13. Birdie
13
BIRDIE
I'm a bundle of butterflies and it feels like I'm vibrating out of my skin with anticipation.
If Will's dad is right that life is 95% anticipation, then I think I'm using up almost all of that right now… and the date hasn't even started yet. I don't think I've ever been so equally nervous and excited at the same time.
I saw Dad off first thing this morning, having booked and scheduled everything he needed for a two-day stay in Anchorage. He kissed my cheek, pulled back, and looked me dead straight in the eyes. "If he's even an ounce of the man I think he is, you've got nothin' to worry about, or even be nervous about, Little Bird." Proving that he's not just smart, he's a damn mind reader too.
"Thanks, Dad."
"Although, if he hurts you, I'll hurt him. Yeah?" he said with a smirk.
"How 'bout we don't scare him on the first date, Dad."
That got me a chuckle and a hug before he waved goodbye.
Then I went back to bed for a few more hours. Since waking up a second time, I've cleaned the house, made my bed, had a shower, redone my make-up twice, and changed my outfit three times.
Now I'm standing at my front window–behind the curtains obviously–waiting for Will to arrive for our date.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway makes my heart leap. Watching from my secret spot, I watch him step out of the car, looking rugged and handsome in a plaid shirt and jeans. Small town mountain town looks mighty good on that man.
My stomach is twirling as I move to the front door, waiting for him while my pulse slowly ramps up until it is punching against my ribs.
I take a slow deep breath, exhaling with a whoosh when Will knocks for me.
Swinging the door wide open, I greet him with a huge smile. "Hey," I say, trying to sound casual and cool.
"Hey yourself," he says, his eyes crinkling at the sides as he smiles and slowly takes me in from head to toe and back again. "You look amazin'."
"You don't look so bad yourself, City Boy."
"You ready to go?" he says, offering me his hand. I notice he's holding his breath. For a moment I wonder if he's expecting the same zing that comes whenever we touch.
"Sure am. Are you still happy to drive?" I say, grabbing my purse from the hallway table. I stare down at his offered hand, both eager and nervous in equal measure.
He nods and wiggles his fingers, making me smile as I slide my hand into his, not loving the way my skin buzzes against his.
"Whoa," he murmurs, his eyes dropping to our joined hands. "That can't be a coincidence," he says slowly lifting his gaze to mine.
My brows bunch. "What do you mean?"
"It keeps happening. Every time we touch, I feel it everywhere."
Unable to help myself, I tilt my head and shrug. "Don't know about you, but I get tingles and heart palpitations with all the guys I hold hands with. Every single one of them. Don't you?"
Will chuckles. "Only you, honey. Only ever you. Wonder if it means somethin'." God, I hope so…
"You feel it too," I whisper, looking up into his soulful hazel eyes.
He raises his other hand and hooks my hair around my ear, the move making my knees wobble. "I feel different every time I'm near you. Every time we touch, it's like I've touched an electric fence. My heart goes nuts, my skin feels like it's vibratin', and no matter if I've just seen you or talked to you, I miss you." Then he stops, his eyes jumping wide and his breath catching. "Dammit. I shouldn't have said all that. You probably think I'm crazy or somethin'."
Will tries to tug his hand away but I tighten my grip and hold firm until I have his attention again.
"I'm glad you told me," I say softly, "because if you're crazy, then that means I must be too."
"What?"
"I haven't felt anythin' like this before, Will. With anyone. Ever." He lets out a sigh of relief. "So, whatever this is, whatever this is meant to be, at least now we know we're in it together, yeah?"
His eyes soften, his gaze a mixture of relief and something else it's far too soon to hope for. "Together," he says. "I like that."
I'm more certain than ever that I'm Will's reward and that at least one of us has heard the mountain's Call. Maybe this time the prophesy is working in reverse and instead of me being called to him, it’s Will that's been brought to me.
All I need to work out now is to find out whether Will and his brothers know anything about their family's lore and the relationship with the mountain spirit that lives within Cooper's Ridge.
I also need to make sure Will falls in love with my hometown and never wants to leave. That should be the easy part .
While I'm thinking through all of this, I realize we're still standing in my doorway, my hand still in his. He stands just short of touching me and going by the way he's looking at my lips, it seems that he's not the only one who's thinking about kissing either.
Isn't this how it should be at the end of the date, not the start? Is this some kind of mystic speed dating or something? I might have to do some rereading of Aster's books…
Needing a breath just to cool my jets, I smile and step back, hoping he'll realize I'm pressing pause, not saying no. "Let me shut this door and we can hit the road."
Squeezing his fingers, I slowly slide my hand away from his, feeling the loss immediately. That's not to say I can't sense his closeness as I lock the door though. "So, are you ready for your tour of Timber Falls, Will?"
