Page 72 of Game Changer
“My grandparents don’t get up here much anymore, and neither do my mom or her sister, but they don’t want to lose the cottage.These things are passed down for generations here in the park.”
“I can see why.”
“There are three bedrooms, like I promised.”He grins.“You can have the master bedroom.”
“No, no, you take it.You’re family.”
“There’s only one bathroom, unfortunately.”
“We’ll survive.”
He wheels my suitcase into a small bedroom with lots more wood paneling.A pretty quilt covers the bed, and a bookcase holds tons of books.“I love it.”
“The sofas in the living room all make out into beds, so this place can hold a lot of people when needed.”
I run my hand over the white dresser and admire the framed photograph of a sunset over the lake on the wall.“That must be Clear Lake,” I say, nodding.
“Yeah.I took that, years ago.”
“Oh, really?”I look closer.“It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks.”
Now I notice there are a lot of nature photos which are all probably Jax’s.“I’m sure you want to take a lot of pictures while you’re here.”
“Yeah, I hope so.If you want to wash up and unpack a bit, go ahead.I’ll open things up and meet you out on the deck.”
I use the bathroom and change into a pair of cropped leggings and a loose tank top.I eye the bed longingly.After traveling all day, I’d love to stretch out there.But I’ll go see if Jax needs any help.
When I walk out onto the deck in my flip flops, he hands me a glass of wine.
I smile with delight.“Thank you!”
Then I spy a lounge chair.Jax has already arranged cushions on the all the furniture, bless him.I head straight to it, adjust the back so it’s reclining, and flop down onto it.I let out a gusty sigh.“Okay.I’m in heaven.”
I’m looking out over the lake, through some trees and bushes, although there’s a path leading to the beach.I think I can see a wooden dock, and I’m eager to explore more at some point.Right now I’m content to lie back with my wine and enjoy the view.
Jax takes a seat, a beer in hand.“Yeah, this is pretty nice.”
“Totally different from California.And yet…kind of the same too.Nature and water and peace.It’s beautiful.”I breathe in the air, cool and scented with fir trees.
“I loved spending summers here.Riley and I had friends here, and we’d ride our bikes all over and get in trouble.”
I smile at that.“What kind of trouble?”
“Nothing illegal.We caught minnows.Once I stuffed one down a friend’s shorts.”
I laugh.
“Caught crayfish.We’d build little ponds to keep them in along with the minnows.Raced our bikes, tipped each other out of canoes, bought bags of candy at the store.”
“That sound so…wholesome.”
“Tomorrow I’ll chop some wood for the fireplace.And we’ll need to pick up food.”
“You’re going to chop wood?”I lift my head to stare at him.
“Sure.”
