Chapter 22
Kelly is wedged between Thor and me on the flight to Bozeman, her eyes glued to her tablet. She’s been sketching nonstop since we took our seats, even during takeoff, cramming in every bit of preparation she can before the event.
I tilt my chin down, whispering in her ear. “It’s okay to take a break, you know.”
“Mm-hmm,” she hums, her gaze still fixed on the screen.
The pilot’s voice crackles on the overhead speaker, announcing our descent into Bozeman.
As we slice through the clouds, the peaks of the Bridger Range are made visible.
Kelly’s stylus moves with quick, precise strokes, doing her best to fight against the occasional jerks of the plane. Her jaw is set—focused but not tense.
Closing my tray table, I smirk. “You’re gonna do great, Chaos.”
Apparently, that’s enough to pause her furious scribbling, and she tilts her head to face me. “What’s with that nickname, anyway? Why Chaos?” She stabs a finger into her chest. “By the w ay, I ’ll have you know that this is literally the least chaotic I’ve ever been in my life.”
I cock a brow, taking in her messy, disheveled hair tied up in a loose bun, and her sweatshirt, littered with cookie crumbs and a cranberry juice stain from when the flight attendants passed out drinks earlier.
“This is different,” she snaps. Kelly points to the stain on her shirt. “This is nerves.”
I raise my palms in surrender. When she relaxes back in her seat, I continue. “You earned the nickname Junior because—”
“Because I’m Clyde’s kid,” she huffs.
I shake my head. “Maybe that’s how it began, but you’ve earned your place at Black Rabbit—the guys might still call you Junior, but it’s not by default because you’re living in his shadow, it’s because you’ve proven strong enough to shoulder the legacy.”
“And Chaos?”
“I wanted to call you something nobody else could.” Junior belonged to the shop. Chaos belonged to me. “When you returned from college, you sent my world into a tailspin. It seemed fitting. You’ll always be my Chaos.”
She narrows her eyes. Then slowly turns her focus back to the tablet. “Well, knowing how serious you can be, I’m taking it as a compliment.”
“I meant it as one.”
Even though she’s looking down again, her pink cheeks lift slightly, telling me that she’s wearing a smile—until it fades. “What if they lost our bags? Put them on a plane going to Cincinnati or something?”
I huff out a laugh. “They didn’t lose our bags. Everything is going to be fine.”
She nods. “You’re right. Sorry.”
“Our flight is early. Our gear is going to be riding around the carousel when we get to baggage claim. Thor double-checked the van rental reservation, and it’s waiting for us at the airport. Your hotel room is booked—” I assure her.
“Yeah, about that. I really think you should be staying at the hotel with the rest of us. What if we can’t get ahold of you or something?” she insists.
I’m staying at the condo I bought last year. I rented it out last winter for skiers and snowboarders since it’s not too far from Big Sky. It’s a small one-bedroom, so the rest of the guys are staying at the hotel where the Bozeman Tattoo Festival is taking place.
“I’m like fifteen minutes away. It’ll be fine.”
She shakes her head. “I dunno, I just have a weird feeling. Like something unexpected is going to happen.”
Another scratchy announcement blares through the speakers, reminding passengers to put away any electronics and prepare for landing.
She tucks away her tablet into the backpack stowed under the seat in front of her.
The plane makes a shallow bank as our elevation decreases and we close the gap between us and the tarmac below.
Interesting that she’s picked up on that. “Everything will be fine.”
After dropping Kelly, Casper, Thor, and all of our gear off at the hotel, I take the rental van down the street to a nearby coffee shop, where I place an order for two iced drinks and a couple sandwiches to kill some time while I wait for her call.
I smile when my phone rings. She’s punctual.
“Miss me already?” I answer.
Her voice pitches with panic. “They don’t have my hotel reservation. I told you something weird was gonna happen, Logan! I did this! I jinxed myself!”
I roll my eyes. Other people are always taking credit for the things I do.
“Whoa, slow down. What are you talking about?” I ask, using my calmest voice.
A young toddler sitting with his parents not far from me enthusiastically faceplants into the giant blueberry muffin placed in front of him. I keep my laughter at bay while playing the role of Concerned Friend No. 1.