Gentle eyes roam over my face before he stares deep into mine, a slow-growing smile curving his tempting lips.
"Sure am, honey. Let's go."
"Our first stop on this world-famous tour of Timber Falls is the gas station," Birdie announces as we turn into the forecourt next to the Lair. She turns in her seat to face me, grinning brightly. "Now, you're probably wonderin' why we're here." I arch a brow, urging her to continue. "Well, that's easy. I figured we could get a couple of water bottles to keep us hydrated for our next stop." I release my seatbelt and move for the passenger door handle but stop when Will's palm rests on my leg. Looking over my shoulder, I'm met with an unwavering look of determination.
"Sorry, honey, but if you think I'm lettin' you pay for anythin' today, then you're wrong. How 'bout you stay here, and I'll fetch us the water," he says.
" Or… we both go in. I'm givin' in this time, but I want to introduce you to Wally, the owner of the place. He's been here longer than me and Da have been alive, he was my granddad's best friend, and he treats me like a granddaughter."
Will's eyes melt–which makes me want to dissolve into a puddle of goo. "OK, honey. That sounds like a fine compromise to me."
"Glad you think so because I would've done it anyway," I reply, not hiding my sassy tone. If he wants to date me, the man should know what he's signing up for. "But also, if there's somethin' goin' on in this town, Wally either knows about it or can find out. I figured we could ask him about your donkey problem."
We step out of the truck and Will rounds the hood to grab my hand, leaving me with a soft flutter in my chest as he leads me inside the small store of Gass Up.
Straight away I'm hit with the smell of motor oil and day-old coffee, and it takes me back to my childhood when Grandad would bring me here and Wally would make a big show of sneaking me a sucker.
Speaking of Wally, the same stout man with a bushy white mustache looks up from behind the counter, his eyes twinkling when he sees me. "Birdie girl. Ain't you a sight for sore eyes. Come 'ere and give ol' Wally a hug," he announces.
Stepping forward, I happily oblige, wrapping my arms around Wally in a tight embrace. His deep chuckle rumbles through his chest before patting my back and pulling away. "Now that is just what the doctor ordered," he says before his eyes slide over to Will. "And you brought me a Cooper, how nice of you."
I snicker, shaking my head. "Can't get anythin' past you. Can I, Wally."
"Don't even know why people still try." He winks before sliding his eyes to Will. "Nice to see you again, Will."
They shake hands before Will steps close to my side. "Didn't know you'd be the first stop in Birdie's private town tour."
"Ah," the man replies, a knowing twinkle in his eye. "That's because we're always the first stop for anyone in town. By the time they reach the Timber Falls welcome sign, they either need gas, refreshments, or use of the facilities. Lucky for them, I've got all three."
"Indeed," Will says with a chuckle.
"What'll it be today, Birdie?"
"Other than introducin' you' to Will here, it's just a quick refreshment stop for us," I reply.
Wally looks between us. "Hmm, refreshments, huh? Is that what you kids are callin' it these days? Just you wait till I see the Mayor next, young Birdie."
"Wally!" I half gasp, half giggle, turning my head and burying my face against Will's arm as he laughs quietly along with my old friend. I don't know why I do it, but it's like everything in me gravitates to the man. Thankfully, he welcomes the move, wrapping an arm around me and resting his hand on a respectable part of my hip.
"I'll just grab us a couple of waters and we'll be on our way. Been waitin' a while for a date with this lovely lady so you'll understand that I'm eager to get it underway," Will's deep voice rumbles and I find myself leaning closer before I even realize I'm doing it.
Wally quirks a brow. "Hard to do that with a Birdie attached to you. How 'bout I go get that for you?"
I straighten and go to move back but find myself pulled back into Will's side. "Appreciate it, Wally."
While the old man is fetching our drinks, I lift my face to sneak a peek at Will and it hits me then, that this date isn't just about showing Will around town and introducing him to the townsfolk. I just want to spend time with him. I don't care if we're slinging manure, as long as we're doing it together. It's all I've wanted to do since he hunted me down at the Lair.
And kissed my cheek in the hallway.
And the back-and-forth text messages that have never failed to make me smile and laugh since then.
"Two waters as ordered by the lovebirds," Wally says, handing Will a paper bag with our drinks inside. "Slipped some of Birdie's favorite boiled peanuts in there too. Just got in a fresh batch today." Then he rings up the total on the register and only charges us for the water.
"Wally…"
"Just let the man pay and be on your way, girly," he says, giving me a 'do not argue' look. "Hope you know you've got your hands full with this one."
"Wally! Don't scare him off," I whisper, meaning every single word.
Will hands the money over to Wally with a smile. "Trust me, her sass is one of the things I like most about her," he says, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Is it possible to melt in the Alaskan mountains in Winter?
"Oh, you've saved me a trip, Will. Got a package here for you. It arrived yesterday and I haven't had a chance to deliver it yet."
