27. Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Six
Molly
The Bear Paw Café smells exactly the same as it did six weeks ago when I stumbled through that door.
Only now… everything has changed.
I arrived a broken woman with a dead car, inappropriate footwear, and absolutely no idea what I was going to do with the rest of my life. I was running from something, desperate and lost and carrying more emotional baggage than my overpriced suitcase could hold.
Now I'm sitting in the same corner booth where Betty first offered me cherry pie and unsolicited life advice, but instead of dripping melted snow and existential dread, I'm radiating... happiness .
Pure, uncomplicated, pinch-me-I-must-be-dreaming happiness.
"And that should be the last of it," I murmur, signing my name with a flourish on the final document that officially closes the book on Riley Callahan's pathetic attempt to legally manipulate me back into his life.
The pen in my hand is one of those gorgeous rose gold ones from my desk at Mountain Rescue. The job that gave me purpose, the place that gave me community, the work that proves every single day that I'm capable of so much more than I ever believed possible.
Take that, you controlling asshole.
His lawsuit was thrown out faster than week-old fish, his harassment charges are proceeding through the courts, and his lawyers have officially advised him that any further contact with me or anyone in Stone River Mountain will result in a restraining order that spans three states.
The man who once made me believe I was helpless is now legally required to stay the hell away from me.
And God, that feels good.
"All finished, sweetie?" Betty appears beside my table with a smile. "You look like a woman who just signed away her troubles."
I grin and cap my pen. "Officially closing the door on my past, Betty."
"Well, in that case..." Betty disappears toward the kitchen, then reappears with a plate that makes my jaw drop. "Ta-da!"
It's a slice of chocolate cake so enormous she had to use the large dinner plates. Three layers of the most decadent chocolate creation known to humanity, covered in glossy ganache and decorated with—
"Oh my God, Betty!"
My hands goes to my mouth, because covering the top of the cake is every single one of my favorite chocolates. Ferrero Rocher perched like golden crowns. Raspberry truffles arranged in perfect little rows. Those tiny dark chocolate sea salt caramels that I'm completely obsessed with.
"Betty," I breathe, staring at this masterpiece. "This is... this is incredible."
The first bite makes me actually moan out loud. It's rich and decadent and perfectly sweet, with layers of flavor that seem to unfold on my tongue like a chocolate symphony.
"Holy shit, Betty. This is—"
"Language," she chides automatically, but she's grinning. "Though I'll take that as a compliment."
As I'm savoring another heavenly bite, the café door swings open and Sienna enters with Maisie in tow, both of them bundled up against the cold but glowing with that post-adventure energy that means they've been doing something fun.
"Aunt Molly!" Maisie spots me immediately and comes barreling over. "Guess what? Mom took me to see the new foal at the Rogers farm and it's so tiny and so cute. It tried to eat my glove!"
"That sounds amazing, sweetheart," I laugh, catching her in a hug that smells like fresh air and childhood joy.
Sienna slides into the booth beside us, looking more relaxed than I've seen her since... well, since before the whole Maisie-going-missing drama that turned out to be innocent six-year-old helpfulness gone wrong.
"How's the paperwork going?" she asks, nodding toward the stack of legal documents.
"Officially done," I announce, holding up the last signed page. "Riley Callahan is now legally required to pretend I don't exist. And I couldn't be happier about it."
"Good riddance," Sienna says firmly. "Though I have to admit, I'm kind of impressed with how Beau handled the whole thing. Saving the man who stalked his girlfriend? That takes a special kind of character."
"He's pretty amazing," I admit, probably with a dreamy expression that makes Sienna roll her eyes affectionately.
"Speaking of your mountain god," she says, glancing toward the café windows, "isn't he supposed to be picking you up soon?"
I check my watch and realize Beau should be here any minute.
The thought makes me smile for about twelve different reasons. Not just because I get to see him, though that's always the highlight of any day. But because today's pickup is special.
Today, Beau finds out whether Jamie officially offered him the job at Mountain Rescue.
The job he's been afraid to want for three years. The job that represents him finally stepping back into the world instead of hiding from it. The job that would mean we're working together, building something together, becoming partners in every sense of the word.
Soon enough, the café door flies open with enough force to rattle the windows, and every conversation in the room stops. Which apparently has become a pretty standard response whenever Beau Callahan makes an entrance anywhere.
