Page 78 of Pick Yourself Up
Amber nodded. “It is. I’m hoping to add solar panels to the inn and the farmhouse as soon as I can afford to buy some.”
Tansy’s face lit up and at least half of the people at the table groaned while the rest grinned. Graham laughed. “Now you’ve done it, Amber. I hope you’re prepared for what you’ve unleashed.”
Tansy laughed. “Just tell me if I’m too enthusiastic.”
Amber grinned, and for a while they talked about ways to make the farm eco-friendlier. The scientist was fascinated with regenerative farming and Gray’s plans for his gardens.
They talked about sensory plants, moon gardens, water features, invasive species and ways to attract good predators.
By the end of the meal, Amber was as relaxed as if they were with her family.
Tansy led the way to the lodge’s basement. “It appears everyone who has lived here has been a fan of reusing and keeping things just in case they needed them.”
Sam laughed. “Or they were hoarders.”
Grinning, they explored the rows and rows of items in the basement. Barrels and crates packed the space along with boxes on shelves.
Amber grinned. “This is amazing. I could spend days in here.”
Tansy squeezed her arm. “You’re welcome anytime. No invitation required.”
Sam nodded and then leaned down to kiss Tansy. “You ladies good here? I’m going to give Claus a tour of Midnight Security. Recruit him as a backup.”
Gray grinned at the idea, even happier when Amber indicated she was fine with Tansy and Boomer. “I’d love to see it.”
The Security cabin wasn’t far from the lodge itself. Sam pointed out at the lake. “There are a dozen more cabins out there, but we claimed this one for the business because it’s the largest and closest to the road.”
Which was still a two-mile hike away. This was another enormous property.
The cabin was filled with state-of-the-art technology and a small gym area for training. Gray had a blast checking it all out.
Sam leaned his hips against a large conference table. “We do a lot of training with law enforcement, military, and bodyguard agencies.”
Gray nodded. “You’ve got an excellent reputation. I worked with Norm Cassidy for a while.”
Sam grinned. “Cassidy Protection is great. We’ve worked with a few members of their crew. It’s a small world that you ended up right next door to us.”
Gray laughed. Right next door meant a two-mile hike and a half-hour drive. “Definitely a small world. And a good one. I haven’t faced down the winter yet, but I think it’ll be fine.”
Sam grinned. “You’ll have fun. You and Amber will have to come out for some snowshoeing or wind-sailing.”
“Wind sailing?”
Sam nodded. “Graham loves to experiment with machines. We’ve got a couple of old canoes and boats that he’s hooked up with glides on the bottom. It’s a blast racing them on the lake.”
That did sound fun.
Then Sam got serious. “I’m sorry we weren’t there faster when that asshole took Amber.”
It still made Gray’s heart pound, and he rubbed at the ache in his heart. “Thanks. We knew we could count on you to block the road. That we’d get him.”
Sam nodded. “It’s scary as hell when the woman you love is taken. It’s been a few years now and I still have nightmares about Tansy being kidnapped. If you guys ever need to talk, we’re here. We’ve all gone through some shit and it’s good to talk it out and not let it eat you from the inside.”
“Thanks.”
“How do you feel about teaching some classes on coping with situations as a bodyguard some day? It’s good to have someone who’s recently been on the job. Knows the ups and the downs.”
Gray grinned. “The boring as hell times and the holy shit times. That sounds fun and I’d be glad to jump on board.” It would also give him a purpose during the winter, when the gardens wouldn’t require his full attention.
