Chapter 34
T he fire crackled at the edge of the lake, casting dancing light across the water.
Smoke curled into the evening air, mingling with the scent of grilled meat and what she could only describe as the aroma of the outdoors.
Lauren sat on a blanket, nestled between Mac's legs, his arms looped over both shoulders, with his hands clasped on her chest. His warmth surrounded her, making her feel secure and wanted.
Cord flipped burgers on the grate, staring hard into the flames. Beckett crouched nearby, poking at the fire with a stick.
A cooler sat beside them, half-buried in the sand. Cord stepped over, popped the chest open, and pulled out a bottle of wine, holding it up with a grin. "This is for you, if you like it. We figured you might be more of a wine girl than a beer girl."
"As a matter of fact..." Lauren smiled, touched by the gesture. "I am. Thank you."
Cord winked. "We aim to please."
She took the bottle, letting Mac pour some into one of the tin cups he'd brought down from the cabin. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect—like everything else about this place.
They ate with their plates balanced on their knees, the fire warming their faces, small talk coming and going in easy waves.
Mac didn't let go of her once, even when she leaned forward to grab a paper towel or reach for her drink.
This quiet possessiveness of his was new, and yet they had no exposure as a couple around other people.
Public displays of affection didn't bother him, and that thrilled her. It made her feel cherished.
It was also something she hadn't known she needed in her life.
Beckett raised his gaze and said, "If you're staying here, what are you doing about your work? Isn't that all online and involving travel?"
"I have some equipment that will connect me to a satellite by using my Jeep's battery.
Hopefully, that'll let me upload my videos and photos.
" She rubbed her lips together. "But most of it, like editing and picking out which media will work best, is done on my laptop or phone, which I can run off my battery packs. "
"But then how are you going to charge them when you've drained all the power?" Beckett glanced at Mac. "It seems like a lot of work since we're off-grid."
She nodded. He had valid concerns. She'd thought of them all. But she couldn't walk away from her career after working tirelessly to build her following.
"When I don't have any power banks with juice, I'll have to drive off the mountain to charge them. I still have my apartment, so...I guess I'll see how that works for me," she said.
Beckett shook his head. "Too many trips down, you'll have to buy a new vehicle. The road is rough."
"My Jeep isn't the prettiest ride around, but she's reliable. I've taken her to a lot of questionable places." She swallowed, knowing it wasn't going to be easy. "I'm not sure how everything will work out, but for now, all I can do is try."
"Fair enough." Beckett dipped his chin. "It's not impossible if that's what you want."
His quiet approval set her mood in a better place. She hoped that as problems came about, she could overcome them. Her happiness depended on her finding a way to make their relationship work, and she wanted to stay on the mountain.
"So, you travel all around?" Cord took a bite of his burger.
"Yes." She set down her paper plate. "For the last two years, I've concentrated on places in the Pacific Northwest. That's what led me to Bitterroot Mountain Range Campground.
For now, I'm going to find content on the mountain to use.
There's so much here, I don't think I'd ever run out of media to share between the land, the lake, and the animals. "
"What's been your favorite place so far?" asked Cord.
"You'd better say the mountain," muttered Mac.
The others laughed. She'd never heard them let loose before. The deep voices sounded sexy together. It also dawned on her that she was the only female around with three mountain men. It was crazy and weirdly overwhelming.
"Before the mountain slid into my number one spot." She raised Mac's hand and kissed his knuckles. "It was the coast. Specifically, the Oregon coastline."
"Seaside is fun," said Mac.
She looked over her shoulder. "You've been there?"
"As a kid." His upper cheeks quivered in amusement. "I didn't always live on the mountain."
There was so much to learn about him.
"What brought you to Bitterroot in the first place?" asked Beckett. "I get that you wanted to splash it on the internet, but why here?"
"It was more of a vacation for me," she said softly.
"I'd recently gained over a million followers and wanted to celebrate.
I had never gone camping before. Staying in a cabin sounded like fun, and having the chance to experience nature without the distraction of my phone all day appealed to me.
So many of the places I go to, I never have the time to enjoy and explore.
I was also challenging myself because no one thought I'd last a whole month, including me. "
"Was it hard?" Cord dropped another log onto the fire.
"Surprisingly, no." She laughed softly. "Mac and Jetter took most of my attention so that I didn't miss my phone."
As the night deepened, she found herself watching the two men more closely.
Cord was a charmer with a quick smile and quick wit, but there was something under the surface that hinted that all wasn't happy in his life.
It was almost like he went out of his way to hide his real personality.
Beckett was quieter, more reserved, like Mac—but with a sharpness in his eyes that suggested he saw more than he said.
They were both handsome, rugged in that mountain man way. They also seemed around Mac's age. She wondered why they weren't married. Surely, they caught the attention of the female campers.
When they were together, like tonight, she was awed that they weren't snatched up yet. But maybe it wasn't only their blood relations that made them similar. Maybe Beckett and Cord had their own past they had to deal with before they could fall in love.
She yawned. The warmth of the fire and the steady crackle of the flames lulled her toward sleep. It'd been a whirlwind the last twenty-four hours, and it was all catching up with her.
Mac finished his beer and kissed the side of her head. "Time to go."
She nodded, too tired to argue, and let him help her to her feet. She told them goodnight, with Cord promising to make breakfast if she showed up early enough, and Beckett offering a nod.
As she walked back to the cabin, Mac's hand found hers and laced her fingers tightly.
She didn't know what tomorrow would bring.
But tonight, she belonged to Mac.