Will cocks his head, his brows furrowed while Wally quickly disappears out the back, returning moments later with the package in his hand.
"Feel free to give me a call if anythin' else arrives. We're not expectin' anythin', but that doesn't mean nothin' will come. Thanks again, Wally."
"Anythin' for Riddles's family," the old man says, and I don't miss the way Will's breath catches before coming out in a whoosh. "Oh, I almost forgot. Birdie, you know that donkey you asked me about?"
"Sure do. Heard anythin'?" So far, there have been no reports of a missing donkey, and after putting out calls around town to people who would be in the know if there was a missing animal, it seems that the animal up at Cooper Ranch is a stray of sorts.
Wally shakes his head. "Nope," he says, looking over to Will. "Seems like you've got yourself a new resident up on the mountain."
Will chuckles. "He seems to be happy as a pig in mud up there, that's for sure. Hasn't even tried to escape yet."
Wally snorts. " Yet bein' the operative word. A word of warnin', Donkeys are as sneaky as they are ornery. They'll either love you or make your life more than a little interestin'."
I gulp, sneaking a glance at Will and trying to get a read on where he's at with the animal. "Lucky for me, there's enough of us up there to keep an eye on him. We've also got a ranch hand arriving soon from Bull Mountain. Anyway, don't let us keep you. We'll see you again soon," Will says, giving a chin lift. He slides his fingers alongside mine and waits for me to say goodbye before leading me outside. "So, where to next on our tour?" he asks as we walk back to the truck.
"Well, now that I've got water and peanuts, we could go anywhere ," I say in a playful dream-like voice. Will opens the door for me and helps me up into my seat. "How bout we skip the Lair since you've already been there– twice –"
He smirks. "And had the pleasure of seein' you there both times, might I add."
"Yes, that too."
Closing my door, he quickly moves to the driver's side and slides behind the wheel.
I lean back against the door. "How about we drive down the main street, then onto Restaurant Row? Then I can show you the places where I volunteer when I'm not workin'. You know, just in case you feel the need to stalk me again."
"Well, you never do know when you have to hunt someone down for a date. Hopin' I don't need to again, but I guess that depends on how the rest of today goes."
"I think the odds are lookin' in your favor, City Boy," I reply.
His eyes narrow. "If you go radio silent on me without explanation, that's how I'll know I've done somethin' wrong. And there's one problem with that…"
"Let me guess," I retort, making sure there's no way he could miss my incredulous tone. "Because you couldn't possibly screw this up?"
He barks out a laugh at that. "Nope. Because I don't plan on doin' anythin' wrong that'll cause you to cut me off."
"You have a plan for me, Will Cooper?" I whisper.
Turning his whole body toward me, he locks warm crinkled eyes with mine. "I think I should, for sure. There's just somethin' about you and I haven't been able to get you off my mind."
"Ahh. Do you want to stop thinkin' about me? I guess that's the million-dollar question." I hold my breath and wait for his answer. When it comes, he doesn't disappoint.
"Can't say that I do. Cap always said that when he first saw our Mom, it was like she was a shining lighthouse in a storm."
"OK…" I say, completely confused.
"Birdie, right now, I'm bein' blinded by your light and I'm not complainin'."
"But we've only just met," I whisper.
Will smiles, and it might just be my favorite version of his I've experienced so far. It's small and warm, but no less meaningful. Probably more so because it's soft and gentle, genuine… honest.
"My parents met on a Tuesday. They were datin' by the followin' Friday, and one month later, they were sneakin' off to get married at City Hall during their lunch break. That was thirty-seven years ago, and I've never known two people who are still so in love."
Heart melting. Swoon activated. Worries evaporated. Suspicions are all but confirmed.
And he's telling me all of this without knowing about the mountain's Call…
Needing to distract myself from blurting out everything, I see the package from Wally on the seat between us. "Are you goin’ to open it?"
Will arches a brow, seeming surprised at the change of subject. Thankfully, he lets me get away with it. "You want me to? I didn't want to be rude."
"Isn't it bad manners to leave a lady in suspense?" I counter.
He snorts. "Can't have that now, can we?" Picking up the package, he gives it a quick shake, his frown deepens when it doesn't make a sound. "I have no idea what this could be."
"Do you know who sent it?"
His eyes flash. "Now why didn't I think of that," he replies, turning it over. "G and A Cooper from Moose Mountain."
Now I may strive to be honest, but I'm more than a little curious to know if Will and his brothers know they have kin all over the state. Cooper is Aster's legally married name and Hollingsworth is her writing name. Gray Cooper is her husband, and along with his three brothers, they live on Moose Mountain with their soulmates and growing families. "Could they be cousins of yours?"
