Chapter 50 #2
Elowyn was already pulling out her phone, showing Penny something that made her giggle.
“So,” Lou began as she started applying color to my roots. “How’s everything? Elena leaves today, right?”
“Yeah, this afternoon once her last session with Finn is done.” I relaxed into the comforting feel of the color brush against my scalp. “Overall, everything went well. Really well, actually. She gave us some tools, validated a lot of what he’s already been doing.”
“And how are you doing?” Elowyn asked from the table.
“I’m good. We’re good. It was hard for a bit there, but we’re in a really solid place now.”
“Good,” Lou said simply, sectioning off another piece of hair. “Both of you deserve to be happy.”
The conversation flowed easily after that, moving from Finn to ranch gossip and Penny’s upcoming school year. Lou finished my roots and moved on to setting up Elowyn’s foils while I sat with the color processing, the chemical smell familiar and oddly comforting.
“Those tents near the tree line at the ranch,” I said after a while, catching both their attention, “I’ve love to know more.”
“My glamping project.” Elowyn’s face lit up. “What about them?”
“Finn said they’re not quite ready for guests yet, but...” I took a breath, committing to being direct. “Is there any chance we could use one? For the Fourth?”
The silence lasted maybe two seconds before Lou and Elowyn made nearly identical faces.
“Oh,” Lou’s smile was immediate and knowing. “Oh, El this has to happen for them. Please.”
“Say no more,” Elowyn was already grinning. “I’ll make sure everything’s perfect. Which one do you want? There’s one with the best mountain view, or there’s the one that’s most private—”
“Most private.” I felt my cheeks warm. “Dom and Enzo are going to be in the room next to ours at the lodge, and after the whole balcony thing...”
“Enough said.” Lou was trying not to laugh. “You need actual privacy.”
“I’ll handle all the setup,” Elowyn’s smile grew bigger, just like her brother’s did when I caught him scheming. “Fresh linens and towels, start the fireplace, stock the mini-fridge. Do you want me to add anything special?”
“I trust you completely,” I said. “Whatever you think would be nice.”
Lou looked up from Elowyn’s foils. “What about that local whiskey from Jackson Hole? Snake River Distillery. I could grab a bottle for you. Or champagne? And snacks! For… refueling.”
“Any of those would be amazing,” I smiled, my cheeks warming at the innuendo. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” she smiled.
“This is going to be perfect,” Elowyn was practically glowing. “I’ve been wanting to do a test run before we officially open anyway. You two are the perfect guinea pigs.”
“Happy to help,” I laughed. “Very happy to help.”
The conversation shifted into logistics about the July Fourth celebration, where everyone would be, what time things started, how far back the tradition went.
Lou finished Elowyn’s foils and came back to check my roots, satisfied with how the color was processing. “Let’s give these another ten minutes, then we’ll rinse and El can work her magic with the scissors.”
“And then,” Elowyn added, “we have to see Lou’s garden. Her dahlias are incredible this year.”
“I’d love that,” I caught Lou’s pleased smile.
The garden was behind the house, a riot of color against the Wyoming landscape. Raised beds were organized with rows of massive blooms, some as big as dinner plates.
“Holy cow,” I breathed, stopping at the edge of the beds. “These are stunning. The photos on Instagram didn’t do them justice.”
Lou laughed. “They’ve been happy this year. Good weather, I guess. I’ve been entering a few in the county fair over the years. Been thinkin’ about selling bouquets too.”
“You should do that. Do all those things, Lou.” I grinned, instantly excited by the idea.
“I can help you with a website and some branding when you’re ready.
” I moved closer, examining flowers. There were deep purple blooms next to blush and soft pink petals, all arranged in perfect natural symmetry.
The coral ones caught the light like they were glowing. “These are insane in the best way.”
“I’ll cut you a bouquet.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely” she was already pulling out garden shears from a small outdoor cabinet near the back steps. “They’ll just keep blooming. Might as well share ‘em.”
She moved through the beds with practiced ease, selecting the best blooms. Elowyn found a bucket and filled it with water, and soon we had an armful of dahlias, heavy-headed and gorgeous.
“Thank you,” I said, meaning it for more than just the flowers.
Lou met my eyes and smiled. “You’re welcome. I’m glad we got to meet, Alex. Really glad.”
“Me too.”
We walked back toward the house together, Penny running out to show us her latest coloring masterpiece. I carried the bucket of dahlias like a trophy, my heart full from the entire afternoon.
Later, Elowyn drove us back to the ranch, the dahlias secure in the back seat.
“Good day?” She glanced over at me.
“Really good day,” I smiled.
“Lou likes you a lot, you know. She was nervous you’d hate her.”
