to marry and continue the family line. My cousin was married, once, it didn’t last and they hadn’t had any kids. I was genuinely surprised I was even still named in the will. But I guess, given there were only the two of us, he kept me listed as a last resort.
“What am I signing now?” I ask, the pen at the ready beside the flagged section.
“Property transfers. There are several assets in the Richmont name that you will acquire. The main estate in California, land and a few office buildings in Texas, the New York apartment, and a few other investments in addition to the company-owned assets and ranches.”
I get to work, skimming the addresses as I move from one to the other. It takes another twenty minutes to get through them all, and I drop the heavy, fancy pen to the table with a sigh.
“Please tell me that’s the last of them?”
“For now,” Matthew replies, collating the stack into a neat pile and slipping it into his briefcase. It’s one of those black shiny ones that he closes and then snaps the locks into place.
A waitress arrives with our burgers and fries, and she waits patiently until he’s moved the briefcase to the seat beside him before she places our plates down.
“Anything else, honey?” she asked me.
“No, thanks, Patty, we’re good here,” I say, and she rips the bill from her paper notepad and pops it on the table. Matthew takes it, pulls out his wallet, and folds the bill over his black card, placing it beside him on the table for her return.
“You have the board meeting tomorrow at four, so I can meet you at the ranch, or you can come here. Whatever is easier for you?” he asks, dipping his fries into ketchup on his plate.
“The ranch is probably better. I don’t know what time I will get all the work done, so if I can just pop into the cabin for the meeting and then get back out there, it’ll be best.”
“Okay, I’ll be there just after three. Remember, they’ll be asking for your decision on the purchase of Collinswood Beef.”
“That’s the company my grandfather was flying out to negotiate with, isn’t it?” I ask as I make a start on my burger.
“Yes. He always met face-to-face with the people he worked with. Said it was his way of seeing if they were good people.”
I laugh.
“Rich of him to assume he knew what good was.”
“Well, you can do business in any way you see fit now that it’s yours,” he says matter-of-factly before biting into his burger. The thing is huge and barely fits in his mouth, and I have to laugh as the mustard drips down his chin.
“Here,” I say, passing him a napkin. “I think video meetings will be fine. Will you be heading back into the city afterward?”
“Yes, but then I’ll be back on Monday.”
“Really?”
“I’m your personal assistant, so I’ll need to be close at hand should you need anything.”
“Like what?”
