“Good idea.” Though I was sure that all three would be more than happy to see us together. The strife between us hadn’t been missed by anyone.
“Come on. Let’s go.” I took her hand and led her back outside. As we walked down the staircase, I took a long look at the playground.
The battleground.
Until the day I died, I’d never forget how Willa had fought for me by that swing set.
“Can I ask you something?” Willa asked as we walked toward her parents’ deck.
I glanced down at her. “As long as it isn’t why. You hit your quota for that one already today.”
“It’s not why.” She smiled. “I was just wondering where you went the other night.”
“What other night?” I asked, even though I knew exactly what night she was talking about.
“Last week when you left in the middle of the night. Where did you go?”
“Oh, uh, just the bar. I was restless so I went down for a drink. I was being a dick to you, and all the shit with Ryder . . . I just needed to get my head right. So I went down and had a couple of drinks and made sure the new bartender was doing okay. Sorry. I didn’t realize you’d even heard me.”
“Hmmm.” She frowned. “In the future, talking to me might be the better decision. Contrary to popular belief, tequila isn’t exactly a problem solver.”
“You’re right.” I kissed the top of her head. “I’ll work on it. Sorry.”
I would work on drowning my problems with booze, but sometimes, a man just needed a drink. And that night, I’d needed a big fucking drink. Luckily, our new bartender, Dakota, had been more than happy to pour them for his boss.
“Was that who called you?” she asked. “Dakota? I thought I heard you on the phone before you left.”
I looked her right in the eye, hoping like hell this was the one lie I could pull off today. “It was no one. Just a wrong number.”
“Hey!” I smiled and stood from my chair as Jackson strode into my office at the camp. “This is a surprise.”
He was supposed to be driving to Kalispell this morning in my car. We’d swapped vehicles because he wanted to clean mine on his trip to town. Apparently, he had a favorite car wash in Kalispell and he was going up there to shop for Ryder’s Christmas presents. So while he was running errands, I’d come to the camp to get some work done before a meeting with Logan.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as he came around the desk.
He answered by taking my face in his hands and crushing his lips down on mine.
It took me a second to catch up, but as soon as I did, I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling myself closer. I gripped the back of his Carhartt coat, fisting the thick canvas.
His tongue invaded my mouth and his fingers threaded into my hair. When he broke away, the world was spinning and my lips were deliciously swollen.
“Gosh,” I breathed. “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”
He grinned and kissed me again, this time soft and sweet. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome?” I had no idea what he was thanking me for, especially since I was the one getting the favor today. I hated cleaning my car.
“I got a call from Ryder’s math teacher this morning,” he told me. “He got a C on his test yesterday.”
“Yes!” I clapped. “I knew he could do it.”
“It’s all because of you.”
I shook my head. “No, he gets the credit. He’s been working his butt off.”
Ryder was such a bright kid. He just had some gaps in the fundamentals of his education. We’d been working together nonstop over the last two weeks. When he wasn’t at school, he was with me.
We’d do his English papers in my apartment or his social studies assignments in Jackson’s living room. We always seemed to find ourselves at my parents’ dining room table when there were math and science problems to work out. I was Ryder’s primary tutor, but Dad had dubbed himself the assistant.
“You get some credit too,” Jackson said. “There’s no way he would have passed that test if I had been helping him these last couple of weeks.”
I shrugged. “It’s been my pleasure.” Tutoring Ryder was the best winter job I could have asked for.
Jackson kissed me again, then stepped back. He winked at me before turning and striding out of my office.
“That’s it?” I asked his back. “You’re leaving already?”
He glanced over his shoulder as he strode through the kitchen while I hurried to follow. “I’ve got a busy day. I need to get your car cleaned and then talk to Hazel. Ryder’s having a last-minute sleepover because tonight, you’re mine.”
A shiver rolled over my shoulders as I followed him into the main room. “My parents asked us over for dinner, but I think I’d better decline.”
“You’ll be too busy fucking me to worry about dinner.”
“Wowzah,” I whispered, enjoying another shiver.
He wore a sexy grin as he walked down the center aisle in the quiet main room.
All of the tables were clean and the chairs were pushed in. In the summer, chairs were never in their rightful spot. There was always something on a table, either kids’ art projects left out to be finished or snacks for campers to grab and take along on their next adventure. And there was always someone coming or going from the main room.
I longed for the clutter and the noise.
Everything outdoors was covered with snow. The firepit and all the log benches were buried. The trees had a glittery sparkle. And beyond them, the lake was a flat sheet of ice. I hoped the highway wouldn’t be too icy on the way to Kalispell.
“Drive safe,” I told Jackson as he stopped at the double doors.
“I’ll call you when I get back and we can make plans.” He kissed me one last time, then went outside. I waved good-bye and turned to go back to the office but stopped when I saw Logan and Jackson meet along the path up to the parking lot.
I watched from inside the main room as the two shook hands and laughed about something.
Logan and Jackson were getting along so well these days that I’d actually consider them friends. I loved that Jackson was expanding his group. It wasn’t just Hazel, Thea and Charlie anymore. He had all of us. Me, Ryder, my parents and even Logan.
He was opening up. He was letting others love him. And I think for the first time in his life, he wasn’t worried that we’d all disappear.
If he didn’t want to get married one day, I’d be okay with that. Like I’d told Leighton on the phone last week, I didn’t need a white dress and fancy party. I just needed Jackson. If he didn’t come around to the idea of marriage, I’d let go of that dream.
I had the one I’d really been after anyway.
The babies thing? That was a different story. I wasn’t going to let go of that dream so easily. One day, I had complete faith that Jackson would get over his fears and realize any child would be lucky to have him as their dad.
Jackson and Logan said good-bye and I stepped away from the window to go back to the door. I opened it for Logan as he stomped the snow off his boots.
“Morning,” I told him.
“Good morning.” He stepped inside and looked around the room.
I put my hands in my jean pockets, then took them out. I tugged at the hem of my sweater, making sure it hadn’t ridden up. Then I looked around the room, trying not to stare at Logan as he did his minor inspection.
No matter how much time we spent together, Logan Kendrick always made me nervous. He had this raw power that rolled off his body. That, and he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen besides Jackson.
Logan’s dark hair was always styled and his face shaven. Even in his casual jeans and black winter coat, he was classy. The boots he wore were the same style as Jackson’s, but they weren’t worn or scuffed. Everything about Logan was polished.
And his air of confidence and command was completely intimidating.
“How are you today?” he asked.
“Good, thanks.” I gave him a shaky smile. “And you? H-how are you?”
“I’m good.”
“Oh, that’s great.” My voice was airy and quiet. “Would you like coffee? I made a pot. It’s in the kitchen.” Obviously, Willa. Geez. Get a grip.