"Must be. Distant ones though. Gramps had a lot of siblin's and they had a lot of kids too. There are probably cousins and the like all over the place. Cooper is a common name though." He turns the package back over and starts to unwrap it.
"You do have a ridge named after your family, so it may be common, but it's also well-known around the area and along the mountain range," I tell him.
"Hmm. You've got a point there."
I nod to the package. "You goin' to put me out of my misery? My dad says I've always been as curious as a cat."
"Maybe you can help us find Gramps's clues around the house then," he smirks.
"Clues?"
"Seems Gramps left us gifts, notes, and the like around the ranch. We never know where they are, or what they're goin' to be," he says mysteriously, The surprise mail delivery is all but forgotten now.
"You're sayin' Ridley took the time to hide things around the ranch, hopin' you and your brothers will find them?"
"Apparently so…"
"What have you discovered so far?" I ask, leaning forward. "Is it jewelry? Anagrams? Maybe some of those cryptic puzzle things he used to love solvin' while he sat on the porch with a blanket and drank the lemon sweet tea I made him." Will's eyes are nearly bugging out of his head by the time I realize I've been rambling. "Sorry."
"Honey, don't apologize. You've just told me more about Gramps in the past thirty seconds than I knew myself, and I always made sure to call him once a month without fail." He shifts his head to the side. "He drank lemon sweet tea?"
"Oh yeah. He loved it. Every time Dad and I would go up there, he'd shoot me that irresistible toothy grin of his and ask if I'd make him his tea. I was like putty in his hands. Come to think of it, maybe that's where you get your charmin' ways from." That earns me a hot look and a slow-growing grin that I swear I feel as well as see.
"OK. Let's find out what they've sent me." He rips open the package to reveal a set of books. Not just any books either. "Hey, isn't this the author you were tellin' me about?" he says, eyes sliding over to mine.
I stare at the beautiful paperbacks in his lap. My pulse spikes and anticipation the likes I've never felt before fills me full to bursting. Is this when he'll realize?
"Aster Cooper aka Aster Hollingsworth, I think she might be your cousin's wife. Gray and his brothers live on Moose Mountain," I tell him, watching for some sort of recognition.
His eyes light up. "You know how I said Gramps's has left stuff for us to find? One of the things we found was a notebook hidden under a floorboard in my bedroom."
"OK…" I say slowly, wondering what this has to do with him knowing his cousins.
"In that notebook, there's was a Cooper family tree. If you're right, then Gray, Aster, and the rest of them should be in there."
I look over the books. "Those ones are good. They're the first ones I read of hers."
"And now you're hooked?"
"Sure am. She's awesome, too. I've been to one of her readin' retreats at the mountain. I've met her family–possibly your family as well. They're lovely people."
He turns the top book over in his hand. "She's quite famous then? Can't say I've heard of her."
"Those books there put her on the map, so to speak." I nod to the stack. "Is there a letter or a note inside? Aster would never send a package without a message."
He looks in the packaging, finding nothing, before opening the cover of the book to find a note stuck inside. Then he starts reading it out loud.
"Dear Will. Welcome to the mountains that we Coopers like to call home. As you and your brothers settle in at the ranch and in the town, you might discover a lot of things about yourselves, the land, and our big, spread-out family. May these books of mine help give you an insight into our small town lives in the mountains, but also a little somethin' else that you might not know about yet. If you're ever in the neighborhood, please feel free to call in and say hi. Love Aster."
I hold my breath, waiting for Will's reaction but as I'm coming to realize about this man, he's very hard to read.
"I might have to ask Mom and Cap about that side of the family. It's nice of them to send this though. Kind of like a housewarmin' gift," he says with a fond smile.
"Do you think you'll read them?" I ask.
"Well, you said I should, and now it seems that the universe has given me a sign by literally putting them in my lap. So, I figure I should give them a try."
I squeak happily, unable to help myself. "If you want, I could buddy read them with you."
"Buddy read?"
"Yeah. Reading a chapter or two a night and talkin' about it with each other."
His warm eyes turn molten right in front of me, his voice dropping an octave. "I'd like that."
"I would too." We sit there staring at each other, the rest of the world around us seemingly fading away until a car horn snaps us out of it. We both start laughing at that. "Guess we should probably get goin'."
"Probably," he smirks. "I can get us to the main street and Restaurant Row, but after that, you'll have to give me directions. Deal?"
I let that sit between us for a spell, my lips twitching as I watch him watching me. "On one condition..."
"What's that?"
"You try my boiled peanuts. Cause it's a crime you haven't had them before, and shouldn't first dates be about experiencin' new things?"
He makes a show of rubbing his beard as if he's thinking about it. "You drive a hard bargain, honey. But if you insist."
"I do," I say, handing over the pack of nuts.
Then we continue toward the town proper, doing it with the smell of peanutty goodness in the air.