Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
BIRDIE STOOD IN the line for the chairlift, listening to her brothers and Crew argue about whether nearly wiping out counted as a creative form or losing control, while Billie and Rebel were making bets on who would have the fastest run of the day.
Cutter and Quinn were huddled together in a private conversation.
By the look on Quinn’s face, they’d soon be sneaking back to their cabin.
Birdie glanced at Crew, standing beside her, one foot clipped onto his board, his hand warm at the small of her back, looking amused by her brothers. Maybe we can sneak off, too, for an early Valentine’s Day celebration.
She could hardly believe it was February already.
So much had changed in the last few months.
The shop was thriving with Quinn at the helm of the business end and Birdie back on track doing the things she loved.
Marie had left for another adventure. They’d hired Lucas’s girlfriend, Layla Braden, part time, and Layla’s aunt Catherine full time, which allowed Quinn to focus on the books and gave both of them a little more work-life balance.
Crew had moved in with Birdie right after Thanksgiving. The pictures of them had finally come out from hiding and found a place on their walls, alongside photos of her family and his mother and Robbie. Her house had never felt more like a home.
Billie was right. Over time Crew and Dare had found a middle ground based on mutual respect.
That respect had eventually morphed into a friendship.
It wasn’t as deep a friendship as some of the others, but it was a start.
Dare had been there when Crew had apologized to Billie’s parents over the holidays, and that seemed to have settled something in both of them.
Crew still helped on the ranch from time to time, but he’d followed his heart and had used the money he’d once resented to bring his and Robbie’s dream to fruition.
He’d purchased a building for the expansion of the food bank and now ran Robbie’s Way, a food pantry and swap shop, with Chuck.
That brought him as much peace as the healing of his relationship with his mother did.
Their letters had led to phone calls, and they’d gone to visit her last month.
Watching the man she loved reunite with the mother he’d thought he’d lost was the most beautiful thing Birdie had ever seen.
His mother had sought help over the years, and she was in a better place.
She’d connected with Martin over the holidays, and they’d become friends.
But she was still working through the guilt she carried about not seeing Crew.
She’d come out for the grand opening of Robbie’s Way a couple of weeks ago and had decided to stay on at the ranch, to see if it might sprinkle some healing magic on her, too.
Birdie and Crew had met her and Martin for lunch last weekend.
Their friendship was platonic, their affection genuine, and their shared support priceless.
Seeing his mother happy was the most healing gift of all.
Birdie counted herself lucky to have found a lover, best friend, and soulmate all wrapped up in one hell of a sexy Viking.
Crew caught her staring. “What’s that look for?”
“Nothing. Just admiring the view.”
He cocked a grin. “It’s nowhere near as good as mine.” He leaned in for a kiss.
“We’ve got good taste.”
“We sure do.”
“Hold that thought.” She pulled out her phone and tugged him down for a selfie. “I want to send that to your mom, but also, this is great content for Valentine’s week.” She eyed the others. “Billie, Dare, hold hands.” She aimed her phone at them.
Billie blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Hold hands,” Birdie repeated. “I need romance content for our socials.”
Dare happily grabbed Billie around the waist. “You heard the woman.”
Billie rolled her eyes but let him pull her in. Dare made a show of kissing and hugging her as Birdie snapped several photos.
“Perfect! I wish Sasha and Sully were here. I need more couples content.” Sully and Cowboy had announced their pregnancy New Year’s Eve. She and Sasha were out shopping. Birdie pivoted, turning her camera on Rebel.
“Don’t even think about it,” Rebel said. “I do not want to be part of whatever social media crap you’re doing.”
“You’re already a part of it,” Birdie said. “You’re the mascot.”
Rebel’s brows slanted. “The mascot of what?”
“Our anti-Valentine’s Day line of chocolates. You inspired the bestselling box, Sucks to Be in Love with Your Ex. Remember?”
Rebel uttered a curse.
“Nothing like being known as the mascot for emotional damage,” Billie said.
“Don’t knock it. Our anti-Valentine’s Day line has already outperformed our traditional Valentine’s line by fourteen percent,” Quinn said. “And it’s not even Valentine’s Day yet.”
“They monetized resentment,” Doc said. “That’s impressive.”
Birdie beamed. “What can I say? Heartbreak is extremely profitable. And it’s not like we’re pimping out resentment. It’s a box for when you know better but your heart doesn’t. Think of it as soothing the souls of heartbroken individuals.”
“Yeah, with chocolates called things like Love Bites and Romantically Unfortunate but Well Endowed.”
“Are they for dudes?” Cowboy asked.
“Anyone can be well endowed,” Birdie said. “I know better than to narrow my target audience.”
Rebel chuckled. “I’m glad the line is doing well, but this face is not a marketing campaign.”
“Maybe it’ll land you a date,” Crew suggested as the line moved forward.
“Or at least increase your odds,” Doc added.
Rebel scoffed. “I get plenty of women.”
“Dude, you could use some good PR,” Billie said. “Women around the Roadhouse are starting to call you Casper.”
They all laughed, but Crew squeezed Birdie’s hand and said, for her ears only, “Ghosting landed me my soulmate.”
