Page 23 of Boston
“It’s got two bedrooms and a bathroom,” he said. “There’s also an outdoor outhouse and a big living room–kitchen–dining combo in the front that spills out onto a beautiful front porch that faces north, so it doesn’t take the brunt of the western setting sun.”
He leaned back in his chair, wishing he was already up the mountain or at the cabin.
“It’s a six-hour hike, about six miles, and I stop for lunch. The first night, I imagine we set up dinner around the campfire, sing songs, and get to bed early, because the eagles are up between five and five-thirty. And if you want to hear them talk to each other, that’s the best time of day to do it.”
“They talk to each other?” Cora sounded like she didn’t believe him.
But Boston nodded emphatically. “Oh, yeah,” he said. “They have different kinds of calls and chirps too—for when they’re afraid or warning others, mating, have an intruder in their nest, or just saying good morning.”
She smiled, and Boston really liked the way that it transformed her more serious features into something softer and kinder. Despite her fashionable clothes and questionable footwear choices for a mountain lodge, Boston knew she wanted to work hard. She wanted to do a good job. She wanted to make her family proud.
He’d only known her for a couple of days, but he suspected she could charm crowds, calm angry guests, and lead employeeswith care, compassion, and grace on the one hand. And the moment she entered her office and closed the door, she would change completely.
Boston knew, because he worked in customer service and hospitality himself, and this was exactly how he was. He asked questions behind the scenes and learned on his own time, and then he tried to show up as prepared as possible, with a brave, confident face pinned in place.
Cora’s insight into how her move from Miami had gone told him that she was multifaceted, a hard worker, and could potentially be an amazing asset to Silver Sage.
“Do you think someone with my skills and physical ability could make the hike?” she asked.
Boston looked at her, trying to find the real question behind the words. “I think you’d do just fine.”
“I’m not a fast hiker.”
“Then I can slow down.”
“Are you inviting me to come with you next week?”
Boston grinned at her, now seeing between the lines. She’d suggested this mac-and-cheese meeting-slash-date, but she wanted him to ask her out next.
“Yeah,” he said. “If you think you can make it the six miles and can stand sleeping in a cabin that’s pretty rustic—it does have running water, but not reliable electricity—then you should come.”
He beamed at her. “I’ve heated the place with a potbellied stove, and I take lanterns so I can see at night.”
“Important,” she said.
“It has a generator, but I only run it on occasion. It’s hard to get gasoline up there.”
“It’s going to be hard to getmeup there.”
He grinned at her, hoping he hadn’t scared her away too badly. “The nesting pair up there has a chick this year. Last time I was there, he hadn’t fledged yet, but I bet he’s flying now.”
“There’s no camera on the nest?” she asked.
“No,” Boston said, though he knew that was a popular thing to do worldwide these days. Heck, he sometimes turned on nest cams for other eagles—or cranes, owls, and even the bears up in Alaska.
There was something serene and peaceful about watching a wild animal in its natural environment, undisturbed by humans, surviving and thriving.
“You’ll have to pack in a lot,” he said. “Food, clothes, supplies.”
“I can do it,” Cora said.
“Great. I’m leaving on Wednesday around six a.m. Is that too early for you?”
“No,” she said quickly, shooting him a look that told him not to question her. She made one more note in her notebook and then closed it. “Okay. I think I have enough for today. I have a few more meetings this week, and then maybe I’d like to meet with you again to try to put everything together into one cohesive whole.”
“Sure,” he said just as his phone buzzed. He picked it up from the console where it had vibrated against the hard plastic and saw a text from Joey.
Our cousin movie night is on Monday, June twenty-third, seven p.m. at Adam’s house in Dog Valley. We’ll have a big bonfire, tin foil dinners (bring your own), s’mores, candy, and a soda bar. Plus-ones are invited, be that a friend, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a spouse or anyone else. Please just let me or Adam know by Friday night if you’re coming alone or with someone.
