“Oh yes, he called over earlier. I'm so sorry, Abby. I heard what happened to you this afternoon. I can't believe that. I was just shocked.”
“I'm okay,” I say, “I'm just glad that there was a room at all.”
Mary's eyes run over me, though. Landing on Hijinx. “Um, is that your dog?” She reaches for a tissue and blows her nose.
“Yeah. This is Hijinx. He comes with me. We're a package deal.”
Mary blows her nose loudly, pointing to a sign. “I'm so sorry, but we have a no pets policy here at the Home Away From Home Bed and Breakfast. I'm really sorry. But I'm very allergic and so is my husband.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn't realize. I'd never want to hurt you or get you sick. Is there another hotel in town?”
Mary looks over at Bart. “In Burly there’s a motel.”
“I can’t have her go there,” Bartlett says.
“Of course not.” Mary shakes her head, sneezing again. I back away with my dog, my stomach dropping, not knowing what I’m going to do.
Bartlett runs a hand over his beard. “We're just going to go outside and talk, Mary.”
“All right. Of course. I'm so sorry. Again. I really am. I didn't know you had a pet with you.” She blows her nose loudly into her tissue.
As we walk outside, tears well up in my eyes. “I can go to the police station,” I tell Bartlett. “And get my wallet now. And I can get a taxi to the motel or you could take me. I just–”
“Hey.” Bartlett runs a hand over my shoulder. “You know, I could keep Hijinx for the night.”
I bite my bottom lip. Hijinx is my constant, and not being with him feels scariest of all. Bartlett must sense this because he wraps me up in a warm hug.
“Hey. Why don't you just stay with me tonight? I mean, not to be presumptuous. And you can say no, if you want. I can take you over to the motel. Of course, it's just, well, it's not the nicest place. And you've already had one hell of a day. I have an extra bedroom at my cabin. It's nothing fancy. It's not like my parents' house, but if you want to stay with me, of course I'd have you and Hijinx. I'm not allergic to him.”
“Really?” I ask. “You wouldn't mind?”
“Don't say another word.” He gives me a smile that melts my weary heart, and then he jogs inside to tell Mary that I'm not going to be staying there at all tonight.
A moment later, we're back in his truck driving up Rough Mountain once again. But this time we turn left towards his place on the edge of Rough River on the left side of town. When we park in front of his cabin, he grabs my backpack and Hijinx. Then he unlocks the door and pushes it open for me.
Before flipping on the lights, he says his cabin is nothing special, but he’s being modest which shouldn't surprise me.
It's a lovely cabin. It's rough and wild, just like him. “I felled all the trees myself for this place,” he says. “I wanted it to feel rustic but still cozy. I know some people like a little bit more of a house house, but I wanted to feel like I was in a cabin in the woods.” He shakes his head, running a hand through his hair. “Does that sound weird?”
“No, it sounds like you're a real mountain man,” I say with a grin.
“You like that?” he asks me. “Mountain men?”
“I like you,” I say.
He sets Hijinx down and heads to the kitchen to fill up a bowl of water for him. Looking around, I see the floor plan is open. There is a hall down to the left with a few doors, the bathroom and bedrooms, I assume. And then there's a big open living room, dining room, and kitchen. There's a loft above, and looking up, there’s a big light fixture full of antlers.
All the furniture is covered with plaid, red and forest green. I smile, thinking how wonderful this cabin would be at the holidays.
Bartlett comes toward me a moment later, asking if I'm thirsty or hungry.
“No, I don't think I could eat another thing after that meal at your mom's house.”
“Me too,” he says. “Well, then, I can show you the bedrooms. I don't know if you want to shower.”
I swallow, thinking of what I really want. Him, him, him.
I follow Bartlett down the hall, and he pushes open one bedroom door, then another. They're nice. One is set up as an office. And another one is a guest room. The third room is his. It has a big bed and a nice, masculine dresser.
Everything is just so put together and orderly. Nice. Clean. My eyes flit around the surfaces, taking it all in.