Adventurous Love
Page 23
“I thought you wanted to maintain your privacy.” I was ecstatic they’d done it. The exposure was huge for Henry’s lodge, but I wanted to make sure she wouldn’t regret it.
“It’s actually better to release bits of information than to keep everything a secret, and we wanted to credit you for making our wedding so memorable.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” Henry said.
Gray came into view on the screen, leaning down with one hand on the back of Elle’s chair and one on the table. “So, you guys heard?”
“Yeah. It’s amazing. We’re a little surprised you did it,” Henry said.
“Elle loved the idea,” Gray said.
“Aren’t you worried about people putting two and two together with your family’s history?” Henry asked.
“If they do, I’ll say I have nothing to do with my father. I’m tired of hiding who I am. Elle taught me that.” They looked at each other, love evident in their gaze.
“The pictures were amazing. I wanted to share them with the world. I thought it was only right we tag the lodge. It’s a beautiful place. You deserve whatever comes your way as a result,” Elle said, looking from Gray to us.
“We couldn’t afford this kind of exposure. I can’t thank you enough,” Henry said.
“You deserve every good thing that comes your way. I didn’t want you to worry about the lodge, or struggle when I could do something about it. Plus, I want my best friend living here with her man. I need you guys. You’re no good to me in New York. Speaking of which, when are you coming home?” Elle’s excited expression fell on me.
“My last day is Friday. We’re renting an SUV to move this weekend.” I wasn’t worried it was the wrong decision. With Henry by my side, it felt right.
“We have some sightseeing we’d like to do on the way.” Henry wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
I was no longer alone. I had someone by my side to share my life with. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to it. “Henry hasn’t traveled much, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to see some things on the way.”
“Well, don’t take too long. I want you here. I’m so happy you guys are moving back.” Elle clasped her hands together, a huge smile on her face.
“We are too,” I said to Elle but looked at Henry.
He kissed me on my lips.
“That’s enough of that. Be careful and we’ll see you two when you get here.” Gray must have ended the call because the feed fell silent.
Without looking away from me, Henry shut the laptop, setting it to the side. “I can’t believe they did that for us.”
“They’re great friends.”
“The best.”
I couldn’t believe all my dreams were coming true, living in Telluride near my friends, with my boyfriend. The little girl inside me that stopped wishing for things was back and full of hope for the future. Anything was possible.
Epilogue
Kelsey
* * *
Two Months Later
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After our cross-country drive, I moved into Henry’s condo. I’d easily slipped into the role of Mountain Haven Lodge’s manager. Since I was living with Henry, my expenses, for the first time in my life, were minimal. I had the breathing room to figure out what I wanted to do. We’d branched into event planning―small weddings, anniversary parties, and the occasional low-key bachelor or bachelorette party. Business had been steady and, in some cases, picking up since Elle and Gray graciously posted their wedding pics on her social media accounts. Tonight, we were attending a holiday party at Allred’s.
Piper was just hanging up the lodge’s phone when she said, “Oh my God.”
Piper helped out at the lodge in the evenings when we were busy.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, stopping at the reservation counter.
Piper’s eyes were wide, her mouth dropped slightly open. “You’re never going to believe this.”
My stomach rolled. “What is it?”
Piper’s gaze shifted from me to Henry. “The Colorado baseball team’s head of PR emailed the lodge. Before I could talk to you about it, she called. I’d just got off the phone with her.”
“Yeah?” Henry asked.
He was much calmer than I was. I still wasn’t positive if this was a good oh my God or a bad one.
“They want to book a long-weekend adventure tour. Some teambuilding exercise thing.”
“That’s great,” I squeezed Henry’s arm. “Isn’t it?”
“It is.”
He’d recently started to offer tours, but it had been on a small scale. We’d never planned an entire weekend for anyone, and this was a professional baseball team.
Henry immediately slipped into professional mode. “We’ll need to see what their limitations are. I assume there are things off-limits in their contracts so they don’t get hurt.”
“If you’re available to lead the tour, she said she’d send everything over. She wants an itinerary so she can review it with the coaching staff.”
“When are they coming?”
Piper’s gaze went back to her computer screen. “February, before they start training for the season.”
“That’s plenty of time to plan something. I’ll respond tomorrow.”
Piper looked up at us, taking in our evening attire.
Her eyes turned pleading. “Have fun tonight. Please take a video so I can see Elle and Gray’s reaction.”
