“Thanks, Chris.” What an odd exchange. I pick up her hands and give them a quick kiss. “You’ve always been like a second mom to me.”
At that, she smacks me away. “Go on, I’ve got work to do.” Then she turns around and heads purposefully in the other direction. The women in my life have certainly been keeping me on my toes lately.
My heart feels lighter than it has in years as I walk down to the barn to meet Addie. I’m a thirty-five-year-old man who felt every minute of my age when I woke up this morning. Suddenly, I feel like a kid again.
Addie is riding up to the barn at the same time I arrive. Watching her fly across the meadow on the back of my dad’s horse fills me with a sense of rightness.
She waves when she sees me and slowly brings her mount to a halt. Then she jumps down and hands the reins to Jeet before saying, “He was a prince. I’ll definitely be back to ride him again.”
“Please do,” Jeet tells her. “He needs his exercise but I’m the only one he doesn’t try to throw and even then, he doesn’t like me that much. He’s getting lazy as a result.”
I walk up next to Addie and call out, “You’re a natural!”
She smiles cockily. “And here you thought I wasn’t an outdoorswoman.”
“I stand corrected,” I tell her. “Although I’m still not sure how much of a camper you are.”
“Who needs camping when there’s glamping?” Her eyes suddenly light up. “That would be a great advertising slogan, don’t you think?”
I reach out for her hand. “I do. You make glamping look fun. I’m actually a little jealous that you’re living in the lap of luxury while I’m taking freezing cold showers and sleeping on a twin bed.”
“Sounds like you might be ready to pay up and end our little bet.”
“Not even close, lady. If I end it now, you might pack your bags and head back to New York City. I’m keeping it alive so I can have you all to myself for the next few weeks.”
Addie smiles almost bashfully before saying, “Sounds good to me.”
Hand-in-hand we hike up the path to our cabins. When we see my mom heading toward us in her golf cart, we quickly step apart. We decided earlier to keep whatever is happening between us on the down low for a while yet. Being that our courtship is only a couple of hours old and our families are so close, it wouldn’t be wise to let them in on anything until we know where things are headed first.
My mom toots her horn and waves. When she pulls up next to us, she says, “I just dropped off more packages for Addie.”
I shake my head in wonder at how much this woman is buying. “What came today, a hot tub and sauna?”
“You get me electricity up there,” she says, “and I’ll bump those things to the top of my list.” I don’t think she’s joking.
My mom interjects, “How about you kids join me for dinner tomorrow night up at the lodge. Say, six o’clock?”
Addie is the first to respond. “Sounds wonderful as long as Brogan doesn’t think that’s cheating on our bet.” She gives me the side eye.
“I think we’d both appreciate a meal we didn’t have to cook ourselves,” I say.
“Excellent!” My mom claps her hands together joyfully. “I’ll make sure to have the chef prepare something extra special.” She drives off before there’s any more chit-chat.
When Addie and I get to my cabin, I say, “Why don’t you come in and wait while I change and then I’ll walk you to your place?” The truth is I want to be with her for every second I can.
“You’ve got yourself a deal,” she says while I pull her along over the threshold of my place.
Neither one of us sees what’s coming until it’s too late.
Chapter Fifty-Three
The Mothers
Libby: Well, what did you do to them⁉
Ruby: Oh, Libs, I think I made a mistake.
Libby: What?
Ruby: I ran into them on my way back from their cabins and it looked like they were having a nice time. I might have just ruined whatever rapport they’ve built.
Libby: Are you saying you don’t think they need a big fight before they fall for each other?
Ruby: I don’t know!!! But I think they’re about to have a big fight now.
Libby: Oh, dear.
Addison
“Aaaaaaaargh!” I scream as a bucket full of something obnoxiously stinky and incredibly gooey falls onto us.
Brogan looks equally shocked. He took the brunt of whatever it was and is totally covered. “It smells like vinegar, but I think it’s glue?” He walks into the kitchen to grab some dish towels. One of which he throws at me.
I smell my hand and suggest, “I think there might be some blue cheese in there.” Then I ask, “Who in the world would have done this to you?”
“If it wasn’t you …” He pauses a moment to gauge my reaction.
I shake my head vigorously in denial. “I was out riding and then with you. I couldn’t have done this.”
“Then,” he concludes, “it must be the same person who put leaves in my bed and greased my floor and doorknob.”
“When did that happen?” This is the first I’m hearing about the doorknob and floor.
“After I came back from your cabin this morning.”
“Did you see anyone?” I ask. I mean, it’s not like we’re in an overpopulated area rife with bored teens or something.
“Just my mom but she wouldn’t do this.” He looks confused before saying, “Although we just saw her again …”
“Why in the world would she be pranking you?”
“I have no idea. It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Why don’t you rinse off in your shower and then come over to my place for a bath? We can take turns.”
He shakes his head which sends a glop of whatever we’re covered in running down the tip of his nose. “It’ll take us hours to heat enough hot water for two baths and we’ll never get the smell off by taking a cold shower. I say we rinse off at our own places, then grab some clean clothes and head to the lodge and use the facilities at the spa.”
