The Cabin Getaway
Tabatha Heart
The Cabin Getaway. Copyright © 2015 by Hansen Infinity, LLC and Tabatha Heart.
Revised Edition 1.
All rights reserved. This ebook may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Hansen Infinity.
Cover design by Breathless Design.
Dedication
For my soulmate, I will always love you.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
About the Author
Chapter 1
I know her heart had faith in me.
Those were the lyrics coming from the speaker in the ceiling over the desk. The objects on the desk were arranged in a certain order, one that the occupant needed to concentrate. With a quick swipe of a handkerchief the few dust particles on the nametag that read Miles Whistler disappeared. Miles smiled at the now clean name tag and looked back at the computer screen filled with accounting numbers. He understood numbers more than people.
Numbers didn't judge; they only gave the facts.
A noise came from behind the cubicle wall, and Miles turned to see his brother smiling at him.
"I'm glad I'm here to pull you away from your desk. Otherwise, I don't think you would ever leave."
It was probably true. He should be grateful that Derek had hired him for the accounting team. He should be thankful that his brother took care of him. But at times it was overwhelming to be so watched by his only family. He wanted to spread his wings and live a private life. Miles hated that he had to hide who he was all the time.
"I was almost done, let me send in the report and we can go." Miles turned back to the computer.
Derek came around to the open side of the cubicle and started playing with the stack of folders near the entrance. Miles hid the cringe he felt as Derek started rearranging the stack. He forced himself to concentrate on the screen and not let the change in the organization of his folders bother him. With a quick send through the system and the report was saved. He stood grabbing his coat causing Derek to back out of the cubical and wait outside the cubical opening.
Miles grabbed his briefcase and filled it with a few files he would need to look over when he got home, then rearranged the moved folders back to their rightful places.
"Why do you do that?" Derek asked as they made their way to the elevator.
"Do what?" Miles pretended not to know what Derek meant but knew that his brother had seen him reorganize the desk. It had been a topic Derek found amusing and Miles wished he could hide better.
Derek looked at him with annoyance when the elevator dinged, and the door opened. Stepping onto the elevator, Miles could still smell the cologne of a previous passenger. He quickly hit the parking level button and did his best not to look into the mirrors covering the small walls or at his brother. Miles sighed, as there was no one else in the elevator. He would now be forced to answer his brother's interrogation.
"You know what I mean, why do you feel the need to organize your desk?"
"Can't I like things organized?"
"It seems a little...I don't know, obsessive compulsive."
"I didn't realize you got your counseling degree."
"Smart ass," Derek said sarcastically.
Miles shrugged; at least he didn't have to keep talking to his brother about his need to have things in a certain order. The elevator opened, and they made their way to Derek's car, they carpooled every day since they lived in the same apartment complex. Not an arrangement Miles wanted, but it was affordable, in a nice neighborhood, and close to work. When Derek moved into the apartment four doors down from his, he couldn't say no.
As they drove out of the garage and into the street, Miles noticed that Derek couldn't stop squirming in his seat. Miles looked out the passenger window, hoping that Derek would get the hint that he didn't want to talk about his compulsive need to clean things anymore.
Derek cleared his throat. Miles finally at to look sideways at his brother who was clearly nervous. "Just spit it out," Miles said. He was sure he was going to get another lecture on not being so anal all the time and learning to relax, but that was something Miles already knew. Or maybe he was going to tell Miles he needed more friends or to find a date. Miles would pretend to listen and tell Derek he would try, a conversation they had many times.
"It's Cara," Derek started blushing which his brother rarely did. Miles felt himself perk up, a conversation that didn’t involve how Miles was living and clearly made his brother uncomfortable. "She wants you to come with us to the cabin for the next two weeks."
No way, Miles thought. Out loud he said, "I don't think I can."
"Why?" Derek asked. "You haven't taken a vacation in two years, so I know you have the time. I'm your only friend, so I know you don't have plans. I've never seen you on a date and the girls I set you up with you go out with once, maybe twice before you find something about them you don't like."
"No need to be mean," Miles grumbled. "And I have a few friends."
"Sorry," Derek said. "I want to see you get out and have some fun for once."
"You want someone to come to the cabin and help clean up after the party you mean," Miles said. "Besides, I have to get the Highland report done..."
"You save all of your reports to the database every night; I can have Tess take them over." Derek sighed, "It would also mean a lot to Cara if you came to meet her brother."
"I don't know." Miles didn't want to go on a vacation; work was what distracted him away from his problems. The last thing he wanted to do was spend two weeks with his brother. But he saw the desperation in Derek's eyes and his brother rarely asked him for anything. It was Miles own fault for keeping secrets and hiding things from his brother and perhaps this would be the time to talk to Derek.
“Please, I really want you to get to know Cara.”
