Walking around the back, there’s an old overgrown garden that rests along the coastline, a white arch sits at the entrance with a white picket fence around the whole area. Pink roses are still growing along the arch and fence.
“The roses were for my grandmother. By the time we moved them in, she was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. But she always remembered that Granddad planted them for her. Near the end of her battle she’d sit out here, running her fingers along the edges of the petals and reciting his name over and overagain. It made him the happiest he’s ever been to see her happy.” Cooper slides next to me, wrapping me in his arms.
“What happened to him?”
“Broken heart. He died within the year after her. They’d been together over sixty years.” He rests his chin on my shoulder.
“What a love story.”
“It really was. I’ll have to share it with you sometime. I bet their wedding album is somewhere in there. You’d have loved them, and them you.” He kisses my cheek, leading me back around the front.
Hunter, Evelyn, and Violet are unloading a small trailer that’s attached to one of the four-wheelers. Everything on there ranges from a picnic basket, to a lawn mower.
“Thank you so much for coming. I know that I've ruined quite a few nights tonight and I just want you to know how grateful I am.”
Violet comes over first, pulling me into a hug. “You didn’t ruin a thing. We are all happy to be here for you. No matter what you need or when you need it, I’m here.”
Tears spring to my eyes when Evelyn comes over to join us in a group hug.
The moment is broken when the lawn mower starts up and the two women jump into gear grabbing the supplies and heading inside. I follow them, grabbing the box of cleaning supplies off the back of our four-wheeler.
Pushing open the front door a plume of dust fills the air.
“Cooper wasn’t kidding. This place hasn’t been touched.” The three of us turn around in a circle taking in the space. “At least it looks like Anna covered most of the place in drop cloths.” A sea of white fabric stretches throughout the cabin.
I start by opening windows, getting some fresh air into the space. Violet goes into the kitchen, pulling cloths off the counter.
“Oh my gosh!” she exclaims.
Evelyn and I come running. “What’s wrong?” We ask in unison.
“Do you see this?” She points to a fifties light pink stove, with matching refrigerator across the space.
“A true vintage stove with a matching refrigerator! I’d kill for this setup!”
I’ll give it to her, the pieces are spectacular and adorable for this little cottage.
“Do you think it still works?” Evelyn begins looking behind the stove at all the connections.
“It will once the propane is hooked back up. Which will probably not be for a couple days. But the fridge should be cold soon. Mom had the electricity turned back on this morning.”
I turn to face Cooper. “But we just decided?”
“I had a hunch I’d want to be here sooner rather than later and asked her to make a few calls. That’s why Hunter already knows what needs to be done.” He smiles.
“Okay enough of the love fest. Let’s get to cleaning.” Violet pushes past us, moving with her cleaning bucket to the living room. “I’ve got it in here. You get the bedroom and Eve’s got the kitchen. But we might need all hands on deck, so I called in the rest of the crew except Wyatt.”
Cooper winks at me. “Better let you get to it, gorgeous.” He drops a kiss to my cheek and goes back outside.
I watch him out the window, admiring the way his muscles move under his tee as he works on repairing the deck with some lumber that Liam just brought.
“Enough gawking. That bedroom needs to be sleepable tonight.” Eve thrusts a cleaning bucket in my hand.
“Yes ma'am.” I salute her.
I skip to the bedroom with a smile on my face despite the whole situation. I’m blessed with everyone that I’ve met here. I don’t know what I’d do if I was in Montana alone.
My smile is quickly wiped away when I see the condition of the bedroom. Holes fill the sheet covering the bed and it looks like mice have made their homes inside the mattress.