Page 55 of Cabins Cows Critics
“Good, good. Well, see you there,” she says, and they continue on.
I knock again on Connor’s door. Only then do I really notice how quiet it is, and I step to the side and peek through the crack in the curtains, confused when I find the lights are all out. I check my watch. I’m actually five minutes later than we’d planned to meet. Maybe he’s still working.
I walk around to the front of the cuddle cove, and the big movie screen is already set up in the open space between it and the main barn. They’ve got a large pop-up tent set up to shield us from the snow that has been falling in increasing amounts for the past half hour. Hay bales sit lined up in six rows for seating, with tall heaters scattered throughout, and a popcorn machine manned by Denver, the kid from next door, is on one side. It fills the cool air with a delicious buttery scent that brings an instant rumble to my stomach.
I look for Connor in the crowd, but I don’t see him. In fact, I don’t see any of the guys who work here.
“Have you seen Connor?” I ask Denver, but he shakes his head.
“Maybe up at the house.”
I walk that way, a niggling feeling in my gut that something isn’t right, but I push it aside. I’m probably just nervous about tonight. I really should have told him about the review before now. He’ll understand. It’s not like I’m giving them a crap review. This place is amazing, and I’ve kept my article focused on the experience all the guests received and have happily left out anything regarding the specific extra attention I’ve received.
As I near the house, I hear someone call Connor’s name from inside, then Atlas jogs out.
“Hey…um, Hayden, have you seen Connor by chance?” he asks, his gaze searching behind me.
“No, I was actually coming up here to see if he maybe needed some help finishing off the work. Is he not up here with you?”
“No, he, um, had to, ummm…grab something from his cabin. I thought he’d be back by now, no biggie. Umm, you should head over to the movie. It’ll start soon.”
Connor isn’t at his cabin, I think but before I can say that, Atlas has already turned away and is headed to the milking barn.
“Hayden, dear,” Sally-May calls as she heads my way with a large basket in her arms. “Could you give me a hand, please?”
“Sure,” I say quickly, grabbing the basket. It’s covered with a red and white checkered cloth, but the scent of cinnamon and gingerbread wafts through the light fabric to fill my nose. “Have you seen Connor?” she asks as we walk toward the waiting guests.
“Not since earlier today. We were going to meet up for the movie, but…” Someone calls Connor’s name again, this time it sounds like it’s coming from over by the stables. Do they not know where he is, either?
“Well, I’m sure he’ll be there soon. Could you be a dear and take them down and let Denver know to get started without us if you could? Dean just had a few things he wanted to cover with the family before we join you.”
Her words sound reasonable, but there is something behind her tone that has my stomach doing flip-flops.
“Umm, sure. I guess,” I say, looking back at the house where Dean and Nial have joined Atlas by the milking barn, and Atlas is shaking his head. Skye jogs out of the house carrying a cowboy hat.
“We’ll be there as soon as we can,” she says, pulling my attention back. “Denver knows what to do.”
“Okay,” I say again, and she turns and walks back toward the house. She’s not rushing, exactly, but it’s almost like she’s trying not to walk fast. Her steps are too rigid, forced even.
I reach Denver and place the basket on the table beside him.
“Sally-May asked if you could get things going; they’ll join as soon as they can.”
“Umm, sure, I guess,” he says, scooping another helping of popcorn from the old-style machine and handing it to one of the sisters. “Can you take over here for a bit?”
“Sure, I guess,” I say and step behind the machine.
“It’s on auto, so it will keep pumping it out, just scoop and serve. I’ll be back in a sec.”
“No problem, scoop and serve, I can do that,” I repeat to myself as I look out at the growing crowd of people. Turns out the movie night tonight isn’t just for the guests of the ranch. It looks like people from neighboring accommodation and probably farms and houses nearby are all in attendance.
I go to scoop up some popcorn when I spot Preston’s van pull up in front of the house. It looks like he climbs out, and Dean jumps in. But then, what’s even stranger, the rest of them climb in after him.
What the hell is going on?
“You work here now?” Wendy asks, pulling my attention back, and I drop the cup of popcorn I’d been scooping.
“Umm, yeah, no. Sorry, I’m just helping out. Did you see that?” I ask, and Wendy turns to follow my gaze up toward the house.
