Chapter 19
Chapter nineteen
Bash
The sunrise in Colorado is something else.
Streaks of orange and pink paint the sky, the mountains silhouetted against the backdrop of light, their peaks catching the first golden rays.
I wrap the blanket I grabbed from the living room tighter around my shoulders, steam rising from my freshly brewed coffee as I take a sip.
The temperature's hovering around freezing, my breath visible in small clouds, but the view makes it worth it.
"This better be important, Montgomery. Some of us were still sleeping."
"The sun's been up for twenty minutes. Not my fault you're wasting daylight," I reply, grinning into the phone.
"Not all of us are mountain men who rise with the roosters." Rustling echoes through the line, followed by running water. "So, how's the fake-dating going? Turned real yet?"
I roll my eyes. "Funny."
"I'm serious. The sexual tension between you two could power a small city."
"It's... complicated," I admit, watching a large bird soar across the valley. "But we did talk last night. Really talk."
"Holy shit. You actually communicated? Like adults? I'm impressed."
"Don't sound so shocked," I mutter. "Anyway, yesterday was amazing. You should've seen her snowboarding—"
"Oh god, here we go."
"No, listen. She's never been on a board before, right?
But she just kept getting back up. Every time she fell—and man, she fell a lot at first—but she'd just laugh it off and try again.
" I can't help the pride that creeps into my voice.
"By the end of the afternoon, she was linking turns like she'd been doing it for months, not hours. "
"Sounds like you've found yourself a natural."
"Not exactly. She worked for it. That's what made it impressive.
She didn't give up." I pause, smiling at the memory of her triumphant expression when she completed her first full run.
"You should have seen her face when she realized she'd made it all the way down without eating snow.
It was like watching a kid on Christmas morning. "
"Meanwhile, her ex was probably off doing what? Perfecting his polo swing?"
I snort. "Close. Ethan's your typical finance bro. Wears designer ski clothes but barely leaves the bunny slope. Pretty sure he spent most of yesterday in the lodge bragging about some hedge fund bullshit."
"Sounds like a real winner."
"The best part is watching him try to be all alpha male when I'm around Charlie." I shake my head, remembering dinner and the game last night. What Charlie ever saw in that pretentious asshole I'll never understand.
"His fiancée seems miserable too. Kept checking her phone during the game we were playing last night like she'd rather be anywhere else."
"Speaking of games, tell me more about how the fake boyfriend charade's holding up."
I pause moving around the snow with my boot. "That's the thing," I finally say. "It doesn't feel like a charade anymore. At least not for me."
He's quiet for a moment. "Well, that was fast."
"Fuck, I know."
"I mean you two work together, you had that dinner planning your fake relationship backstory. Plus," he adds with a hint of teasing, "you've seen her naked already."
"Not helping."
"Look, I'm just saying sometimes the heart knows what it wants. Not everything needs months of deliberation and pros-and-cons lists."
I drag my fingers through my hair, the strands falling in disarray as a heavy sigh escapes my lips. "It's too fast. We literally just started speaking again after I fucked things up. I can't dump all these feelings on her now."
"Listen to yourself," he snorts, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You just spent ten minutes telling me the exact angle of her shoulders during her snowboarding runs. You practically puffed your chest out telling me how you stepped between her and her ex last night. Should I continue?"
"You're oversimplifying."
"And you're overthinking. Classic Bash move."
The coffee scalds my tongue as I take another sip. "So what am I supposed to do? Tell her I've fallen for her after a day and a half of fake-dating?"
"Maybe start with not pretending," he suggests, his voice softening. "Be honest. Show her who you are, what you want. The rest will follow."
My phone beeps with an incoming call. "My sister's calling, I'll talk to you later."
"Perfect timing. Ask Sarah what she thinks—she'll tell you the same thing."
"I'm not asking my sister for dating advice," I grumble.
I switch calls. "Good morning."
"Well, if it isn't my little brother," my older sister's voice comes through, bright and clear. "How are you?"
"Good. Actually, I'm about an hour away from you right now. In Aspen."
"You're. WHAT?" Her voice jumps an octave, piercing through the phone speaker. "Aspen? As in Colorado? As in where I live? What the hell, Sebastian?!"
I laugh at her reaction, holding the phone away from my ear as she practically shrieks. "Surprise?"
