Frostbite (BearPaw Resort Book 3)

by Cambria Hebert

  “He won’t. He’s not going to do anything to jeopardize his freedom.”

  I wondered if she believed that or if she just wanted me to. She squeezed my hand and smiled. “No thinking like that, not today. Today we are being pampered and relaxing.”

  “So are you going to tell me where Liam is taking me tonight?”

  “What makes you think I know?”

  “Do you?”

  “Nice try.” She laughed. “My lips are sealed.”

  I let out a frustrated groan, and the women returned to usher us over to the salon so we could get our hair done.

  Before I moved off toward the stylist’s shampoo bowl, Mom caught my hand. “Bellamy.”

  I glanced around.

  “I love you, and I’m so glad we’re together again.”

  I rushed forward and hugged her. “Me, too, Mom.”

  After that, we were both whisked off, me to get a shampoo and blow-out, and Mom to get her highlights.

  After our facials, nails, and hair, we headed back to Holly’s. I loved the house, but even after a few months, it still didn’t feel like home. As the baby inside me grew, thoughts of a place of our own became more frequent.

  I didn’t say anything, though, because there was enough going on already. Adding house hunting and a move into the mix wasn’t wise. Besides, if we moved out, Holly would be here alone, and I didn’t want to say I was ready for our own place and make Liam feel he was abandoning his mom.

  “So…” Mom began, following me into our bedroom. “What are you going to wear tonight?”

  Charlie was bouncing around in front of me, and I knew he wouldn’t stop until I gave him my undivided attention. Dropping down, I scratched behind his ears as his tail beat against the carpet. He tried to lick me with his massive tongue, but I ducked just in time.

  I stood and sat on the bed. Charlie plopped his massive head in my lap. I shrugged, thinking about my wardrobe. “Liam said something warm. So probably jeans. I don’t have much to pick from.”

  I’d been here long enough to have a dresser full of clothes, but they were all casual. Nothing about me was fancy or even dressy. I didn’t really have any “date wear.”

  Thinking about it made me grimace. “Maybe I should have gotten something…”

  “Hold on,” Mom said and disappeared from the room. A few minutes later, she came back with a large white paper bag and set it beside me on the bed.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  “I saw it the other day when I was in town, shopping with Holly. I thought of you, so I bought it.”

  “You didn’t have to do that,” I said, touched.

  “I wanted to. There was a long period of time I wanted to give you gifts and couldn’t.”

  Reaching into the bag, my hands closed around impossibly soft material. I lifted the item and held it out. “It’s beautiful,” I said, staring at the thick white cardigan. It was one of those oversized styles that I could put on over a thick, long-sleeved T-shirt for added warmth. The material was so soft and thick I wondered if perhaps it was handmade. The neck and front opening was lined with white faux fur that was almost downy to the touch.

  I pulled it in, hugging the material against my chest and letting the fur tickle my cheek. “I love it. Thank you so much.”

  “When I saw you pick white for your nails today, I knew I had to give it to you because it matches.”

  I smiled. “It does.”

  I set aside the sweater and hugged her. Mom squeezed a little tighter than usual and whispered, “I’m so proud of you.”

  Sniffling, I pulled back. “So what are you going to do tonight since I won’t be home?”

  “Holly and I are having dinner.”

  I nodded. Our mothers had become good friends since Mom came here to stay. I was glad because the baby made us all family, and I wanted nothing more than for all of us to get along.

  “Speaking of. We’re going to be leaving soon, so I better go get dressed!” On her way out, she stopped and turned back. “I’m going to want all the details tomorrow.”

  “I’ll take notes.” I promised.

  “You better not! Enjoy your time with him. Pretty soon, you’re going to have a baby vying for your attention.”

  I rubbed a hand over my stomach and smiled to myself. He moved beneath my hand, and it made my smile widen. Since that first kick, Shaw had been very active.

  A little while later, I dressed in a pair of thick black leggings, because none of my jeans would button anymore, a plain white long-sleeved shirt that was also a little snug around the belly, and added the cardigan Mom gifted me.

  Since Liam said warm, I put on the boots he’d bought me when I first arrived, letting a pair of tall white socks stick out from the top.

  The spa day had been really good timing because I didn’t have to do my hair. It was so long, it would have taken forever to blow it out and then flat-iron it into its straight, glossy style. I loved it like this, sleek and done. I rarely ever did it this way because, well, who had time for that?

  Charlie got up from the bed with a woof and raced from the room. Seconds later, Liam’s voice reached me. “Bells?”

  Butterflies erupted in my stomach and made me smile. “In here!” I called and turned from the dresser to race out of the bedroom. I knew I’d seen him this morning, but it felt like days ago.

  He was walking across the room, on his way from the door leading into the garage, when I saw him. My footsteps faltered when our eyes met, and so did his.

  We stood there on opposite sides of the room, just staring. He didn’t really look any different than any other day, dressed in dark jeans, dark waterproof boots, and a heavy coat. He wasn’t wearing a hat, though, and his hair was tamed, combed back and pushed into a style.

  He looked the same, but there was something different, a certain air of anticipation in the way he took me in with his gray stare.

