I drove west to Helen, Georgia where Cabe and his family waited to meet me. I called before I got on the road and hearing his voice had triggered a flood of regret. This was something I hadn't experienced before. Not even with Derek. There was a first time for everything, they say.

It didn't help that Abeo texted me half a dozen times during the drive. He thanked me for being kind and asked if we could see each other when I moved to town. While I had enjoyed his company, I thought it was too soon to commit to anything.

As the terrain grew more mountainous, and my ETA grew shorter, my stomach began to knot up. I hadn't realized how nervous I was about meeting Cabe's family, which was ridiculous. It's not like we were engaged. When I got to the fork in the road, the one Cabe told me to look for, I called him so he could talk me through the final approach.

"Hey, I just took a left at the fork. Where to now?"

"You'll want to look for a tree on the right with a red ribbon around it. Take the second left after that. How was the trip?"

"Uneventful."

"I'm sure you're ready for a celebratory drink. I'll have a gin and tonic waiting when you arrive. I'm walking to the bar now. Dad picked up a bourbon from his friend's new distillery. I've been waiting until you get here to try it."

Damn.

"I'll take a rain check on the gin. I overdid the celebrating last night. A tall glass of water on the rocks sounds great, since you're offering. I see the red ribbon."

"I wish I could have been there to toast to your success. After you make the left turn, the road's going to get very windy. Once you reach a bridge, tell me."

I followed his instructions, feeling like a putz for getting trashed and not being able to enjoy a drink with him. "Maybe after some food I'll be ready for that drink. Jesus, this is a windy road."

"Welcome to the Georgia mountains. I can't wait to take you to the scenic overlook. You're going to cream your jeans."

"That good, huh? I'm seeing the bridge ahead."

"Okay. Just past the bridge is a dirt road to the right. Take that all the way to the end. Parking is crap, so you'll have to nose your car between the trees."

"No problem. See you soon."

"Can't wait."

I hung up and focused on not dropping off the side of a cliff as I navigated the crazy terrain. Traveling through the mountains was not for the faint of heart. When I noticed a slew of cars parked all over the place, I figured I had made it. After a few tries, I managed to squeeze between a rocky cliff and a red convertible.

The cabin sat at the top of a dirt road, looking more like a mansion as I climbed the steep slope toward the sound of seventies rock music. The wind was blowing pretty good, but that didn't stop the people from standing around a huge fire pit drinking craft beers. The scene reminded me of the parties we threw on the beach before Dad split.

Cabe was just leaving the house as I approached, and a woman hurried over to him, her blonde hair whipping into her face and obscuring my view. Based on the length of her legs, I assumed it was Vanessa, which brought on a confusing mix of jealousy and relief. I liked Vanessa despite her history with Cabe.

"June!" Cabe saw me, and the woman turned. That's when the jealousy hit me. This was some other chick hanging all over him like a cheap date, and based on the sour look she gave me, I had just ruined her weekend. Good.

"That was an interesting drive," I said, ignoring the woman for all I was worth.

"It's a lot worse in the dark, especially if you're not familiar with the area." Cabe finally wrestled his arm away from the woman. "June, this is Stella. She and my dad are dating."

Stella gave me a once over, and I made a quick assessment of her age, feeling pretty confident she hadn't celebrated thirty yet. "Hey."

"It's nice to meet you, Stella." I offered her a smile. Taking the higher ground would keep me on the civil side of things if she became a problem. It was something I'd learned growing up behind a bar.

"Come inside and take a load off." Cabe reached for my hand, and I took it. There was something comforting in his touch. More importantly, Stella was forced to hold her own damned hand.

We stepped onto a wraparound porch and walked through an open sliding glass door. The first thing I noticed was a buffalo head on the wall, and I pretended it was a fake. Below it, a group of people chatted around a bar. The size and grandeur of it would have fit perfectly in a five-star hotel, and a memory of me tag teaming the Embassy Suite boys flashed through my brain. I quickly shooed them out.

"This is nice," I said. "I love the bar."

"The bar is what sold my dad on the place. That's him standing behind it."

I appraised the bartender as we walked toward the group. Like his son, the guy was stupidly handsome. He looked like Hugh Jackman—the Wolverine version not the Greatest Showman version. It must have been the sideburns. I could see why a young woman like Stella would have been attracted. There was also the money.

I turned off all judgement as Cabe made a space between the bodies. "Dad, I want you to meet June Cashmere. June this my dad, Bill Franklin."

"Hi June. It was good of you drive all the way out here to celebrate an old man's sixtieth anniversary on this planet." He chuckled as he leaned across the bar. "Of course, I know your real reason for making the trip. I don't blame you. Cabe has a skill for attracting beauty wherever he goes."

Bill looked pointedly at Stella, who was still there, sticking to Cabe like a persistent rash.

"I'm glad Cabe invited me. I've never been to the mountains, so I'm looking forward to the tour."

"You'll get some unobstructed views on the back of Cabe's bike. Can I make you a drink?"

"How about water to start?"

