Hope went up the ladder. The entire area above the sleeping cubby and bathroom was covered with a padded surface big enough to sleep several kids in sleeping bags. She was shocked. When she came back down the ladder, she slipped her arms around him. “I can’t believe how much work went into all of this, especially with everything that’s been going on. I’m so sorry for thinking you were being distant.”
“Well, it’s not easy for any of us to get away very often and take appropriate security measures when we do. Having this cabin gives us a place to decompress without a lot of fuss.”
“I don’t know how to work that wood stove,” she said.
“We can figure it out. But we don’t have to worry about it this weekend. I’ve hired Jim and Russ to bring in meals for us and carry out our dishes.”
Hope smiled. “That’s amazing. I’ve never had anyone do something like this. For me.”
Max tried to smile, but couldn’t. He felt too many emotions bouncing around in him. He slipped this thumb and forefinger down a lock of her hair. “Believe it or not, there’s more.”
“More? Than this?”
Max nodded. “Owen was gone during much of the reconstruction here. When he caught up with us, we were doing the final touches. He contributed something of his own. A shed in the back to house two snowmobiles. Feel like going for a ride?”
“Yes! Let’s go!”
4
The day was growing dim by the time they made it back to the house. They parked the snowmobiles near the shed but didn’t put them up, since Max had a nighttime run planned. Max had been all over this corner of the National Forest—checking it out for the sole purpose of being able to show it to Hope. He looked at her now. Her face was red from the cold, but her eyes were shining. He hoped she’d had fun spending the afternoon on the snowmobiles.
When they came around the front of the house, Max saw a black SUV parked there. Hope sent him a worried glance, but he just grinned at her and said, “Room service.”
“I hope it’s a feast, ‘cause I could eat a bear.”
Max pulled her close as they went up the front deck, and bent close to growl, “Oh, you’re going to.”
The front door opened for them. Jim stood there smiling. Russ was messing with the fire. The heat of the cabin rushed around them like a welcoming hug as they stepped inside.
“Dinner is served,” Jim said, chuckling. “We’ll get out of your hair.”
Russ set the fireplace poker in its stand. “We’ll bring you dinner about this time tomorrow. Still good with the menu we picked, Max?”
“Oh, yeah.” He held the door for them.
“The cooler we brought has what you need for breakfast, along with water bottles,” Jim said. “I’ve set up the wood stove, you just have to light it. I wrote the instructions down for you. And you’ve got all the wood you cut for it out front.”
“Thanks, guys,” Hope said. “I know this is a long way out of your way.”
“No worries,” Russ told her. “The extra cash we’re making goes straight to the B&B fund.”
Everyone moved outside so they could preserve the heat in the cabin. Hope held a hand up to block the low western sun. “Will it be a Christmas-themed B&B? You guys did such a great job with this place.”
Jim’s lips thinned as he glanced at Russ. “No. Apparently, it’s going to be an assassin-themed place, you know, with weapon cases in every room and big leather chairs. Dark, dreary, and full of death.”
Max laughed. “You don’t like gun cases?”
“Not as wall decorations.” Jim shook his head. “Not in my B&B.”
Russ grinned at Max, then responded to Jim. “We’ll do a special room just for you. You can make it anything you want. Shit, you can have flowers on the fucking walls.” They started toward the SUV.
“You mean we’ll do the entire B&B just for me,” Jim countered.
Max faced Hope as they drove off. “Who’s going to win that one?”
“Russ isn’t serious. He’s only torturing Jim. Let’s see what they brought.”
They opened the insulated containers set out on the cold stove. Bœuf à la Bourguignonne, read a note card. Hope frowned at Max.
“Beef Burgundy. I told Russ to use English, but he thought French sounded more romantic.”
Max opened the bottle of burgundy wine that they’d included and filled two wine glasses, while Hope looked through the rest of their meal. She found thick, toasted slices of French bread and sides of seasoned new potatoes and steamed broccoli. In another container was an apple tart. As a special treat, they’d provided a big thermos of hot chocolate.
