Chapter 3

* * *

CHRISTINA

Somewhere outside of Laramie, Wyoming…

This place was heavenly and strange. It was like there was some secret being shared by the couple who greeted her at the landing strip, but how could you reject such an offer? Jill Houghton was all smiles and hugs and seemed so happy to have company staying with them. Dasher had warned her that Houghton could be a little grumpy at times but had a heart of gold. The man stubbornly only answered to his last name, except his wife called him ‘Babe.'

Yeah, the guy was not what she would call ‘babe' by any means. He was weathered, graying, always frowning, and strangely intense. It was like if he asked a question and you didn't answer fast enough – you were in the wrong because you dallied around, even if you were right.

"So you've come to spend some time?" Jill smiled, welcoming her easily. "I'm so happy to have a few new friends arriving in the next few weeks."

"Oh?"

"You've got a thing about cows, huh?"

"Big nostrils, goofy eyes, gets to munch all day, and is encouraged to get fat," Christina joked, trying to lighten the stranger's attitude slightly and alleviate her anxiety as she got into a van with the two of them. "What's not to love…"

"We get them fat to slaughter them," he retorted bluntly, looking at her in the rearview mirror. Christina swallowed in the silence following his words, wondering if this would be something out of a horror movie until Jill stepped in.

"Stop it!" Jill snapped, swatting him on the shoulder, and the man actually cracked a smile at his wife. "I told you not everyone appreciates your dry sense of humor and to shave that beard. Between the two, you look like something on America's Most Wanted."

"Honey, I like the beard…"

"I do, too," Jill crooned, leaning forward and scratching his chin before tugging on it. "Just trim it for me, please?"

"Anything you want."

Christina gawked at the two of them practically melting toward each other and expected the man to start making kissy faces at any moment. Obviously, he had a soft spot the size of the Grand Canyon for this little dumpy woman who was all boobs, butt, and teeth. And as if she knew that Christina was thinking about her, Jill turned and smiled.

"Ignore my grumpy fella," she began easily, winking at her. "He's all bluster but a sweetheart. I can't wait to show you the cabin and the cows. We have three, and they have the sweetest disposition, oh and two horses. Do you like horses?"

"Not nearly as much."

"No worries. We'll have someone else help out with those two."

"There's more people on the farm?"

"Not yet, but soon," Jill smiled – and the duo shared another secretive glance. Something was up, but she wasn't quite sure what it was yet. Instead of questioning, putting everyone on edge, or fretting – she remembered how Juliet insisted that she be safe, and Dasher agreed. Maybe this was what the two had been referring to if she ended up meeting some guy. He was going to be another farmhand. That was cool. She could pick his brain and run her theories past him as well. Yep. Someone experienced with cows could simply manage the horses for a few months while she tackled everything with her new black and white best friends.

This was going to work out great,she mused, staring out the window at the world surrounding her. This was so different from Maryland. Here, there were great sweeping hills in the distance that reminded her of a trip when she was little, spotting the Appalachian Mountains for the first time. There was so much greenery despite the cold temperatures, and while it got cold in Maryland, this was a different type of cold. Back home, it was humid and chilly, but here, this cut right through you with a dryness that seemed to get to your center like it was nothing. There were so many pines and such expanses of wilderness that it was staggering.

"It's a little remote," Christina began and heard both of them chuckle at her words. "Kinda giving me ‘Cabin In the Woods' weird vibes. No serial killers or freaks out there?"

"Depends on your own mindset. Some look for serial killers – and others look at this as a haven to start over and find yourself. You choose and just let me know if I should start locking my doors."

"Uh, safety first?" Christina replied, stunned. "Always lock your doors… helloooo? What year is this, and where do we live?"

"Look around," he said simply. "Who do you think is going to hurt us out here? If they come into my house and threaten my wife, they won't have to worry about anything ever again. People here are different. If you are out, you extend a helping hand. Someone could be stranded, hurt, or it could be a case of life or death, depending on the season. Here we help our neighbors, our friends which is why you are here, remember?"

Christina blinked at the truth of his words. She was here because he opened his home to his friend, Dasher. This couple was welcoming her like it was nothing, an everyday occurrence. It seemed like such a foreign idea to her since she was coming from the ‘big city'… but the idea of letting down your guard and welcoming a new friend seemed almost surreal.

"Maybe while you are here, you can extend your hand to someone in friendship and give a stranger a chance, too."

