Page 53 of Deserving Cora
Cora’s eyes widened. “Wow, cool.”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re already engaged, and I know he wants to get married, but I’ve been putting it off. I think it’s because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know? For Drake to come to his senses and realize that I’m the same dork I was back when we knew each other in high school. But I swear with every day that goes by, we get closer. I can’t imagine not living the rest of my life with him.”
“That’s awesome,” Cora said with a huge smile. She was truly happy for the woman.
“I think so too. And I suspect Tonka and Henley are thinking about a civil ceremony, though I know Jasna wants to throw a huge thing, with all the animals involved, and have it in the barn.” The women laughed. “I don’t think Tonka is all that thrilled about it, but he’ll do whatever makes his girls happy. I don’t think The Refuge will become wedding-central, because that’s not what this place was created for, but knowing my best friends started their married lives here makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.”
Cora smiled. “The whole vibe of this place is very serene and laid-back.”
“It is,” Alaska agreed. “Come on, my stomach is yelling at me. Robert’s tacos are the absolute best. But then, everything he makes is awesome.”
Alaska dragged Cora over to the end of the line, and while they were waiting for their turn to pile their plates high, Pipe, Owl, and Stone joined them.
“You two plotting world domination?” Pipe teased, wrapping an arm around her waist and crowding her from behind.
Cora tilted her head back and smiled at him. “Of course,” she retorted.
“Did Brick tell you about the self-defense lessons we want to start?” Owl asked Alaska. “Pipe said he’d lead them, and Stone and I are gonna attend each and every one.”
“Yes!” Alaska said, her eyes widening in excitement. “I think it’s such a good idea. I’ve already looked at the schedule to see where we can fit them in. I think in the afternoons, after lunch, but notrightafter, so everyone’s food has time to settle. In the summer, it’ll be good for the people who might not want to go hiking in the heat, and in the winter, it’ll give the guests one more option for something to do indoors. Oh, and I’ve talked to Ryan, Jess, Luna, Savannah, and Carly, and they’re all excited about them too.” She made a karate chop move and grinned up at Pipe.
He chuckled, and Cora felt the rumble against her back. Once again, a burst of desire shot through her body. It was such a foreign feeling. This wasn’t like her, but she didn’t hate it. How could she when it was because of Pipe?
“Easy there, ninja warrior,” he told Alaska.
She giggled and turned back to the buffet line to grab a plate.
“You good?” Pipe asked. He’d leaned down and whispered into her ear, making Cora shudder as his warm breath tickled her skin.
“Yeah.” She looked up at Pipe. “She doesn’t hate me,” she whispered.
“Of course she doesn’t,” he said, his brows furrowing.
“You don’t understand. Other women don’t usually get along with me.”
“That’s because they sense that shield you carry around, keeping them at arm’s length,” Pipe said matter-of-factly. “But Alaska doesn’t care. Neither do any of the others here. Probably because they used to have similar shields and they recognize a kindred spirit.”
Cora blinked at him. Was he right? Did she have trouble making friends because of some sort of vibeshewas putting off?
“Your turn, love. Grab a plate.”
Turning, Cora saw there was a large gap in the line between her and Alaska. She felt a little dazed as she picked up a plate.
Pipe stepped even closer, tightening the arm around her waist. “This place’ll heal you…if you let it,” he told her. He kissed her temple and straightened.
Her skin tingled where his lips had touched her. She had a feeling he was right. She’d felt at home here from the second she’d arrived. Granted, she hadn’t been here all that long, but with every minute that went by, she felt more…normal. Not that she really knew what normal was.
She’d spent her life being rejected by everyone. Her own mother and father, countless foster families, bosses at the many jobs she’d had over the years, men and women she’d met along the way…but from the second she’d looked up and made eye contact with Pipe while he’d been on that stage during the auction, she’d felt a shift. In herself? In time? In the universe? She wasn’t sure. All she knew was that she’d felt more comfortable in her own skin from the minute she first spoke to Pipe.
Because she was busy frantically trying to blink away her tears, Cora piled food on her plate blindly. It didn’t matter what she grabbed; everything smelled and looked delicious. When she sat at a table next to Henley, who greeted her as enthusiastically as if she hadn’t seen her in months, rather than a few hours, Cora realized with a sudden flash of insight that everything she’d been searching for her entire life was right here.
In the middle of nowhere, New Mexico. In this homey, peaceful setting that Cora never in a million years thought she’d enjoy. She was a city girl, had lived there all her life, but sitting on Pipe’s rooftop, smelling the crisp winter air, seeing how everyone at the lodge interacted with respect for each other…a longing hit her, deep and visceral.
She wanted this.
Wanted to belong to a group of people like this.
No. She wanted to belong tothisgroup of people.
