Page 14 of Cabins Cows Critics
Chapter six
Hayden
FACING FEARS AND FURRY FRIENDS
“Why’dyousaythatthing about my book?” I ask Wendy after Connor leaves.
“I was just playing. I know you’ll finish it when you have time.”
“I will. I mean, I was going to try to write while I was here, but I thought I’d be a good best friend and—“
“You’re the bestest best friend,” she interrupts, skipping over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist, cuddling me tight. “Really, Hayden. I mean it. I don’t know why I said anything about your book. You’ll have lots of time to write, I’m sure they’ll have so many activities to keep me occupied, or hey, if cutie cowboy Connor is on my team, I might be spending more than a little of my daylight hours with him, if you know what I mean.”
“I have to do the activities, too, remember. This is a work trip.”
“Oh, right. Well, after the activities, I’m sure there’ll be time. This place is huge.”
“Yeah, maybe.”
“Come on. I want to snuggle with the cows some more.”
“I’ll be right behind you.”
She pulls back and looks up at me, her eyebrows raised and a knowing smirk on her lips.
“You’re going to fully unpack, aren’t you?”
Sometimes I hate that she knows me so well.
“If I leave it all in the case, everything will be creased.”
“Fine, but leave my stuff for me when I get back.”
“Sure,” I tell her, fully knowing that I have zero intention of doing that, but she knows that, too.
After our things are put away nicely in the drawers and hanging space built into the side wall beside the bed, I take a moment to jot down a few first impressions in my notepad. I use my laptop for writing my pieces but prefer to jot down my thoughts and notes the old-school way with paper and pen.
The room is clean, and feels bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. I sit on the end of the bed, surprised by how the mattress topper hugs around me. It’s like sitting on a cloud. Lying back, I let my body sink into the soft embrace. This is probably the most comfortable bed I’ve ever lain on, I think, staring up at the sky through the small skylight above the bed. Now that’s nice. Out here, you must get a great view of the stars. Might not be so great when the sun wakes me up at 5 a.m., though. How would they even install blinds on a skylight? They would have to be able to, though. Maybe there is a switch somewhere.
I reluctantly pull myself up and check the mini fridge for something to replace the vomit taste in my mouth. It’s stocked well, just like Connor said it would be. There are three glass bottles of creamer, farm-fresh labels on each, and three bottlesof different colored juice. I crack the lid on the red one and take a sip. The cool strawberry, mint, and apple flavor coats my tongue. It’s the nicest juice I’ve had in a long time. There is no label on the bottle, though, only a sticker with a tree logo on it, and the ingredients scrawled in black marker up the side.
I have another sip, then put the bottle back in the fridge to drink later.
The bathroom is small. A toilet, a small sink, and a shower just big enough for one. I put my skin care bag in the top drawer and find new toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and goat’s milk soap bars tied with twine and cute handwritten labels already in there.
“Well, Wendy, you’re in luck.”
Wendy forgot to pack her toothbrush, so this is actually really handy.
I shove my notepad into my back pocket, pop my pencil behind my ear, and head out. I can hear Wendy’s laugh from here, and when I reach the cuddle cove, she’s leaning in close to Connor, resting her hand on his arm and laughing like he’s the funniest guy in the world. Then he spots me.
“Came for a cuddle after all?” Connor asks, leaving her to the baby goats jumping around her, to let me in.
“I thought I’d give it a go. Though I don’t really see the appeal.”
“You don’t like dogs, do you?”
“Not really.”