“I could never,” I shook my head. “I was worried about the same thing, though. Finn was—”
“Alex, they were never going to go the distance,” she interrupted softly. “They were kids when they were together. He wouldn’t have left if she was the one. But she’s wonderful. You both are.”
My heart thudded at the admission. “I could say the same about both of you.”
“Well,” Elowyn grinned. “You’re stuck with us now.”
She pulled up in the curved gravel drive in front of the house. I grabbed the dahlia bucket from the back seat and followed her up the porch. Voices filtered through the open windows, someone laughing, Nolan’s deeper rumble underneath.
The front door wasn’t even fully open before I heard Enzo.
“Sister!”
He appeared in the hallway before I could set down the flowers, pulling me into a hug that nearly knocked the bucket out of my hands. Elowyn rescued it with a laugh as Enzo squeezed tighter.
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” I managed, my voice muffled by his shirt.
He pulled back, hands on my shoulders, studying my face. “You look good. Really good. Wyoming is good for you.”
“Wyoming needs a Target,” I laughed. “But this place isn’t bad.”
He grinned even bigger. “I know, right? Something about being up here, and being with a rough and tumble, ranch-bred—”
“Enzo,” Dom called from the living room. “Let her breathe.”
“It’s Alex!”
“You’re smothering her.”
Enzo rolled his eyes but stepped back. “Fine. Come say hi to everyone like a civilized person.”
The living room was full. Nolan sat in his recliner. Bridget was on the sofa with Dom beside her. Finn had claimed the armchair near the window. He stood when I entered, eyes lighting up.
“There they are,” Nolan smiled. “How was Lou’s?”
“Fantastic,” I moved toward Finn, who reached for my hand and dropped a kiss on my lips before ushering me to the chair he’d vacated. “My hair looks amazing, and Lou’s dahlias are incredible. She sent a whole bucket back with us.”
“I saw them,” Bridget nodded as Finn sat on the arm of my chair. “They’re gorgeous. We’re going to need a few vases and then you can spread them wherever you want.”
“When did you guys get in?”
“Just about an hour ago,” Dom stood and pressed a kiss to my cheek, squeezing my arm.
“We were just tellin’ stories,” Finn settled his hand at the back of my neck, squeezing gently. “Dad’s been sharing some gems.”
“Lies,” Dom sat back on the sofa. “All lies and slander.”
“You did get stuck in that tree,” Nolan pointed out.
“I was seven!”
“You were trying to prove you could climb higher than Finn,” Bridget added. “And then you panicked halfway up.”
Enzo leaned forward, delighted. “Wait, this is new information. Tell me everything.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” Dom scowled.
“He screamed for twenty minutes,” Finn offered helpfully. “Móraí had to get the ladder.”
“You could’ve helped me down!”
“I was higher than you were! I wasn’t going to climb down just ‘cause you were bein’ a baby.”
“I wasn’t being a baby, shit-for-brains!”
“Boys!” Bridget huffed. “Language.”
The conversation moved toward other memories, the mid-summer light shifting softly through the glass and across the walls while everyone visited.
“Alright,” Bridget stood finally, clapping her hands once. “Everyone go get ready. Dinner’s at seven at the lodge and I don’t want us to be late. We’re the owners and it’s embarrassing.”
“Yes ma’am,” Finn stood and pulled me up.
We headed back to our room, the early evening light slanting through the windows. I pulled my mustard blouse from a hanger and then Finn’s chambray shirt.
“How was your session with Elena?” I handed him his shirt.
“Good.” He stripped off his t-shirt and pulled the button up across his shoulders. “Final check-in, mostly. She wanted to make sure I was solid on everythin’ we’d covered. Talked about next steps. She asked about my plans for when we get back to Salt Lake.”
“And?” I pulled on my blouse, buttoning it in the mirror by the dresser.
“Said my new trajectory was good.” He pulled on his chinos. “Changed, and good.”
“Of course it’s good,” I turned around. He was working on the buttons of his shirt, getting a couple done before his fingers fumbled slightly. I crossed to him, brushing his hands aside gently.
“Let me,” I started at the bottom button and worked my way up. “This is a good look on you, by the way.”
“Yeah?” He smiled warmly, hands settling on my hips while I worked. “You’re not lookin’ too bad yourself, darlin’. That color’s perfect on you. Might need pants though.”
“I thought you preferred no pants.” My cheeks warmed as I finished the last button. “How’s your hip feeling? The injection site?”
“Little tender and stiff, but that’s expected. It’ll go away. You did perfect.”
“Only way I know how to be,” I winked, stepping back to finish getting ready while Finn tucked in his shirt and reached for his belt.
