“Yeah, there’s a lot of it out there too.”
But not as much as I assumed would be out there after the blizzard warning.
Royce turned toward me and gently put her hand on my shoulder.
“You worried about your dad?”
My stomach turned over like I was sick, but I just shook my head.
“I’m sure he’s fine.”
The sounds of Christmas music filled the air from the television where the younger kids were snuggled up on the couch, under blankets. We all woke, and it felt like the heat hadn’t been on all night. Mom explained how hard it was to heat the main area of the club because of how big it was. The fire was roaring, but it was still chilly.
“What are you guys looking at?” Ford came up next to us, staring out the window.
“I want to go to the cabin…I think there might be another door there. We could look for more Christmas lights too.”
“We can go out through the kitchen door. The one that no one ever uses.” Royce stood up, watching her mom and mine cook in the kitchen.
Ford turned away, checking the stairs. “I’ll go get Connor.”
Royce and I headed into the kitchen through the side hall, closest to her mom’s office. Aunt Laura didn’t see us walking, but my mom did. She gave me a wink before returning to kneading the bread in front of her.
I pulled on my coat and boots, so did Royce, and once Connor and Ford met us, we left through the back door.
The wind hit my face, icy and frigid. Snow swirled above our heads, but the wind wasn’t blowing like it was last night.
We started walking, lifting our legs high to clear the snow that had built up. Ford looked over at Connor, and the two of them followed. The cabin was sort of far from the main club, but we must have all just silently agreedwe could manage, even with the snow. Except, by the time we reached it, we were all breathing heavily and our cheeks were red from the cold.
“This was a stupid idea,” Royce complained while stomping her boots on the porch.
Ford followed suit, stomping all the snow off.
Connor glared around the space, frowning at the boarded-up windows. Something had happened out here a few years back. I wasn’t sure what, or couldn’t remember, but it had to do with someone trying to hurt my aunt Laura and uncle Killian.
“Do we even know if it's unlocked?”
I hadn’t even thought of it being locked. Warmth invaded my face as I reached the steps and joined everyone waiting by the door.
Connor must have read my expression because he pulled on the screen door without dragging out the issue.
“One way to find out.”
His hand wrapped around the brass knob and twisted. The door opened with a low creak, but Connor had to use his shoulder to push it all the way open.
“I don’t think anyone has been out here in a long time,” Ford said, assessing the room. The light from outside came in through the windows along the back of the cabin. There was a round table in the small dining area, but the space was smaller than I imagined.
“How did anyone even live in here,” Connor asked, lightly kicking at the pinkish couch. It could only fit two people. Connor’s comment made me want to roll my eyes. He was rich and spoiled. He and his sister had everything they could ever want, plus a huge house, on a ton of property. They even had a pond in their backyard.
Even Ford and Royce, they all had big houses. But Ryle, Mom, Dad and me, we all lived in a small cottage up in the orchards. We loved it. Ryle and me, we shared a room, always have, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I liked that we didn’t have a ton of space, made it so I always knew where my dad and my mom were. They loved that house, and every square inch of it was full of love.
Royce moved over to the bedroom off to the side. “There’s a closet, might be some decorations.”
Connor was next to her within seconds, just like I knew he would be. Even Ford shook his head, moving in the opposite direction. While they looked, I began searching the floors for any sort of door that matched the one I saw in the cellar.
By the wood stove, I pulled back the rug there, but found nothing. I checked the kitchen, under the table, and even ended up moving the couch. Nothing.
I was starting to doubt my mom when Royce called for us from the room, “Hey, come look at this.”