Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“She said she thought it strange that Cadie was moving into your cabin now that you’re back from New York City.”
“Well, next time you see her, tell her I thought it was strange as well, considering I asked them not to rent out my cabin.”
Sally grinned and took a seat in a chair. “Why are you so nervous, Kian?”
“The very reason you’re talking about Betty Lou. I wasn’t thinking clearly when I offered for Cadie to stay here.”
Folding her hands in her lap, Sally tilted her head slightly and asked, “Are you wishing you hadn’t offered it?”
“Yes. No.” I ran a hand down my face as I stood and started to pace again. “I don’t know. I hate the idea of her living at the Moose Village Inn, but I hate the idea of her sleeping on a blow-up mattress in an empty cabin even more. It was a knee-jerk reaction. I didn’t care at the time how it would look to everyone else.”
“And now you do?”
I stopped and looked at her. “I guess. I came back to Moose Village to start over, begin a new life, and the last thing I want is to be part of the gossip chain. I like Cadie, I don’t know her, but I trust her.”
“Why are you frowning?”
A million different things were running through my mind, and I felt like I couldn’t separate them all. “I don’t know her, but it feels like I’ve known her forever. How does that even make any sense, Sally?”
Standing, she smoothed out her dress. “Sometimes we have a sixth sense about people, Kian. So she hasn’t shared much about her past, and at first I was bothered by that. But, in truth she seems very kind-hearted, and Opal trusts her. That’s good enough for me.”
“Opal does trust her. Something changed between them last night.”
Confused, she asked, “What do you mean?”
I held up my hands. “Nothing bad, they sat on the front porch for a bit and…well, when they came back in, it felt like they were more…”
“More?” Sally asked.
“It felt like they were more like kindred spirits. I don’t know any other way to describe it.”
Sally nodded. “Maybe Cadie opened up to Opal a bit more.”
I nodded as my thoughts became distracted again. “Maybe.”
The doorbell rang, and I jumped.
Clearing her throat, Sally said, “She’s here!”
“Um, Sally, do you mind if you give her a tour of the house?”
“Me?” Sally asked with a surprised voice. “But I figured you would want to give her a tour.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “I just remembered I’ve got somewhere I needed to be.”
Before I had a chance to leave the room, Sally stepped in front of me, folded her arms, and gave me that look that said she was two seconds away from putting me in time-out.
“Kian Mitchel Carter.”
“Not the middle name,” I teased but quickly sobered when I saw she wasn’t having it.
“You will give that girl a tour of this house since you were the one who invited her to stay. I’m sure she’s already a ball of nerves. How would it look if you weren’t even here to greet her and make her feel welcome?”
The doorbell rang again, and we both turned and looked at the doorway that led out of the study.
“I’m going to go answer it, and I expect you to be right behind me.”
All I could do was nod and dutifully fall in behind her.
Sally opened the door, and I saw Cadie standing there, with a single packed suitcase and a smile. Was that all she had was one small bag? Maybe she had already brought some things to the cabin.
“You must be Ms. Waterford!” Sally exclaimed as she stepped aside and motioned for Cadie to come in.
“And you must be Sally. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
The second she walked in, I took the luggage from her. “Find the place okay?”
Cadie’s eyes were wide as she took in the massive foyer. “Um, yes. No problems at all.”
“Well, welcome to your temporary housing,” I said as I walked farther into the house.
“Wow, this house is stunning!”
Sally walked up and motioned for me to give her Cadie’s luggage. “I’ll take that, Kian, while you show Ms. Waterford around.”
Spinning around from where she was staring up at the ceiling, Cadie said, “Please, call me Cadie.”
Sally nodded with a twinkle in her eye and a wink, then quickly left.
Cadie smiled. “Kian, this is beautiful. Look at those steps!”
When you first entered the house, you were greeted by the back of a large rock fireplace that extended up to the third floor. Each floor had its own fireplace. To the left were the steps that led upstairs. They were made from full logs cut out to make the steps.
“Let me take your coat, and I’ll hang it in the coat closet.”