Page 8 of Embers Glow After the Fire

“You guys. This is amazing.” Matthew is in awe. “I’m never leaving.” He drops the handle of his rolling suitcase and spins, gazing all around the room.

“Go get yourselves settled into your rooms.” Robbie directs. “Matthew and—Brendon, you're upstairs.”

His pause feels like a last-minute change in planned arrangements.

Brendon moves toward the stairs at the start of a hallway, left of the grand fireplace. Matthew is close behind.

“Perry, you're on this floor with us. Same room as usual.” Robbie continues. “Phoenix and Eli, you boys take the rooms downstairs.” He turns to Jamie, fixing his hair in his reflection, and Nathan. “The sofas all fold out into really comfy beds if you guys want to join us in here.” He smirks at the disheveled pair.

“We should be fine in the rig.” Jamie notices the tag on the outside of Nathan’s shirt and tries tucking it away. “Thank you though.”

Brendon climbs the split-level open timber stairs with Matthew just behind. Phoenix and Eli descend below. The landing at the top opens to a small mezzanine overlooking the great room and leads down a hallway bracketed by two bedrooms with a shared bath at the end.

Brendon peers into both rooms. They have mirrored layouts, except the one on the right, has a far wall of glass like the downstairs, opening out to a balcony over the expansive view. “I’ll take the left. If you’d like?”

“Whatever you prefer. I’m not picky,” Matthew’s brown eyes crinkle as he flashes a kind smile. “I may lie down for a bit. Would you let them know when you go back downstairs?”

“Of course.” Brendon feels red heat rising under his shirt collar. He dips into his room before the flush is obvious. The simple space with two vertical crank windows on the far wall holds just a few pieces of furniture. A queen-sized bed with a green tufted headboard, dressed in a mandala print summer quilt and piles of white pillows. Then a single dresser in the corner holding a welcome basket of toiletries and rolled towels on top.

He wheels his suitcase next to the dresser and trust falls on the center of the mattress. Breathing in the fresh country air seeping through the windows. He’s ready for a week of peace and tranquility.

Chapter 4

Buzzed

The low-hung sun over the southwest horizon indicates Matthew’s power nap had cut deeper through the day than intended. Fresh mountain air filling the room worked better than the triple dose of melatonin he uses to entice sleep at night. Boisterous laughter can be heard through the open sliders from the back patio below his balcony is the likely culprit for interrupting his sleep. He makes a quick pit stop in the bathroom to tidy crumpled apricot waves before descending the stairs to rejoin the party.

“There’s Matty!” Phoenix cries, swinging his feet, as he perches on a stacked stone wall bordering the patio past the floor-to-ceiling glass sliders. He carries on snapping selfies in front of the magnificent valley view below.

The scent of baking dough and warm herbal seasonings floats through the great room, inspiring a grumble in Matthew's belly.

“How was your nap gorgeous?” Robbie’s gives him a toothy smile as he tosses a bowl of chopped garden salad over the kitchen island.

Dennis pulls two massive pizzas from the oven, sporting an apron embroidered with ‘Bear Hug the Chef’ on his belly.

“It was fabulous.” Matthew plops on a stool opposite the busy crew.

Brendon is gliding a pizza slicer through the pies Dennis sets before him. Carefully centering each cut and turning the disk a precise distance before rolling the sharp tool again. He pouts his lower lip forward, blowing an unruly dark curl up off his forehead, noting Matthew staring at him. “I should have had a haircut before the trip. It's going to drive me nuts.”

Robbie flashes a covert wink. “Matty is a hairstylist, Brendo.”

The shaggy kitchen assistant looks dazed.

“I can cut your hair.” His eyes peruse the salad bowl. He pinches a disc of carrot and chomps as he smiles back at the confounded waiter.

“No—you’re on vacation.” Brendon’s soft green eyes fall back to his task.

“I don’t mind.” Matthew pops another carrot segment in his mouth, narrowing his eyes at Robbie when Brendon turns away to carry pizzas out to the patio.

Lifting his shoulders, Robbie mouths ‘What?’ and smirks mischievously as he follows Brendan to the table. “Dinner is served gentlemen,” he calls out, twisting back on his heel with a proud grin aimed at Matthew.

Dennis chuckles without looking at either of them. He hangs his apron before claiming his seat at the head of the glass and rod iron ten-top.

A stained cedar pergola canopies the stamped concrete patio. They all dine on pizza, salad, potato chips, soft drinks, and wine that deliver every bit of tastiness the hosts had promised.

Matthew steals glances at Brendon, sitting catty-corner at the farther end of the table. The poor thing kindly deflects Phoenix’s blatant flirting while trying to hear Dennis, Robbie, and Perry’s continued conversation about past Atlanta debauchery. He is losing his ability to mask annoyance with every sip of wine.

“Brendon.” Matthew gathers his plate and rises from his seat. “Let's go cut that hair.”

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