Page 10 of Axel
Turning off the road, she took a narrow pathway that led to the cottage. Coming to a stop, she gazed at the structure in front of her. Icing on a wedding cake.
That was what sprang to mind. She attended a wedding just two weeks ago – a colleague of hers had been married in a lavish ceremony at a country club and the cake had been a delicate pink and white frosting. The cottage reminded her of the frostings decorating the cake.
Opening her door, she stepped out and breathed in the sharp air. She had been warned of the unpredictable weather and had dressed for it, but her light jacket proved to be ineffectual.
The wind stirring the trees found its way through the denim jacket and made her shiver. She supposed the verdant foliage, the clump of towering trees added to the heightened temperature, but the place had a certain appeal that was fascinating.
Slamming the car door shut, she went to get her suitcase and made her way up the cobbled path that led to the front porch. She could have stayed at one of the few hotels but had opted for the cottage to give her some privacy.
Being that Axel Lakeside was such a household name in the small town, she had no doubt that she would be bombarded by his fans. The cottage and its isolated location were perfect. Shehad also been assured that crime was a novelty at River Glades. “They pride themselves on being practically crime free,” her editor had imparted.
It certainly seemed that way, but being a big city girl, she had no intention of leaving her door open. Inserting the key, she unlocked the door and stepped into the past.
The interior was charming and rustic. The outside was made up of weathered bricks, but inside was solid wood and a ceiling that was planks of wood with a unique design.
The floors had the dull patina and the scent of something flowery, something she could not define. A fireplace – an actual fireplace was in the living room along with sofas that were faded but looked comfortable and inviting.
Setting her bag down, she switched on the light, bathing the place with a mellow glow. It was a single-story building. As soon as she stepped out of the living room, she turned to the right and was inside a lovely sunshine yellow kitchen with an old-fashioned range, she was certain she would never know how to operate.
There was no island in the center to clutter the room, but a small dining table was tucked under the eaves of the large bay window that overlooked a small river and some flowers growing wild. The view was spectacular!
With a cry of delight, Ellie pulled out a chair and just sat there, gazing out at nature in all its glory.
Propping her chin on her palm, she let her gaze sweep over the shadowy forest and the solitude that seems to encompass everything in its path.
The wind was still blowing the leaves, and the peace was unbroken, not even by the squirrels that were scampering up and down the thick trunks of what she identified as solid rosewood and oak trees. Stirring herself from her surprisingly fanciful thoughts, she rose and went to explore the rest of the place.
There were two bedrooms, the master painted in lime green and white, with green and white cotton curtains at the two double windows. The bed was a queen, the colorful quilt echoing the dominant colors in the room.
A matching rug was at the side of the bed and there was also a small functional fireplace, piled with wood chips. It wasn’t very cold, but there was a chill in the air. She had been told that fireplaces were used as early as September, and she decided to take advantage of that.
She would light the fire and curl up on the easy chair that had been placed in front of the fireplace. First a quick shower to get rid of the grime of traveling and then the decadence and novelty of relaxing in front of a real fire.
“Get a grip, Ellie,” she muttered as she made her way into the adjoining bathroom and stopped dead just inside the doorway.
A claw footed bath was smack dab in the middle of the green and white glossy tiles – complete with a cushion for her head and a lip wide enough to hold a glass or two of wine. The owner had also conscientiously set out several different body gels and scented soap for her to choose from.
She had been all over the world while she was a model, and nothing had ever come close to what she was seeing here. The place gave charm a whole new meaning.
Taking a deep breath, she hurried back into the kitchen to pour a glass of wine and brought it back with her.
First a long soak in the absolutely lovely old bath and then an hour or two curled up in front of the fire. Things were looking up after all.
*****
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“It is the neighborly thing to do. I made too much of this stew and I am certain our guest would love a home-cooked meal.”
“She is not a country girl mom and after traveling the entire day, I am certain that all she needs is just to settle in and get some sleep.”
“Nonsense!” Caitlin resumed packing a picnic basket. First, she included the container with the delicious stew and then added several slices of her famous blueberry pie. After looking around, she also put in some fruit and a casserole she had prepared for yesterday’s dinner.
“This young woman is going to be writing an article about my son and I want to make a good impression.”
“It doesn’t work that way.” Cathy shook her head in fond exasperation. Realizing that her mother was determined to have her own way.
She had spent the entire day in classes and afterwards sitting in on a parent/teacher conference and she was exhausted. She had planned to take a long soak in her oversized tub and relax with a glass of wine. But that was slowly slipping away.