Page 68 of His One True Wish

“Do you have power and heat? And is this Axl a gentleman?”

“Do you think Gran would rent to someone who isn’t?”

Mom sighed. “No, I suppose not. It’s just strange, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” I said, looking back to see Axl up in his booth. He was now rubbing the window, clearing the fog to get a better look outside, as if something out there interested him.

“I don’t want you to worry about anything here. We’re going to postpone the open house for at least two weeks. Abby managed tofind a plumber and contractor to come in and do a repair, and it won’t cost a fortune.”

“Wait, you’re fixing it?” This didn’t make any sense. Why wasn’t Abby coming clean about considering our home a tear-down?

“Yes. I have insurance, and what family is going to want this place if there’s water damage.”

“Okay,” I said, wanting to raise my concerns about Abby but also not wanting to stress my mother out more.

“So, stay up there until it’s safe. Abby also found a storage spot that’s just a mile away. It’s short term, and it will cost less than the gas driving back to Smoke River. I don’t need you to do any more furniture runs up there, sweetie. I’m sorry I didn’t think of that sooner. You should never be up there all alone.”

Axl sat back down, both hands on the tabletop in front of him. I wanted to tell my Mom that I wasn’t alone and tell her about Cam and how we’d walked to the river, but I knew none of that mattered.

“It’s fine, Mom,” I said. “It was good to check on the cabin, and Axl is taking good care of it.”

“Well, how long is the lease?”

“He paid Gran for the whole year.”

“But what about the summer?” Mom balked. “A year is too long. You need to tell him that we’ll have to make other arrangements.”

“I will, Mom,” I said.

“And are you telling me he signed a lease and Mason knew about it?”

“Don’t be mad at Mason — or madder than you already are,” I said. “He claims Gran made him promise.”

“Well, he should know a thing or two about promises.”

“Mom, what happened between you two?”

“I do not want to talk about it,” she said, her voice singsong.

“Okay, well. I should go.”

“Are you at the bakery?”

“Yes. Mason and Ethan drove Axl and me out here. We’ll go back to the cabin tonight. I’m sure the weather will get better in the morning.”

“I hope so, sweetheart. I know you came all this way to help me, and I’m so sorry you are stranded up there. It must have been quite a shock.”

I heard a voice in the background.

“Oh, Abby’s here,” Mom said. She put her hand over the phone. “I’m talking to Billie. Sure, you can talk to her.”

“That’s okay, Mom?” I said, eyes rolling as I heard the muffled roar of a plane passing overhead.

“Hey, Billie. It’s Abby,” she said, her voice so cheerful.

“I know,” I said.

“I just wanted you not to worry at all,” she said. “Your mom’s power is back on, I’ve got people coming to fix the leak, and I hired one of the neighbor kids to shovel the drive.”

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