When I looked up, he was watching me with that soft expression that still caught me off guard sometimes.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just thinkin’ about how good this feels. All of this.”
“Yeah,” I crossed back to him, reaching up to smooth his collar even though it didn’t need it. “It really does.”
He caught my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm before lacing our fingers together. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
“Firepit?” Dom asked, wrapping his arm around Enzo as we left the restaurant. Nolan, Bridget, Elowyn, and Luke had already disappeared into the dark, headed back to the house.
Finn’s hand found mine. “Firepit.”
Dom and Finn loaded chairs and blankets into the back of the truck. Enzo appeared with a bottle of whiskey.
“Dad’s gonna start charging me,” Dom chuckled, kissing Enzo. “Perfect though.”
“Of course it’s perfect,” Enzo smirked. “It’s time to celebrate the fab four!”
The area was carved out near the tree line at the edge of the property. The lights from the lodge and guest firepits glowed warm in the distance and stars sparkled above us. Dom and Finn pulled out the camp chairs and set them up around stone pit in front of the log seating.
“Perfect spot,” I pulled a blanket around me, and Enzo and I settled into chairs. Enzo opened the whiskey and took a swallow.
“Told you,” Finn grinned in the twilight as they worked on the fire. Flames spread across the logs, warmth pushing back the mountain chill.
“So,” Dom leaned back in his chair once the fire was going strong. “You’re really doing this. Moving to Salt Lake.”
Finn shrugged, smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Seemed like the practical choice.”
He winked at me and the heat in my chest bloomed. Dom handed me the whiskey.
“Well, I’m going to be really sad to lose my adrenaline junky partner,” Enzo pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders and pretended to pout. “But at least you’ll be closer than the middle of Carmen Sandiego knows where.”
“You two should have your space back after the weddin’ anyway,” Finn replied. “You don’t need me kickin’ around while you’re honeymooning.”
“I dunno,” Enzo teased. “It’s nice having another person around to remind Dom he’s not actually an old man yet and it’s okay to stay out past ten. Maybe we’ll get a cat to replace you though.”
He took a pull of whiskey and turned to Dom. “Dom, papi, can we get a cat?”
“Why do I need a cat when I already have you, baby?” Dom leaned over and kissed Enzo, prying the bottle from him in the process. He turned back to us. “What’s the timeline for making it official?”
“Plannin’ on going straight back to Salt Lake from here,” Finn glanced at me. “If you’ll have me that soon.”
“Sweetheart, we’ve been living together for the last five weeks,” I reached for his hand, threading my fingers through his. “There’s no point in taking a break now.”
“Eight months ago, you were convinced you’d never figure out what came next,” Dom handed him the bottle of whiskey. “And now you’re planning your entire future.”
“Eight months ago, a lot of things were different.” Finn’s voice was easy, but there was weight behind it. He accepted the bottle, but set it on the ground.
“I’m proud of you,” Dom nodded, his voice going tight. “Seriously. You did the work. You’re still doing the work. That’s not nothing.”
Finn’s throat worked, and he looked down at our hands for a moment before nodding. “Thanks. Couldn’t have done it without Alex next to me.”
“You could have,” I squeezed his hand, my eyes clouding over slightly. “But I’m really lucky I got to be part of it.”
“Aww…” Enzo wiggled in his chair. “You two are so in love!”
“No point in denyin’ it,” Finn hitched a smile, his eyes bright and warm. He leaned over and kissed me softly.
“My Icarus,” I whispered against his lips.
“My feather,” he smiled against mine.
“My teeth! You two are going to give me cavities!” Enzo interjected, breaking the spell and making us all laugh.
“Speakin’ of big changes,” Finn squeezed my hand. “Alex finalized the partnership structure for Catalyst. Employee ownership, the whole thing.”
Dom’s eyebrows rose. “How does it feel?”
“Terrifying,” I admitted. “But good. Really good, actually. And thank you for wanting to be part of it. And for supporting Lennon.”
“Of course,” Dom leaned over and swiped the bottle from the ground, holding it up. “To new adventures!”
“To the people who believe in us,” Finn added.
“To partners,” I agreed, my heart thumping in agreement.
“To love!” Enzo grinned.
The fire popped, sending sparks up into the darkness. Above us, the stars spread across the sky in that brilliant way they only did out here, far from city lights. I tipped my head back, taking in the vast endless scatter of light against black.
“Never gets old,” Dom whispered, looking up too.
“No,” Finn agreed. “It really doesn’t.”
I turned to look at him, firelight catching in his eyes, his expression open and content. This was home and there was nowhere else I wanted to be.