Every Boy's Dream

What Dreams Are Made Of

The ride back up the mountain was to Chris, better than the town of Aspen.

The property that Darren's family owned?

Absolutely outrageously beautiful, and already the views abounding beyond the tree line were spectacular. When they found the cabin itself? 

He almost had a palpitation.

It was a massive, currently darkened, megastructure in the shape of a cabin, but clearly was the size of a small mansion. A three-story party pad set on at least three cleared acres, that was meant to be filled with children and a dog and maybe extended family away on Holiday. Just a really real vacation spot that was so beautiful with its massive, glittering windows, the white snowfall untouched around it, the wrap-around decking and stunning beams and rafters, and just...wow.

The loft window alone was almost side to side, top to bottom the width and height of the third story itself, and it was all set under a slant of that roof's massive sloped A-Frame. It was picture-perfect and made him want a cup of coffee to sip while he sat fireside and sang kumbaya.

"Darren this place is amazing!" He exclaimed it when they rolled up and parked out front by the door, and damn near poured out of the passenger side in his haste to see it all firsthand.

Darren smiled and followed with a happy little jump, jiggling keys, and said brightly, "Wait till you see the inside, babe. It is fucking unreal." And that was coming from him. "I love the cabin." He really did and grinned at the façade where the family had spent countless summers and winters for as long as he could remember.

Christian grinned back at him and swung open the backdoor, sucked in all that clear mountain air, and really, he was grateful when he started shouldering his many, many...many bags; knew he'd have to make a few trips, but to hell with it. He didn't mind the cold when it was so damn pristine and just awing, stared out over the left-handed view of the swell of mountains surrounding, the slopes and crevices, and there, teeny tiny down in the valley, you could see the actual town of Aspen, and it was just a Masterpiece.

Like living in a Thomas Kincade painting or something. "I think I love the cabin." That was all he had to say about it, and sidestepped so Darren could grab several other bags, and his camera duffle, and they were both loaded to the rafters by the time they made the front door.

"It's got everything, including WiFi and a hot tub. I can't tell you how often I've come back from a ride, and just smoked a J in the hot water, and I swear, it's like being reborn." He flipped through the keys now and found the little gold key. "Hold on. I'll get the alarm." He pushed the door open, and sure enough, it started beeping with real threat. Chris just waited while he shoved in, dropped bags, and hurriedly pinned in his grandmother's birthday, followed by three sixes, because that was just how his mother's brain operated, and then kicked the door wider for Christian before hitting the lights.

So worth that bedazzled expression, when he came through the interior and whistled in appreciation at the grandiose space, and everything from the gray stone wall that separated the massive windows overlooking the ridge that housed the natural wood fireplace, to the massive kitchen, the very lovely but rough-hewn staircase that led up to the bedrooms, and then up to the huge vaulted ceiling and the loft beyond? He was gobsmacked.

Honestly, Darren understood. His parents had put some time, money, and swag into the place, and it was like a home away from home for all the Walkers. Just an outstanding, outdoorsy, very ritzy, and yet classic space, and was perfect any time of year.

"Holy shit!" Chris didn't drop his bags, but he wanted to and beamed at that bright smile on him while he shut the door. "Where do you want all this stuff?" He just held up bags and had to wonder how Darren wanted to carve up the space.