Page 28 of This Moment

Clearing my throat, I asked, “Thissituation?”

Kian sighed. “This is my cabin.”

My mouth dropped open. “I’m sorry…what?”

“This cabin, I own it. I leased it out. I was told that the previous renters had moved out and that they were putting it back up on the sites to rent out. I emailed them and told them to hold off since I was coming back to Moose Village, but clearly, they did not. I thought it was too good to be true that the cabin would be empty when I moved back to town.”

Wringing my hands together, I looked back at the cabin and then at Kian. If he was the owner, he would soon find out I paid the first six months’ rent up front. My heart couldn’t possibly pound any harder. He’d surely want to know why I had such a large sum of money.

Before I could even utter a word, Kian’s phone rang. “This is Kian.”

My brows shot up. Was that really how he answered his phone?

“Yes, I just discovered that little mistake. Did you not get my email, Linda, not to put it back on the market?”

I turned and started toward the porch. There was a rocking chair on the porch, and I sat down. It suddenly felt very awkward, and the last thing I wanted to do was walk back into the cabin that Kian Carter owned and was most likely planning on living in since he had moved back to Moose Village.

Kian had turned and walked away so I couldn’t hear his conversation. His voice never raised, so I took that as a good sign. When he ended the call, he turned and made his way up to the porch and sat on the other rocking chair. Neither of us said anything for a good two minutes.

“So, what does this mean?” I finally asked.

“This isn’t your fault, and it would be unfair of me to make you leave. Besides, I can continue to stay at the guest house at my parents’ place. It was the original plan until I thought this place was vacant when Linda told me the renters moved out. She never got my email…obviously.”

“Kian, I can find another place. It’s really okay.”

He turned and smiled at me, and I tried to ignore how it made my heart feel like it tripped over itself. “I don’t need a place to stay, but you do. Besides, you paid the first six months in advance. Who wouldn’t want a renter like that?”

A nervous bubble of laughter slipped free. “Well, after the places Nic showed me yesterday, this place was like the Biltmore, and I didn’t want to risk losing it.”

Kian tossed his head back and laughed. “The Biltmore, huh? I’ve never been.”

“Really?” I asked. “It’s beautiful. The insane amount of wealth that family had was crazy.”

Of course, I neglected to mention that my family was most likely wealthier than Kian’s. My great-great-grandfather was best friends and business partners with John Rockefeller, and good friends with Cornelius Vanderbilt as well. My family seemed to manage the wealth a heck of a lot better than the Vanderbilts. My parents currently live in Italy and probably received the letter from my brother that I’d written to them. I sent it to him and asked him toforward it to our parents so no one could trace a letter from me to them. I so longed to talk to my mother and father. And my brother. I felt lost in this new world I was living in. Kian spoke and interrupted my thoughts.

“People think money will make you happy, but it’s far from the truth.”

I studied his face. Something was clearly weighing heavy on his mind. “I think that depends on the person. If you don’t let your money go to your head and do good with it, then it can make you happy.”

Kian smiled. “You sound like you speak from experience.”

I shrugged.How in the hell did I let that slip?

“Anyway, what do we do with the cabin?” I asked.

“It’s yours. I’ve got a place to stay.”

“The guest house?” I asked.

Kian smiled. “The guest house.”

“I’m curious why you don’t stay at your home; why the guest house?”

“Are we asking personal questions now?” He winked.

I held up my hands. “Fair enough. I’m sorry about your cabin.”

Kian stood. “Don’t be. I’m glad you were able to get it. Where were you staying before?”

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