The guys had set two places at the table for them with green mats and Christmas dishes. Hope smiled as she brought their feast over to the table. Max handed her a glass of wine. He touched his glass to hers. For a long moment, neither said anything as they both stared into the other’s eyes.
“I don’t want to forget any of this,” Hope said.
“Then don’t.” Max took out his phone and snapped a picture of them with the fireplace in the background.
“How did you know where everything was on our ride today?”
“Rocco and I brought a couple of horses out and did some touring a few times before the snow came.”
Hope’s lips parted as her eyes narrowed. “And here I was thinking you were working yourself to death.”
Max laughed. “Anytime the weather’s good and you want to bring up some horses, we’ll do it. I had to figure out the lay of the land so I could impress you this weekend.”
“Well, I am impressed and glad you did your homework. Where are we going tonight?”
“A new place I’ve saved just for tonight’s ride.” And that thought was enough to make him lose his appetite. What if she said no? What if he’d gotten all her cues wrong and she wasn’t in the same place he was concerning their relationship?
He forced himself to eat, but that made talking hard. He couldn’t say anything without revealing everything. He felt Hope’s hurt as she caught the change in his mood. He probably came off mercurial to her. Soon, this would all be behind them—hopefully to be replaced by something much better.
* * *
Max wore a helmet and a thick scarf, but the frigid wind still cut across his neck. His hands were toasty, though, thanks to the handlebar mitts Owen had provided with the snowmobiles. Max knew the guys were itching to get out and play, but no one had balked at his taking the first turn with the cabin.
The rough Forest Service road they were on tunneled through the dense evergreen woods. Light from the full moon filtered in sparingly, but it was washed out by their headlights. Max had scoped out their destination on foot weeks ago and by snowmobile just days ago, but both trips had been made in daylight. At night, everything looked different. Ominous, even, as if something was skulking in the woods. Though it was winter, and the bears were dormant, mountain lions weren’t—nor were the big game they hunted.
Looking back at Hope, Max saw she was keeping up nicely. When the road widened, she came up beside him. He couldn’t see her face, but somehow he knew she was smiling back at him. After a few more bends in the road—with a couple of dodgy turns around some rock outcroppings—they arrived at their destination. Max signaled for her to stop.
Hope stopped next to him. The dark that covered them when they shut off their snowmobiles was complete. They were near a few large granite boulders on the edge of a cliff overlooking a huge valley. Once Max’s eyes acclimated to the moonlight, he could see it illuminated the entire valley and next ridge over in a breathtaking blue-white glow.
Hope pulled off her helmet. Her blond hair was white against the dark blue of her puffer jacket. A little cloud of her breath briefly obscured her smile. He smiled back. The setting was perfect in every way…except for the brutal temperature. He’d better get set up quickly before being frozen out of the future he desperately wanted.
“Be careful here,” he said. “We’re on an overlook. I c
hecked it out before the snow—it’s perfectly safe, but the snow makes it slippery, so don’t go near the edge.”
“I won’t.”
“Give me a minute to set things up.”
“Can I help you?”
“No.”
He took a camping shovel out of his backpack and quickly cleared a small patch of snow where he could spread a blanket for them to sit on. He set the thermos close by, then unfolded a thermal blanket and wrapped it around Hope’s shoulders. Taking her hand, he led her onto the blanket and drew her down to sit between his legs, letting his body provide a little more insulation for her.
The woods were silent. The wind was still. Max shut his eyes. He could hear his heart beating like it wanted to jump out of his chest and run away; the next few minutes would make or break him, and every cell in his body knew it.
Hope leaned back against him. “This is a beautiful place. How did you find it?” Her warm breath condensed in the icy air.
“I think it found me. This spot is what gave me the idea of overhauling Blade’s cabin.” He looked up as he pulled her close. “Want some hot chocolate?”
“You know I do!”
