Sedona Law 5 by Dave Daren (e book reader android .TXT) 📗

in every detail. “They look cozy, and intimate.”

“That’s what we’re going after,” Perry said as he drove us down the hill for a closer look. “We’ve got a whole nature aspect to what we’re doing. We offer horseback riding, a pond, and of course the animals. But we also offer our brand of healing massage.”

He pointed toward a small wooden building that was larger than a cabin.

“This is our lodge,” he continued. “Here we do massage. A lot of our community members are trained in reflexology and ancient massage practices. And we also have workshops on inner healing and peace. We’ve found people are really into it.”

“How long have you had this?” I asked, and I was more than a little impressed..

“We just started,” he replied. “We have a couple of regulars. But the cabins are booked solid for months. We’re talking about building more just to keep up with the demand.”

“Wow,” I remarked as we rounded the pond toward the third cabin.

“This is our Elm Grove cabin,” Perry explained. “It’s set up to be a romantic suite. That just means we have a bigger bathtub in there, and we put rose petals on the bed before you come.”

Vicki and I laughed as he reached the dead end by the cabin and turned around back toward the hill.

“I wish I could show you the insides,” he added, “but they’re all occupied. But--”

As we turned around, we noticed a couple coming out of the Elm Grove cabin.

“Oh, yeah,” Perry waved at them, “those guys are our newlyweds. They have this thing booked every weekend for months in advance. They’re always here.”

Perry slowed as the couple noticed us. He waved graciously to them again, and they smiled at Perry, although they seemed preoccupied with each other.

“Hey guys,” Perry greeted them as he neared the cabin.

As soon as they saw Vicki and me, the couple looked petrified, and they turned and ran inside.

“What the … ?” Perry mused with a perplexed frown.

“It’s Vicki,” I cut in quickly. “She’s just too hot. She has that effect on people.”

“I know,” Vicki joked with a flip of her hair. “I just can’t help it.”

We all laughed and then drove back up the hill. But I looked over at Vicki, who raised an eyebrow at me.

The newlywed woman was definitely Clare Clearmont.

Chapter 13

Perry took us back up the hill toward the rest of the party, and he chatted the whole way about the cabins and the landscaping they were putting in.

“It’s a semi-immersive experience,” Perry said. He was still talking about the retreat center, but I kept looking for an opportunity to talk about Clare.

“We want people to get the feel of living in that community and what that means,” Perry continued. “But, at the same time, we know that not all of our guests will want to be as immersed, you know? So, we offer a lot of the modern lifestyle as well.”

“You’re talking about indoor plumbing?” I asked absently while my thoughts kept circling back to Clare.

“Well,” he said and furrowed his brows, “it’s more than that. Living in a community like this--it’s not easy if you’re not used to it. The modern convenience thing is an outward manifestation, but in reality, community is a heart based lifestyle. It’s about the people, and loving and giving to others. Regarding others as more important than yourself, and giving yourself to benefit the community. When everyone is doing that, it’s a beautiful experience. But our human pride often gets in the way of truly loving others, and we put up walls of selfishness and ego. Our culture often rewards selfishness, so when we have community members come, there’s a lot of rewiring the thought process toward a freedom based lifestyle. But, with our guests, we want them to enjoy themselves.”

I lost interest in Perry’s rant as he droned on about selfishness and the vileness of American thinking. I was an upper middle class, educated white male. He wasn’t going to sell me on it.

He rounded the corner, and we saw the factory under construction again.

“So when does the factory open?” I asked.

“We’ve already opened parts of it,” he replied. “Moondust and Saffron have some really solid ideas on moving forward that I think will really benefit us. Can I just say, like, your dad’s awesome, dude. Like, seriously. He’s awesome.”

“He has his moments,” I laughed, and the fact was not lost on me that I had now heard this about both of my parents in the last twenty-four hours.

“No, man,” Perry shook his head, “like, now I get you.”

“You get me?” I echoed and cocked an eyebrow. I was always suspicious of people who made such statements.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Like, you’re like one of us, but like, you know how to get shit done, too. You’re like your dad.”

“Huh,” I said. “Thanks.”

I didn’t see any similarities between myself and my parents at all, but I certainly wasn’t going to get into my family issues with a client.

“Dude,” he continued as we got closer to the compound and the party, “he’s smart as shit, and he’s got your same kind of vibe. You know, ‘I’m pretending to be cool and laid back, but really I’m take charge and opinionated.’”

Vicki and I both laughed at his perceptive take on my manner.

“So, who were the newlyweds?” Vicki asked casually, and my mouth twitched into a smirk.

“Oh, yeah,” Perry said, and we were almost up to the party now. “That was Clare and Jim. I married them.”

“You married them?” I asked as my eyes widened.

“Yeah,” he nodded, “I do marriage ceremonies sometimes. We’ll do a lot of them here. But Clare and Jim wanted to do the Grand Canyon, so we drove out there for that. They