Chapter 24
“All right, tell me you’ve got something planned for Lyric’s birthday. Because it’s the day after tomorrow,” Sylvia said as they waited for the cameras to reset to get another angle of them walking through the meadow, repeating the same lines for the third time.
“Already? Shit.” Windsor glanced over to where Lyric was coming toward them with water beside Jenni, who had her makeup toolbelt on.
“It’s the hardest part about having an assistant who remembers everything, am I right? You just have to remember one thing.”
“You look good, Win. Sylvia, can I blot you?” Jenni asked.
“Blot away.”
“Water, Win? We only have a minute or so,” Lyric said.
“I’m good, but thank you.” She decided to just go for it. “Did you already make plans for your birthday? Or can Bo and I take you out?”
Lyric looked up from the bottle she held, eyes wide with surprise at the question. Windsor wasn’t sure if it was because she remembered, courtesy of Sylvia, or because of something else.
“Umm …” Lyric bit her lip. “Eph kind of offered to show me the Thompson Falls nightlife. But I can cancel with him, if you want.”
Eph, Windsor thought with a raised eyebrow.
“Girl, it’s your birthday,” Jenni said. “And that mountain man is hot and into you.”
Lyric’s cheeks turned red. “He’s just nice.”
“Mmm … I hate to butt into things that aren’t my business, but I agree with Jenni. He watches you when you’re around. With avid interest,” Sylvia added.
Windsor had seen it the day they arrived, but she’d been so caught up with falling hard for her own cowboy that she hadn’t been paying attention.
Falling hard. She paused. Yeah, that covers it.
“How about a double date?” Windsor asked her assistant.
“But you guys have filming …”
“Butch and I will come too. I can’t drink, but I can celebrate with you.” Sylvia glanced at Lyric. “If you’re down with that.”
Lyric glowed. “Really?”
“And I bet we can fill up a place with cast, crew … and mountain men, if you want,” Sylvia added.
Windsor smiled, already making a mental note to ask Marta if she could make a birthday cake.
“I would love that,” Lyric replied.
“All set. Windsor, Sylvia, can we get you to stand on your marks? Let’s knock this one out, and then we can break for lunch.”
Windsor slipped off her coat and handed it to Lyric. “I think Jenni and Sylvia are right. He’s been noticing you since he picked us up at the airport.”
“You think?”
“Definitely.”
Bo was already inside when Windsor returned from the meadow scene. He had had the morning off filming and was handling ranch business.
“Hey, how’d it go?” he asked as she came into the kitchen. He loved how she came straight into his arms. He pressed a kiss to her lips. “You look cute with your hair like that.”
“You’re into 1850s coiffure?”
“I’m into you.” He loved that he could say things like that and she didn’t run for the hills or look for the nearest exit. It was a relief and a gift, all wrapped in one.
“And Eph is into Lyric. At least, that’s the prevailing theory.”
“Wait. What?”
“And Lyric’s crushing on him too.”
“You’re serious?”
She nodded. “Yep. And Sylvia reminded me Lyric’s birthday is the day after tomorrow.
I need to get a gift ASAP so it appears that I remembered—which I did because Sylvia just reminded me—and arrange for a cake.
Oh, and we’re taking her out. Except Eph had already said he wanted to show her the Thompson Falls nightlife, which brings me back around to my first point. ”
“Okay …” Bo repeated some of what she had said in his mind before speaking. “My foreman might be into your assistant, we’re all going out on Thursday night, and we need a gift and a cake, stat.”
Marta walked into the kitchen with her trademark perfect timing. “Who do we need a gift and cake for?”
Bo’s other new favorite thing was how Windsor didn’t pull away immediately when someone walked in on them.
She turned in his arms. “Lyric. It’s her birthday the day after tomorrow.”
“Thursday,” Bo added.
“What does she like?”
“Chocolate. She loves chocolate.”
“Consider it done.”
“You’re the best, Marta. Thank you,” Win said.
Bo brushed another kiss over her 1850s hairstyle before dropping one arm. “That leaves a gift.”
“There’s Jackie’s and Rustic Montana … oh, and flowers,” Marta said. “The girl needs flowers. What if we make her a gift basket of locally made items and some of that touristy stuff, like mugs and magnets, so she never forgets Thompson Falls?”
“Yes, to flowers. Absolutely. Balloons, too, if they have them. And she buys magnets and mugs everywhere we go. She hasn’t had time to hit the souvenir store yet either.”
“I’ll take care of everything, if you’re comfortable with that. I love birthday shopping. Spoiling people is my most favorite thing.”
“I would love to do it myself, but …”
“Oh, honey, don’t you worry. You’re busy. As long as it’s done with love, that’s all that matters, right?”
“And you’ve got my credit card,” Bo said. “Go wild. Make it a birthday to remember. From both of us. That girl is a lifesaver.”
Windsor turned to him. “You sure?”
“She takes care of you. She gets the best damn birthday we can give her.”
Her smile was brilliant.
“She’s the best. Truly. I don’t know what I’d do without Lyric.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her nose. “It sounds like she might have found a reason of her own to stay in Montana.”