Chapter 9 Blair
Blair
After a busy morning in the ER and a catch-up with Tabitha, I escape the hospital and eat lunch in the garden area outside. Not only is it giving me the chance to relish in the fresh clean mountain air, but it also allows me my daily dose of vitamin D while I can.
During dinner at the ranch house last night, they were talking about how the days are slowly starting to get shorter now, and all the things they want to get done before there’s a lot less light.
Later, when I was safely tucked up in bed, I decided to look it up so that I knew what to expect. That’s when I learned that daylight hours start reducing in August but speeds up in September. Depending on how far North you are, you can even lose up to an hour a week.
Hence why I’m soaking up the sun–in small doses–as much as I can before that happens. I’m enjoying the work here, but everyone needs a break from the hospital walls now and then. Self-care and all that.
Alex: How’s your mountain man?
I snort and shake my head at my phone.
Cate: Is he hers if they’ve only held hands and not kissed?
Alex: They’ve gone swimming in their underwear. Surely it counts.
Blair: HELLO. I’m still here.
Cate: Don’t mind us, we’re just arguing semantics on your behalf.
Blair: I noticed. To answer your question, he’s good. We haven’t had any time alone since Sunday but later this week we’re meeting up so he can show me his bunker.
Alex: Is that a euphemism?
Cate: That would be a bit weird. Don’t you think? “Let me show you my bunker.”
Alex: When you say it like that, it sounds like a serial killer pick up line.
I snort because she’s not wrong.
Blair: There is an underground bunker on the ranch. His grandfather was a bit of a prepper.
Cate: Like one of those off the grid types you see on TV?
Blair: I don’t know, but I wanted to find out. That’s why he’s giving me a tour.
Alex: Of his bunker…
Cate: That’s kind of sweet.
Alex: Sweet or creepy?
Blair: Sutton IS sweet. He’s not creepy.
Alex: OK. We trust your judgment.
Blair: Do you mean that? Or is this because I already know you looked him up on the internet.
Cate: Alex! Did you really?
Alex: What can I say? I wanted to make sure he was good enough for our girl.
Cate: AND?
Alex: He’s such a green flag I’m surprised he’s still single. Like capital G for GO, green.
Cate: I love this for you, B. It sounds like you’ve found yourself a mountain man to call your own.
Blair: Honest. Handsome. Thoughtful.
Alex: Look at you swooning over your new Alaskan boyfriend.
Blair: We’ve had two dates. He’s not my boyfriend.
Cate: Yet.
Blair: We haven’t even kissed. But yes, there have definitely been some swoony moments.
Cate: There’s no way a man that is all those things and treats you like that isn’t a good kisser.
Blair: How would you know?
Cate: Duh. I’ve read all of Aster’s books, remember. All her men are strong, protective, and swoony. They’re like PERFECT.
Blair: If only it was real, right?
Cate: Exactly!!
“Blair!” Turning around, I see Isla waving as she walks toward me.
Blair: Gotta go. Talk soon. Love and miss you both.
Cate: Miss you more even if it’s only been three weeks since you left us.
Blair: Is that all? It feels like I’ve been here forever.
Alex: Miss you the most. And yes, three weeks feels like a lifetime.
“Hey. I’m guessing you had the same idea as me?” I ask.
She laughs. “To escape the hospital? Are we even medical professionals if we don’t have that thought at least once a shift?”
“Too true. Sometimes more than one. Do you want to join me?”
“You sure you don’t mind?” She nods to the phone in my hand. “You looked like you were havin’ a good time textin’.”
“I did?”
“You were grinnin’ when I first spotted you.”
“My best friends were messaging me,” I reply.
“Ah yes. They’re always the best chats. “She holds up her packed lunch from home. “Wanna share this delicious egg salad sandwich Case made for me? He stole the recipe from Sutton after he found leftovers on Sunday.”
“You don’t mind?”
She arches a brow sassily. “Would I have offered otherwise?”
“Touche.”
Sitting on the park bench with me, we share our lunches—her sandwiches and my chicken salad.
“I’ve been meanin’ to catch up with you,” she says. “I’ve just been so busy with the weddin’.”
“That’s totally fine. I bet you haven’t had much time to do anything else. At least there’s not long to go now.” I take a bite of the sandwich, humming my approval. They’re not as good as Sutton’s ones though.
Isla’s eyes light up as she chews her own mouthful. “As for the weddin’, I think we’re all set. We’ve got the bachelorette party comin’ up soon. You’re goin’ to come, right?”
“Ah. I wasn’t sure–”
“Blair?”
“Yeah?”
