In Too Deep
Page 34
“You’re not going to let me pay for it myself, are you?” she realized with a strange lack of guilt. In fact, she found it endearing.
“I’m not,” he admitted. His mouth relaxed. The suffocating storm of emotions calmed and receded.
“I love you. Very much.” She twined her arms around his neck.
“I love you, too.” He kissed her, gentle and sweet. “Let’s go home.”
“Can we stop one more place first?”
*
Trigg came with her as she led him through the gate of the cemetery. She knew where she was going and found the spot unerringly. She knelt in the grass and brushed the clippings off the three small headstones.
It hurt to be here, but it was the hurt of a boil being lanced, releasing a deep, agonizing pressure. For the first time ever, she felt as though she could breathe.
“Neil,” she said, letting Trigg listen to what was in her heart. “You know how sorry I am that I never met you. I hope you’re happy with Mama and Mandy.” She traced his name, then her mother’s. “Mama, I know how sad you were. I can’t imagine how painful it was to lose one child, let alone two. I know that’s why you were scared to love me.”
She had forgiven her for that a long time ago, but seeing Trigg in her periphery and feeling his hand come to her shoulder and rub her back eased some of the lingering agony. She reached to cover his hand when it came back to rest on her shoulder.
“Mandy.” Her voice caught. She drew a shaky breath to cleanse all the guilt. “I know that all you ever wanted was for us to be the family you remembered. I tried really hard to make that happen, but this family was broken when I came into it. There was never a place for me here. That wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t Neil’s fault. It just was.”
She squeezed Trigg’s hand and kissed it, then held it against her wet cheek.
“I don’t know if I stole him from you, or you led me to him, but I can’t imagine anyone else making me this happy. I love you all so much. I won’t forget you, but I won’t be back. I’m not a Snow anymore. I’m a Johansson.”
She set her hands into the grass to push to her feet. Trigg helped her and drew her into his side. He pressed his lips to her temple and bent his head against the side of hers. Wren slid her arm around his waist and took a moment to let the shift complete. The release and the acceptance. To let his love fill up the cracks and holes in her heart so it swelled big and warm and soft in her chest.
Then she looked into her husband’s eyes and saw the pride and love and had to say it. “And Johanssons are pretty fucking awesome.”
Epilogue
To Vivien’s chagrin, the grand opening celebration for Whiskey Jack Ski Resort was more about getting people up the lift and onto the hill than popping champagne and cutting cake. The plan was to distribute coupons for free hot chocolate and burgers, which Wren offered to hand out with Glory. They were on the same page with regard to winter sports in that they both enjoyed watching more than participating.
Everyone jumped out of bed like it was Christmas Day, before it was light. Old Man Winter cooperated, giving them a smattering of fresh powder right on top of the firm base he’d been building for the last few weeks.
The boys, which included Nate—he was a brother from another mother to the Johanssons—were grinning ear-to-ear, high-fiving people all over the place. Wren finally met Nate’s ex-wife along with her partner and a bunch of other townies, all bringing their kids up for what would hopefully be the first of many days on the hill.
It would have been an utterly perfect day if she hadn’t walked into Trigg’s office in time to hear him fighting with his daughter.
“Do you know how many kids are begging their parents for a snowboard? I did. I’m giving you one of these new ones. They’re different from the other kind. I think you’ll like it. Try it.”
“I want to try the skis from Onkel Rolf.”
“You’re just being obstinate.”
“No, you are.”
“Sky, tell him you’ll try the board after lunch,” Wren said. “Cara is down at the ticket windows, looking for you.”
“Okay, thanks.” She brightened at the name of her friend from school, another new girl whose father had been hired as maintenance manager here at the resort. Turning back to Trigg, Sky said, “I’ll try the board after lunch.”
“With me.”
“Oh, you’re so spoiled,” Sky said with exasperation. “Fine. Can I go now?”
“Have fun.”
“Thank you.” She kissed his cheek and left, closing the door behind her.
“She’s the one who’s spoiled. Doesn’t even see it,” he muttered, peeling off his jeans so he was in his thermal underwear. He reached for his insulated boarding pants.
“Says the guy who owns his own snow park,” she teased, tangling arms with him as he tried to shrug on his suspenders.
He dropped his head to kiss her, let go a suspender and glanced at the door. “Did you lock it?”
“On opening day? I think you have better things to do.”
“Never, not once, have I had something better to do.” He backed her toward his desk.
The door flung open and Rolf pulled himself up short, taking in the mood with one flat-lidded glance. “How many times have you given me shit for not locking a door? Take five, but I want to get out there.” He walked out and snapped the door closed behind him.
Trigg looked at the ceiling. “I hate him so much.”
She kissed the underside of his chin, grinning. “Go have fun. We’ll have our kind of fun later.”
“Promise?”
“If you’re not too tired.”
“Quit being mean.” He kissed her. Said, “That tastes like another,” and kissed her again.
They toyed with letting it get away from them, but his radio crackled with someone on snow patrol asking for snow fence somewhere.
“Later,” he promised, drawing his suspender up his shoulder again.
“Oh. But I wanted to show you this.” She dug the folded paper from her back pocket.
Dear Auntie Wren,
I know I said I wanted Bruno to come for Christmas, but I’ve been thinking and I also want you to get pregnant. I know it’s a big decision. Murphy is a total pain and we can put him outside if his farts are too repulsive, but we all love him like crazy and I think we would love a baby even more. Please, please, pretty please?
Your favorite niece/stepdaughter,
Skylar Wren Johansson
“You’re probably having second thoughts after she was being such a brat a few minutes ago, but my IUD is gone, so—”
“Since when?” His pupils dilated.
“Since I went to the doctor yesterday. I was going to tell you last night, but you worked late.”
“Well, we have to get started on that.” He pushed his suspender off again.
“It’s a reproductive emergency?”
“Hell, yes, it is. You saw what a brat she was being. You might change your mind.” He cupped her face. The light in his eyes was positively incandescent and so tender, it made her throat close up with emotion. “You really want to do this? Because you know how happy you make me, right? I want a baby, but you have to want it, too.”
“I do.” She smiled and shrugged shyly. “I love you. I want more family.”
“Me, too. I love you, too. So much I don’t know what to do with it all.” His tone was thick with sincerity, bringing a sting of joy to her eyes.
“You could start with locking the door,” she teased.
He did.
The End
The Blue Spruce Lodge series
Book 1: On the Edge
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Book 2: From the Top
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Book 3: In Too Deep
View the series here!
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About the Author
After twenty-five years of writing and submitting, Dani Collins won the 2013 Reviewer’s Choice Award for Best First In Series from Romantic Times Book Reviews. Known mostly for her emotional, passionate Harlequin Presents, she has also published a hilarious romantic comedy, an epic medieval fantasy romance, and a pair of extremely erotic erotic romances. Dani writes anything, so long as it’s romance.
Keep up with Dani on these links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads and Join Dani’s Newsletter to be notified when a new book comes out.
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