Page 15 of Believe in Caloosa Springs

As we passed by, I couldn’t help but slow down and peek through the open door. It looked like a big industrial kitchen. I could seea good chunk of a massive stove with a steaming pot sitting atop one of the burners.

“Those are kitchens,” I said, knocking against Henry with my elbow to get his attention. “That makes sense. If you have a place to cook the food out here, it’s a lot easier to carry it all to the barn.”

Henry nodded. “Clever. Though I hadn't really imagined eating all my meals in a barn.”

I wondered exactly what Henry thought he was going to get when he signed up for the ultimate cowboy experience out here, but I was starting to think he hadn’t seen the same movies I had growing up. This was a lot better than I had expected, no doubt, but I wasn’t surprised to see legitimate cowboys running around. Eating in a barn seemed perfectly on brand for Caloosa Springs.

I stopped dead in the wide expanse of the wooden French doors, each propped open by a large rock. It may have looked like a giant, unassuming hay loft or horse stable, but inside, it was like something I’d seen in one of Mama’sSouthern Magnoliamagazines. It had been completely finished, complete with stained wood-plank flooring, and a large fireplace on either end of the massive, open space. If I had to guess, I’d say it was at least 1,200 square feet.

The forward section of the immense room was taken up by a large wood-block table with seating for 15 people. Maybe 20? I didn’t count right away. The back half of the barn had been set up as a casual hangout spot. Two overstuffed sofas faced each other, a small table between them. There were several comfy-looking chairs scattered around in clusters, and even a couple of bean bag sacks begging to be flopped upon.

Taking up most of the back wall was a huge, hanging white screen. Tilting my head up and glancing at the ceiling, I spotted a large projector mounted to a support beam. Movie night was going to rock! Or at least I hoped that was what it was going to be used for. I loved movies. Funny movies, scary movies, documentaries… didn’t matter; I liked them all. I had only been allowed to watch family-friendly stuff under my parents’ watch, but I expanded my palette at sleepovers and covert trips to the cinema with my friends. Why did God care if I watched a PG-13 movie? Nobody had adequately explained that one. In any case, I was pumped.

“Hello, and welcome.”

I looked over to see the older woman I had watched carrying trays of food into the barn ahead of me.

“I’m Evelyn Baker. We are so delighted to have you join us.” She smiled sweetly as she began to close the distance between herself and where we were standing in the entrance.

I shook her hand and introduced myself. Henry was frozen in place, so I took the liberty of introducing him as well.

“Well, Porter and Henry, we are just about all set for lunch,” she began, turning back to the guy who had been helping her carry stuff inside. “Max?”

He looked over and nodded, a few chestnut curls bouncing free across his forehead. “Just waiting on the coffee pot, now.”

Evelyn folded her hands together and smiled. “Wonderful!”

Chapter Five

Christian

“Come on Pops, they are waiting for us,” Tyler called up the stairs as he fidgeted with his truck keys. He was as nervous as a cat, which I found somewhat hilarious considering he’d been the one to hire everyone. It was his family farm that was employing them, after all. I found Tyler’s obvious nerves oddly refreshing. Most employers didn’t give a single fuck about what their underlings thought about them. He wanted them to becomfortable. He wanted them to stay. It was refreshing.

Within a minute or two, I heard the tapping of cowboy boots coming down the staircase. I looked up to see an older gentleman. He was dressed similarly to Tyler, but seemed a little more sophisticated, somehow. His hat wasjust a littlecleaner, the brim wasjust a little wider.His shirt was tucked injust a little neater.There was no denying the paternal resemblance, but something about the patriarch of the Baker family demanded respect without garnering fear or intimidation. I could tell that we were in the presence of a beloved king.

He stopped and stretched out his hand, a welcoming smile holding up his gray, peppered mustache. “Hello, I’m Robert Baker. Welcome to Caloosa. Thank you for giving us a chance. I hope you’ll be very happy here.”

“Pops, he doesn’t work for us. He’s Mandy’s cousin,” Tyler said.

Robert looked over at Tyler, still mid-handshake. “Oh, I apologize. It’s Tian, right?” he asked, turning back.

I nodded. “Yes, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Well, I still mean everything I said. I’m happy you are here, and I know for a fact Mandy is just delighted. That’s all she’s talked about since she found out you were comin’. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. You mean a lot to Mandy, and that means a lot to us. Please call me Pops.”

I thought I was going to melt. I’d never been greeted with such class and respect. Most people, especially those in the older generation, took one look at me with my tattoos and piercings and thought I was some satanist. I’d gotten more nasty glares from old people than I could count. Mr. Baker—Pops—displayed no disdain. His welcome was absolutely genuine.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you. It’s really nice to meet you too,” was all I could manage.

Pops dropped my hand and clapped me on the shoulder. “Let’s roll! Ty, you got my keys?”

I sat in the middle between Pops and Tyler as we rode through the back of the property up to a large red barn surrounded by little cabins. They were so cute. They looked like the ones I used to build in elementary school with the little plastic logs. Lincoln Logs?

I didn’t know what they looked like on the inside, but I immediately decided I wanted one. I should buy some land somewhere and have one built. Maybe a little bigger than these. I didn’t imagine they had a lot of closet or storage space. MaybeI would build two! One to live in and one to have as a closet. They’d have to be connected somehow. A hallway? Ooh… or a secret passage! I could have a couple secret passages to multiple tiny cabins!

Shit… I guess at that point, I would just need a house. Like, a regular house. But still with secret passages, obviously.

I did really love the idea of the tiny house community thing they had going on, with one large structure in the center of it all for meals and recreation. I always thought it would be cool to be part of a community. Kinda off grid and self-reliant, but with the internet because no one has time to live without Google. Then again, to make that kind of thing work, you kinda need to have some friends. Or, at least, a bunch of people you want to live around like that. I didn’t have any friends. And as of that moment, I couldn’t even name five people I would want to do that with. I just wasn’t apeopleperson. People were judgmental, and usually only tolerated others to further their own agendas. From my experience, anyway.

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