Page 34 of Falling Again

“To new beginnings,” Tyler proclaims to Reid and Annika, then his gaze drifts to mine as he lifts his glass to his lips.

FOURTEEN

TYLER

NOW

The next afternoon, just about the time I finish feeding all the animals, I hear Chloe’s car rolling up the drive. She has her windows down and Kacey Musgraves blasting from inside. I can hear Chloe continue singing the song as she parks, gets out, and locks her car. I open the front door to greet her and nearly get lost at the sight of her. Her golden-blonde hair is down and cascading down her shoulders. She has a long green dress hugging around her full breasts that cinches at the waist and billows out in a way that is playful and full of life. It matches the energy she emits. I smile reflexively, seeing her, and forgetting why she is here, but I’m glad she is.

“Hey, farmer!” she greets me.

“Farmer? I think I’m closer to a rancher.”

“What’s the difference?”

“Having a farm?”

She looks around and holds her arms out. “What do you call this place?”

“A ranch.”

“I still like calling you farmer better,” she says, smiling and scrunching her nose. “Lead the way to the guesthouse, farmer.”

“You got it, boss,” I say and step outside. The guesthouse, or the cottage as it tends to get referred to as, is in the back left corner of the property. A stone pathway and gravel driveway lead to the front door. My parents built this for me once I moved out, so I had a private place to stay when I visited. My mom adorned the place in white and hints of blue. It feels like something you’d find in an English countryside. She was on a kick of watching period pieces when she decorated that I’m sure had influence on her decorating choices.

When I first moved back, I used it to store things from my place in Eugene, but eventually moved things out and made it a simple guest space. Reid stayed here briefly before he closed on his townhouse and his rental lease was up. Since then though, it’s been devoid of any occupants. It is a one-bedroom cottage with a kitchenette and a full bathroom. It has a little front porch that overlooks the property and the main house. Scooter runs ahead of us straight toward the house.

“So, it needs some dusting, but I did come in this morning and open all the windows to air it out,” I say as I unlock the door and open it for Chloe to enter.

She takes the space in and walks around the small living room that my mom furnished with a few mismatched pieces gathered from estate sales and swap meets. A door off the living room leads to the bedroom, which features a double bed and a dresser. A small bathroom is connected to the bedroom. It’s not a big place, but it has everything you could need. I’ve considered renting it out as an Airbnb, not so much for extra income but more so to have company on the ranch. But the sense of strangers living up here always left me feeling uneasy. This is the only place I feel connected to my parents. I honestly was a little reluctant when Reid brought up the idea of Chloe renting out the cottage. It’s only ever been me here for years.

Chloe wanders around, popping in and out of each room. She meanders to the kitchenette, opening the cabinets and peering inside. I wait by the threshold of the front door and give her space to take it all in. I am unsure what she thinks and find myself holding my breath. I want her to love it. A place that was built by both my parents. Seeing her float around, I can’t help but think how well she fits in here. She has a soft, whimsical aura about her and she fits right in with the dainty floral curtains, the warm wood accents and the bright light streaming in.

I picture what it will be like having her live on the property. I do my rounds in the morning with Scooter and maybe Chloe would join us. Maybe some nights she’ll join me for dinner, or I can visit a friend by just walking across the back property. The cottage is far enough away that if I want my space, I’ll still have it. The thought of Chloe sharing the ranch with me brings a warmth to my chest. Maybe mornings would be less lonely and evenings less daunting.

“I’ll take it!” she says, spinning around in a circle. “How much is rent, and when can I move in?” she asks.

Rent—shoot, I didn’t even consider what to price this place at. “Er…what are you paying now?” I ask.

“Annika and I split the rent evenly, so I pay nine hundred dollars, and we split utilities.”

“Okay, how about you pay eight hundred, and that includes utilities,” I say, and Chloe’s mouth falls agape.

“Tyler! That’s like four hundred less than studios are going for in town. And this place is a proper one-bedroom on a beautiful ranch.” I soften even more at her calling my family’s land beautiful.

“All right, seven hundred then!” I say, stepping in and smiling. She gives me a big laugh. “Watch out, or I’ll go down more.”

“No, no, seven hundred is great.”

“That’s it—six hundred!” I say, standing close to her. She laughs harder and throws her hands up to cover my mouth. I take her wrists and gently move them off my mouth. “For real, though, I don’t need any money; the ranch is paid for. I only pay taxes and utilities. So, really, your rent can cover that.”

“Six hundred dollars? Are you sure?”

“Yeah, positive. Even that is probably more than what it will cost. But, perhaps, I can use the extra for updates on the property. This cottage will probably need a new roof soon. Maybe we can make some improvements around now that it’s not just me and the animals.” I swallow at the revelation. I’ve applauded myself at restraining myself from crossing any lines with her. Spending my mom’s birthday with her was incredible. I don’t think she knows how much that healed me to unpack my mom’s things and bake her a cake. But I can’t help but feel like I need to hold back. Like I’m not ready to free fall into the unknown. The last time I loved someone, they were taken from me. Having Chloe here will make my growing attraction to her even more difficult, but she’s helped me so much, and this is what friends do for each other.

A cackle from Chloe knocks me out of my thoughts. “You hear that, Scooter!” She bends down to pick up my goofy pup. “There’s a lady here now,” she says, spinning him in her arms while he nuzzles into her neck. I never thought I’d be jealous of my dog until now.

I clap my hands. “Let’s celebrate—I probably have some hard seltzers in the fridge of the main house. I’m starving, too. How do tacos sound?”