Chapter 19 #2
Her eyebrows shoot up. "Oh! That's nice. And yeah, when are they coming?"
"Today, if that's okay? I'm sorry, I should have asked you first—it's your family's house."
"No, it's fine," she says quickly. "There's plenty of room. I just didn't realize you wanted your family around for our...situation."
I step closer to her. "I wanted them to meet you. Sarah and Addie are important to me, and so are you."
Her cheeks flush, and she looks down. "Well then I'm looking forward to meeting them." When she looks back up, there's a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Actually, I was coming to tell you I have a surprise for you today."
"A surprise? For me?"
She nods, a smile playing at her lips. "After breakfast. But now it looks like we'll have a busy day, with your sister coming and all."
"We can do both," I assure her. "What's the surprise?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" She backs toward the door. "I'm going to make coffee. Come inside before you freeze."
I follow her into the warm kitchen, draping the blanket over a chair. Charlie maneuvers between counters with the ease, the coffee maker gurgling to life under her touch as she retrieves a mug. I prop myself against the counter, unable to stop myself from watching the way she moves.
"So, what's your sister like?" Her fingers tap against the sugar bowl as she pulls it closer.
"Sarah's great. Three years older, brain like a steel trap, and won't let anyone push her around—especially not her little brother.
" My lips curl into a nostalgic smile. "Been calling me on my bullshit and cheering me on in equal measure since we had missing baby teeth.
And Addie, her daughter..." I shake my head.
"Sixteen with the soul of someone twice her age.
Too smart for her own good and will tell you exactly what she thinks whether you want to hear it or not. "
"They sound great." The refrigerator door swings open as she reaches for the creamer. "Do they know about our...arrangement?"
My words catch. "Not exactly."
Her eyebrow arches upward. "Not exactly?"
"I told Sarah I wanted her to meet someone important to me." I lock my eyes with hers. "I didn't specify the nature of our relationship."
The coffee maker sputters its last drops, filling the loaded silence between us.
"And what is the nature of our relationship?" Her voice barely rises above a whisper, her eyes never wavering from mine.
My pulse thunders in my ears. This moment—the one I've been waiting for. But before I can form the words, footsteps thump down the stairs and Emily's voice cuts through the tension.
"Please tell me that's coffee I smell!"
Charlie steps back, the moment broken. She gives me a small smile that I can't quite interpret, then turns to greet her sister.
"Fresh pot," she confirms. "Mugs are on the counter."
Emily bounces into the kitchen, her energy dialed to eleven despite the early hour. "You're a goddess. Morning, Bash."
"Morning," I reply, trying not to show my frustration at the interruption.
"So, what's the plan for today?" Emily asks, doctoring her coffee with alarming amounts of creamer. "More snowboarding? Shopping in town? Ooh, we could go to the hot springs!"
Charlie glances at me. "Actually, Bash's sister and niece are coming to visit later today."
Emily's eyes widen with interest. "Really? Meeting the family already? This little ploy is getting serious."
I catch Charlie's gaze over Emily's head, seeing the question still lingering there—what is the nature of our relationship? —and I realize I need to answer it, not just for her sister or mine, but for us. For real.
"They live nearby," I explain to Emily. "And I thought it would be nice for them to meet Charlie."
Emily studies me for a moment, then nods approvingly. "Well, I'm looking forward to meeting them too." She sips her coffee, then adds casually, "And don't worry, I won't mention how you two had a one-night—."
Charlie chokes slightly on her coffee. "Emily!"
"What?" Emily looks innocently between us. "I'm just saying I can be discreet. Unlike some people I could mention." She pointedly glances toward the ceiling, presumably referring to their parents upstairs.
"Thank you," Charlie says dryly. "That's very considerate."
Emily winks at me, then drifts back out of the kitchen with her coffee, humming to herself.
Once she's gone, Charlie turns to me with an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."
"Don't be. I like your sister."
"She means well." Charlie looks down into her mug. "So, about this surprise..."
"Yes?" I prompt, stepping closer, drawn to her like a magnet.
She looks up at me through her lashes, and my breath catches. "How do you feel about helicopters?"
"Helicopters?" I repeat, caught off guard.
Her smile widens. "I may have booked us a heli-skiing adventure for today. Just the two of us."
My jaw drops. Heli-skiing—riding in a private helicopter and being able to shred pristine, untouched backcountry terrain—is the ultimate snowboarding experience. It's also expensive as hell.
My eyes widen as her words sink in. "Are you serious? That's... Charlie, that's incredible." I grab her waist, lifting her off the ground in a spontaneous spin, her surprised laughter filling the kitchen.
Her cheeks flush as her feet touch back down. "I know a guy," she says with a casual shrug, but I catch the way her eyes light up at my reaction, the corner of her mouth twitching upward.
"We can push it to tomorrow if you'd rather spend today with your sister—"
"No," I interrupt, shaking my head emphatically. "Sarah and Addie won't be here until late afternoon. We have time." I can't stop grinning, my hands still lingering at her waist. "I can't believe you did this."
"Consider it a thank you. For teaching me yesterday, for being here with me, for...everything." Her voice softens on that last word, her eyes meeting mine.
The moment stretches between us, an invitation hanging in the air. I could tell her right now how I feel, lay it all out in words. But something deeper holds me back. Not fear this time, but an instinct that whispers some truths need action, not declaration.
So instead of words, I pull her into a hug, wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her slightly off the ground again.
"Thank you," I murmur against her hair.
When I set her down, our faces are inches apart. Her eyes search mine, and I know she's still looking for an answer to her question. What is the nature of our relationship?
Maybe the answer is in this day we're about to share in the pristine snow, the exhilarating descent, the stunning vistas that take your breath away.
Maybe it's in introducing her to my family, in letting her see that part of my world.
Maybe it's in all the small moments that's been building between us.
"We should get ready then," she says softly, stepping back. "The helicopter will be waiting."
I nod, reluctantly letting her go. "Lead the way, Shortcake."
Her smile at the nickname is all the answer I need for now.