Moving On

Chapter 9 - Part 1

Tyler rented a car at the airport, and they headed out toward the hotel. He wound down the car windows, taking in the fresh country air.

He looked over at Kate. Her hair flowed back with the wind; her eyes closed as she took a deep breath.

"This is nice," she said as she looked out of the window.

Throughout the drive, Kate couldn't take her eyes off the view outside.

"Never been to the country?"

"Not many country houses to design." She cast a glance over her shoulder to look at him. "It's beautiful out here. There's so much space. It feels so free, so relaxed."

"This is free and relaxed, but the mansion is creepy?"

"It's different. We're not surrounded by acres of trees. Here, you can see as far as the horizon."

He contemplated the work it would take to remove all the trees around the mansion for Kate to see as far as the horizon. The land belonged to them, so it wouldn't be an issue for him to cut down the trees. Thinking aloud, he said, "But I don't think it's possible to remove all the trees."

Kate took her eyes off the scenery, laughing as she turned to him. "I don't think it's possible either. And there's no need—it can be rather beautiful at times."

She took a look at the map and frowned. "Am I reading the map wrong or is the hotel pretty far from the bed and breakfast?"

"It's the nearest hotel I could find outside town. I didn't think we'd be welcome if they found out you're with the new competition."

She nodded. "Did you bring any work along?"

"No, why?"

"If you're busy, I'll drive there on my own."

There wasn't any way he was letting her drive around in a place she'd never been to, especially after the way she twirled the map around in her hands and still got the direction wrong. "I'll go with you."

"Great, then I'll have a free chauffeur for the next two days."

When they arrived at the hotel, he parked the car and took their bags from the trunk.

"This is the first time I don't have to worry about the bags or take care of the check-in," Kate said as they got to the room.

Taking a quick glance at her watch, she took out her phone and sent a text.

"Do you need to be somewhere now?" Tyler asked.

"No, it's fine. I just texted Ben to let him know I'll be late. It was a long drive; you should get some rest."

Tyler walked over to the space between the beds and set her luggage down.

Kate pointed her chin toward the beds. "Which side do you want to take?"

"The one nearer to the door."

Kate plopped onto her designated bed. "Do you want to go look at the bed and breakfast with me? Or would you prefer to go scout around on your own?"

"I don't mind going along if I won't get in your way."

"Looks like I'll have a bodyguard as well as a chauffeur." She grinned at him. Walking over to the window, she pushed up the window pane and leaned out to take a deep breath of the summer air.

Her smile was always so mesmerizing.

He leaned against the wall by the window and watched her smile.

"What?" she asked. "Is there something on my face?" She brushed her hand against her cheek, trying to wipe off whatever she thought he was staring at.

He pulled his gaze from her and turned to the scenery outside. "Nothing," he said, his eyes on the dry, knee-length grass that was bending to the will of the wind.

"Look, someone's riding a horse."

He grinned at her amusement. "It's just a horse. I'm sure you've seen one before."

"Yeah, but not like this. I've seen them in pictures, movies, and zoos, but never like this."

"You never rode before?"

"No," Kate answered while still staring at the horse.

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