“Okay,” I tell him. “I’ll meet you back here when I’m somewhat clean.”
He crinkles up his nose and says, “I’d kiss you goodbye but, well, you know…”
“Don’t even think about it. There’s no way I want any of this junk to get into my mouth.” I turn to leave and add, “I’ll see you in a bit.”
On my way to my cabin, I try to figure out who the jokester is, but for the life of me I can’t imagine. Billy promised he wouldn’t do anything else before checking with me so that leaves someone else as the culprit. But who?
I let myself into my cabin and hurry to grab a towel. A cold shower holds zero appeal for me, but it’s still better than being covered in this mystery goop. After turning on the shower and closing the temporary privacy curtain I hung, I strip out of my clothes and try to psyche myself up for the shock of a lifetime.
I squeal when the frigid water hits, but I persevere. Whatever this stuff is, it seems to be hardening as it dries. I hop around trying to get as much rinsed off as I can when something comes flying over the top of the shower. I immediately cover my head as several slippery-feeling things descend upon me.
I can’t see what they are, so I hurriedly wipe my eyes before looking down. As soon as I do, I release a sound like I’m being attacked by, well, snakes. There are dozens of slimy-looking snakes lying at my feet.
I don’t bother to finish rinsing off or even cover myself, I just jump out and run. As soon as I’m in the clearing, I dance around like I’m either trying to put out a fire or summon rain via a Native American tribal dance.
Snakes are the worst! I’d sooner cuddle a cougar than stand in a nest of snakes. Which brings me to the question, who in the hell threw snakes on me? I finally settle down enough to wrap myself in my towel and scan the area for the perpetrator, but I don’t see anyone. Until I do.
Brogan is jogging up the path already showered and dressed
in different clothes. “I heard a scream,” he declares, heading straight toward me.
Oh. My. God. Did Brogan do this? What about the last few hours we spent together? I stare at him trying to discern whether or not he’s the perpetrator, but I can’t get a word out.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you okay?”
Instead of answering, I ask, “Did you happen to see anyone else on your way up here?”
“I thought I saw Chris’s daughter Megan, but that’s it, why?”
Why would Chris’s daughter throw a bucket of what I’m hoping are rubber snakes on me? I quickly look over at the shower. None of the vermin have moved so they’re either toys or they’re dead. Either way, I release a full body shiver.
Brogan’s gaze follows mine and he walks over to the shower. He bends down and picks up a snake and instead of being horrified, he starts laughing. Laughing! Oh, my, god, he did do this to me!
“You threw snakes on me after the afternoon we just spent?” I’m horrified. Who is this man?
“Of course I didn’t throw snakes on you,” he says. But he’s laughing so hard it’s nearly impossible to decipher his words.
“If you didn’t do it, why are you laughing?” I demand, not believing for one minute that he isn’t the guilty party.
“I’m just … just … I’m sorry …” he keeps going.
I turn and walk into my cabin and slam the door as hard as I can. Oh, he’ll be sorry.
Moments later, there’s a knock on the door. “Addie, let me in.” He’s still trying to control his laughter, the fiend.
“If you so much as open that door, I’m going to spray you with mace until the bottle is empty. Do you understand?”
“Addie, please. I’m sorry I laughed, truly. It’s just that it was a pretty common prank James and I used to pull, and it brought back memories,” he says, still sounding way the heck too joyful for my liking.
“I know it’s a prank you used to pull, or have you forgotten doing it to me on more than one occasion?”
“I haven’t forgotten, but I swear it wasn’t me this time,” he says even though he’s obviously still trying to control his mirth.
“Screw you, Brogan Cavanaugh!” I yell. “You’d better leave right now, or I’m going to open this door and start spraying.”
“Addie …”
“ONE … TWO … THREE …”
“Fine, I’m going,” he says. “Come find me when you come to your senses.” Now he sounds mad. Of all the nerve!
If this were a movie I would pick up my bucket of popcorn and walk out. Elle is in the Caribbean starring in my romantic comedy, and I’m in the middle of Oregon reenacting Dumb and Dumber. I’m rapidly losing my sense of humor.
Chapter Fifty-Four
The Mothers
Ruby: Chris’s daughter Megan threw a bucket of rubber snakes over the curtain while Addie was in the shower.
Libby: Rubes, no! The snakes were her least favorite prank. The summer Brogan introduced that one is the same summer Addie renamed her Ken doll and started torturing it.
Ruby: Chris texted me that she tried to stop her, but she was too late. Of course, I didn’t get that text because I was up at the fishing cabin setting up my own prank on Brogan.
Libby: I’m afraid the only way we can salvage our plan is if we come clean.
Ruby: OR we can wait until after dinner tomorrow night. They’re coming to the lodge to meet me for dinner. I can try to orchestrate a battle and then be there to referee it.
Libby: Just tell them. Hopefully, they’ll forgive us some day.
Ruby: If I tell them before they’ve started to fall for each other, they’ll both walk away before they have a chance to. Trust me.
