“You’re going to have a hard time settling down to a normal life,” Antonia predicted as they walked back to the hotel.
“I think I’ve been through all that. I’ve adjusted. It’s a wonderful background to have, and very colorful, but in the end, it’s nice to stay in one place, have roots and a family and a real home. My brothers aren’t entirely wrong. I’m just not crazy about Montana. It’s a little too rural for me. You get snowed in all winter. They both married local girls. They’re nice women, but they’ve never even been to Chicago or New York. I’d have a tough time with that. But they’re happy. One has five kids, and the other one three. They don’t want to be anywhere else. They hated all our moving around. I loved it.”
“What about you?” she asked him. “Do you think you’ll stick around, or want to start traveling again?” It interested her, in light of the important position he had with her now that he had fallen into by chance, as her main assistant director. She was relying on him.
“I’m staying,” he said, and seemed as though he meant it. “Except maybe for the occasional repeat visit to my favorite places, but not to live. I love Paris, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Rome and Venice again. Other than that, New York is home now. I took a temporary apartment when I got back to the States from Canada.” He smiled at her. “I’ve been looking for something in Connecticut, which makes more sense if you keep me on in the job. There’s no point commuting, with you living in Connecticut, and your studio in Stamford. I’m searching for a small house in the area. I’d better find something soon. My lease on the furnished studio ended two weeks ago, and I’m going to be homeless when we go back.”
“I’ve got a cottage on the property, if you need a place to stay while you look.” She liked the idea that he wanted to find something permanent, and she wanted to encourage him. She needed an AD who was stable, reliable, and easily accessible. “My property manager lived in the cottage for years. He just bought his own place five miles down the road. The cottage is empty for now.”
It sounded fantastic to Boden. “You wouldn’t mind having me on the property, underfoot?” His face had lit up at the suggestion, and her farm was like a little piece of Heaven.
“Not at all. And Dash would love it. You may have to bar your door. He likes you.” She smiled warmly.
“I like him too. I can give you a hand if he needs help while he’s convalescing.” Dash had decided to be home for a month before he went back to school. He’d have a smaller cast than the cumbersome one he had now, and they had advised restricted movement so the bones set well. He had pins in the leg that would have to be removed in a year.
* * *
—
At the end of the week, Dash was released from the hospital in South Africa. It had turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant trip. Antonia spent many hours with Dash every day while Boden went exploring, and then he and Antonia had dinner every night, and got to know each other. It reminded her of unraveling bolts of colorful cloth and spreading them out around them. They knew each other much better by the time they left South Africa, and he was excited about moving into the manager’s cottage on her property. It was a stone’s throw from the main house, but far enough away to give them mutual privacy. Dash was delighted. Post-production would be almost completed by the time they got back, so he’d have some free time to spend with Dash, waiting for Antonia to get started on the next project. She already had some in mind, but nothing was firm yet. She was still exploring new options, reading a lot of books, and working on some original screenplays.
* * *
—
Boden was extremely helpful getting Dash home on the plane. His cast was hard to maneuver with. They traveled through the airport with a wheelchair, but he had to manage on the plane with crutches. Dash was a tall, solid boy, and Boden was strong enough and big enough to help him. Antonia couldn’t have done it on her own.
By the time they headed back to the States, the three of them were good friends. Antonia sat with Dash, with Boden across the aisle from them, so they could talk for some of the flight. And they landed in New York in a snowstorm. It was beautiful, but complicated for Dash and his wheelchair. Two of the boys from the stables had come to pick them up, and it was a long drive home.
When they reached Haven Farm, Boden helped get Dash upstairs and settle him in his room, and Antonia realized how helpful it would be to have him nearby. Once they got Dash settled, and had eaten something, Antonia offered to drive Boden to his new digs. He had left his car at the studio, and she got hers out of the garage to drive him to the cottage. The snow was deep on the paths, but they got there in a few minutes. She unlocked the cottage, turned the lights on, and had had the housekeeper turn the heat on before they arrived, so it would be warm for him. The bed was freshly made, there was a stack of towels in the bathroom. The furniture was simple but nicely done. The cottage had a masculine feeling to it, since her property manager was single and she’d done it for him, and Boden turned to her with a grin, and looked like a kid on Christmas.