Page 82 of Cabin Fever Baby
“Shut up.” I heaved myself out of the hole I’d made for myself in the couch in my parents’ living room. I’d been mindlessly scrolling all afternoon, trying to distract myself from thinking about Ocean.
“Besides, I need another gift for Ma. And I was told my offering for Ellie was too impersonal.”
I rolled my eyes. Finn could do feats of engineering with his ideas for corporate storefronts, but he truly sucked at gifts.
“What did you get her?”
“A cookbook,” my brother said with a wince.
I gave him a bland stare. “Ellie barely makes box Mac and Cheese.”
“I know. I figured she might want to expand her knowledge.”
“Nice one, jackass.” I followed him down the stairs to the door, grabbing my coat from the rack on my way out. The skies were clear and dark, the stars as bright as string lights. My breath bloomed in the crisp cold while I waited for Finn to unlock our dad’s SUV.
I didn’t have the mental capacity for driving, so I climbed in the passenger side.
Finn backed out of the driveway and flicked the radio to a rock channel. “So, what’s the plan to get your girl back?”
I glanced at him. “Who said anything about getting her back?”
“Look, both of us know you’re wild for her. You’re going to give up at the first obstacle? Not like you, Hud.”
“I figured you, of all of us, would tell me to buck up and get over it.”
Finn lifted a shoulder. We might be identical in features, but Finn was bulkier, thanks to his Ironman obsession. I’d never understand the need to do the insane race more than once in a lifetime. But Finn looked for jobs around cities with the obscenest course set ups.
“I got a contract offer for around here. It would be nice to have you around.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Arthur Maitland has ideas for a spa on the lake. Hired me to design one with the option for other storefronts. It’ll be a long-term project if I get it.”
“Wow.” I turned toward him. “I didn’t think you’d be caught dead in a small town like Crescent Cove.”
“Me neither, but I kind of like it here. I’m tired of the shit apartments or condos I usually rent while I’m on a job. One month here, three weeks there. This would be a year-long gig at the minimum.”
“You thinking about settling down?”
“Don’t get that crazy.”
I sighed. “I have a life in Chicago. I think I’m getting another promotion.”
“I’ve never heard someone sounds less excited about a leg up in a company in my life.”
I bounced my head on the headrest. “I barely get to design anything anymore. I’m usually overseeing the designers and approving their work. Their very in-the-box work because the client briefs are more worried about being like every other famous brand than breaking out.”
“Just because they offer the big job doesn’t mean you have to take it.”
“I worked for it. I should want it.”
“Shouldis the important word there, bud.”
The dark, river road made way for the lit-up streets of Crescent Cove. There were signs for new construction coming with two main names. Maitland, which would be the one my brother was looking to land, and FHK Property Group.
We passed a massive candy shop with metal sculptures.
“Nowthat’scool,” Finn said as he slowed to take in the groupings of metal art. “Such a generic name—Trick or Treat. But goddamn, look at those sculptures.”