Chapter 23
Taylor
Lying in Wyatt’s bed, I watched the play of the afternoon light on the wooden walls of the cabin.
Our arms and legs intertwined, bodies pressed close together in the afterglow of our lovemaking.
In and out of sleep, her slow breathing tickled my neck whenever she dozed, making it easily my favorite part of this trip.
“You awake?” Her voice was drowsy with sleep, eyes even more so as she lifted her head.
“A little.” I smiled softly, my fingers feathering up and down her bare back.
It was enchanting, being there with her in our own little bubble, speaking in hushed tones as if sharing secrets only we were privy to. Exchanging glances and light touches to prolong the euphoric bliss in which we basked. Michael Keaton soundly snoozing at our feet made it more perfect.
Wyatt’s fingers gently traced patterns on my arm. Her touch was nothing more than a whisper, but enough to cause goosebumps to break out all over my body. Her green eyes, soft and adoring, met mine as she looked up at me. It made me feel like I was being truly seen for the first time in too long.
I reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ve never been happier to be stuck in a snowstorm. No, scratch that. I’ve never been happier… that’s it.”
Her lips twitched with the threat of a smile. “Me neither. And I mean that, Taylor.”
Her words held an underlying current of significance. We both understood that our meeting was more than just serendipity. There was a purpose to our being brought together, something profound and life changing.
“Taylor,” she murmured, “I feel like you’re a part of my story that’s only just beginning.”
My heart swelled with affection as I leaned in, brushing my lips tenderly against hers. It felt true, what she’d said, and I could feel the excitement of it. Looking forward to what came next never felt this good, or tasted this sweet.
But just as I was settling into our snuggle time, an incessant dinging from my phone cracked our haven of bliss wide open. Wyatt saw the group icon on my screen as she passed the phone to me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek as she slipped out of bed.
I watched her pad to the kitchen, nothing but a shawl wrapped around her, to start a fresh pot of coffee. She wasn’t hiding, I knew that, but rather giving me some time alone with my friends, which was sweet of her.
I answered the video call and my screen filled with all of their faces huddled together, grinning stupidly at me.
Reid, Cam, Alex, Hayden… they were all together in what looked like Hayden’s kitchen.
After they finished pulling silly faces at me, they started talking at the same time.
Saying ‘hi’ for the most part, with Reid chastising me for falling off the face of the planet.
“As much as I love you, can we please keep the talking to one at a time?” I pulled the sheet up under my chin, hoping it was enough to keep them from asking questions.
The last thing I wanted was to be grilled about the state of my undress with Wyatt right there. She didn’t know my friends, or how relentless they could be with their teasing.
“Are you naked?” Alex instantly proved my efforts were in vain and gawked openly at my bare shoulders. “Why are you naked? Guys, Taylor’s naked.”
Wyatt bit back her laughter and focused really hard on preparing two cups for the coffee she was busy with. I glared at her, hoping she could feel my annoyance at being left to deal with them on my own.
The gang dispersed, taking up seats at Hayden’s dining table that was filled with plates of delicious-looking food. None of them were eating, though, their eyes glued to me.
“Okay, Taylor.” Hayden fixed me with a stern look that matched her tone. “Tell us why you’re naked. Are you alone? Is this why you’ve been incommunicado?”
I was flustered, but gave my best indignant look. “Why the third degree? I don’t remember taking the stand to answer this call.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Cameron hushed Hayden right when she was about to respond. “Let’s do it her way. Begin with a cordial brunch, like we planned. Then, when she’s all buttered up, we make her spill the beans.”
“You know I’m right here and can hear you, right?” I gave Cam a deadpan stare. “And also, brunch? What are you talking about?”
Alex held out her arms, motioning at the decadent spread before them. “We got tired of having brunch without you, so we decided to have a virtual one.”
Wyatt’s eyebrows shot up in alarm, but I could only shrug. I wasn’t expecting an extended call, either.
“Now’s not a good time, ladies,” I replied weakly.
“Clearly.” Reid smirked. “But you’re not about to blow us off. Not when we’re missing you so much, and definitely not when we still don’t know why you’re naked.”
I rolled my eyes in exasperation, but Wyatt snorted laughter, spilling a little as she made her way back to bed with our coffees.
“Hi, ladies.” She smiled brightly, handing me my steaming mug.
I wished I was quick enough to screenshot the moment they saw her come into frame, because the looks on their faces… Finally, I had a reason to stay on the call.
“How are you all doing?” Wyatt asked, trying to fill the stunned silence coming from the other end.
For the first time in my memory, my friends—every one of them—were speechless. Another few seconds passed, and it was all I could do to keep from laughing out loud.
“Did we lose them?” Wyatt asked.
I chuckled softly, because no, I could make out the subtle eye movements as my friends inwardly lost their shit, not knowing what to freak out about more—my partial nudity, or Wyatt’s. There was nothing wrong with the reception at all.
Hayden cleared her throat. “Nice to see you again, Wyatt.”
