Page 94 of Cabin Fever

My mother sneered. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was a kiss-ass. Which surprised me since she was one herself.

"Come here and give your mom a hug." I stood from the stool at the kitchen island and walked around Bea to lean into my mother's arms. "My poor baby. First, that terrible man cheats on you, and then you're stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing. Did that mountain man at least have a maid?"

"His name is Carter, Mom, remember I told you. And no, he did not have a maid or a driver or even an assistant."

"It's like living in the wild." She gasped as she pulled me back to make sure I saw the pity in her eyes.

"It was a farm, so not the wild. And there was a bed and bath and coffee—"

"Oh yeah, they have the best coffee! The best. I'm thinking of going back up there, maybe in a few months to see if the Fire Lake Coffee company wants to sell their stuff in our stores. I'll talk to Dad about it when he feels better," Bea added.

"This place sounds so quaint. Maybe I'll go up to visit. Meet your mountain man, uh . . . I mean Carter. I'm surprised you didn't invite him down to visit. Your friends are always welcome here, Olivia."

I lowered my eyes and willed them not to leak. "Farmers have a hard time getting away. It's an important part of the season, so he couldn't leave. He said he wanted to but just couldn't," I lied.

If I told my mother the truth, she would banish Carter, too. And a part of me hoped he would show up. I knew it wasn't going to happen, but deep down, I just couldn't let go.

THIRTY

Carter

IT HAD BEEN THREE DAYSsince Olivia left and it felt like I could barely breathe. I reached out to her a few times the night before she left as she lay in bed beside me, and each time her body tensed to my touch.

Kitty barked from her bed.

"I know I screwed up, Kitty. You don't have to keep reminding me. I miss her, too."

It was like salt being rubbed into my wounded heart every time I took Kitty for a walk. She'd run up to the truck, expecting Olivia to be there. Then she'd run to the barn and when we got home, she'd run to the ladder that led to the loft. She must still smell Olivia's scent.

She left a sock behind up in the loft and now I curled up with it when I went to bed at night. It may be a dirty sock but if I washed it, Olivia's scent would disappear.

Yesterday Kitty found the sock and we fought over it like savage beasts. The only way she gave it up was when I waved some bacon in her face.

Oh, bacon . . . Olivia's favorite.

I still took the sock to bed at night but now it smelled of Olivia and Kitty.

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