“Yeah, it really is.” She frowned.
“Tell me, and I’ll decide.” He picked up his breakfast burrito and bit into it. It was a simple egg and sausage wrap, but it tasted like heaven to him.
“I want to be a singer.” She laughed at her own statement. “But that’s so stupid, isn’t it?”
He could tell she was embarrassed. “No, it’s not. What kind of music do you sing?”
She picked up her napkin and twisted it around her finger. “Just regular stuff. Pop songs mostly. Music soothes my soul. It’s gotten me through some tough times.”
“Do you know how to play any instruments?”
“I taught myself how to play the piano when I was a kid. Then I taught myself the clarinet and the guitar. I had to sell my guitar when money was tight, but I have this little ukulele that my dad bought me when I was twelve. I’ve gotten used to playing and singing with it.”
“That’s cool.”
She looked down at her plate. “Yeah, well, singing won’t pay the bills.”
“Maybe not right away. But you could work a day job and do some singing gigs in your spare time. Or start a YouTube channel. A lot of singers are being discovered that way now.”
She reached out and patted his hand. Her skin sent warmth up his arm. “Thanks for not making fun of me.”
Cade clenched his hand. “Is that what your husband did? Made fun of your dream?”
She lowered her gaze. She didn’t answer, but she didn’t have to. Heat crept up his back. He was beginning to really hate this Travis guy.
“You finished?” he asked, his voice husky.
“Yes.” She stood and pushed in her chair. “I’m going to use the restroom. Then we can head out.”
Cade nodded and watched as she crossed the coffee shop. He liked the woman. Trouble was, he couldn’t get involved with anyone right now. He had enough to worry about without getting tangled up in a relationship.
***
MEG TURNED OFF THEhighway and followed the directions Cade had given her. This house was supposedly some kind of a destination place he and his business partner were going to rent to vacationers but had never gotten around to renovating. She hoped it wasn’t some dilapidated cabin. She’d seen too many cabin-in-the-woods movies to care to stay in one.
The road turned and twisted through the mountains. Spring had turned everything green, and it was breathtaking. She slowed as she climbed in altitude. The trees on the other side of the road gave way to a large drop-off. The river below sparkled in the morning sun.
Driving on the side of a cliff was a little nerve-wracking. She’d grown up in Iowa. There were no mountains there. The view was amazing though. The farther up they got, the more snow was still on the ground and tops of the trees. She was shocked. She’d never seen snow on the ground in May.
When she pulled up to the address, her breath caught. Was that seriously the house? A mansion? The home was two stories, had giant pillars extending up to the roof, and a balcony on the second floor. She double-checked the address. “Wow,” she said under her breath.
Cade stirred then sat up. “We there?”
“Is this it?” She pointed to the mansion.
He nodded. “Yep.”
“Holy cow, Cade, when you said home in the woods, this is not what I was picturing.”
“Don’t get too excited. It needs a lot of work.”
Meg got out of the car and rubbed her arms as a breeze came through the trees. It was chilly. She walked around the car, staring up at the detailed woodwork on the top. Some of it was chipped, but it was still magnificent. The afternoon sun reflected off the windows. “This is incredible.”
Cade opened the back door. “Do you want me to bring in your clothes?”
A hot bath and a change of clothes sounded like heaven, but she worried about his injury. “Just leave them for now. I’ll get what I need later.”
Cade nodded and closed the door. They walked up the curved stone walkway. The stone steps had a chunk missing, so Meg stepped around it. Cade moved one of the empty topiary pots beside the door and produced a key.