“Hey, what happened?” Chance appeared, heading my way from the direction of the diner. I’d crawled out of our bed early this morning, unable to sleep with the excitement bubbling inside me. I’d headed into the village while it was still dark. Chance stepped to my side and leaned down, kissing my cheek. “I didn’t get to say good morning,” he said, a smile lifting his mouth and sending my heart fluttering like it always did.
I leaned into his warmth and slid an arm around his waist, loving the strong certain presence of the superhero who’d been unfailingly by my side since Finn and I had made Kings Grove our new home. “My fancy sign’s destroyed,” I said, surprised how light my voice sounded considering the amount of money that now lay in twisted shards at my feet. “It fell from the crane when Cam was raising it into place. He didn’t really want to talk to me about what happened.”
Chance’s face darkened and let me go to bend down and pick up a piece of the sign. He stared at it thoughtfully and then glanced at the empty crane. “Where’d he go?”
I shook my head and pointed toward the village loop. “Wouldn’t talk to me. Just glared at me and left.”
“You know it has nothing to do with you.”
“I do. I’m still out a sign, though.” Cam had demons to battle, and in the past year or so, his demons seemed to have gained the advantage in the fight. He’d grown surly, withdrawn. I knew Maddie was concerned, and Chance was too. We’d talked about it a few times, but Cam turned down every invitation to come spend time with us, and Maddie said he wasn’t willing to accept any help from her, either.
“Leave that to me,” Chance said, his eyes glinting as he dropped the wood shard and wrapped me in his arms.
“Why am I worried?” I asked. There was something mischievous in his look.
“You have nothing to worry about,” he said. “Do you have much left to do here?”
The main lobby was pristine and completely ready for tonight’s party. “Miranda and her mom have the place perfect inside,” I said. “They’re a great team—I think we’re ready. Adele and Frank are helping Anthony in the kitchen, and the catering staff arrives at ten. Dean Apcott set up his DJ equipment, and Maddie’s going to take photos for the website today and get some tonight, too. It was mostly the sign I was worried about.”
“Then it sounds like you’re finished until tonight,” Chance said. “Why don’t you go home and relax for a couple hours? When Finn gets home from school, you guys can come fuss about last minute details.”
“Fuss?” I glared up at the man whose arms were still wrapped around my waist. I knew he was teasing, but still.
“You know, worry about things that don’t need to be worried about. What you do.” Chance grinned at me.
“Fine. I’ll come back with Finn and we’ll fuss later before the party.” I could use a nap, actually. It had been a long week getting all the last minute details wrapped up. “You’ll figure out what to do about this?” I pointed at the sign.
“I’ve got it handled,” he confirmed. “Go home. Get ready for tonight.” He kissed me and then released me, and began gathering the pieces of the sign together into a pile.
“Okay,” I breathed, tearing myself away from the mess before me. I headed back to my car and drove slowly into the village, still marveling that this was my life now. It was so quiet and peaceful, so small and majestic and perfect. I loved everything about Kings Grove, and through two long and snowy winters, the place had only grown on me more. On top of that, Finn was over the moon here. He’d grown up so much in the past year and a half, and my now ten-year old was every bit the mountain kid at this point, roaming the hills after school with a band of other local kids. They had forts on hillsides, secret hideouts in caves, and complicated treasure hunts involving maps and miles of open land. He’d grown independent and strong, and I knew this had been the right choice for both of us. Jeff even came up to visit a few times, though he still hadn’t asked about having Finn stay with him again. There was a tenuous understanding between us. Jeff wasn’t a bad man. But he wasn’t going to win prizes for being the world’s best dad, either. Finn seemed to be fine with it, and had increasingly allowed Jeff to know him.
I pulled into the garage beneath the house, and made my way up the stairs and into the sweeping expanse of the great room. I loved this house every bit as much now as I had the first time I’d seen it, despite the mess it usually contained, thanks to Finn.
I picked up some socks and a tablet on my way upstairs, dropping them into Finn’s room as I passed. I had time for a bath and maybe a nap, and once the water was running into the tub, I could finally feel myself relaxing.
I was just coming out of the room I shared with Chance as Finn burst in the door. I could hear the school bus rounding the meadow outside.
“Mom!” My once-silent boy was now anything but, and I was so incredibly grateful for it.
I stepped to the edge of the bannister overlooking the great room from upstairs. “Hey Finn, how was school?”
He stood there in the middle of the great room, smiling up at me. The sun lit his sandy blond hair, which was lighter now from more time spent outside, and longer too—because that was cool, according to him. The roundness was leaving his features and he was beginning to look older. The little boy I loved was disappearing into the shadow of a young man I could begin to imagine, and it both broke my heart and sent it soaring all at once. He’d abandoned capes and superhero comics for Vans and manga—but my Finn was still there, and we had a relationship I felt lucky for every single day.
“Meh,” Finn made a non-committal noise. He was a good student, and school was easy for him. “I’m meeting some of the guys at Sunset Rock. Is that okay?”
I sighed, hoping we weren’t about to have an argument. “Not tonight, bud.” I started down the stairs as he began to sigh deeply and prepare himself to debate with me. “It’s the opening party for the Inn,” I reminded him, stepping into the main living area to face him.