That was the moment Miles realized how hard Derek had fallen for his newest girlfriend. This was getting serious. Miles suddenly wished he could feel that way about someone too.
There was only one thing Miles could say. "Fine, I'll go."
Derek's smile covered his entire face as they pulled into the apartment garage. They both grabbed their laptop bags and climbed out of the car. Miles knew he had done the right thing if it was getting serious between Cara and Derek he needed to be supportive.
"I know this is short notice, but I already got the time approved through the office," Derek said once they were in the elevator. Derek looked like he was nearly hopping up and down with excitement. Miles was sure he would run into his apartment telling Cara that Miles had agreed to the vacation.
“How did you pull that off not even knowing I would say yes?”
“I was determined to convince you. Either that or I would have to send Cara on you.”
“Fine,” Miles said stepping off the elevator and heading toward his apartment. “When do I need to start packing?”
“We leave tomorrow so pack comfortable mountain clothes."
"Wait, tomorrow..." Miles started, but Dere
k had already disappeared into his own apartment leaving Miles to standing in the hallway in shock. Tomorrow? Couldn't Derek have asked him this earlier?
It was too late now, Miles had agreed to go, and he realized he had to pack tonight. Most likely Derek was supposed to ask him weeks ago but forgot or was too nervous.
Miles mumbled curses at his brother as he opened the door to his small apartment. He placed his briefcase by the entryway near the door. He headed straight for the closet and stared at the clothes hanging there, ordered by the seasons and color coordination. It was there he realized he had no idea what he was going to pack.
Chapter 2
Miles got up early to make sure he had time to drink his coffee and read a chapter from a book, his usual morning routine. He had thought of calling Derek and telling him he couldn’t go.
After the kitchen was cleaned. Miles grabbed his suitcase and light jacket and headed out the door. He didn't want Cara or Derek in his house since they would only judge him on how clean and organized his house looked.
Derek came out of his apartment a short time later, and Cara waved excitedly in her light green eyes lighting up and brown hair done up in a tight ponytail. Miles quickly waved back and headed down the hallway.
"I'm so glad you agreed to come," Cara said lightly.
Miles nodded and followed them into the elevator down the parking level. Miles watched Derek as they walked to the elevator, his brother wouldn't take his eyes off Cara. Derek was falling for her. Miles suddenly felt lonely and like a third wheel. He now wished he hadn't agreed to go.
As they put their bags in the back of the car, Derek started staring at him. Miles tried to ignore it but even as they climbed in the car Miles could feel his brother's eyes on him.
Annoyed Miles finally asked, “What?”
"I hope you packed more comfortable clothes for the cabin."
"I'm perfectly comfortable."
"You look so dapper," Cara smiled swinging around to look at him from the passenger seat. "You could take off your tie, get more comfortable."
Miles shook his head. He liked wearing his ties; button up shirts, and slacks. He didn't even wear his suit jacket today over his dress shirt. He was comfortable. He had even brought one of his more casual sweaters in case he got cold. How much more casual do they want him to get?
Time to change the subject. "So where is this cabin?"
"It's in Breckenridge. Well, close to Breckenridge."
"Breckenridge...wait, Breckenridge Colorado, the ski town?" Miles asked. Cara nodded excitedly. "Are we driving there?"
Cara laughed, "Oh, heavens no. We have plane tickets."
“I wasn’t told we were flying." Miles was sure he heard his voice break.
"He has a fear of planes," Derek said.
"I'm not afraid of planes. I prefer to have my feet on the ground," Miles said. "I can drop you off at the airport and head back home. That way we don't have to pay for parking."
"Don't be silly," Cara said. "We already bought your ticket and paying for parking isn’t a big deal."
Miles wanted to yell at his brother, but he didn't know Cara well enough to feel comfortable with starting an old family argument over withholding vital information. He sat back in his seat, pulled out the modeling clay from his bag and began to run his fingers over the soft texture, a stress relief technique he had read about online. A part of him wished it was someone else's hand he had to hold but until he was brave enough to talk to Derek about his dating preference to men he wouldn't have any hands to hold any time soon.
Maybe he should blurt it out now, Derek would kick him out of the car, and he wouldn't have to go on this insane vacation. With a sigh, he knew that wasn't an option. Derek was his only family he couldn't risk losing him. He tried to focus on the passing scenes of streets and cars, but he couldn't pull his thoughts from the plane he was about to ride in. He hated flying.
***
"My brother is driving up from Boulder to meet us," Cara said when Miles' feet were happily on the ground again. They had started driving up to the cabin in the rental car. "I think you will like him, he's really...well, you'll just have to meet him."
