Epilogue
Lodge Five hadn’t changed a bit.
Moira looked around the cavernous living room to the loft above.
The squeal of the most annoying person on earth rattled her ears, and she turned to see Birdie rushing through her open front door to scoop her up in her arms. “I knew we would get cabins right next to each other!”
Old Moira would’ve shoved Birdie away and maybe kicked her in the shin to teach her not to ever touch her again, but over the past year, Moira had changed and that was thanks to a couple of things.
One, Cam. God, that man had stolen her heart.
She’d visited here every month, and he had visited her in Arizona just as much.
Two, this little wild hamster shifter had blown up her phone until Moira had just accepted her fate and let her in.
Moira didn’t shove her away or kick her. She hugged her best friend back.
She was still slightly scared of Birdie’s inner hamster, but whatever. That would sort itself out in time. Probably.
“Are you wearing a light gray shirt?” Birdie asked, shock in her tone as she pushed Moira back to arm’s length. “And are those caramel highlights in your hair?” she asked louder.
Moira’s fashion palette was still black and gray, but she had added a little lighter gray here and there. It felt right.
“Hey, girl,” Moira greeted her, smiling. “And hi Lance,” she called to the man who was standing in the open doorway.
Lance waved. “Birdie has not stopped talking about your arrival,” he deadpanned.
“How was the move?” she asked Birdie.
“It was a little messy. I’ll catch you all up on it. The movers broke everything, but it’s okay! We are sorting it out.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help.”
“Stop apologizing. You’re getting everything ready for your own move here. It’s a lot.” Birdie grinned so big. “We’re really going to be neighbors.”
“Technically, not at all. We’re moving to Cam’s cabin.”
“It’s within ten miles of our place. It counts! Wait…” Birdie looked around. “Where is Cam?”
“ATV tour. He’ll be here any second. He had a huge group book last minute.”
Brock and Ava leaned into the open doorway to say hi, and God, it was so good to have everyone back together again.
Moira and Birdie had been coordinating their trips here so they could all hang out for after-hours lodge nights playing uno and eating leftovers, and Moira had grown to truly love these people.
She closed the gap and hugged Ava, rocked back and forth as her friend chattered about how fun UnValentine’s Day week was going to be this year.
The sound of Cam’s truck was everything.
Moira released Ava and grinned when Brock said, “Go get him.”
Moira’s snow boots crunched through the snow as she bolted for the bear shifter hopping out of his truck with a bouquet of flowers.
Her eyes were already filling with tears as he held his arms out and caught her.
She wrapped her legs around him and hugged him like her life depended on it.
Maybe it did. She felt the most alive when she was with him.
“Hey pretty kitty,” he rumbled, hugging her up tight.
He eased back and kissed her, walking her toward Lodge Five.
God, he smelled good and felt good. He was so strong holding her, and she loved this. She loved him.
She was so happy with him.
“Are you all ready?” he asked.
Confused, Moira slid to her feet and asked, “What are we doing?”
“ATV tour,” Brock said. “I’ve got the coolers of food in the back of the Bronco already, and Gran is covering the two check-ins that are scheduled for today.”
“Go on get changed into your warm clothes,” Cam rumbled, his eyes dancing with excitement. “I cut a new trail just for all of us.”
“A custom adventure?” she asked.
“Kicking this UnValentine’s Day week off right. Let’s go get dirty.”
She looked around at Ava and Birdie, and the boys and realized they were indeed dressed for an outdoor adventure. Oh, hell yeah.
“What about Avery?” she asked Cam.
“She and Nathaniel are meeting us at our place.”
“Our place,” she said on a breath.
“Yeah,” Cam said, pulling her close again. “Our cabin.”
“Say it again,” she joked.
“Our cabin!” he yelled up into the sky.
“Give me five minutes,” she said excitedly, and then disappeared into the house with Ava and Birdie in a flurry of getting ready.
She loved this.
She loved everything about this town, and these people. She loved the routines they were building, and the comfort they had together.
She loved that she was about to do an ATV tour with her best friends who had become like a family to her.
She loved that if an insult slipped out of her, no one would take it personally. They would smile, or laugh under their breath, and move forward with their friendship.
She knew that her efforts would be reciprocated and appreciated when she gave them all the UnValentine’s Day presents she’d found for each of them over the past year.
She loved that she and Avery would go right back to being close, like she hadn’t been away for a month.
But most of all…most of all…she loved Cam and the life he was building with her.
All dressed and ready for the adventure, she and Ava and Birdie went outside to meet the boys. Cam was chatting with the guys, laughing easily, like worries didn’t exist here, and she got it.
There was something so damn special about UnValentine’s Day week here in Crested Butte, Colorado, with these people.
With the love of her life, her mate, her Cam.
Cam held his arm out for her to slip right against his ribs, and she nuzzled her cheek against his chest.
“Happy?” he asked.
“With you?”
Cam nodded, his blazing gold eyes steady on her.
“I’m very happy,” she whispered.
“Let’s load up!” Brock announced.
They all scattered to the three trucks, and for Moira, Cam led her to the passenger’s side of his truck and opened the door.
“This is my favorite holiday,” she admitted.
His smile made her heart stutter, and he leaned in and kissed her. “Good,” he said as he eased away. “Then it’s my favorite holiday too.”
Moira’s heart was full as she watched him walk around the front of his truck and get in.
She laughed as the other truck and Bronco spun out of the parking lot.
She laughed again as Birdie hung out of the window of the Bronco and waved like a lunatic at them at a red light.
She laughed again as they met Avery and the little hellion scooped her up in her arms and said, “Hey sis.”
Life sure looked different.
They all got situated and settled on their ATV’s. Moira wanted to ride with Cam though, and as she approached his, he just grinned and scooted forward like he knew what she needed.
She needed to touch him. She needed to have her arms around his waist, and her cheek against his back as he zoomed up the mountain trail he’d cleared for them and their friends.
And in this moment, with the wind zipping against her cheeks, holding onto the man she had fallen hopelessly in love with, she knew he’d been right.
This had been meant to happen to them.
They did deserve a bond, and now that she believed it, she would never take any of this for granted.
He had changed her life for the better in every single way.
And from the way he doted on her, she was sure Cam felt the same.
Everything that hadn’t worked out in her old life? Good. She’d been meant for something more.
This life was not promised to anyone, but she was going to appreciate the hell out of every minute of it.