Max removed his gloves and filled the cup, then handed it to her. The sweet smell of warm chocolate lingered in the cold air. “Careful. It’s still hot.” He nodded toward a mound in the snow off to their left. “I made a fire pit for us and cut some firewood. Wasn’t sure what the weather or moon would be like when we finally got here. I can fire it up, if you like. Once I dig it out.”
“I don’t think we need the fire. I like just having the moonlight and you.”
“I do too.” And fuck if he wasn’t sweating bullets anyway—wasn’t as if a fire would do anything to calm his nerves. He reached in his pocket and twisted the little box around, worrying that this was a bad idea. It was too dark for her to see the ring he’d picked out for her. And maybe it wasn’t the right time.
The memory of her tearful question about whether they were over chased that fear away. It was the right time.
“Mmm. It’s just perfect,” Hope said after sipping the hot chocolate. “You really did think of everything, Max.”
“I had some help. Seems our little getaway became a committee event. Not only did all the guys work on the cabin, but Ivy and Russ worked out our menu. And everyone helped with the finishing touches.”
Hope took a few more sips, then handed him the cup. “I’m so happy right now, I can’t even explain it. It’s peaceful here, like we’re the only people on earth.”
Max set the cup down without tasting it. Would she be even happier when he whipped out that damned box? Or would he ruin their evening? What the hell was he going to do if she said no? He fingered the box in his pocket.
She reached back for his arms and pulled them around her. “I love you.”
He nuzzled the side of her head, wishing he could feel her hair against his face instead of her hat. “I love you.”
“Are you all right? You seem tense. You haven’t really been yourself all day.”
“I was worried about your reaction to the cabin. I wanted to get you away from here. Far away. But things are what they are.”
“Maximilian Cameron. You can relax. I love the cabin. What you did, what all of you guys did, was amazing. That level of thought and effort is humbling. It’s one of the reasons why I adore you.”
“Hope,” he said, then sighed, wondering if she could hear his heart hammering. “Will you marry me?” He opened his hand and showed her the box.
She twisted in his arms, almost knocking the box from his hand. “What? Yes!” She turned around and sat on his lap facing him, then grabbed his face and kissed him all over.
He laughed in relief and joy. She hadn’t even seen the ring. “So, yeah?”
“Yes! A thousand times, yes.” She kissed him.
When she pulled back, his cheek felt cold. He realized it was wet from her tears. He swiped his thumb across her cheek. “Why are you crying?”
“Max.” She drew a ragged breath. “You know that you’re home to me, right? Wherever you are, wherever we go, you’re my shelter. I’ve wanted us to get married for a long time, but I didn’t know how to tell you or bring it up.”
“Aw, babe. I had no idea you were feeling that way. Fuck. I would have done this months ago, but I was afraid you’d say no, and I couldn’t face life without you. I was scared to ask you.” He relaxed against the granite boulder behind him, then ripped her hat off and shoved his fingers into her hair as he pulled her close for a kiss. “I’m not usually a coward, but you had me shaking in my boots.”
She opened for him, yielding to his hunger. He kissed her until his nerves settled down. He broke the kiss, then leaned his forehead against hers. “You haven’t seen the ring yet.”
She straightened on his lap and smiled at him. “I’m ready.” She pulled her gloves off. He handed her the little box, then grabbed his phone from his pocket and shined its light on her hands.
She carefully opened the box. Her mouth opened on a quiet gasp. He stared at her, seeing her face clearly in the light, but he couldn’t read her. He set his phone down, then took the ring out of its box and slipped it on her finger. Did she like it? He shined the light on her hand again.
“Oh my God. Max, it’s gorgeous. It’s yellow. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Max looked at the emerald-cut canary diamond in its platinum setting with its two accent diamonds. The band itself was flat and wide. It was a simple ring, perfect for a woman who was complex in her simplicity.
“It’s platinum. That’s a natural canary diamond. It’s just under two carats. I picked the yellow because it’s warm and bright, like a light in a dark, dark place. You are that light for me, Hope. You were the moment I first saw you.”
