21. Will
21
WILL
The last four hours have passed by in a blur but at the same time, they've also felt like the longest four hours of my life.
Something has changed inside me since we arrived in town, and it has everything to do with Birdie and a burning, unmistakable, insatiable need building inside of me. The minute I laid eyes on Moose Mountain, it was like a switch was flipped.
But with plans set and places to be, I've had to ignore it and focus on what we're here to do.
After the expected ribbing from the twins about the impromptu make out session in the truck they witnessed, we all checked into the B&B and met the hilarious and flamboyant owner, Todd, before going our separate ways to freshen up.
Then, with directions drawn out by Todd in his pink, strawberry-scented glitter pen–his words–we hit the road again, this time heading around the lake sitting at the base of the mountain until we arrived at Snowy Spruce Farm to see Rob, the Christmas tree man the mayor put us on to.
Having been worried about Case's mood and mental well-being for the past week, my concerns disappear when I see him in action. That's when I get to see just how invested he is in his tree farm plan idea. Straight away, he's all in on learning everything there is to know about Ron's business and the process from planning and planting, right through to maturity.
Case is a natural when it comes to driving the conversation, effortlessly asking Ron all the questions he can think of, including the business and contract side of things too. He asks the man everything and anything he can about how to turn it into a successful operation. Just like I do, Sutton stays back, following close behind his twin but not interfering. He's a listener—by nature and profession—and has always been the type of person who absorbs information and processes it on the go. Knowing him, he's making sure that nothing Case might think of later is missed. The joys of being a twin.
As for me, I find it hard to stay away from Birdie. I can't stop watching her and listening to everything she says. It makes me feel like a sap, but a willing one, and judging from our conversation a few weeks ago about missing each other, I know I'm not the only one.
What fascinates me about her is the way she moves through the farm with a sense of familiarity, but not once does she enter the fray without Case prompting her first. Her knowledge of Timber Falls, bylaws, and what it will take to secure a contract with the Mayor when the time comes, is not only helpful, but also encouraging. Before our very eyes, Case's eyes brighten again. Almost as if he's truly believing he can make a go of this.
Witnessing my girlfriend support him–support all of us–means more than I can say.
If I hadn't already realized she was the woman for me, that would've been the final nail in the coffin.
She's just amazing, a champion for everyone and everything. From the moment she offered to help at the furniture shop, to chipping in at the ranch, and just being there for my family, her dad, and everyone else in town, she has never asked for anything in return.
She's a giver, a helper, and all I want to do is be her person, the one she knows will always have her back and will forever be in her corner. The one to give everything back to her and then some. She deserves nothing less.
After walking through the many different fields of trees, all of them at different ages and stages, and with Rob promising to come visit Cooper Ranch when we're ready to plant, we bid him farewell and drive toward our next destination, Moose Mountain.
It's now that I should admit that I have a secret.
That night last week when I found Gramps Journal again, I opened the first page just to take a quick look. The problem is, when I started reading, I couldn't stop.
Gramps was a man of few words. He was ornery, strict, a little paranoid, and was certain that something 'big' was coming… but he was also highly intelligent, intuitive, protective, and loved his family fiercely. He only ever wanted the best for all of us, even if–at times–we couldn't see it.
The journal turned out to be the story of his life as told in his own words. There were parts that I knew but a lot I didn't. It talked about how he met our grandmother, the birth of Cap and our aunts and uncles, the loss of Gran, and how the birth of his oldest grandchild–me–helped heal the gaping wound in his heart that was left by the far-too-soon passing of his One.
His One…
There was a lot of other stuff in there, more cryptic clues that I couldn't understand myself, and mentions of old family stuff like the Wilson rivalry and something about a handshake a century ago.
If it was my grandfather's intention for me to buy whatever he was selling, he succeeded… spectacularly.
After reading his journal cover to cover and making mental notes in my head about Gramps's revelations, it led me to do something I really don't want to admit to Birdie…I cheated on our buddy reading. I jumped ahead and devoured as many of Aster's books as I could.
Do I feel bad about it? Of course. Do I regret it? No. Absolutely not. Because otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to connect the dots in my head.
I started looking into everything Aster-related, consulting the family tree we found in the floorboards and following the bloodline, jotting down all the similarities between Aster's books and the Coopers–starting with Gray Cooper and his brothers, Cole, Boone, and Brooks.
After that, I couldn't stop. The more things I found out, the more questions I had. Combine this with the proof I had that Aster's stories were real , and I was lost down a rabbit hole that I hoped would give me the clarity I needed.
I joined Aster's online fan groups, picking a username that nobody knew was me–and found out that her fans–called Asterphiles–don't just talk about books, they talk about everything to do with her characters and their relationships. There are even scheduled walking tours through the town of Woodward Valley and regular reader retreats at the Moose Mountain Lodge–just like the one Birdie told us about.
Finally, there was a post about the most important thing tying all of Aster's stories together, the ancient prophesy. This is the belief that an awakened spirit within the Alaskan mountain ranges rewards the protectors of her lands with their soulmate–their One. Now can you see why I've been keeping this to myself?
This prophesy can only move along the mountain range through the Cooper bloodline. It went from Moose Mountain to Bear through our cousin, Marta. After rewarding the nine founding sons of the homestead there, including a lawyer called Micah, the Call moved to Eagle Mountain, and onto the Barnes family. Sometimes, you find yourself being right where you need to be, when you need to be there, Randy said.
When Randy's stepdaughter Leah, and their ranch hand, Colton Roberts, fell in love and completed the call, they moved the prophesy to Bull Mountain Ranch, rewarding Rhett, Landry, Toby, Austin, and Red.
All of this I've found out from the books, online forums, and snippets of old conversations I had with Red, Wyatt, and Randy.
So what does a man do after finding out everything he thought he knew about his grandfather, his family, the bloodline, the ranch, and my girlfriend who–as it turns out–is meant to be the love of my life? He sends an email. And I've been talking back and forth with Aster and Gray for the past two days ahead of today's visits.
I now know exactly why I couldn't get Birdie off my mind, why it always felt so different with her, and why my body goes haywire whenever we're near each other–or apart.
Most importantly, I understand–at least in part–why Gramps wanted us to move back to the mountain and stay there for at least two years. To hear the Call and never leave.
I haven't worked out how he knew it was exactly what we all needed but given that it has brought me a peace I never knew was possible again, and brought Birdie into my life, I can't say I'm mad about it. More confused, intrigued, and eager to meet Aster and Gray in person.
The only thing I don't know is what to do if I confess all to Birdie and have her thinking I'm barking mad or something. It's one thing to read about it, it's another to live it.
Not that I want to date her. Not anymore Dating is for people who aren't sure what they want. That's not me. I want it all, and I want it with Birdie.
Here's hoping she'll say she wants the same with me at the end of today.