He smacked the top of the leather sofa with one hand and a smile broke across his face. “I totally forgot!” He didn’t look disappointed, and I was relieved. Sometimes Finn’s moods turned on a dime these days, and I couldn’t always predict what might turn on the nascent teenager inside and bring him out for a battle. “Yeah, of course Mom. It’s your big night.” He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around me, his head now coming to rest at the top of my chest, just below my chin.
I hugged him tight and planted a kiss in his messy hair. “So go take your shower. We need to be over there at five.”
“Chance coming home first?”
I shook my head. “He has his suit at the office. He made me promise to let him handle all the last-minute details.”
Finn swept through the kitchen, grabbing one of Chance’s cookies from the tin on the counter and pouring a glass of milk and then swallowing it in one gulp, before bounding up the stairs to his bathroom. “I’ll be ready in fifteen minutes!”
My whirlwind boy disappeared into his room and I took a deep breath, looking around me. It was almost impossible to believe this was my life. I lived in this amazing huge house, Finn was happy and thriving, Sam and Miranda had become the family I’d always wished for—siblings I never had as an only child. My mother came up regularly to stay with us and had even begun talking about moving here to be closer, and on top of it all, I had Chance.
I grabbed a cookie and then went upstairs to dress for the party, feeling like my life had reformed itself in all the best ways, feeling like I had more luck and love than I’d ever deserved.
An hour later, I pulled my car around the back of the Inn, parking in the employee lot. Finn and I hopped out and went inside through the back entrance, stashing my purse and his tablet in the staff locker room behind the kitchen and then heading into the kitchen to check on the caterers.
The place was a bustle of energy, people moving around quickly and servers tying on short white aprons. “All set in here?” I asked Anthony, ou
r new head chef.
“All set,” he confirmed, “though really, I could do without that one back here telling everyone what to do.” He jerked a thumb at Adele, who stood near the door to the lobby, surveying the waitstaff with a critical eye.
“It’s part of her charm,” I told him. Anthony hadn’t been here long enough to know that Adele was harmless. She’d intimidated me at first too, but the ferocious bark had little behind it. I sensed that Adele came from something she felt was much bigger than this place, and who maybe needed a bit of acknowledgement and recognition to feel accepted.
“Once we get rolling, she’ll go back to the diner, right?” Anthony had been an established chef in Sacramento, a James Beard award winner poised to take over a restaurant in San Francisco when we found him. He gave it all up to come to Kings Grove, though I still hadn’t figured out why. We were lucky to have him and I wasn’t asking too many questions. I watched the tall man with the tattoos snaking down his arms turn back to the kitchen, trying to keep my growling stomach quiet.
Finn headed out to the main lobby and ballroom, where the party would be, and I followed him to find Chance.
The place looked incredible—huge soaring beams made up the ceiling with rustic wrought iron chandeliers hanging and casting a golden light over the cavernous space. We had added a wing for parties and events off the main lobby, and that’s where rounds were set up now, covered and gleaming with silver and crystal. The band was setting up at the far end next to Dean’s DJ booth, and Sam and Miranda were talking at the end of the room near the stage. Chance knelt next to Finn, looking earnestly into his face as they talked about something serious. Finn’s eager smile dropped away and I worried what might be going on as Chance talked. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, and I moved across the room toward them—there was probably some issue that needed resolving—but just as I approached, Finn yelled and threw his arms around Chance’s neck. Sam and Miranda grinned at them and leaned in together conspiratorially.
“What’s going on?” I asked as Chance got back to his feet.
He turned to look at me and the big grin he wore slid from his face, replaced by a more reverent expression—his eyes widening, his mouth opening slightly. “Hi,” he said in a low voice. “You look…wow.”
I did a quick spin for him, the red skirt of my dress flying out in a circle. The real showstopper though, was the very low back, which revealed my spine right down to my waist. “You like it?”
Chance shook his head, his eyes darkening. “I…”
“You do know that shaking your head traditionally means ‘no,’ right?”
He raised his eyebrows and laughed. “I wasn’t saying no. I’m at a loss for words. You look…” he trailed off again, the dreamy expression coming back to his face.
“He’s trying to say you look amazing,” Sam said, stepping close enough to punch his brother in the arm.
“Which is more than we can say for either of you,” Miranda chimed in. She had a point. Both brothers still wore jeans and flannel work shirts, boots and at least a two-day scruff.
“Finn’s the only guy here ready for a party,” I said, though in reality I loved Chance’s mountain-man look. Finn looked perfect, in his bow tie and dress slacks.
Chance stepped close and pulled me into his arms, his big hands lingering in warm imprints on my bare back. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” He leaned down and planted a kiss just beneath my ear, sending shivers down my spine. “Let’s go, Sam.”
“I’m coming too,” Finn told them.
The brothers left the room with Finn, and Miranda smiled at me, taking my arm as we both stepped back to admire the space.
“It’s perfect,” she said. “It’s turned out completely perfect.”
I couldn’t help but beam as I looked around at the place we’d built together. “It is.” But it wasn’t just the Inn. Everything was perfect. “Everything is.”
