Page 5 of Home for Nathan
“That’s a big mirror.”
“Oh, it’s not a mirror, it’s even better.” She pulled this sheet off, and there it was, his mill house, the one that he’d bought. The reason he’d bought the Stone property was because it was so beautiful sitting there with the river and knowing that it used to be what had powered the entirety of Secret Springs. It was as if the river was literally pouring from the millhouse and down into the river valley.
Magic.
And now here was this beautiful thing—a painting of his mill house.
He thought he could just see his house in the background, or at least what had been the beginnings of what his house had been back in the day. “Do you know how old this is?”
She nodded. “Yep. 1892.”
“Wow. That’s seriously rad. Okay. I’ll take it.” He didn’t even ask how much. This was like…wow. “Can I leave it here and come back with my truck? I rode my motorcycle into town.”
“Of course. Look around. Who knows what else you might find. And I’ll call the owner, see if she knows of anything else related to your house.” Carrie was practically glowing.
“I would appreciate that. Hey, do you know how to get a reservation at Fuel? I was hoping to take another recent transplant to town there this weekend, but I haven’t had a callback yet.”
“It just so happens that my son is the owner’s best friend. I’ll call. I think maybe they’ve been shorthanded due to a few family things. Good ones, but family things nonetheless. But I know they’ll be open this weekend.”
This was the best stop he could have made. “Thanks, Carrie. I’ll wander now.”
“Have fun!” She headed to the front counter, and he browsed, contentment rising up. He sent Kaleb pics of the painting and the hall tree. He immediately got a call back.
“Dude. I am so jealous of the hall tree.”
“I know, but honestly, your house is too fancy.” Kaleb lived in a historic lumber or oil baron situation up on the mountain. His foyer was all carved wood and giant chandeliers, where Zion’s faced right into the diagonal wall of the main stairs. There was a perfect space of burgundy-painted wall right there for the hall tree.
“Yeah, yeah. We have side entrances.”
“Oh, sure, put my hall tree in your service entrance. No way,” he teased.
“You at the Crapitorium?”
“I am. This place is a treasure trove.” He picked up a pair of ancient cross-country skis and took them to the counter,Winston wagging along behind him. Carrie gave him a thumbs-up.
“Right? And if you tell Laura and Carrie what you want for the house, they will find it for you.”
“Cool, man. I’ve just been wandering downtown.”
“Stop by the tattoo shop if you’re still there late enough. Lukas is Carrie’s son, and he’s wicked talented.”
“You sold me. I’ll drop in. How’s Charlie and the kids?”
“Good, man. You should come up for dinner Saturday.”
“Uh… I have a date.”
“What? Already?” Kaleb was laughing hard.
“Yeah. Cute as a button. Works at the grocery store. Preggers, but says he’s unattached.”
“Oh, you’re talking about Nathan?”
Zion blinked. “Yeah, I’m talking about Nathan. How do you know him?”
“Dude. It’s Secret Springs. There’s like twenty people in the entire town. Of course I know him. I know everybody. Every single human being in this whole town. Already.”
“Well, that’s cool. I guess also weird, but okay.” He wasn’t used to living in a place that was so small that you could literally know everyone in town. Even Steamboat was bigger than that. He didn’t hate it, but he definitely wasn’t used to it. “So what do you know about him since you know everybody?” he asked.
