Warm Me With Your Fire

"Route Guidance Recalculating"

"Recalculating..."

"Recalculating..."

Seriously! I've been driving for hours and now the GPS decides to quit? The phone indicates that the map cannot refresh since the phone is offline. Driving the winding, cliff-side mountain road is difficult enough but now that I have no idea where I'm going?

This is impossible! Let's just quit.

"No", I tell my inner voice, "we've gone too far to turn back now. I'm just going to pull over at the next lookout and see if I can figure it out."

The narrow road barely has enough room for two cars to pass each other so there's no way that I'm going to just stop in the middle of the road and become a hazard to myself and everyone else on the road. A scenic lookout pull off is just ahead and to the left. I've been glad to be driving on the inside of the road closer to the mountain but now will have to cross traffic to pass over to the other side and park. My RAV4 stops by the guardrail that separates the lookout parking area from the thousand foot drop off.

With a deep breath in and out, my mind goes to my whole reason for being up here, parked next to a cliff. My friend Anna had won a weekend hot springs getaway from some sweepstakes as a second or third tier prize. What she had really wanted was the grand prize; a Mom van with three rows of seating to accommodate her two young children and the twins that she was expecting in a few months. Since she was pregnant, the hot springs were off limits and she knew that I needed a break.

My mind started going through a mental pros and cons list of continuing on to find the hot springs resort versus driving back to my Denver suburbs apartment. "Stop that," I told myself. "I need this. Plus it'll be dark by the time I get back to the city. The GPS said I was only thirty minutes away. I can't be that far off, right?"

I flipped open the glove box and pulled out the brand new Colorado map that I knew my dad would be proud that I purchased. He taught me how to read a map and navigate back when I was in 8th grade. I loved the sense of knowing where we were going next and tracking our progress along the route. Unfortunately for me, my navigation skills had faded into the background as I had been trusting my smartphone to direct me for the last dozen years.

I compared the map on my phone to the map I had spread over the steering wheel and my lap. After a couple of minutes, I found the town where the resort was and figured out what direction I had been coming from. My phone wouldn't load the map beyond a green background and the squiggly line of the road. Zooming in and out had no effect. From inside my car, I looked around to see if I could see any road signs with no luck.

"So, I guess I'm getting out now," I said to myself. I unclicked my seatbelt and could feel a tightening in my chest. "You can do this. It's perfectly safe." I closed my car door behind me and found myself a couple of feet away from the guardrail. With a deep breath, I edged around towards the front of my car and kept a hand on the hood of the car as I looked around for road signs. No signs of any kind were visible and other vehicles were scarce. I started scanning the mountainside for anything that could give me a sense of where I was. About halfway up the mountain stood a cabin with light coming through the windows. The sun was just starting to set behind the mountain, making the cabin shine like a beacon. There were a few other cabins and houses dotting the area, but this one seemed the closest.

"Well, it looks like I'll be asking for directions."

I climb back into my RAV4 and start mentally preparing to ask a stranger for directions. I pull back onto the winding cliffside road and start up the long gravel driveway that leads to the cabin.

It’s not that I don’t like talking to people. Or meeting new people. I have my extrovert moments and have even volunteered to be the person in charge if it seems like no one else wants to lead. It’s just... when I expect one thing to happen and then something entirely different happens, I kind of have to talk myself into accepting the change. I had been imagining checking in to the resort, settling into my room, and then soaking in the hot springs. I hadn’t even considered driving up to some random person’s house, introducing myself, and begging for directions.

I hope they’re nice. I hope that it’s some sweet old couple that will invite me in and offer me some hot chocolate. I hope that their pets won’t attack me. I hope that they won’t attack me...

“Calm down, you’re being silly. It’ll just be a normal interaction with normal people,” I reassured myself. Turning my mind to the road ahead, I followed the gravel drive around boulders, in between trees and into a clearing. The cabin had a truck sitting in front and steps leading up to the deck that ran along the sides of the cabin. I pulled up next to the truck, put the car in park and turned off the engine. I could see smoke rising from the chimney and figured that at least someone had to be home.

I grabbed my purse and stuffed my phone, charger, keys, and refolded paper map inside. Getting out of the car, the temperature had noticeably dropped in the 30 minutes since I’d stood in the lookout parking lot. With I shiver I walked with purpose up the stairs and to the front door.

What are you even doing here, bugging someone? Can’t you just figure it out on your own? Asking for help makes you look weak. Pathetic. No wonder you’re single. You can’t even go somewhere without getting lost.

I knocked on the door and immediately heard the sound of a couple of dogs barking to announce my arrival. I listened as human footsteps and doggy paws made their way closer. The door opened and I was met by two dogs who rushed out barking and tails wagging. A husky sniffed his way around me while a jet black dog nudged my hand with a wet nose, begging for some attention.

“Can I help you?” A deep voice pulled my attention up to the man standing in the doorway. He must have been at least a foot taller than me and essentially looked like a lumberjack. He wore dark jeans, a blue and black plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled, and a black shirt underneath. A full beard and clean haircut completed his lumberjack ensemble.

“What? Oh... right. I’m just looking for directions and it seemed like you were home.” I smiled at the handsome lumberjack and tried to appear confident.

“And...?” He prompted, looking like I should know what he means.

“And, what?” I started to feel flustered.