"Don't you 'surprise' me! You're literally an hour from my house and didn't tell me? I'm your sister! Is this a work thing? Why aren't you staying with me? How long have you been here? Are you alone?"
"Take a breath, sis," I say, tracking a second bird as it joins the first, their wings cutting dark silhouettes against the pine-lined sky. "It's not for work, I'm staying at a friend's family place and it was kind of... last-minute."
"Last-minute," she repeats, suspicion dripping from every syllable. "Sebastian Michael Montgomery doesn't do 'last-minute.' Who are you with?"
I hesitate, my thumb tracing the edge of my phone case as I brace for the inevitable explosion. "I'm here with a woman. And her family."
Long seconds of silence stretch between us before she erupts again.
"I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly?" Another pause. A WOMAN? You're in Aspen with some woman and her family and didn't even MENTION it to me?"
"Is it really that surprising I might be here with someone?" I ask, watching fresh snowflakes drift lazily from the sky, landing on the railing in front of me.
"Yes!" She exclaims. "You never bring women to meet family. Ever. That's like, your number one rule after a lifetime of 'keeping things casual.'"
I run a hand through my hair, an unexpected defensiveness creeping up my spine. "Well, technically she invited me, not the other way around."
"Oh, that makes it even more interesting," she says, her voice taking on that knowing big-sister tone I've heard since we were kids. "My little brother, meeting the parents, huh? This I have to see."
I hesitate, then decide to just jump in. "Actually, do you and Addie want to make a trip up here? You could come see me... and meet her."
"Oh, now you're inviting us?" She drawls out. "Okay, who are you and what have you done with my commitment-phobic brother?"
"Very funny." I take a deep breath.. "Her name is Charlie and it's... complicated."
"Complicated how?" She asks, her voice softening.
"Is that a yes or a no?" I ask deflecting.
"Of course it's a yes! Addie will be thrilled. She's been dying to hit the slopes." I can hear the smile in her voice. "So, tell me about this Charlie woman who's captured your attention. What's she like?"
"Well she's my coworker," I say, feeling oddly nervous. "She's... important to me."
"And how long has Charlie been important to you?"
"Again, it's complicated," I hedge, knowing she will see right through me the moment she meets Charlie and me together. My sister has an uncanny ability to read people, especially me.
"Complicated usually means interesting," she muses. "Do her parents own the place you're staying at?"
"Yeah, it's their vacation home. There's plenty of room, though. And her family's great—you'll like them."
"So not only are you introducing me to this woman, but her entire family too? This is serious."
"Don't make a big deal out of it," I warn, though I can feel heat creeping up my neck..
"When my perpetually single brother suddenly wants me to meet a woman he's calling 'important' and claiming it's 'complicated',' it's already a big deal," She points out. "But don't worry, I'll behave."
"And make sure Addie does too, please."
She laughs. "You know I have zero control over what comes out of that girl's mouth. She's sixteen, filter not included."
"Great," I mutter, though I can't help smiling. Addie's bluntness might actually be refreshing in this situation.
"We'll head out after Addie gets out of school and I'm off work," she says. "Text me the address. And Bash?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm really looking forward to meeting Charlie and also seeing you."
The sincerity in her voice makes my chest tighten. "Me too."
I end the call and sit back in the patio chair, watching the mountains glow brighter as the sun climbs higher.
What am I doing? Inviting my sister and niece here makes this feel even more real—which is exactly what I want right?
But at the same it’s also terrifying. Charlie and I haven't even defined what we are to each other yet, we're just "fake-dating. "
The sliding glass door opens behind me, and I turn to see Charlie standing there. Her hair is adorably mussed from sleep, and she's wearing flannel pajama pants with the ends tucked into her snow boots and a Colorado State sweatshirt.
"Hey," she says, her voice still husky from sleep. "Thought I heard voices."
"Just on the phone," I say. " And good morning."
"Morning." She pulls her sleeves over her hands, crossing her arms across her chest against the chill. "You're up early."
"Old habit. I enjoy watching the sunrise." I lift my coffee mug. "Want some? I can grab you a cup."
She shakes her head, stifling a yawn. "I'll make some inside in a minute." She looks at me curiously. "Who were you talking to?"
"My sister, Sarah. And Tyler before that."
"At this hour? Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, everything's fine." I stand up, still wrapped in the blanket. "Actually, I just invited Sarah and my niece Addie to come visit. They're only about an hour away."