  He was nervous, and it was absolutely adorable.

  “I was, uh, gonna ring the doorbell.” He began, offering up a sheepish smile. “But I was afraid it might scare you.”

  I nodded, understanding. I didn’t have the best track record with opening the door to strangers.

  “Are those for me?” I asked, gesturing to the huge bouquet of roses in his hand.

  He glanced down as if he’d forgotten they were there. “Oh, yeah,” he answered and walked toward me.

  “You look,” he said, sweeping his eyes over me once more, “really beautiful.”

  “Thanks,” I said, reaching for the bouquet. There had to be two dozen roses, all of them snow white. Fingering the silky petals, I smiled. “These are gorgeous. Thank you.”

  “I wasn’t sure what your favorite flower was,” he said, scratching behind his ear.

  I whispered, “Any kind you bring me.”

  He reached out and pulled his fingers through a long strand of my hair. “I like this.”

  “I know,” I said, shy. Liam loved my long hair, and as much of a pain in the ass it was, I probably would never cut it because of that.

  We stared at each other for a few more quiet heartbeats, and then he cleared his throat.

  “I’ll put these in water. Then we can go,” I said, a giddy feeling sort of rising up in me. I felt I was in high school and being picked up on a first date with a guy I had crushed on for so long and thought he hadn’t even known I was alive.

  But he did. And he was here. With roses.

  After I found a large glass vase, I filled it with water and slid the entire bouquet inside it. I would arrange it later when we got home. For now, I was too excited.

  He was waiting at the bottom of the stairs when I came down and offered a hand so he could help me the rest of the way.

  I stepped down, and he didn’t move back. Undeniable attraction pulsed between us, as well as anticipation. Liam reached down. I thought he was going for my hand.

  Instead, he caressed the baby sandwiched between us.

  His othe
r hand came out, and I stood there as Liam cradled our child while basically making love to my face with his eyes.

  My knees began to feel like Jell-O, and it was as though I were hypnotized by his presence.

  The side of his mouth kicked up, and he finally let go. “Just had to get that out of the way for the night.”

  I smiled.

  Then Liam reached for my hand. “You ready to go?”

  I nodded vigorously, making him laugh low.

  Right before we stepped out into the garage, I hesitated and tugged him around. “What’s wrong?” he asked, stepping close, so close I had to tip my chin back to look up at him.

  “I just wanted to tell you this is the best date I’ve ever been on.”

  His teeth flashed. “We haven’t done anything yet.”

  “It doesn’t matter.”

  He groaned and touched our foreheads together. “I’m kinda nervous,” he whispered.

  The confession endeared him to me even more.

  “Don’t be,” I whispered back.

  Gripping my hand, he started walking again. Leading me out into the winter’s night as anticipation swirled around with the snow.

  Liam

  This wasn’t just a date. It was what I hoped was the first night of the rest of our lives. Bells had no idea, but I’d put a lot of work into tonight, and so had a few others.

  I was unsure how she would react. I was pretty sure tonight would go down in one of two ways:

  1) Really fucking epic.

  Or

  2) Giant ass failure.

  I was really praying it would be number one.

  It wasn’t a lie when I said we needed to date more. We needed more simple times, more time to just be a couple. We spent far too much of our time together trying to survive and climbing over massive obstacles.

  It hadn’t been easy. But it was proof. Proof we belonged together and could literally overcome anything as long as we had each other.

  Even so, nerves bunched inside me, twisting my stomach and filling my head with scenarios of how badly this all could end. I was used to taking risks in my life. I mean, To the Extreme was my motto. Yet it was a lot different to take professional risks than it was to take personal ones.

  The sky was dark when we stepped out of the staff quarters and onto the snow. Night skiing was in full swing. The mountain was lit up with large lights, and the ski lifts were all running.

  All of them but one.

  “Outside?” Bellamy asked as I led her over the snow toward the ski runs. “You know I can’t snowboard right now.”

  “We aren’t going boarding.”

  People skied past. T-he scent of snow tinted the air, and the energy of the mountain gave me some courage.

  Bellamy’s steps faltered when we drew closer. “Oh no,” she said. “Is that lift broken? Do you need to look at it before we do whatever you have planned?”

  I smiled. “It’s not broken.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “It’s not?”

  I shook my head. “It’s reserved.”

  “You can reserve a ski lift…?” She wondered, then realization lit up her eyes. Her kissable lips formed a small O. “For us?”

  Bellamy stopped and leaned her head back, staring up at the lift and reminding me of the day I’d met her eight years ago.

  Slipping my hand around her waist, I stepped close. “This is where it all began for us, remember?” I spoke low. “I figured this was the perfect place for it to continue.”

  “Continue?” she echoed.

  “What do you say, Bells? You up for a ride?” I held out my hand, mimicking that day long ago. “I’ll hold your hand.”

  A knowing and bittersweet smile graced her face. The white ball on the top of her knit cap bounced when she nodded. “I’ll go anywhere with you.”

  I helped her into the seat, then sat beside her and made sure she was secure. Blowing out a nervous breath, I lifted my hand and signaled to the guy I had working in the lift booth. The car jolted a little when it lifted but quickly smoothed out.

