Page 26 of You Were Invited
"You should see my cabin. I have more projects planned this summer, but it's coming along. It was quite the piece of ore that needed to be cracked into."
Annie went quiet after that, and he worried that he’d been too forward, but they'd also just arrived at their destination, and she was looking up at the sky again. He set the wheelbarrow down next to the established woodpile and started stacking the wood. He gripped them barehanded, his calloused hands unbothered by the sap, bark, and moss. The ache in his forearms subsided as they worked.
"I can understand why Molly and her mom were scared for her dad to cut down a tree. It honestly seems scary to me."
Julian smiled. "It's kind of like David dropping Goliath." He stacked a few pieces, pushing them neatly into place. "It'sdangerous, no doubt, but then you get to say you cut down something a hundred times your height."
"Did you feel that?"
“Of course… it feels amazing.”
She gave him a smirk and pointed to the sky. “No. I felt rain.”
Julian stood up straight. Rain hit his cheek and nose. "A few drops ain't nothin’." He reached for another piece of wood.
The sky opened up. Icy droplets fell hard and fast on their heads and backs. The sharp scent of rain and wet earth filled the air. Annie scrunched up her shoulders and gasped.
“Ugh!” She ran to the front door and held it open. "C'mon, we can't stand out here!"
“If you insist!” Grateful, he loped after her.
“Brrr!" Annie shucked off her gloves and rain-darkened jacket. She looked out the front window. "Think it’ll last long?"
"A rain this heavy?” Julian looked up at the ceiling. The rain hitting the metal roof was quite the cacophony. “Should be over soon."
The inside of the cabin was homey and warm. It looked similar to his cabin, only with updated oatmeal carpet and shelving decorated with family photos and giant pinecones. The walls were drywalled, as opposed to finished off with decorative log work. A ceiling fan overhead lit up the room. There were a few embers left in the fireplace– also a similar model to his– and as he took his duds off and laid them on the back of a couch to dry, Annie stoked the fire.
She looked at her remaining pile of wood, her hands on her hips. "I shoulda grabbed some," she muttered.
Without being asked, Julian ducked outside to grab a stack of wood. In the distance, thunder rumbled like a contented purrin a tiger’s throat. The icy rain raised goosebumps on his arms. Inside, he laid the wood before the fire at Annie’s feet.
Annie tucked her hair behind her ear. "Thank you... You didn't have to."
He combed his soaked, light brown hair back from his forehead and stuck his hands out over the fireplace. She wouldn’t be cold on his watch. "My pleasure." A rivulet of water ran into his eye.
Annie disappeared into another room and brought back a towel. “Here.” As he dried off, she looked away and swung her arms, shifting on her feet. "Well, while we're trapped inside, care for a glass of water or a snack?" She went into the kitchen, opening the fridge. "Oh! Do you like chili?"
"I'm not picky.”
"How much?"
"As much as you're willing to give me." His stomach growled.
Her lips curved upwards.
Julian leaned against the counter as she worked, arms crossed over his chest. After a moment he noticed that the kitchen faucet was dripping. He arched his neck, watching it for a few seconds. Curious, he played with the hot and cold to see if it would stop, feeling how the handles tightened under his grip. The drip continued.
Annie glanced over as she set a bowl in the microwave. "Oh. Yeah. It started doin’ that a couple days ago." She looked irritated. “It’s super annoying.”
Julian chuckled. It was an old compression style and looked like nothing had been replaced in decades.
She handed him his soup and spoon. "Careful it's hot."
They sat down at the little round table just off the kitchen. "That’d be a quick fix at my house." He took a spoonful. "All Iwant to do is grab my tools and tear into it... but first I gotta have three or four bowls of this. It's fantastic!" He wasn't much of a cook, and hadn't had many home-cooked meals since his family had fallen apart.Sorry, Mom, but I think your recipe is now the runner up.
Annie smiled bashfully. "I just threw it together. The diner was too far away. I didn’t feel like driving."
"This chili has nothing on any soup Ellie has ever served."
