Page 100 of Mountain Pine
And given all that’s happened, I look around and see it through new eyes too…
Carly and I get back from our girl’s trip super late. The connecting flight was delayed twice, and it was a long way home from the airport thanks to road work. She’s missed her other connecting flight and can’t fly out againuntil later tomorrow now. She’s crashing at my place.
“I hate it here,” she sighs, staring out the window.
I don’t get why. I love Bear Creek. I don’t want to ever leave.
“The Salt Lick is probably still open if you want to call the guys and have them meet us out. I’m sure they were going to make a big deal for your birthday,” Carly says, yawning.
“No way. My feet and back are killing me. I stink. Plus, I’m still hung over from yesterday.”
“You mean this morning.”
“Whatever.” I can’t even tell what planet I’m on much less what day or time it is. I just know I gotta go to bed asap.
I pull up to my house and see Conner’s truck first. Nick’s is parked opposite his. A frown tugs at my mouth. “What are they doing here at this hour?”
“Probably crashed on the couch waiting for you is my guess.”
For some reason, that makes me happy. I love having everyone over. And I love my house that’s all cozy and little. My parents helped me purchase it, and I have the mortgage through them which is the only way I could ever afford it. I was able to convert the detached garage into a crystal shop, which is connected to dad’s landscaping business. Gems-n-Stems. Cute, huh? Thestemspart is still in the works. I’ve been propagating like crazy to keep inventory costs down, and the orchids I’ve saved from other stores, which I bought at a deep discount, have needed a lot of patience and care to bring back to life. I’ll get there though. Don’t you worry. Soon I’ll have a thriving business that I built from the ground up, just like all Larson’s do.
“Shhhh,” I whisper, quietly opening my front door and preparing to tiptoe inside so I don’t wake up anyone. But the living room is empty. There is, however, a small fireburning out back and the sound of faint music playing.
Carly opens the back door and then spins around and crashes into me. “Holy shit.”
Her head hit my nose. “Ouch!”
“Shit. She’s here,” Nick says. “Con. Wake up.”
“Hmm?”
“She’s here.”
“I’m here!” I yell behind Carly who, for whatever reason won’t let… me… past… her. “Carly, what the hell. Get out of my way!”
“Let her,” Con says and I’m so confused and tired, I think my mind is playing tricks on me because when I finally grab Carly by her shoulders and forcibly move her out of my way, I’m struck stupid by the sight in my backyard.
“Happy Birthday!” Nick and Conner both yell at the same time.
“Wooo!” Nick does a little dance. “Do you like it?”
My mouth drags on the ground as I slowly walk up to a greenhouse. An actualgreenhouse. In my own backyard.
It’s made of different sized windows and doors all painted happy colors. It’s charming and chaotic and perfect.
“We tried to make each one a happy color,” Conner says, scratching his head. “I was shooting for all your favorites. Couldn’t find the right shade orange though so I went with that one for the side piece.”
My heart’s galloping. It’s like I’ve stepped into a dream. “This is all for me?”
Conner follows me inside it like a shadow. “Do you like it?”
“I love it.” My gaze drifts from one beautiful window to the next. There’s even some with stained glass. “Oh my god, I can’t believe you did this.”
“Nick helped. He was able to get a lot of these from work.”
Nick works construction, and he’s got a thing about repurposing as much as possible.
“Is that…” I point at stained glass mural with a girl on a swing that’s hanging from the moon.