Hope blinked away her tears. She crushed her ring finger to her heart with her other hand. “I love it. I’m never taking it off.” She made a face. “Except when I work.”
“I bought a little box for you to use for that. You have to take your necklace with my ring on it off anyway.” He brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “Do you really like it?”
“Max, you put so much thought into this. Yes. It’s better than any ring I would have picked out. What do the wedding rings look like?”
“I have them at the house. I’ll show you when we get back.”
“So everyone knew about this, huh?”
“Yup. I was afraid they’d spit it out.”
“They didn’t. Not a peep. I even asked them what was up with you.”
He shut off his phone’s light and chuckled. “Why?”
“Because you were being so odd lately. Snappy. Tense. I was really worried until you said you had a surprise for me.” She settled against him with her head on his chest. “When can we get married?” she asked.
“Depends. What kind of a ceremony do you want?”
“A justice of the peace and a wedding cake will do for me.”
“Whatever you want works for me. Give it some thought, though. You’re only doing this once, so I want you to have what you want. I’d rather not wait a whole year while we organize everything, but I’ll be patient. For you.”
“Let’s do it after Christmas. Between Christmas and New Year’s. Maybe you’ll get a little leave and we can take a quick honeymoon. I can’t wait to be Mrs. Cameron.”
“I can’t wait either.”
She leaned close for a kiss. It was a gentle contact. She let her tongue toy with his.
He groaned and pulled free. “Mmm. You taste like chocolate.” He kissed her again. “I like it. I can’t wait to get you back to the cabin and taste the rest of you.”
She smiled. “Maybe we should head back.”
“Maybe we should.” He dumped the cold hot chocolate and screwed the cup back on the thermos, then lifted her with him as he rose to his feet. A twig snapped in the woods, startling Hope. He pulled her close for a hug. “I bet the wolves want a taste of hot co
coa.” He smiled but she didn’t.
“Are there wolves here in the Medicine Bows?”
He pulled the blanket from her shoulders. “Not sure. There are in Yellowstone, but that’s hours from here.”
She drew her gloves back on. “I think we should really go.” She bent down and grabbed the blanket they’d been sitting on. She folded it quickly and handed it to Max to put with the other.
“You go first,” Max said. “I’ll follow you back.”
The calm silence of the valley was shattered by the roar of the snowmobile engines. They drove back the way they’d come. Max couldn’t shake the feeling that something was running along with them, hidden from sight. He looked at the woods on either side of the narrow road, but it was impossible to see anything in the dark shadows of the evergreen forest.
When they neared the clearing where the little cabin was, Max noticed footprints in the snow beside the snowmobile tracks. Fresh, human ones. Maybe one of the guys had taken a walk out that way, but then he remembered he hadn’t seen the tracks on their way out.
He slowed then stopped. Turning his phone light on, he went over to shine it on the row of footprints. He must be losing his mind. They weren’t human, these tracks. They were from a cat. A big one.
“Max!” Hope shouted. She’d stopped in front of the cabin instead of going around to the shed. He jumped back on his snowmobile and went the last little distance separating them.
The front door of the cabin was open. Shit. He turned off his engine and dismounted. He did a quick look around them, checking to see if the cat had come up this way, but there were no footprints other than theirs in the snow.
“Wait here,” he ordered Hope.
He went up the stairs and across the wide deck. A quick sweep of the one-room space didn’t reveal a wild animal, but something had gotten into the dishes on the stove. All their leftovers were gone.
Max jerked the curtains back on the sleeping nook, worried that the big mountain lion whose prints he’d spotted near the woods was using their bed for a den, but it was empty. He checked the top bunk. Nothing. He checked the bathroom, just to be safe. Again, nothing. Whatever it was had probably grabbed the food and run out.
Max and Hope_A Red Team Wedding Novella_The Red Team, Book 13 Page 4