Chapter 84 Derrick #2
“Correct.” Callum clinks his glass with mine. “And you love us.”
Shit. He’s right.
Zermatt at night is … wild. I don’t mean frat-party wild. I mean, rich European ski crowd losing their minds in designer snow gear wild.
We step out into the crisp night, snow falling like glitter.
Music pours from every bar, people spill out into the streets, drinking Aperol spritzes like it’s summer instead of -10 degrees.
Baird leads us straight into a packed après-ski bar with wooden beams, neon signs, and hanging cowbells.
Inside smells like mulled wine and cologne.
The second we walk in, Callum throws his arms out like he owns the place.
“My lads!” he shouts to no one in particular.
People actually cheer back.
“Is he famous here?” I whisper to Baird.
“He wishes.” Baird laughs. “He just acts like he is.”
We wedge ourselves into a booth and order drinks, Charlie and I sticking to one each, Callum and Baird ordering … significantly more plus shots.
Charlie presses close against my side, lips brushing my temple when he leans in to speak over the music.
“One shot.” I nod when we are offered one and throw it back.
I’ll need food in my stomach before we drink anymore, otherwise it’s going to get messy rather quickly.
Thankfully, it’s not long till a pot of fondue ends up in front of us.
It’s still early, but there are skiers dancing on tables. A guy wearing only ski pants and goggles.
“I feel like we’re in a fever dream.” I laugh
A DJ starts playing a remix of Auld Lang Syne, and suddenly Callum is dragging us toward the dance floor.
“Come on! Live a little!”
“I am living,” I protest, but Callum’s already grabbing my hand.
We dance like idiots, Callum grinding on everyone, Baird doing some Scottish jig, and Charlie swaying behind me with his hands on my waist. I’m laughing so hard my stomach hurts.
At one point, a group of drunk British guys try to pull Callum into a human pyramid, and we lose him for a full seven minutes before he emerges soaked in beer but triumphant.
“I’ve made new friends,” he announces proudly.
“They’re not coming back to the chalet,” Baird warns immediately.
“Baird,” Callum gasps dramatically, “let me have community.”
“Tomorrow night it’s game on,” Baird tells him.
“Fine,” Callum grumbles.
Much later, and after one too many drinks, Callum starts a conga line out the door around the beer garden and back again. I think this is when we call it a night.
“Baird, we’re going back to the chalet.” He gives me a thumbs up and says he will tell Callum, that it’s best we go while we still can.
We step back out into the snowy street. The Matterhorn looms above us, lit faintly by the moon. Beautiful. Magical.
Charlie slips his gloved hand into mine. “You’re glowing,” he murmurs.
“I’m drunk.” I smirk.
“A little,” he agrees. “But mostly because you’re happy.”
He’s right.
I am happy.
Really fucking happy.
Until we hit a patch of ice on the street and slip and slid as we both hang onto each other for dear life. When we don’t land on our asses, we burst out laughing and continue back to the chalet, carefully. Snow starts to fall on our walk back.
“This is beautiful.”
“It reminds me of Montana in the winter,” Charlie says.
“Yeah. I really need to check it out then because I feel like I’m going to miss this when we head back to LA.”
“Me too.”
“You miss Moonlight Falls?” I ask.
“I do.” Oh. I wasn’t expecting him to be that honest with me. “But I would also miss you if you weren’t there. And honestly, I’d miss you more than Moonlight Falls.”
I stop. Charlie stops too. “I’d miss you too if you weren’t with me.”
He wraps his arms around my neck. “Good.”
“I don’t think we should live apart anymore,” I confess. “But I get why we can’t live together …”
“Yet …” he adds.
“Yet,” I repeat. “I’ve just liked waking up with you every day this holiday, and the thought of going home and you not being in my bed every day sucks.”
Charlie looks at me silently. “I’ll talk to Everly.”
I still. What? “You don’t have to do that. I’ll wait for you forever if I have to.”
“You’re not that patient.” He grins.
I burst out laughing. “I’m not.”
“Look, I’m at your home most nights anyway, and your house is closer to work, so it kind of makes sense.” He grins.
“It really does.” I nod in agreement. “You think she is going to be upset?”
“A little, but to be fair, I think we have been very co-dependent on each other for a long time. Maybe a little separation would be good. Plus, she needs to get laid, and I think I’m cockblocking her.”
“You think she’s seeing someone?”
“Not yet, but she’s going out. I heard her talking to one of her friends and she said how she wanted to bring a guy home but didn’t because I was there.”
“It’s also totally unsafe,” I add.
“That too.” Charlie grins. “We’ll have a talk about it while we are here.”
“Everly is going to hate me.”
“Never. She loves you. But I feel like this is the natural next step with us, and honestly, I’m done waiting.”
This makes me happy. “Thank fuck. Now take me home and fuck me before my drunk ass brother comes home.”
“Yes, sir,” he says, saluting me.
“Oh. Hot. When we get home, we need to role-play. When you use that straight, manly, military voice, it does things to me.”
“Noted. Now let’s get the hell home before I fuck you on the street.”
He doesn’t need to tell me twice.