"We got that. We also have an excellent meal being prepared in the kitchen. That should give you and Cabe half an hour or so." He wore a smirk as he filled a glass with ice water and topped it with a lemon wedge. "I look forward to getting to know you, June. Let's do that after dinner." He handed me the glass, and I felt like I needed to grab my phone and jot down the appointment.

Cabe took my hand and led me up a rustic wooden staircase, leaving Stella with no good excuse to follow us. "Don't worry about my dad. He always has an agenda. You'll get used to it."

I understood the point Cabe was trying to make, but did he expect us to be together long enough for me to get used to it?

"Where are we going?" I was happy to be alone with him, although sex was not at the top of my list of things to do thanks to my choices the night before.

"There's an upper deck. It's away from the crowds. I figure you're ready to relax after that drive."

"It wasn't too bad." This was a lie. I hated driving. We entered a bedroom, and I recognized the manly scent wafting out of the bathroom. "Is this your room?"

He smiled. "It's our room. If that's okay with you."

"Of course. I would have been confused if you'd put me with someone else."

He laughed as he opened a sliding glass door, and my attention switched to the mountains rising up in front of us. They were unbelievably close. I even recognized a chipmunk sitting on a boulder munching on something. Cabe's arm came around my waist as we stood at the railing.

"The air is so clear up here," he said. "And it's always about ten degrees cooler than the city."

"It's beautiful. That's a chipmunk, right? I've never seen one in person. He's sitting there on that rock." I pointed and he leaned toward me to get a better view. I was tempted to run my fingers through his hair. It had grown since we met.

"Yep. They're a lot cuter than the squirrels you find in Florida."

I sipped on my water, trying to ignore the question that had been bugging me since I arrived. But it was no use. I knew it would bug me until I asked. "What's the story with Stella? She's clearly into you."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. She's been problem since I got here."

"What does your dad think about it? He seems clued in."

"He thinks it's fucking hilarious."

"So, she's not his usual choice of companion?"

"You mean young enough to be his daughter? Yeah, that's his preference. But Stella is new, so he didn't have time to get to know her before the party. She's a handful."

He took my hand and tugged me into his chest, bringing his lips close but just out of reach. I wondered if he knew how much it turned me on. "Stella couldn't hold a candle to you. No girl I've ever met could."

He made his confession before bringing his lips down onto mine, squeezing my hand as he took me in a sensual kiss that had my toes curling inside my shoes. The birds chirped and the breeze rustled the leaves over our heads. It felt a lot like magic. And just like that, I was ready to submit.

The dinner bell rang, literally. Someone actually rang a bell, and everyone headed to the dining room. The cabin's hunting theme came on strong here, although I could have done without the three-point buck staring at me while I ate. A pair of oversized sunglasses sat over his eyes, which gave it less of a 'dead animal' vibe.

Music played through the surround sound speakers, continuing the seventies mood. I could tell that Stella felt out of place among the oldies crowd, based on the perpetual frown she wore. She was probably pouting because she was asked to sit next to the birthday boy when it was clear she wanted to sit next to his son. She spent the bulk of the meal scrolling on her cellphone.

I was introduced to Cabe's sister, Kelly, and her wife, Tiffany. They both seemed like interesting people, but they were seated at the far end of the table, so we didn't have many opportunities to talk. By the time dinner was over, Bill escorted me and Cabe outside, nixing any further conversations.

The setting sun illuminated a narrow path that led us to a drop off. The breathtaking view had me somewhat distracted, but I tried to focus on Cabe's dad as he imparted his businessman wisdom on me.

"You're sitting on a goldmine, June. I expect your parents knew this when they bought it."

"Yeah, but circumstances have changed. My dad's on the lam, and my mom has found other distractions to occupy her. I'm not in the habit of looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm also not interested in mucking the stall."

He had a comfortable laugh. Or maybe it was a practiced one. "If you can get the contract logistics worked out so that you're comfortable with them, I know people who will do the grunt work. The business could run with very little involvement from you. If that's what you're after."

Was that what I was after? Did I care what happened to the place? I'd spent the last decade preparing for the day I would leave the bar life behind. "You make it sound so simple."

"It can be as simple as you want it to be."

"Forgive my bluntness, but what interest do you have in the bar? Do you want to buy it?"

Bill's smile never left him. Maybe I was trying to see the best in him because he was Cabe's dad, but something felt off. "I would have been worried if you weren't blunt with me. And, yes, I am interested. But that is beside the point. Cabe is invested in you and your interests. Which means I'm invested as well."

Cabe had no trouble meeting my questioning look. "I haven't inserted my opinion yet. I've been waiting for you to decide what you want to do. But I suggest you involve our family attorney before you sign this contract. I'd trust Guido with my life."

"Guido is the name of your attorney?"

"Don't judge him too harshly. It's a family name."

I stared at the mountains rising in front of us, studying their rugged architecture. I couldn't help seeing it as a metaphor. Why did Mom have to complicate things with this monumental load of shit? "I think I'm ready for that drink now." 

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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Do you live closer to the beach or the mountains? Do you have a preference? I grew up near the mountains, so I'm a mountain girl at heart, but I ended up raising my family near the beach. Sometimes our paths lead us to unexpected places.