"We eat, sleep, and breathe that idea," Jill added gently. "When you give someone a chance and look past the parts that make you pause, you never know what you might find."

There was something in her voice and the brief shared glance that told her they were both talking about each other, and Christina felt her heart melt at the idea that chance had brought together these two obviously. A match made in the weird wilderness sounded so incredibly sweet. Sure enough, Jill smiled as her husband held open the door for her like she was a queen entering a drawing room instead of a rustic-looking cabin.

"You must be tired," Jill began, urging her forward. "We'll do the grand tour tomorrow, show you where everything is located – and I think you will love this place. I took it upon myself to put you at the furthest cabin, if that is okay with you. It's one of my favorites."

"Oh, mercy. That's so sweet of you, and I really appreciate it."

"Just wait, it reminds me of a quaint little cottage with all the modern amenities. I hope you don't mind, because it's got the smallest kitchen, but well, you'll see."

Jill chuckled and rushed her through the house excitedly, picking up Christina's bags. She was obviously a woman on a mission. Houghton just stood there, smirking, with his arms crossed over his chest almost like he'd seen this before.

Christina followed her out the back door and paused as she looked on the expansive field before her. There was a small pond in the middle of the glade, and two cabins were on the far left with a barn in the distance – and one small cabin on the right, off by itself. Jill was walking almost in a diagonal toward the furthest cabin, already waving at her since she was falling behind.

"You are going to love Reserve Ranch," Jill prattled on, pausing as she stepped up onto the landing of the cabin and handed her a key – pushing the doorway open, and Christina's mouth dropped open.

The cabins were obviously a labor of love. The interior walls were planks of weathered wood and an almost too large for the space stone fireplace made up the back corner. There was a recliner near the fireplace that looked well-loved with a throw on it, and a carved case seemed to dwarf the other wall. The kitchen was a small thing consisting of two cabinets, a mini fridge, a sink, and a two-burner stove. The roof's rafters were decorated with ivy and white Christmas lights, making the already warm wood seem to glow.

"There's a small platform above the kitchen where you can store your suitcase, but this…" Jill paused, darting around the corner and pointing. "This is my favorite thing of all."

"Jill, this is incredible – and I don't know what to say…" and rounded the corner where Jill was standing, covering her mouth as she gasped. There was no way this was real. This cabin looked like it was functional from the outside, but this— this was like something you would see out of a fairy tale or Cinderella's castle.

A massive stained-glass window made from the bottom of bottles in every size was staggering and cast a wild glow across the room. Each bottle had been cut and sealed behind what looked like plexiglass to help insulate the area but allow light in and below it…

A copper slipper bath.

"No way…"

"Isn't it stunning? I told my sweet Babe that I wanted a storybook retreat – and my man delivered!" Jill bragged, laughing happily. "You've got a shower head over here behind this curtain – and this thing is waterproof," she continued, waving the fabric. "The floor is slate, and there's a drain in the middle, so if you get water everywhere… don't worry. I believe in convenience and comfort, so we included both."

"This is… incredible," Christina whispered, and she knew her eyes had to be huge right now because everywhere she looked, there was another touch of care in the cabin. In fact, she saw a heart carved in the wood nearby with an ‘E' and a ‘J' in it.

"He's so sweet," Jill volunteered, touching the heart and smiling. "Over here, you've got towels, sheets, and anything you might need. There's wood stacked on the side of the cabin – plus we put radiant heat through the floor. Now, on the other side of this is the hot water heater. It is a high-efficiency unit, so you should never run out of hot water."

"I don't know what to say."

"Say that you'll be happy, you're excited to be here, and you're a part of the team," Jill beamed, reaching to take both of Christina's hands in hers. "Now, let's go get you fed and introduce you to Larry, Moe, and Curly."

"Wait…" Christina paused. "They're bulls? I thought they were cows."

"They are – I'm just not very creative," Jill shrugged, smiling. "C'mon. We've got more friends arriving in a few days, but right now, I've got a hankering for some pulled pork and coleslaw."

* * *

A week later, Christina knew what heaven looked like, and it was located in the middle-of-nowhere Wyoming, she mused. Every night for the past six days, she had soaked in the slipper tub and listened to her audiobooks. She was currently at the main house, doing laundry, when the first of the ‘team' started to arrive. She was sitting in a large chair in front of the fire – and waved as Jill and a very wary woman walked past her right out the back door.

Oh yes, Jill had a routine.