She must’ve thought her smile was a friendly one, but poor Hayden looked just as stupefied as the others. I settled back into the pillows, gearing up to have more fun with them.
“A little heads up about brunch would’ve been good,” I said. “Then we would’ve known to make snacks, or something.”
Cam chimed in with a cheeky grin, her frozen shock gradually melting. “That can be remedied if you take us through to the kitchen with you. We’ll keep you company while you two get your brunch ready.”
“And for God’s sake,” Alex said with an over-dramatic air of annoyance, “swap the cabin coffee for something a little more interesting. You can’t leave us sipping mimosas while you stay sober.”
Hayden leaned closer to the camera. “And give us a shot of Mr. Michael Keaton when you get up. We miss that handsome fur ball too.”
“I guess it’s time for brunch.” Wyatt gave me a peck on the cheek and slid off the bed to go to the kitchen.
This was the most salacious act, if the wolf whistles and howling from my friends were anything to go by.
I felt my face burning as it darkened a few more shades of red.
Like I was fourteen again, being teased by my brother for crushing on Janie Wilkens, who was a freshman in college and way out of my league.
“Here, take a look at this…” I gave them a panoramic view of the cabin as I followed after Wyatt, hoping they’d latch onto something else. And also hoping none of them noticed how hard I was blushing.
They all chimed in at once, admiring the warm interior, commenting on the quaint fireplace and the picture windows overlooking the snowy landscape. Amazing and fantastic were some of the words thrown out, but Cameron’s comment about it looking ‘romantic’ was the one that stuck.
“I’m kind of jealous,” she went on, “that you get to have your little hideaway out there. No work, no stress, no pressure.”
Hayden smacked her lips together after another sip of her mimosa. She had a roguish look in her eye that made me a little nervous. I glanced at Wyatt, but she was engrossed in her meal prep, not paying much attention to me or the crazy people on my phone.
“You guys must be having a great time.” Hayden smirked. “I don’t blame you for going off the grid for so long.”
I rolled my eyes. “I haven’t been off the grid, Hayden. I’m right where you left me. Aside from the storm knocking out recep-”
“Ooooh, what’s that?” Alex’s eyes widened, her gaze moving past me and over my shoulder.
I looked through the window, a smile forming on my lips. She’d spotted the area where Wyatt and I had taken Michael Keaton to play. Where we’d fooled around in the snow, and where she’d struck down my defenses with nothing but a look.
“I swear, this whole place is like a fantasy paradise,” I replied. “What you’re looking at is Wyatt’s backyard.”
“It’s incredible to think you have all that right outside the front door,” Cameron said.
But Reid was a little more blunt. She stifled a laugh, then said, “Yeah, but there’s only so much roughing it in the wilderness anyone can stand. And I know you, Taylor. You’re a city girl at heart.”
I rested my phone against the bowl on the kitchen table and sat down, working hard to keep my smile from wavering. Wyatt still hadn’t looked up from what she was doing, but there was a definite change in her posture that told me she was listening.
“You think you know me?” I brushed off her remark with an affected air of nonchalance. “I’m loving it out here. It’s beautiful.”
My friends shared knowing glances. They weren’t fully convinced that I was enjoying my time trapped in the mountains.
“You can be honest with us.” Alex spoke up first. “We know you miss the city. The hustle, the lights, the action…”
“And us,” Hayden added.
My gaze flickered over to Wyatt, who had paused in her meal prep. Her expression was guarded, but I caught a hint of something deeper.
“Of course I miss you guys,” I admitted. “And the city… It’s my home.”
Wyatt turned her back to me, and I got the distinct feeling I’d said something wrong.
My friends seemed satisfied, though, and easily relaxed into normal conversation after being placated with the news that I hadn’t thrown them to the wolves.
They talked about plans for when I got back home, and I let them.
It was the only way I got through the rest of their virtual brunch, because Wyatt had grown noticeably quiet, even after bringing the snacks to the table.
“Everything okay?” The call had finally come to an end, and I was still primed at pretending I hadn’t noticed that everything wasn’t okay.
Wyatt shook her head, almost imperceptibly. “Everything’s fine. Why?”
Fine.
I’d had enough revolutions around the sun to know the true meaning of that word. Added to that, I was a practicing member of the demographic who’d first imbued that word with its true meaning.
“I know they can be a bit much sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” Wyatt flashed a wry smile and downed the last sip of her coffee.
“Point taken,” I conceded, and reached for her hand, which she willingly gave.
“But they already like you, I can tell. And you’re going to have a blast in New York.
” She dropped her gaze, studying the gentle circles my thumb was making on her hand.
“If that’s what you want, of course. I totally understand if it’s too much.
Your anxiety… Giving up this solitude for the craziness of-”
In a swift motion I barely noticed, Wyatt moved her hand so that she was holding me instead. Her eyes were now fully locked with mine.
“What I want is to be with you, Taylor,” she said. “I’ll be fine.”
The smile she gave me was supposed to set me at ease, to assure me that she meant what she said. Which I did, mostly.