I'm still not used to it.
Beau's eyes scan the room, landing on me with that look that still makes my knees weak. He's wearing his usual uniform of dark jeans and flannel, but there's something different about his posture these days.
Something looser, more confident.
He stalks across the café toward our table, and I swear I hear Betty make a little satisfied sound, like she's watching her favorite romantic movie play out in real life.
It's hard to forget that this is where it all started.
Right here, in my favorite booth.
This exact spot, with its view of the snow-dusted street and the lingering scent of Betty's cinnamon rolls, is where my heart first started to recognize what it wanted— who it wanted —even when my brain was too stubborn to admit it.
Beau reaches our booth, and doesn't say anything. Just leans down and presses a soft kiss to my temple, his beard tickling my skin. Then he plonks a large duffel bag onto the table with a thud that makes the salt and pepper shakers jump.
"Well?" I ask, looking up at him. "How did the meeting go?"
He shrugs, but there's something in his eyes that makes my heart start racing. "It went."
"Beau Callahan," I say, narrowing my eyes at him. "Don't you dare try to be all gruff with me right now. I've been sitting here stress-eating chocolate cake for the past hour wondering whether—"
"You got the job, didn't you?" Sienna interrupts with a smile.
Beau's mouth twitches. "Maybe."
" Maybe ?" I practically shriek, causing every head in the café to turn our way. "What do you mean maybe ? Either you got it or—"
"I got it," he says simply, and the understated way he delivers the news makes me want to shake him and kiss him simultaneously.
For a moment, I just stare at him, processing the magnitude of what he's just told me.
Beau took the job. The job at Mountain Rescue. The job that means he's ready to stop hiding from the world and start living in it again. The job that means...
"WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING TOGETHER!" I shriek, launching myself out of the booth and into his arms.
"Jesus, Molly," he grunts, stumbling back from the force of my lunge. Maisie starts giggling and Sienna laughs too. "Calm down before you—"
"I will not calm down!" I interrupt, pulling back to look at his face. "This is amazing! This is incredible! We're going to be working together every day! I get to see you in tactical gear! I get to watch you be all heroic and—"
"Breathe," he says, but he's fighting a smile now.
"I can't breathe! This is too exciting!" I'm probably being ridiculous, but I don't care. "Oh my God, Jamie's going to be so happy! And the team! And—wait." I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously. "What's in the bag?"
His smile finally breaks free, transforming his entire face. "Why don't you look and see?"
I practically dive for the duffel bag, unzipping it with hands that are shaking from excitement. Inside, neatly folded, is a complete Mountain Rescue uniform. Dark tactical pants, fitted shirts with the official logo, even a jacket with "CALLAHAN" embroidered on the chest.
"Oh my God," I breathe, running my fingers over the fabric. "It's real. You're really doing this."
"Seems like it," he says, settling into the booth beside me.
I hold up the pants, and something wicked flashes through my mind.
"You know," I say with a grin, "these are going to look very nice on you."
His eyebrows rise. "Yeah?"
"Mmm-hmm. I see why you're obsessed with mine. These pants are..." I trail off meaningfully. "Let's just say your tushy is going to look absolutely spectacular in Mountain Rescue gear."
Beau actually blushes beneath his beard, which makes Sienna snort with laughter. Maisie looks between us with confused interest.
"What's a tushy?" Maisi asks innocently.
"Something your aunt shouldn't be discussing in public," Sienna says dryly.
Before I can get too distracted by how good he smells and how much I want to drag him home and show him exactly how proud I am of him, the café door chimes again.
This time it's Etta and Mabel, arriving like they've been summoned by some kind of sixth sense for important romantic developments.
"Well, well, well," Etta announces, her cat-eye glasses glinting as she takes in the scene. "If it isn't our two favorite lovebirds having a celebration without us."
"How did you—" I start, but Mabel cuts me off.
"Honey, news travels fast in this town. Jamie called Betty, Betty called Linda, Linda called us." She holds up a canvas bag that's making soft clinking sounds. "And we came prepared."
Etta reaches into the bag and pulls out two brand-new beanies, both knitted in official Mountain Rescue colors with "STONE RIVER MOUNTAIN RESCUE" embroidered around the band in precise white letters.
But that's not the best part.