Welcome a person, show them the cabin, comfort them, and then present them with food which means they will be back soon. The buzzer went off in the distance, and she snapped her book closed, moving to remove the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer.

A few days later, Christina waved at Daphne in the distance – who waved back. She really liked the other woman. She was curt, sharp as a tack, and seemed to have an edge to her that didn't bother Christina in the slightest. Someone who knew their value and stood up for themselves, but had a heart of gold with little ego was a rare find. Daphne wasn't afraid to say no or question things, whereas Christina would clam up and listen, gathering ‘ammo' before unveiling her argument.

They were supposed to be getting a new guest any day now – and this person had Christina a little curious. Lena was supposed to be a recovering addict, and her impending arrival had brought up some hard questions over dinner the night before.

"Nobody's got prescription drugs in your cabins, right? No sleeping pills, no cough syrup, no diet pills – and no, I'm not implying anyone is overweight. The girl that is coming to stay with us tomorrow is in the process of cleaning her life up and I don't want anything in the area to tempt her."

"I have a bottle of sinus spray for allergies," Christina volunteered.

"It's January – toss it," Houghton said evenly. "If you have a flare-up this spring, we can get you something then."

"All right. I can just put it away and…"

"Throw it away, please," he asked firmly, looking at her. "We're going to have a bit of a shakeup over the next week, and I need everyone to be calm, cool, and collected."

She nodded curiously, watching Houghton and Jill share a look.

"Now, you girls have heard me preaching all the time ‘friendship, trust, and understanding'… well, I hate to admit it, but it's time to put it to the test," Jill began and took a deep breath. "Being here opens doors, gives the broken a place to go, a family to help each other, and friends to support one another. I don't ever ask much or demand anything, but I am now."

"What do you need, Jill?" Chris asked simply, glancing at Daphne in surprise and seeing the woman's shuttered gaze. Oh yes, she was waiting for the guillotine to fall on them both – except it didn't seem to be something the couple would do. They gave and gave out of the goodness of their hearts, so why push back unless there was a reason?

"I need each of you to look past the obvious issues, take a chance you would have never imagined, and welcome our newest travelers with an openness that has never been asked of you before. We might have to get creative – and as a result, it might push you out of your comfort zones. Please do not worry. No one is being asked to leave. It's just that our table fits two, four, or six very well, and we have more of ourselves to give."

Christina leaned over the table and touched Jill's hand, smiling at the woman. She had such a big heart that she would give the shirt off her back to anyone simply to make them smile.

"Whatever you need, you have my help however you need it."

"I was hoping you'd say precisely that," Jill smiled softly, looked at Houghton, and nodded… giving Christina pause. She felt like she just volunteered for the Hunger Games and was about to get ushered into another level of the game. "Babe, why don't you go pick up our guests?"

"Is it time?"

"Getting pretty close."

"Are you coming with me?"

"Actually, I think I will. You've told me so much about Giselle that I think I want to meet this one," Jill smiled, getting her purse. "You girls have a nice evening, and we'll be back soon. Now, we are supposed to get some snow, so get tucked in, and we'll introduce you both shortly."

The moment the couple left, Daphne met her eyes – hard.

"I thought the woman coming here was named Lena?"

"She is."

"Then who's Giselle?"

"I don't know."

"Looks like we'll both be getting roomies, I suppose."

"Fine by me," Christina shrugged. "Let me tell you, sharing a dorm room with four other girls is tough. Sharing it with one? That will be a breeze."

"Let's hope so."

"On that note, I think I'll go check to see how the cows like Duran Duran playing in the background," she said, getting up quickly and curious at Daphne's reaction. The woman looked extremely wary at the idea of sharing a cabin with someone – and she wasn't sure why. Both Houghton and Jill seemed to be very kind, very loving people, and her cousin thought highly of the two of them. The last thing that she expected was for the duo to willingly throw everything in upheaval or disrupt the peaceful balance they had built here over time. That wasn't the natural order of things, and both seemed very protective of who they took under their wing. Yeah, things were going to be just fine, and like Jill always said, "Friendship, trust, and understanding… remember that, girls."

"It's gonna be fine," she said to Daphne once more before walking out the back door of the main cabin toward the barn, where it was starting to snow lightly. The mountains in the distance looked larger than life, with small bits of greenery that looked almost black in the darkening shadows while the tops glowed a pale pink, reflecting the sunset.

Oh yes, it has to be fine,Christina thought, tugging her gloves on as she walked. It has to be because I'm really starting to love this place.