Miles nodded, but he wasn't sure he liked anyone right now. The plane ride had drained him, and he wanted to lie down. He would also be grateful for eternity if he didn't have to hear the word "dapper" ever again as Derek and Cara seemed to find it an amusing game to tease him with a thousand different ways to call him overly dressed for where they were going. What was wrong with wanting to look good? What was wrong with enjoying a tie? How was he supposed to know that his comfortable was everyone else dapper?
It took several hours to drive from the Denver airport to the cabin in Breckenridge. The ride was in the dark and through the mountain passes it was nearly impossible to see anything past the headlights. The car was mostly quiet except the soft rock music that played. Miles was sure the quiet was because of fear, that if they didn't pay attention to the road; they would fly over a cliff to their death. Maybe the plane was better than driving.
A deer suddenly shot out into the road, and Derek had to slam on the brakes, sending all of them straining forward against their seat belts. The world slowed as the deer stood there in the headlights and stared at them, unmoving. The deer and everyone in the car seemed to stare at each other for the longest time. Finally, the deer slowly started to make its way across the rest of the street. Miles felt his heart begin to beat in his chest again.
"Is everyone okay?" Derek asked.
"Yes," Miles and Cara said at the same time.
"Fucking wildlife," Derek growled.
Cara started laughing which caused Derek and Miles to look at her. Was she broken? But her laughter was so infectious that soon Derek started laughing too. Miles couldn't help but join in. A good laugh to celebrate the fact that they were still alive and so was the deer. After a good laugh to know they were still alive, they moved forward again.
The mood in the car had lightened, and Cara and Derek began telling the story of how they first met. Miles, of course, knew the story, but he didn't mind hearing Cara tell it again.
“It’s that little coffee shop off Main Street,” Cara lit up as she told the story. “The barista was trying to flirt with me and totally ignoring Derek. So I ended up handing my coffee to Derek and ordering another one for myself. Derek hated soy milk but pretended to enjoy it so he could get my number.”
As Cara continued the story with their first date at a sushi restaurant that ended with Derek covered in raw fish. Miles realized that was what he wanted, well not to be covered in raw fish, but he wanted a story to tell people how he met the person he was falling in love with.
To have that, he would have to be better at faking being straight. He would have to pretend to be into a girl enough for her to want to tell their relationship story. It would have to be enough that Derek would believe the lie too. Miles was terrible at lies. Unless maybe he talked finally to Derek, Miles shook his head, which would be impossible. The life he had made was too important to waste on any feeble attempt at a relationship. He now realized he would have to give up on the idea of love and dismiss the idea like he does every time he considers it.
"Oh, turn left up here...no wait I think it's the next one," Cara instructed, doing her best to find the cabin with only the light from the headlights and street signs hidden behind large branches. She was doing much better than Miles would have done; he had no sense of direction.
"Doesn't anyone believe in lights in Colorado?" Derek asked.
"Such a city boy," Cara said, laughing.
"I can be a country boy," Derek said with a terrible impersonation of what Miles assumed to be a cowboy accent. "I can say things like ‘y'all’ and ‘bring in the cows.’"
"Is that what they say?"
"They might," Derek said. "You don't know."
"Oh, turn in here."
The car slowly made its way over the washboard dirt roads, curving left and right, up an
d down. Miles realized he was getting carsick with all the twisting and winding.
"Pull into the driveway here," Cara finally said. "This is it."
In the dark, it was hard to make out more than the outline of a house and trees. Miles pulled open the car door and got hit with a blast of cool air. It felt good after being trapped in a car for so long, and a few deep breaths helped settle his stomach.
He looked up, realizing how bright the stars looked. The sky was covered in them; Miles hadn't realized there were so many covering the sky. In the city, only a few bright ones could be seen through city lights. The entire sky glittered with thousands of bright lights covering every inch of the dark space.
"Beautiful isn't it," Cara said next to him.
Miles nodded, realizing he had been standing there staring up like he had never seen the sky before. Until now, maybe he hadn't.
"It's a new moon now but wait until you see the full moon out here before we leave. It lights up everything almost like a sun."
Miles laughed. "I don't know if I believe you."
Cara only shrugged. "We should get our things and head inside before we’re eaten by bears or a mountain lion."
Now that Miles believed. He quickly grabbed his suitcase and shoulder bag and headed to the cabin, where Derek had already started turning on the lights. It was a stark contrast to the darkness outside.
"Your room is the first one on the left. Derek and I will take the bigger room in the back if you don't mind."
"Not at all." Miles smiled and took his things to the bedroom. It had a small bed, two dressers, and shelves on every wall filled with a dozen small figurines, which he instantly started putting into an order suitable to look at while he stayed here. He was starting to unpack his clothes when his brother walked into the room, of course with no knock.
"Are you ever going to join us? Or are you hiding in this room for the next two weeks?"
The Cabin Getaway: Contemporary Sweet Romance (Short Story) Page 1