She squeezed my arm and then we broke apart, each of us wandering the space, making minor adjustments in preparation for our guests.
Epilogue Part Two
Chance
“Dude, you sure you’re ready for this?” Sam looked skeptical as he stepped out of his office, smoothing his coat and tie. My disheveled little brother looked stunningly put together, and it took everything in me not to cross the room and tackle him just to mess him up again. Some habits never die.
“Yeah, I think so. Why, have some advice?”
“You’re the big brother. You’re the one who’s supposed to give advice.”
“Okay,” I said. “Don’t be a dick.”
“I don’t need advice right now, and that’s shitty advice anyway.” Sam ran a hand over his hair. “I’m serious. This is a big deal.”
I looked at myself in the mirror on the wall of my office, glad I’d bought a new suit for the occasion. “It is,” I agreed. “But it doesn’t feel like it. It just feels like a formality at this point. And don’t curse in front of Finn.”
Finn was sitting on the couch in my office, watching me get ready. He’d had a distant smile on his face, ever since I had asked his permission to propose to his mother. “You ready?” I asked him.
He nodded. “Mom will be so happy,” he said. “I know she will.”
“That’s all I want. And for you to be happy too,” I told him.
He stood as I finished knotting my tie, and we went together into the lobby where Sam waited for us. “Good. Let’s go do it,” he said, taking my hand and Sam’s.
I glanced at Sam over Finn’s head, and watched his face soften as the boy took his hand. Sam had never spent much time around kids, but he and Finn had developed a special relationship in the time Finn and Mike had been in Kings Grove. Sam took him fishing and camping—things I didn’t really enjoy, and Finn thrived in the friendship, even though I suspected Sam was a little more himself than he probably should have been, as evidenced by the curse he’d just dropped in front of the ten-year old. I got the sense that, like Mike, Finn had been lonely in his old life. Now he was surrounded by people who loved him, and by friends his own age. Kings Grove really was the perfect place to grow up.
My heart warmed as Finn’s hand slid into mine and I smiled down at him, thinking about the hike we’d taken a couple weeks ago, when I’d officially asked him for his mother’s hand in marriage. In a way, I was proposing to both of them, and I’d been just as nervous before the hike as I was tonight.
“Hey Finn,” I’d said, just as we topped the trail and arrived at the ridge line we’d follow to the fire lookout tower we had come up to see. “Hold up a minute.”
“Sure,” Finn said, stepping off the trail onto the top of a flat rock that swept up at an angle from the ground. I joined him on its surface and sat, rubbing my sweating hands over the legs of my shorts, trying to be calm and cool. Finn was watching me, his little face relaxed and happy, his eyes bright.
“You’ve been pretty happy up here since you moved, right?” I ventured.
“Yeah,” he said, not a speck of doubt in his answer.
“I mean, school’s good, you’ve got friends up here, you’re okay living with me…”
His forehead wrinkled as he searched my face trying to figure out what I was getting at. “Yeah…”
“What if…” I took a deep breath and turned to face him fully. “What if we made it permanent? What if I asked your mom to marry me?”
Finn sprang up from the rock and jumped up and down around the trail for a minute, hooting and hollering. Then he came to sit next to me again, his face reddened and his breath coming in fast pants. “Yes. Do that. Ask her.”
“So you think that’d be okay?”
He nodded vigorously, and the breath I felt like I’d been holding finally released from my lungs. “Okay,” I said, thinking about the ring I’d been considering. “Okay,” I said again, realizing this could be it, I could solidify everything I felt for this little boy, for his mom.
Finn stared at me for
a long minute, then put his head on my shoulder and said quietly, “I’m glad we met you, Chance.”
I put an arm around him and squeezed him closer. “I’m glad I met you too, Finn. So glad.”
We had sat a little longer on the flat rock that day, the summer sun making the air denser than normal and the intermittent buzzing of insects surrounding us in the otherwise quiet trees. Finally, we’d stood and finished our hike, visiting the ranger who manned the fire lookout tower—a rickety-looking one-room cabin on the top of a metal tower with a three-hundred-sixty degree view. When we’d climbed up to the top of the tower to sign the guest book, Finn had told the ranger, “He’s going to marry my mom!”
It had been a good day. And when I’d asked Finn an hour ago if tonight would be a good night for me to finally pop the question, he’d said yes with no reservations at all.
I squeezed his hand in mine, smiling at my brother on the other side of him, and tried to swallow down some of the nervous excitement inside. We crossed the parking lot like that, the three of us hand in hand. And as we approached the Inn, I purposely slowed our stride until Finn was practically dancing between us, trying to hurry us up the steps.
“I think we should pause here a minute,” Sam said, taking a dramatic deep breath and gazing around him. “Enjoy the scenery.”
“What? No!” Finn pulled at his hand. “The party’s starting. Chance has stuff to do.”
I let Finn’s hand go and raised my arms up in a stretch. “Yep, let’s just hang here for a minute, relax before we go in.”
Finn’s face wrinkled into a comical expression of frustration. “Party!” he said, his voice rising. “Come on!”
Love Redefined Page 20