“And... you didn’t actually ask a question or even tell me your name.”

“You... are... completely right. I’m sorry, it’s just been a long drive and I got lost driving to this hot springs resort, and... oh, would you please be able to give me directions? ” He raised one eyebrow and had an inquisitive look on his face. What is he waiting for this time, I thought. Oh right! “And my name is Nora by the way.”

“Well, Nora by the way, I’m Damien. Why don’t you come inside before we let all the warm air out.” Damien stepped back to let me in with a twinkle in his eye.

Dad jokes already... well this ought to be interesting.

The dogs followed us inside and he closed the door against the cooling mountain air. He held out a hand indicating that we should walk over to the kitchen table. I glanced around the room to find an open concept living space. From the kitchen, I looked out at the cozy couches in the living room, the crackling fire and natural stone chimney on the side, and out of the huge windows at the breathtaking scenery. The furniture wasn’t high end by any means but was comfortable, functional, and made it look more like a family cabin than a total man cave.

The noise of a chair brought me back to the kitchen and the task at hand. “So I was using my phone for directions and then all of a sudden I didn’t have service or something and then the app couldn’t figure out my next turn. I do also have a paper map,” I said pulling out state map and spreading it out onto the table. I took the seat next to Damien so that we could both look at the map from the same angle.

“I guess not all millennial are hopeless. Do you know what town this resort is in?” Damien’s eyes roamed the map.

“Yeah, it’s in...” I pulled out my phone to double check the address only to find my phone completely dead. “Oh shoot, my phone’s dead.”

“Do you know the name of the resort at least?” Damien glanced over at me.

“I think it’s... something like Saint ... then some fancy college name.” I racked my brain for any other detail I could think of. I could picture the website but couldn’t remember the details.

Damien sighed and muttered, “Well, I guess I spoke too soon.” He stood up from the table and walked over to the coffee pot. “Want some coffee? I figure we have some time before your phone will be charged enough to be of any help.” He seemed resigned to have me in his cabin, at least for the time being.

“Sure, coffee sounds great. But do you have any decaf? If I have caffeine too late in the day I’ll never be able to sleep tonight.” I turned in my chair to watch Damien preparing the drip coffee maker for a fresh pot. After perusing the cabinet and shuffling things around, he pulled out a Boyer’s Coffee bag and grabbed the coffee grinder.

“I don’t have decaf or any fancy Starbucks fru-fru drinks. I have regular coffee, half and half, and sugar. Now do you want coffee or not?” Damien looked me straight in the eye and waited for me to respond.

“Yes, I’d still like some coffee, if it’s not too much to ask.” Damien nodded and continued grinding the coffee. I dug out my phone charger and started the hunt for an outlet.

Asking for help with directions and then for decaf coffee made me feel like I was bothering Damien. Like I was asking too much. Finding a power outlet, I started recharging my phone. After a few seconds the black screen lit up with an empty battery image. The battery started blinking green bars that filled up the battery then started the cycle again. I felt relieved and set my phone on the kitchen counter next to another phone and charger.

I turned to find Damien looking at me with intense hazel eyes. A smile spread across his face but didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“You have a beautiful home. The view is spectacular, ” I commented.

“It’s actually the family cabin that we had when I was growing up. Then about five years ago I started living here full time. The husky’s name is Duke and the black dog is named Stella. They keep me company up here.” Damien said then turned to start pouring the coffee. “The sugar bowl is on the table but if you could bring over the half and half to the table then we’ll be all set.”

I found the half and half in the door of the refrigerator, brought it over, and sat at the table. Damien turned on the radio to play the local country station in the background and set down two steaming coffee mugs on the table.

The mug in front of me said, Boom Roasted! on one side and the other side had a series of sentences followed by Boom Roasted after each one. A gleeful giggle bubbled out of my mouth when I recognized the mug was referencing one of my favorite TV shows that I grew up watching and had rewatched several times since. I looked over to Damien who was stirring the cream and sugar in his mug. As he picked it up, I read his mug.

Bears. Beets. Battlestar Galactica.

“Identity theft is not a joke, Jim. Thousands of families suffer every year.” Damien quoted in a Dwight Schrute voice and manner.

I burst out laughing and replied, “I love The Office! It’s my favorite show. Probably ever.”

Damien chuckled. “Me too. I also have Michael Scott’s World’s Best Boss mug and another one with a creepy mustache on one side and the poster with the “This Man is a Pervert” with the drawing of Dwight with the creepy mustache on the other side. ”

“No way! That’s ... the best thing I’ve heard all day!” I was relieved to find something that we could connect over instead of me randomly being in his house. We shared our favorite episode plots from The Office and a few of our favorite quotes. It had been a while since I’d been this comfortable with a guy that I had just met.

Suddenly an unfamiliar ringtone alerted us that Damien was getting a call. He went and answered his phone.

“Hey Dad, what’s up....Yes, everything here is just fine....“Damien shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes as if to say, “Parents? Am I right?”

I picked up my coffee mug and walked over to the picture windows to give him some privacy. It was completely dark now but the floodlights on the deck illuminated the driveway and part of the yard. Tiny glitters of white started dancing into view.

Damien cleared his throat and I turned to see that he was done with his phone call and had picked up his coffee. With a slight chuckle and shake of his head he said, “It looks like you and I are going to have a sleepover.”