Page 20 of Cookie

Ryan

“ W hat are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Charlie asked a few days after Halloween.

“I’m not sure. We were so busy with Halloween that’s all I was focusing on.

I haven’t heard from my family yet and to be honest, I don’t want to leave town.

” The weather had started to change, and there was already a dusting of snow on the ground.

It was looking to be a tough winter, or so Charlie said.

“Good. I mean, would you like to spend Thanksgiving with me? Before you answer, you need to know it’s chaotic and loud and more people in one house than should be legal, but we do it every year and we’re just used to it.

So, what do you think, Ryan? I’d really like you there,” Charlie rambled before finally taking a breath.

“I’d love to. I mean, I love your family.

They’re all very sweet,” I said and kissed his cheek.

“Now, if I don’t get moving, the store won’t be open on time.

” I hopped out of bed and, after kissing Charlie one more time, hurried off to the shower.

Lately he stayed here most nights, something I did not mind at all.

Especially now that the weather had taken a turn.

He kept me warm at night and walked right across the street to his job every morning.

After getting dressed, I hurried downstairs.

It was over an hour before we opened, but I wanted to start a fire in the small stove, so it was toasty warm when customers arrived.

This was another thing Aunt Millie had neglected to tell me before she made the decision to move to Sacramento.

The bookstore had no central heat and in weather like this, it was freezing.

There was thankfully a small woodstove, but I wasn’t used to buying firewood.

And I soon learned she had neglected doing the same for a while.

“I brought you enough wood to get through the day, and I’ll check on the cord of walnut you ordered. Hopefully, they deliver it soon,” Charlie said as he walked in from the back of the store.

A week ago, I would have thought he was talking about an electrical cord, but I now knew that was a measurement for an order of chopped wood.

Something that most people around here ordered in the spring or summer, so it had time to dry before they burned it in the winter.

“Is that something I can store here?” I hadn’t even considered where I’d put it.

There was only a narrow alley behind the store, and the only storage I had was the storage room at the back of the store, which wasn’t all that big.

“No, we can store it at my house. I’ve got plenty of room and I can just bring small amounts over every few days,” Charlie said.

“I’ve never been to your house,” I said, and turned to look at him. He was poking at the fire, trying to get it burning hotter, having moved me aside when he saw I was having trouble.

“I know. We could stay the night there tonight if you want,” he said without looking away from the woodstove.

“I’d like that,” I said, just as he turned around.

He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. “As long as we’re sleeping together, I don’t care where we stay.”

“I’m sorry we haven’t gone there yet. I guess I’ve been so wrapped up in the store I hadn’t really thought about you living somewhere else,” I said, making him chuckle.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll come by after work, and we can go. I need to make sure everything is weathertight, anyway.”

“Weathertight? Where do you live?” I asked and imagined a remote log cabin high on a mountain.

He grinned, kissed me again, and waved goodbye as he left for work.

I wasn’t sure if that should worry me or not.

Just then my phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize, but I thought might be a vendor. “Hello?”

“Good morning. Is this Ryan Stone?”

“Yes, who, may I ask is calling?”

“This is Larry with Big Tree Firewood. I have a cord of wood I’ll be delivering today before noon. Where did you want me to drop it?” he asked.

“Oh, I’m not sure. I thought Charlie was taking care of it,” I mumbled and stammered.

“What’s that? Oh yes, Charlie did put in the order, but he gave me this number to confirm delivery. Did you want me to just drop it behind the store and you can figure out what to do with it later?”

“How big is a cord of wood?” I asked.

“It’s four feet high, four feet wide, and eight feet long.”

I scrambled to imagine how much space I’d need to hold so much wood, but came up blank.

“Do you mind if I call Charlie and see what he suggests? He knows more about this than I do.” I hated to admit that, but I’d never lived in a house with a fireplace, and I’d never bought firewood, so this was all new to me.

“Sure thing, just don’t take too long. It’s all loaded.”

“I’ll call you right back,” I reassured him before ending the call and dialing Charlie.

“What do I tell him?” I started as soon as he picked up, making no sense.

“Babe? What’s going on?” Charlie asked, sounding very confused.

“The firewood guy called and wants to know where to deliver the wood. Should I tell him to put it behind the store? I mean, it sounds like it would block the alley and then I’d get in trouble for that. I’m just not sure what to do,” I said and plopped down on the stool we kept behind the counter.

“Let me call him. I told his son to deliver it to my house, but he must not have told Larry. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” Charlie said before hanging up. Not five minutes later, he was walking through the door. “Hey, is Avery working today?”

“Yes, but not for a couple of hours. Why?”

“Larry’s going to drop the wood at my house, but we need to stack it. It’s going to take a little time to do that. Is there any way you could take the afternoon off?” he asked.

“Sure, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Great, message me when Avery’s here and I’ll come get you.” He was out the door and jogging back to the auto shop while my head was still spinning. Every day, there seemed to be something new to deal with or learn. I loved it, but it was a little overwhelming.

Avery arrived early and, after seeing how stressed out I was, she practically shoved me out the door. “Go do what you need to do. I’ve got this,” she said. Now it was me jogging to Charlie’s shop.

“Hey, are you ready?” he asked as soon as I entered the shop area. He had his coat on and was zipping it while walking toward me.

“I think so,” I said, making him chuckle.

We got in his truck that I’d seen parked over here but had never ridden in before.

“It’s not far. Sorry Larry didn’t just drop it off.

There’s no way he could have left it in the alley.

He said Millie kept it at her house not at the store, so I’m not sure why he wanted to drop it off there to begin with,” Charlie said.

We drove down a street I hadn’t been on yet that led right into the forest that lay just on the edge of Grace.

We’d only driven a few minutes, but it felt so far removed from the town.

The road changed to dirt and after going around a turn, there in front of us was the most beautiful cabin I’d ever seen.

The roof was narrow and at a sharp angle to allow snow to slide off.

It was painted deep green with brown trim and blended in with the surrounding forest but stood out like a beacon in a storm.

“Wow,” I said and leaned forward for a better look.

“This is my home,” he said, and his pride in those words was obvious. “Let me show you around before we start stacking.”

We got out of his truck, and I followed him across a porch and up to his front door.

My mouth hung open as we walked into his house and directly to a large living room that led right to the kitchen.

Everything was so warm and inviting, and I had to force myself not to plop on the comfortable-looking couch and spend the rest of the day there.

“Don’t even think about it. We’ve got work to do,” Charlie scolded. “But after work, you’re all mine,” he said, making my heart warm. Charlie was like warm chocolate chip cookies with a hug, and right now I couldn’t think of anyplace I’d rather be. Even if I did have to help stack wood.