Warmth spread through her. “We got lucky, but Rebel already met his soulmate. Hence the name of the box. Sucks to Be in Love with Your Ex.”
The lift attendant waved them forward, and Birdie and Crew climbed into the first car.
Crew slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer as they rode up the mountain. “Alone at last.” He kissed her slowly and sensually. “Are you having a good time?”
She leaned into him. “With you? Always.”
He brushed the tip of his nose along her cheek, his breath coasting over her skin, as he said, “Think anyone would notice if we didn’t get off at the top?”
“Ragnar, you dirty boy,” she said, moving her hand over his thigh. “Are you asking me to get you off while we ride the lift?”
“I wasn’t, but now that you mention it.” His hand slid over her thigh and between her legs, and his mouth came down over hers.
By the time they reached the top of the mountain, they were both flushed and ready for more. “What do you say we sneak away after this?” Crew asked as they prepared to get off the lift.
“I’m already planning our escape.”
They met up with the others at the top of the slope.
“Sasha would have dominated this run,” Cowboy said.
“No doubt,” Ezra said. “But my wife is currently busy debating nursery themes.”
“Debating? She and Sully have been shopping all day,” Birdie pointed out. “They’ve probably bought out every baby store in the area.”
“We’re going to need a bigger house.” Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. “We now own seventeen variations of every baby-related item in green and yellow, and Gus wants to paint the nursery purple.”
Cutter grinned. “Good luck with that.”
“I offered to paint your nursery and Cowboy’s,” Birdie said.
Dare winced. “Hope you’re into neon.”
“Those kids better come out wearing sunglasses,” Doc said.
“I don’t know, Bird,” Cowboy said. “We’re thinking about going with something subtle.”
“I can do subtle!” she said.
“That’s debatable.” Quinn looked at Birdie and said, “Sorry, but…”
Birdie rolled her eyes. “Babies need color. It’s good for their brains.”
Crew squeezed her hand. “You tell ’em, Trouble.”
“Let’s get this show on the road,” Dare said, pulling down his goggles. “First one down buys dinner!”
“Loser carries boards,” Cowboy added.
Birdie pointed at Crew as they all got ready. “You’re going down.”
A wolfish grin spread across his face. “I’m looking forward to it.”
A thrill chased through her.
“Ready, losers?” Doc hollered.
They all launched off the edge with shouts.
Birdie hit the drop fast, cutting through the cold air as Dare shot to her left, and Billie carved right, crowding her in.
“It’s a race! Not a hug!” Birdie shouted, laughing as she sped up to cut past them, but Cowboy slid into that space before she could claim it.
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” she shouted. No problem. She’d outrun them. She hunkered down, picking up speed, and just as she blew past them, Ezra and Doc flanked her. “Mother freakers!” Rebel cut in front of them, boxing her in. Damn it.
She tried to pass Dare, but he matched her speed. She darted right past Ezra, but Billie cut her off. Birdie shifted her weight, feigned left, then cut right, passing Billie. She threw her arms up, cheering, “Woo-hoo!”
Crew came out of her blind spot. Just as she registered him, he cut toward her, his arm sweeping tight around her waist. “Crew—”
He shifted his weight, dragging them both sideways and taking them down together. Snow exploded around them as he twisted mid-fall, absorbing the impact, keeping her tucked against him as they slid in a spray of powder and finally came to a stop.
“It’s not my fault!” she shouted, breathless and smiling as they pushed their goggles up. “It is not my fault this time!”
“Oh, it is.” He grinned down at her. “My honey-eyed girl. It’s one hundred percent your fault.”
She laughed. “In what world is this my fault?”
“You barreled into my path four and a half months ago, like summer on a snowy day, and you’ve been stealing pieces of my heart ever since.”
Her laughter softened.
“You are the most spontaneous person I’ve ever met.
” He brushed snow from her cheek. “Everything you touch comes alive. You talk about chocolate like it breathes and people like they’re heroes.
Hell, Trouble, you talk about broken things like they’re just waiting for another chance, and you have given me that in too many ways to count. ”
Her throat tightened. “Crew…?”
“You love like that, too,” he said. “You go all in. It’s who you are, Birdie. Fighting for what’s right and the people you love isn’t a decision for you. That loyalty is the very foundation of who you are, and I am so lucky to call you mine.”
Blinking against tears, she said, “I’m just as lucky to call you mine.”
“See?” He smiled like he knew something she didn’t.
“You’re fighting for me and don’t even realize it.
God, I love you. Everything about you. The way you steal the blankets at night and insist you don’t and that adorable look in your eyes when you’re plotting some kind of trouble.
I love how you never fail to look up at the North Star and hold my hand a little tighter and how you talk about Robbie like you knew him, and you include my mother in the littlest things.
And the way you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention, like I’m your favorite kind of chocolate. ”
Tears spilled from her eyes. “Because you are.”
“You’re mine, too.” He pulled off his gloves and brushed her tears away.
“I want all of that for the rest of my life. I want all of you. Your love, your loyalty, and your spectacular light that never goes out. I want to be the man you refuse to let climb the ladder to hang the mistletoe because you are an extraordinarily stubborn woman who will always and forever have something to prove.”