“There’s more people on the farm?”
“Not yet, but soon,” Jill smiled – and the duo shared another secretive glance. Something was up, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was yet. Instead of questioning, putting everyone on edge, or fretting – she remembered how Juliet insisted that she be safe, and Dasher agreed. Maybe this was what the two had been referring to if she ended up meeting some guy. He was going to be another farmhand. That was cool. She could pick his brain and run her theories past him as well. Yep. Someone experienced with cows could simply manage the horses for a few months while she tackled everything with her new black and white best friends.
This was going to work out great, she mused, staring out the window at the world surrounding her. This was so different from Maryland. Here, there were great sweeping hills in the distance that reminded her of a trip when she was little, spotting the Appalachian Mountains for the first time. There was so much greenery despite the cold temperatures, and while it got cold in Maryland, this was a different type of cold. Back home, it was humid and chilly, but here, this cut right through you with a dryness that seemed to get to your center like it was nothing. There were so many pines and such expanses of wilderness that it was staggering.
“It’s a little remote,” Christina began and heard both of them chuckle at her words. “Kinda giving me ‘Cabin In the Woods’ weird vibes. No serial killers or freaks out there?”
“Depends on your own mindset. Some look for serial killers – and others look at this as a haven to start over and find yourself. You choose and just let me know if I should start locking my doors.”
“Uh, safety first?” Christina replied, stunned. “Always lock your doors… helloooo? What year is this, and where do we live?”
“Look around,” he said simply. “Who do you think is going to hurt us out here? If they come into my house and threaten my wife, they won’t have to worry about anything ever again. People here are different. If you are out, you extend a helping hand. Someone could be stranded, hurt, or it could be a case of life or death, depending on the season. Here we help our neighbors, our friends which is why you are here, remember?”
Christina blinked at the truth of his words. She was here because he opened his home to his friend, Dasher. This couple was welcoming her like it was nothing, an everyday occurrence. It seemed like such a foreign idea to her since she was coming from the ‘big city’… but the idea of letting down your guard and welcoming a new friend seemed almost surreal.
“Maybe while you are here, you can extend your hand to someone in friendship and give a stranger a chance, too.”
“We eat, sleep, and breathe that idea,” Jill added gently. “When you give someone a chance and look past the parts that make you pause, you never know what you might find.”
There was something in her voice and the brief shared glance that told her they were both talking about each other, and Christina felt her heart melt at the idea that chance had brought together these two obviously. A match made in the weird wilderness sounded so incredibly sweet. Sure enough, Jill smiled as her husband held open the door for her like she was a queen entering a drawing room instead of a rustic-looking cabin.
“You must be tired,” Jill began, urging her forward. “We’ll do the grand tour tomorrow, show you where everything is located – and I think you will love this place. I took it upon myself to put you at the furthest cabin, if that is okay with you. It’s one of my favorites.”
“Oh, mercy. That’s so sweet of you, and I really appreciate it.”
“Just wait, it reminds me of a quaint little cottage with all the modern amenities. I hope you don’t mind, because it’s got the smallest kitchen, but well, you’ll see.”
Jill chuckled and rushed her through the house excitedly, picking up Christina’s bags. She was obviously a woman on a mission. Houghton just stood there, smirking, with his arms crossed over his chest almost like he’d seen this before.
Christina followed her out the back door and paused as she looked on the expansive field before her. There was a small pond in the middle of the glade, and two cabins were on the far left with a barn in the distance – and one small cabin on the right, off by itself. Jill was walking almost in a diagonal toward the furthest cabin, already waving at her since she was falling behind.
“You are going to love Reserve Ranch,” Jill prattled on, pausing as she stepped up onto the landing of the cabin and handed her a key – pushing the doorway open, and Christina’s mouth dropped open.
The cabins were obviously a labor of love. The interior walls were planks of weathered wood and an almost too large for the space stone fireplace made up the back corner. There was a recliner near the fireplace that looked well-loved with a throw on it, and a carved case seemed to dwarf the other wall. The kitchen was a small thing consisting of two cabinets, a mini fridge, a sink, and a two-burner stove. The roof’s rafters were decorated with ivy and white Christmas lights, making the already warm wood seem to glow.
“There’s a small platform above the kitchen where you can store your suitcase, but this…” Jill paused, darting around the corner and pointing. “This is my favorite thing of all.”
“Jill, this is incredible – and I don’t know what to say…” and rounded the corner where Jill was standing, covering her mouth as she gasped. There was no way this was real. This cabin looked like it was functional from the outside, but this— this was like something you would see out of a fairy tale or Cinderella’s castle.
A massive stained-glass window made from the bottom of bottles in every size was staggering and cast a wild glow across the room. Each bottle had been cut and sealed behind what looked like plexiglass to help insulate the area but allow light in and below it…
A copper slipper bath.
“No way…”
“Isn’t it stunning? I told my sweet Babe that I wanted a storybook retreat – and my man delivered!” Jill bragged, laughing happily. “You’ve got a shower head over here behind this curtain – and this thing is waterproof,” she continued, waving the fabric. “The floor is slate, and there’s a drain in the middle, so if you get water everywhere… don’t worry. I believe in convenience and comfort, so we included both.”
“This is… incredible,” Christina whispered, and she knew her eyes had to be huge right now because everywhere she looked, there was another touch of care in the cabin. In fact, she saw a heart carved in the wood nearby with an ‘E’ and a ‘J’ in it.
“He’s so sweet,” Jill volunteered, touching the heart and smiling. “Over here, you’ve got towels, sheets, and anything you might need. There’s wood stacked on the side of the cabin – plus we put radiant heat through the floor. Now, on the other side of this is the hot water heater. It is a high-efficiency unit, so you should never run out of hot water.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say that you’ll be happy, you’re excited to be here, and you’re a part of the team,” Jill beamed, reaching to take both of Christina’s hands in hers. “Now, let’s go get you fed and introduce you to Larry, Moe, and Curly.”
“Wait…” Christina paused. “They’re bulls? I thought they were cows.”
“They are – I’m just not very creative,” Jill shrugged, smiling. “C’mon. We’ve got more friends arriving in a few days, but right now, I’ve got a hankering for some pulled pork and coleslaw.”