  We held hands as the carriage went up and up until we were suspended over the snow and trees, not quite part of the sky, but not low enough to be part of the ground.

  “It really is an incredible view,” she observed and laid her head on my shoulder.

  “Makes you feel like anything is possible up here.”

  “Mmm.” She agreed and gazed out over the treetops.

  As the chair continued up the mountain, we left behind the night skiers as we traveled toward the black diamond run.

  “You closed down the run, too?” she asked, noting the giant lights were off up here and people weren’t skiing.

  “There’s a private party up there tonight.”

  “A private—” Her words cut off when she gasped and sat forward.

  The chair rocked, and I anchored my arm around her tightly. “Easy.” I reminded her.

  “Look!” she said, not even hearing. She pointed below, and I smiled.

  “What is that?” I asked, even though I knew.

  “Someone lit up the black diamond run with…” She leaned out a little farther, and I pulled her back. “Is that candles?”

  “They’re in big jars,” I informed her. Both sides of the trail (near the top) were lined with candles.

  She gasped again, looked at me, then hurried to glance back down. “Oh, it’s beautiful!” she murmured, watching them flicker below. “Is that for the private party?” she asked, still staring as we moved over them. “I didn’t know you rented out ski trails.”

  “We don’t,” I said, reaching into my coat.

  “Then what’s that for?” She puzzled, finally looking away from the view at me.

  “It’s for you,” I said, holding an open velvet box between us,

  Bellamy put her hands to her mouth, her blue eyes going wide.

  “You’re the only girl I’d shut part of this place down for,” I said, gazing into her eyes. “You’re also the only girl I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

  Her stare dropped to the box and the ring nestled inside. Her hands fell away, and she whispered my name.

  “Marry me,” I said. “Put this ring on your finger and never take it off.”

  She reached over and gripped my thigh. Her other hand lay on my wrist.

  “You want me to marry you?” she asked.

  I laughed, but it was because I was so damn nervous. “Oh yes,” I said, swallowing. “From the minute I saw you standing beneath the lift, looking terrified but determined, it was always you. No one else could ever come close to you. I loved you then, I love you now… and I even loved you all the years in between when I thought I’d lost you. Don’t be the girl who got away, Bellamy. Be the girl who stays.”

  Tears rolled down her cheeks, and I hoped that was a good thing.

  “Will you marry me?” I asked again, just so she was totally clear.

  A low sob broke from her lips, and she nodded. “Yes. Yes, of course I will marry you.”

  I let out the breath I was holding and plucked the ring out of the box, then pitched the empty velvet over my shoulder.

  She gasped and watched it fall from the sky. “Liam!”

  “We don’t need that. I won’t be returning this,” I quipped, feeling much more confident.

  “What if I don’t like it?” she asked, sassy.

  I paused. Well, shit. What if she didn’t like it?

  Her giggle floated around, her hand over mine. “I was kidding. I don’t care what it looks like. I love it.”

  “If you don’t—”

  She made a sound and cut me off. “Can I see it?”

  I held it up between my fingers so she could see the diamonds.

  “It’s a snowflake,” she whispered, gazing at it. “How in the world did you find an engagement ring in the shape of a snowflake?”

  I made a sound. “I know people.”

  “It’s gorgeous,” she said, still gawking at it.

>   I gestured for her hand, and she tugged off her gloves and held her left one out. With the ring poised to slip over her ring finger, I paused and looked up. “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for making me the happiest man alive.”

  She nodded and made some sounds I hoped were happy, and I slipped the thin silver band over her finger.

  The center of the snowflake was a two-carat round diamond, and all the other diamonds that clustered around it to make it into a snowflake were of smaller size. I was shocked the jeweler I called made it so quickly, but, hey, being Caribou royalty definitely had its perks.

  “I know it’s not really a traditional style…” I began, nerves taking over again. “But, ah, snow is kinda my thing, and given where we live…”

  “It’s perfect.” Bellamy held her hand out and studied the way the snowflake gently lay against her finger and sparkled. “It’s the only snowflake that will never melt.” She looked up and smiled brilliantly. “I love it, and I love you.”

  I lifted my head and let out a loud whoop into the sky. Then I kissed her.

  She pulled back first, gazing down to the ring and then over the side of the chair. “You did all that down there? You put out all those candles?”

  “I had some help.”

  “I can’t believe you did all that just to propose to me.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, that wasn’t for the proposal.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “It’s not? Then what’s all that for?”

  I smiled. “That down there is for our wedding.”

  Bellamy

  “I think this ring is making me hallucinate.”

  Liam laughed. “I can assure you it’s not.”

  “I could have sworn you just said wedding.”

  “I did.”

  I blinked and glanced below at the lines of candles leading up the mountain. “You want to get married? Right now?”

  His teeth were very white against the night sky behind him. “I should have married you eight years ago.”

  “But you just asked me,” I said, still trying to catch up. This was amazing. Never in a thousand years would I have expected this tonight.

  “You said yes.”

  I laughed. “Usually couples need time to plan a wedding.”