She grins and I find myself smiling back at her. “You’re one of us Cooper Ranch girls. Of course you’re invited.”
A warm fuzzy feeling rushes through me. “Thank you. I’d love to come.”
“Good,” she says. “All that’s left to do is stuff around the ranch. Things like settin’ up tents for the out of towners when they start arrivin’ the day before the ceremony.”
“How many people are we talking here?” I ask, curious as to how big a double wedding could be when the grooms are brothers and the brides are lifelong best friends.
“Not too many, thank goodness. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to call Case my husband but weddin’s are hard work!” she sighs.
“Let me know if there’s anything I can help with. I’m more than happy to lend a hand.” I wave my hand toward the hospital. “Apart from working here, I don’t exactly have a lot on my plate.”
She places her sandwich down before tackle-hugging me. I laugh–and wheeze–as I wrap an arm around her back.
I didn’t expect to be welcomed into the fold so quickly. I’m a stranger and yet they’re treating me like I’m a member of the family. It’s definitely making it easier to be away from my life back in Minnesota. Even if I know it’s all temporary.
Isla pulls back and reclaims her lunch again. “Sorry, I’m a bit of a hugger these days. I blame bein’ in love and all that. The mountain likes to make us all ooey gooey once we’ve found our One.”
I sigh at the fact she calls Case her ‘One’, like he’s her soulmate put on this earth for only her. It’s a romantic thought–even if it is a little far-fetched.
“My best friend Cate is a hugger too. The other one–Alex–not so much. She’s more of a ‘doer’.”
“Yes! That’s Birdie for me. She’ll do anythin’ she can for anyone who needs it and never asks for somethin’ in return. I mean, we’re havin’ a double weddin’. She offered the same mornin’ Case proposed to me. She’d already asked Will and everythin’.”
“That’s amazing,” I reply. “It’s cool that you get to share one of the most special and memorable days of your life with your best friend, while marrying your other one.”
“Yes! I think you’ve just helped me with my vow writin’ block. That was very poetic.”
“Feel free to use it. You don’t even need to give me the credit for it,” I tease.
Isla chuckles and finishes the last of her sandwich. “Maybe I should just get you to write them for me then. You can be my vow muse.”
A snort escapes me. “Not sure I’d be any good at it when I’ve never been in love before, let alone had a soulmate—my best friends, notwithstanding.”
“Whaaat?” she gasps, leaning in toward me. “Are you serious? Never?”
I’m already shaking my head before she’s finished talking. “Nope. I fell in love with medicine and then cardiology at a young age. There’s been no room for anything else.”
“What about now?” she says and one look at her waggling brows tells me I’ve just been caught hook, line, and sinker.
My cheeks heat as a knowing smirk plays at my lips. “Whatever do you mean, Isla?”
“You’re not foolin’ anyone, Dr. Littlefoot.
The whole ranch knows you and Sutton snuck out for a secret date the other day and we know you’re always textin’ each other.
Sutt has never been on his phone as much as he has lately.
” I can’t help but laugh. “Besides, did you really think Jude wouldn’t spill?
You can’t trust any of the Cooper brothers to keep somethin’ like this to themselves. ”
Sutton told me Jude had promised to be discreet and would help us keep our date quiet. That little rat!
The ‘don’t bother denying it’ look she gives me tells me there’s no point fighting this. “Since you apparently already know, yes. It was a great date.” More than great. The best date I’ve ever had, in fact.
She claps her hands together gleefully. “This is almost as excitin’ as my own weddin’. Tell me all about it. Where did you go? What did you do? Was he as swoony as his twin brother is?” she asks, rapid fire style.
I pause to think about just how much I want to share.
What Sutton and I share feels private, and there’s a big part of me that wants to keep it that way–at least since it’s still early days.
Without the pressure from other people, we can just be ourselves without worrying about what other people are thinking.
Maybe that’s why Sutton and I clicked so soon after I arrived.
Every talk, every date, every text conversation we have brings new understanding about the man, and I’d hope he feels the same.
I’ve confessed things to him that I haven’t told anyone before.
I already know he won’t judge me, and I think that’s because he has been so upfront and honest about his college crush.
He didn’t hide it, and honesty like that is hard to come by.
A lot of people say what they think you want to hear, not what they truly believe.
Sutton’s openness has me feeling some sort of way that I can’t put into words.
One thing I cannot deny is that there’s something growing between us, something I’ve never felt before. Chemistry. Connection. Curiosity.
Isla practically bounces in her seat as she anxiously waits for me to spill all the details. Even though I’m keeping it close to my chest, I know I’ve got to give her something to tide her over.