* * *
Elle and Gray planned to reveal the gender of their baby tonight. The only one who knew the sex was the baker who baked the gingerbread cookies and decorated them with either pink or blue icing.
“Will do. Thanks for taking care of things here,” I said.
She waved us off. “Go and have fun. Tonight should be quiet.”
We climbed into the truck. Henry backed out, heading for the gondola station in town.
I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that a major league baseball team wanted a team-building adventure tour. “This is huge.”
“It is. They could tell their friends about us. We’d have word-of-mouth referrals through the athletes.”
Henry seemed on edge, but I wasn’t sure if it was the phone call or something else.
“You’ll be getting more requests for tours, but you can handle it.”
Henry nodded distractedly. “I might need to hire some more help.”
“Could Piper go along on the trip? She said she’s restless, she wants to try new things, maybe she’d be interested?”
“Yeah, maybe.”
We’d been primarily focused on the lodge, weddings, and adventure tours, so I didn’t think Henry had resolved much between Piper and his parents.
I let it go for the night because we were on our way to a party. “I’m so excited to find out whether it’s a boy or a girl.”
Henry reached over, squeezing my hand, but didn’t respond.
He seemed off tonight, nervous or something. Was he feeling pressure for us to move in a more serious direction? We’d only been dating a couple of months. Settling into the routine of living and working together was enough for me. I didn’t want to bring it up tonight, not on the way to a party. I just hoped he’d be able to relax and have fun.
Stepping onto the gondola car, I said. “This reminds me of the night we went to Elle and Gray’s rehearsal dinner, except tonight, we can relax because we aren’t the best man and maid of honor.”
Henry cleared his throat, wrapping an arm around me. The car lifted slowly, the lights of the town and the ski resort twinkling. The view of the town never failed to give me a sense of contentment. There was just something about this place. It filled the cracks in my soul.
“Are you happy with how things have been going?” Henry’s voice broke the silence.
“You mean, moving here, working together?” I hadn’t been positive it would work but it had.
“Yeah.”
“It’s the best decision I ever made.” As soon as the words w
ere out of my mouth, I tensed. Had I misread the situation? Was he not happy? “Wait, why?”
Henry’s grip on my shoulder tightened.
The car slowed to a stop. “Oh no. Do you think there’s a mechanical problem? I don’t want to miss the big reveal.”
His expression was pinched.
“Henry?”
“The last time we were here, you said you wish you could bottle this up, put it in a snow globe to remember forever.”
I smiled. “Yeah, but that was when I was moving back to New York. Now, I get to live this every day.”
He moved something from the seat next to him. He’d been carrying a bag I thought was a gift for Gray, possibly a bottle of liquor or cigars to congratulate him on becoming a father.
Handing it to me, I carefully sifted through the white tissue paper until it revealed a glass globe. Tears threatened as I lifted the heavy object. “A snow globe?”
It was a replica of the lodge with the town of Telluride, the ski slopes, and the village on top of the mountain. “Oh, it’s perfect.”
I shook it slightly, the snow falling.
Henry shifted off the seat, kneeling in front of me.
“What are you doing?” Had he planned to stop the gondola?
“I never thought I’d get to live my dreams of having it all―the lodge, a family, or children. I didn’t think it was possible for me.”
I cradled the snow globe in one hand, touching his cheek with the other, overwhelmed with the emotions playing on his face―love, tenderness, and a little bit of doubt. What was he worried about?
I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to erase his doubts, but I wanted to hear every word he had to say first.
“Instead, since you moved here, my relationship with you has exceeded all of my expectations, obliterated all of my rules. I love you so much. You fit here, in Telluride, at the lodge, with our friends, and my family.” His hand covered mine, moving it from his cheek and flattening it against his chest where his heart was pounding.
"You fit with me. You’re the missing puzzle piece in my life. When you came, everything fell into place; even if it took me a bit to figure things out, you fit.”
A tear slid down my cheek. When had I ever felt like this? Like I belonged? Like I was the most precious thing in someone’s life?
He pulled a red velvet box out of his pocket with his free hand. “Kelsey, will you marry me? Will you share your life with me, here in Telluride? Will you be my forever?”
I nodded, unable to speak with the tears flowing. “I already am.”
