His cabin had a better view of the river than mine, the trees behind it cleared out and replaced with a neatly defined trail down to the water. There were stacks of firewood under the overhang of a small shed and a small, two-person hot tub that looked like it hadn’t been used in years. There was only one chair on the back porch, but it was cushioned and clean, and I wrapped the blanket around my waist before sitting and tucking my legs underneath me.
I ran a hand over the cover of the book Anderson had made me, fingers tracing the letters before I flipped it open to the first blank page. Inside the cover, just between the binding, there was a new charcoal pencil sharpened to a point. I unfastened it from the tiny clip that held it and rolled it between my fingers just as a light breeze swept in from the river.
I smiled, heart nearly bursting at the image of Anderson making the book for me. I imagined him cutting and staining in his shed, measuring the binding until the pages fit neatly inside it, carving the word that reminded him of me on the front.
With him heavy on my mind, my hand began to move across the first crisp white page, and then something happened.
That giddiness I had felt earlier blossomed, doubling in size, seizing every cell in my body until I was no longer in control. It was almost like an out of body experience as I sat on the back porch, hand frantically moving as I felt everything around me. I listened to the river rushing, the warblers singing their song into the breeze. I closed my eyes and saw the mountains, the tall trees on the hike to Haybrook Tower, and the smiles of my newfound family. I felt the water, icy cold, and the cozy warmth of the fire I’d lit in the stove nearly every night. The smell of Momma Von’s chili and Anderson’s cologne, cinnamon and pine, mixed in my memory, and I drew faster.
It was then that I recognized the feeling.
I was inspired.
I almost laughed, almost cried, almost shouted from Anderson’s porch with relief.
I wasn’t broken, though I had been bent and bruised.
With every new page, I felt the line come to life. I envisioned the colors—dark and rich greens, vibrant oranges and yellows, earthy browns and reds. I couldn’t wait to get to my sewing machine, to bring the flowy sleeves and thin, delicate fabric layers to life.
For so long it had felt forced, like I would be destined to try and never succeed again when it came to my designs. But the summer had opened me again, and I’d let love in. Love from Anderson, love from Momma Von and Julie and everyone else who’d let me into their lives so willingly. And more than anything, love from myself.
Because I was enough.
And I finally believed that.
Anderson brought me a tall cup of coffee about two hours into my work, kissing me on the forehead before retreating back inside. It felt like it had only been ten minutes later when he emerged again, just as I’d flipped back to the first page and scrawled in large, all-capitalized letters across the top: THE REVELRY LINE.
“Hey, I made lunch. You want me to bring it to you out here?”
I blinked, emerging from the daze to squint up at him. My stomach growled loud enough for both of us to hear and he chuckled.
“What time is it?” I asked.
“Almost two.”
I smiled, closing the sketchbook and standing to stretch. The blanket I’d had draped over my lap fell to the porch and Anderson’s eyes followed my legs down to my ankles before finding my face again.
“Okay, how about a break for something else and then lunch.”
I laughed, retrieving the blanket from my feet and folding it neatly. “Food first.” I winked, laying the soft fleece over the arm of the chair before facing the river again with a sigh. “I forgot what this feels like.”
“To sketch?”
I nodded as he stepped up behind me, hands finding my waist. “Yes, to sketch. And to love.”
He kissed my neck and I leaned into him, heart bursting as we watched the river. It was a peaceful, serene moment—that is, until my stomach growled again.
“Come on, woman,” Anderson said with a smile. “Let me feed you.”
“I’m just going to call Adrian real quick, but I’ll be right in.”
He nodded, kissing my cheek before dipping back inside. I grabbed my cell phone from the small table I’d placed it on that morning and dialed my best friend.
“About damn time!” he answered. “Where are you? I thought you were coming to my place last night, but then figured maybe you went to your parents or something but surely you’d be at the office today and then you just don’t show and don’t answer any calls or texts. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, a little too cheerily for someone who was clearly not on his good side at the present moment. “And I’m sorry, I meant to call but... well let’s just say the last twenty-four hours have been kind of crazy.”
“Crazy? Wait... is that the river? Are you still in Gold Bar?”
“I am, and I’ll explain everything on Wednesday when I’m back in the office. But I need you to put time on our calendars for that morning.” I paused, biting my lip as excitement coursed through me again. I picked up the sketch book and flipped through it. “I have something to show you.”
“Wait... are you saying you have a line?”
“I have a line,” I confirmed. “And I think it’s my best one yet.”
Adrian squealed, and I couldn’t help it—I did, too. There was still so much work to do, but I was excited and ready. That zing, that passion I’d been missing was back in full force, and I couldn’t wait to get started.
“8AM your office, and then 10AM we’re telling the team,” he said, and I heard his fingers clicking away on the keyboard already. “They’re going to be so excited, Wren. We all miss you.”
“I miss you, too. Tell them to have coffee ready. We’ve got work to do.”
He sighed. “My best friend is back.”
I smiled, but couldn’t help but think he was both right and wrong at the same time. I was back, but I was different. I’d never again be the Wren who left Seattle, yet she still lived and breathed in me. Only now, she’d been touched by another place, another family, and for the first time in years, she was happy.
Truly happy.
We ended the call just as Anderson poked his head out. “How do you feel about celebrating with a little wine?”
“Sounds perfect.”
The corners of his lips lifted into a soft smile, the one that made my stomach flip. “Ready when you are.”
“I just need to make one more call. Two minutes,” I said, holding up my fingers.
Anderson disappeared inside once more and I turned back to the water, breeze brushing my hair back as my hands found the railing. I couldn’t decide if I was crazy or not and I didn’t give myself time to overthink it before I was holding the phone to my ear again.
“Abdiel? Hey, it’s Wren Ballard. I was just wondering... what was that asking price again?”
THE END