Page 78 of Hope After Loss

I slide my eyes to her. “What did you do?”

She takes a huge bite, chews, and swallows it slowly.

“Anna?”

“I might have painted and hung new blinds, but I didn’t touch your office. It’s as dark and stuffy as always.”

I chuckle. “You painted all by yourself?”

“Sara-Beth and Leona might have helped a tad.”

“I figured.”

“I think you’re going to like it,” she sings.

I look over at her, and she has pizza sauce on her cheek.

I smile. “I’m sure I will.”

Anna

Luckily, Weston liked the paint his mom and I picked out for the office.

It’s called Tidewater, and it’s a light sky blue with a bit of a teal undertone. It brightens the place up.

“Like the morning sky over the valley,” were his exact words.

Today, I snuck in a few potted fiddle-leaf figs and a large natural jute rug for the front entrance while he was out with Rich and Edward.

Leona picked Kaela up after lunch and is taking her to hang out at her house with the Wednesday evening yoga ladies so I can accompany Weston to the Man Caves to go over a few repairs requests from the renters and to set them up on the new auto-payment function I got up and running through the website.

“These places are cool. I bet waking up to the view of the river every morning is something else,” I say as we do a walk-through of the cave that is rented by Garrett.

“Yeah. They are nice. The one regret I have is not adding showers and maybe more comfortable beds,” he says.

I look around the space. The A-frame structure is small with a futon couch that pulls out to a double bed. There’s a tiny camper kitchen with a mini fridge, hot plate, and microwave. A hallway leads to the watering closet with a sink and toilet. There are racks by the door to hold jackets and boots, plus space to set fishing poles and gear.

“No, I think the charm is the fact that they still feel like they are camping. Just with a solid roof and running water. If you change it, then it’s just going to feel like an apartment,” I point out.

He nods. “That’s what they were built for. I guess Garrett and I both bunking here the last year skewed my vision.”

“Those were extenuating circumstances. You don’t want people living here. You want it to be a place for men to hang out for a week or weekend with their friends or for father-son trips. A mountain escape.”

“I do.”

“But we can add some wood-burning stoves and maybe a toaster oven? Something to keep them warm and dry and something to make a grilled cheese sandwich with. Oh, and maybe a closet between the futon space and the kitchenette? For pantry supplies,” I suggest.

“Okay. Add those to the list, and let’s get Graham out here to give us a price on replacing the steps that have started to rot and resurfacing the decks. It’s probably time to reseal the outside and have a look at the roofs as well.” He ticks off as I take notes.

We finish our tasks, and as we head back to the office, he asks if I’d like to stop for a bite to eat.

“Sure. I’ll just text Brandee and see if she’ll be around when Leona brings Kaela home,” I say.

“What is this place?” I ask as I take in the old, run-down building.

“A hidden gem. Come on. Let me show you,” Weston says as he opens my door.

I reluctantly take his outstretched hand and let him lead me down the dirt path that ends at a set of double doors.