Brogan
What in the world is going on? Someone is going out of their way to torment me, and now Addie, by trying to make it look like we’re pranking each other. Emma briefly crosses my mind, but there’s no way she could pull it if off without getting caught. So, the question is, if it’s not Emma, and it’s not Addie, who in the world is behind it? I wonder if Addie would believe me if I told her of my suspicions.
Before I walk inside the lodge, I pull out my phone to text James: I’m not going to be able to get to the restaurant on time. Why don’t you join me and Mom tomorrow night at the lodge? Six o’clock.
When I walk into the lobby, the first thing I see is my mom and Chris huddled together. Clearly this is more than just a friendly chat as they appear very animated. My mom has both of her arms stretched out to the ceiling. Chris is covering her face with her hands while shaking her head.
I approach them slowly, hoping to overhear their conversation, but Chris moves her hands and catches sight of me. She calls out, “Brogan! What in the world happened to you?” I assume she’s referencing the goop I wasn’t able to get out of my hair.
My mom spins around looking what … horrified, shocked, guilty? I can’t tell which. “Honey, what’s in your hair?”
I eye them both closely before answering, “I was on the receiving end of another practical joke. When I walked into my cabin, I got hit with a plastic bucket full of whatever this stuff is.” I indicate the top of my head.
“You smell,” my mom informs me.
“I’m here to take a hot shower,” I inform them, trying to make heads or tails out of their possible involvement. “Do either of you happen to know who was behind this?”
“Why would we?” my mom answers quickly, almost too quickly. “I don’t know if you’re aware of this Brogan, but Chris and I are too busy running this lodge to play childish games. Not that you don’t have it coming,” she seems to feel the need to add.
I look at Chris when I say, “I saw Megan up near the cabins a bit ago.”
“I think she was out scouting some new areas to expand the zip-lining course. She said something about seeing if there was a viable spot near the falls. And you know, you have to pass by your cabin to get there. Well, not exactly by it, but close. Like fifty yards or so, right?”
Chris is full-on babbling. Before I can call her on it, my mom waves her hand in front of her nose and says, “Go get clean, please.”
They’re up to something. I just don’t know whether or not it involves pranking me and Addie. What could possibly be the payoff for them? After giving them both a suspicious look, I head off to the men’s locker room in the spa where I put my bag of clean clothes in a locker before taking the longest shower of my life.
After washing my hair three times, I finally get all the junk out of it. During the final rinse, I decide to spend some quality time in the sauna and try to figure out what to do about Addie. While I felt a real connection with her, I’m starting to wonder if there’s too much history there for us to move on to something more. How could she believe I was behind the snake incident after the afternoon we shared?
I pour a cup of water over the hot rocks and let the steam envelop me, hoping it will help open my mind for answers to find a way in. I’ve never had a long-distance relationship, not because the opportunity hasn’t arisen, but because I’ve never been interested in having one.
Why then, have I been hoping something would develop between me and Addie, knowing that she lives in New York while I’m planning on building my dream home here in Spartan? Would I be willing to spend time in the Big Apple to see if we have a future together?
After staring at the glowing coals, I decide I would. I mean, it’ll take at least a year, probably two, for my house to be finished. I could easily sell my home on the coast and make Addie’s cabin home base when I’m not visiting her. I’d use her cabin because, let’s face it, it’s more rigged out for long-term living, and it would remind me of her.
Now, all I have to do is get her to see reason. Someone is pranking both of us and we need to figure out who that is.
After my steam, I change into clean clothes and decide to hang out for a while so that I can talk to Addie after she finishes getting cleaned up. I didn’t see her come d
own here, but I know she was planning to, and the sooner we come to a meeting of the minds, the better.
After waiting in the spa for a solid half hour with no sign of her, I finally ask the girl behind the counter if she’s seen her.
“I don’t have anyone named Addison Cooper on my list,” she says while smiling in a borderline flirtatious manner. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can help you with. My name is Gillian.”
“Thanks, Gillian. I’m Brogan Cavanaugh.”
As soon as I introduce myself, she practically jumps to attention and becomes all business. “Would you like me to check and see if Miss Cooper has any appointments scheduled?”
It seems I’ve become kryptonite to the ladies. Either that or Gillian wrongly assumes I’m going to report her for being too friendly. “No, that’s okay,” I tell her.
I decide to stop off in the gift shop and pick up a sandwich from the cooler for dinner. I know I’m not supposed to get my meals here, but right now I’m almost ready to cancel this whole wager. If Addie decides to stay mad at me, I’ll probably just pay off my brother and mom and be done with it.
Of course, I’ll still try to buy the property up at Cheater’s Ridge, but I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to go up there again without thinking about the afternoon Addie and I shared. I feel like I finally saw the woman she really is and I’ll be damned if I want to let that go.
Chapter Fifty-Five
The Mothers
Libby: Well
Ruby: Well, what?
Libby: Have you seen Brogan or Addie since you pranked them?
Ruby: I saw Brogan. I’m pretty sure he suspects me, but he doesn’t know anything for sure.
Libby: I’ve been texting Addie to check on her, but there’s been no response. She’s probably fuming up at her cabin.
Love is a Battlefield (Seven Brides for Seven Mothers Book 1) Page 23