She takes a deep breath and exhales, speaking slower this time. “We went to check in at the front desk. Casper and Thor got their rooms. However, there wasn’t any reservation in my name. So I had them check under yours. They said only two rooms were purchased. Did you forget to book mine?”
“Of course I didn’t forget. Give me a minute, I’ll phone the hotel and get this straightened out.”
I end the call and check the weather report for Bozeman while waiting for my order. Blue skies for our whole trip. Beautiful.
“Logan!” The barista sets a brown paper bag on the counter and a drink holder with one iced tea and one iced Americano—decaf. The last thing she needs is more jet fuel.
After depositing a couple bucks in the tip jar, I gather my food and drinks, then head back to the rental van to return her call.
“Hey. I just spoke with them. Unfortunately, they’ve been having some glitch in their reservation system. They don’t have any vacancy, so I’m going to come pick you up and you can crash at my place.”
“Don’t you only have one bed?”
“I’ll take the sofa.” I’m not taking the sofa.
“I don’t want to make you—”
“I want to.”
“What about—”
“Don’t even start with me, Kelly. I’ll update Casper and Thor. All you need to do is meet me in front of the hotel in two minutes.”
“Okay.”
I hang up before she can argue any more.
That was easy.
“Oh—Oh my God!” she says. Dropping her backpack at the door, she beelines across the condo to the large picture windows. “Logan, this view is unreal!”
I would have bought any dump that allowed me to become an official Montana resident.
A condo was the ideal situation. Monthly dues cover building maintenance, making it easy to manage, and they allow occasional short-term rentals.
On paper, it appears nothing more than a diversified portfolio .
. . In practice, I’m building a backstory.
After the real estate agent showed me the gorgeous panorama, I was sold. What can I say, I’m a sucker for a view. Seeing her curves silhouetted against the big blue sky and white-capped mountains has me appreciating it even more.
I set our food in the open kitchen. “There’s a couple sandwiches in the bag, why don’t you pick one out while I bring in our suitcases.”
“Mm-hmm,” she mumbles, still staring out the window.
It only takes two trips to carry in the remaining bags from the van. When I’m bringing in the last of them, I find her still standing in the same spot as I left her. I toe off my shoes and push them aside.
“Hey. Chaos. Time to eat,” I say, removing our food from the brown paper bag.
“Huh? Oh, sorry!” She spins around with a soft smile, throwing a thumb over her shoulder. “Those mountains are hypnotizing.” I’m relieved to see her carrying much less tension as she eases her way toward the kitchen.
The guys were aware Kelly didn’t have a room. However, I didn’t anticipate that she’d be so anxious on the trip, which makes me feel a little guilty for adding an extra layer of mayhem to her day.
She bellies up next to me at the island and unwraps a sandwich. After a few bites, Kelly’s eyes drift from the majestic mountains to the interior space. She nods in approval while swallowing. “You didn’t tell me you had such a great place.”
I’ve only been out here a couple times since I bought it.
Once to furnish the condo, and a second time to wrap up paperwork with the county.
It’s a corner unit, so the natural lighting is fantastic with a wall and a half of floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.
The countertop faces out, so we’re able to admire the spectacular landscape while we eat.
A small balcony, barely big enough for a table and two chairs, is accessible from a glass door near where we sit.
The times I’ve visited, it’s never been warm enough for me to utilize, but it faces the northwest, so I imagine it’s an ideal spot for watching the sunset with a drink in hand.
On the other side of the condo is a straight iron staircase that stretches to the upstairs loft.
It’s an open-concept bedroom with an enclosed bathroom—somewhat similar to my place in Minneapolis, only smaller.
“Thanks.”
“So,” she begins. “What do we have planned for tonight?”
“Nothing.” I lean forward, propping my elbows on the kitchen island and checking my watch. It’s just after four o’clock.
“Should we go out on the town?” she asks. “I heard Casper mention going out to some bars.”
“Or . . .” I turn to look at her. “I could make us an old-fashioned and we can watch the sun go down behind the mountains.”
Our eyes meet, and we regard each other for a moment. I press my tongue into my cheek.
Her mischievous gaze has me rooted in place, like she’s already imagining the things I plan to do to her. “I like your idea better.”