I walked through my house one last time to make sure I had gotten everything packed up and ready to go. After I loaded my jeep with the last duffel bag, I ran back inside to pick out a few CD's to get me through the five hour trip into the mountains. I was so excited to be on my way to Gatlinburg for a week of hiking, site seeing, and most importantly, rest and relaxation.
The reservations were made six months ago by my best friend David. We were friends in high school, later becoming even roommates in college together. After graduation, we found it more difficult to get together for regular visits. Plus geography put further constraints on our relationship with him living in North Carolina, and I in southern Tennessee. The last time I had physically seen him was two years ago at Christmas time at his family's home. We chatted almost every night though, keeping the lines of communication strong between us.
Even though David and I were very close, we had never had a romantic relationship. I admit, I had a crush on him in school but being a devoted student but I never made any moves to further our friendship and see where it would end up. Sometimes, more often than not I regretted not making the first move, and yet was fortunate that our friendship flourished as well as it had over the years.
It was David's idea to rent a cabin for Thanksgiving weekend. Being the frugal as we were, we incorporated our paid holidays from work with our vacation time, giving us a whole week off. It was also the week of my 30th birthday, so the vacation served as a dual purpose and gave us a chance to celebrate.
David had invited his cousin Jack, whom I had met a couple of times over the years. I remember attending David's family functions, getting caught staring just a little too long at Jack. There was something dark and mysterious about him. He was almost dangerously alluring about him and yet he unattainable. He moved around a lot and also seemed to be a bit of a loner. He was just not the type to settle down. Jack was a logger who primarily worked in the Carolinas, so he was naturally fit, tan and well, damn......I blushed as my thoughts wandered into the vicinity of biting him to see if he tasted as good as he looked.
Jack was bringing someone with him, and I was most assured I hadn't met her. This turned our week long stay into "couples" vacation. I was still unsure and unable to ask what was on David's mind when he planned this. When he asked me if they could join us weeks ago, I swear he had an agenda, causing me wonder if we were being paired up for a reason. I decided to pack something fun and sexy just in case we did decide to become close and cuddly. Now that we had paid off our student loans and a bit more free with our time, and since neither of us had dated anyone in a while, why not give "us" a try if it was in the cards. I just made sure the cards were playing in my favor before I reached the cabin.
I stopped at a grocery store once I reached Pigeon Forge and picked up supplies for the next couple days. I figured we would head back into town when the guys arrived, but this way we could survive without feeling rushed. I also picked up several bottles of wine, safely securing them in the back seat of my jeep before heading to the rental office to pick up the keys.
I knew I was going to be the first to arrive. David was going to drive in tomorrow evening and we were still unsure when Jack was going to show up. But then again, that was Jack. Once I reached the cabin, I unpacked the food, selected one of the three bedrooms for my own, and set the wine in the refrigerator to chill. It was just past noon, and I had time to go for a short hike before settling in for the evening. Long drives always made me a bit restless and it would be nice to work out some of that pent up energy.
I packed up my daypack and set of on the winding trail behind the cabin. I had stayed up here in the mountains before, but not this particular cabin. I looked back at it and marveled at how majestic our section of the mountain was. The nearest cabin next to us must be at least half a mile away; nothing but me and nature right now. As I walked, I stopped now and again to observe the wildlife scurrying away at the sound of each footstep. Now that the leaves were down from the trees, it was easy to identify birds nesting in the trees and squirrels collecting food for the winter. There was a slight nippy chill in the air which indicated that we may even see a bit of snow by the end of the week.
It was so easy to lose track of time; by 3:30 on my watch, I turned back and headed to the cabin. I stopped less and made it back just shortly before it started to get dark. I unpacked my gear and took a moment to unpack my clothes before taking a long, hot shower. I checked for messages, which there were none, and poured myself a glass of wine and took it to the deck out in back. "Oooh, "I exclaimed to myself. I had forgotten all about the four seater hot tub. I inspected the dials and knobs, set the thermostat to 100 degrees and turned on the jets. That should be ready to enjoy in about half an hour.
And that is exactly what I did.