Henry slid the ring on my finger, the diamond shining in the small space between us. Then he leaned forward, kissing me. Something shifted in my chest. I’d felt content living here, but it was nothing like how I felt in this moment. I belonged here with Henry. This was where I was supposed to be. I’d have the life, and the family, I’d always wanted.
Pulling back slightly, I said, “I love you, Henry, so much.”
We kissed again as the car rocked gently back and forth before moving forward again.
Settling back onto our seats, Henry wrapped an arm around my shoulders, cuddling me close. “Are you happy?”
I placed my hand with the ring on his chest, the diamond glittering with the lights of the mountain village as we approached the top. “I’ve never been happier.”
He kissed me as we ascended to the station, then grabbed my hand, tugging me out of the car I never wanted to leave because it was the place he’d asked me to be his forever. My heart ached, not with longing, but with love overflowing for him.
As if he knew what I was thinking, Henry said, “We’ll have a million more gondola rides in our future, along with skiing, snowboarding, and ice climbing. We have a lifetime ahead of us.”
“That sounds perfect.”
He paused at the door, kissing me long and deep outside the restaurant. When we walked inside, my heart was bursting to tell Elle, but I didn’t want to ruin her moment. As soon as she saw us, Elle squealed running toward us, “You said yes!”
“You knew?” I looked at Henry then Gray.
“Of course. Henry asked if it was okay that he asked you tonight. Was it perfect?”
“It was.” I wasn’t upset that they knew before I did. I loved that my friends were involved in the most special night of my life.
We ate dinner with our friends, the snow globe rested on the table in front of us, a reminder that Henry would always make my life special. I was overjoyed, bordering on giddy.
After dinner, the waiter placed a covered platter in front of Gray and Elle, Henry leaned closer as they lifted the top together, excitement on their faces.
“This will be us one day.”
“Yes.” He turned my face, kissing me as the room erupted in cheers. I hoped someone caught Elle’s reaction on video.
Henry pulled back, looking from Elle and Gray to me, “It’s a boy.”
I kissed Henry once more, my mind filtering through images of us making this same announcement. I had visions of a little boy or girl running through the woods by our house, teaching him or her how to ski. They’d grow up with adventures all around them. They’d just have to grab on to one and hold on tight. I thought we had plenty of time to get married and have kids, but I wanted to raise my kids alongside Elle and Gray’s.
Returning to our condo, Henry led me onto the deck, setting the snow globe down on a side table before turning on the music. “I wanted to dance in the snow with you.”
It was something we did often, but tonight, it held more meaning. It was our first dance as an engaged couple.
After a few minutes, I held a hand over the deck railing to catch the snowflakes. “I can’t believe we’re engaged.”
Everything that happened since I traveled here for Elle’s wedding had been surreal.
Henry’s gaze was steady on my face. “Our lives won’t be perfect. We’ll have bumps along the way, but as long as you’re by my side, everything will be okay.”
I went up on tiptoes with his arms holding me tight, kissing him. “It’s going to be an amazing adventure.”
Bonus Epilogue
I hope you loved Kelsey and Henry's story! To read more about their happily ever after, download this bonus epilogue.
* * *
https://BookHip.com/CZWPWJG
Mountain Haven Series
Coming January, 2022 is Impulsive Love, the third books in the Mountain Haven Series
For more information about Lea Coll’s Mountain Haven Series, click here:
https://www.ladybosspress.com/infamous-love
About the Author
Lea Coll worked as a trial attorney for over ten years. Now she stays home with her three children, plotting stories while fetching snacks and running them back and forth to activities. She enjoys the freedom of writing romance after years of legal writing.
She currently resides in Maryland with her family.
* * *
To learn more about her books, please visit Lea’s website.
www.leacoll.com/books
Books by Lea Coll
Mountain Haven Series
Infamous Love
Adventurous Love
Impulsive Love (coming January 2022)
* * *
All I Want Series
Choose Me
Be with Me
Burn for Me
Trust in Me
Stay with Me
Take a Chance on Me
* * *
Annapolis Harbor Series
Hooked on You (previously titled Easy Moves)
Only with You
Lost without You
Perfect for You
Crazy for You
Falling for You
* * *
Quick Snap Novellas
Lucky Catch
Trick Play
* * *
Download two free novellas, Swept Away and Worth the Risk, when you sign up for her newsletter.
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* * *
To learn more about her books, please visit her website.
https://www.leacoll.com/books