by Mia Ford
“I love you, too,” I said.
Chapter 29
Two Months Later
Cameron
I got out of my car and walked up the path toward the resort. The grounds were sparse with tourists, and the last of the skiing was being done. It was March, and a rather warm one at that. The slopes were getting harder and harder to keep white. It was the first time I had seen grass in Aspen, and I looked over at the courtyard and smiled, watching birds flutter around in the trees over the bench. There were tufts of bright green grass trying to push their way through, showing signs that an early spring was coming. Luckily for places like Aspen, an early ending to winter only meant an early start to the tourist spring and summer seasons. This place made money all year round, and they were perfectly happy to start changing over the seasonal staff.
Before I walked into the building, I pulled out my phone and opened up a text from Bea. It was a picture of Lily, smiling big with her gummy grin. She was five months old now and was really starting to get interesting. She loved to follow objects, pick things up, and drop them just to watch you pick them up again. She played with her rattle and listened to the noises, and she recognized my voice almost immediately now. Bea sent me little texts all the time, and it really did brighten up my day. They had been back at Bea’s house for over a week now, packing up the house and putting it on the market. We had decided that the best move to make would be to Aspen. It was a place that held some really amazing feelings for us, and since Bea could work from anywhere, we picked out a gorgeous house farther up on the mountain with amazing views.
I smiled and closed my phone, shoving it in my pocket and pulling down on my pea coat. I walked into the building and took off my coat, slinging it over my arm and fixing my tie. As I walked forward, I heard a familiar voice, one I had been working with for almost four years. It was the owner, Mr. Longhill. He had just gotten back from another run through his Bali hotel plans and was coming in just to meet with me.
“Cameron,” he said, seeing me walking toward him. “It’s so good to see you.”
“You too, sir,” I said, shaking his hand.
“Come on, let’s go into my office,” he replied, turning back to the hotel manager. “Just fix it. Whatever it takes.”
I smiled at the manager and followed Mr. Longhill down the conference corridor and to the left, where he spent most of his time. I was kind of shocked that he put his office across from the daycare as I didn’t see him as much of a child kind of man. We walked into the large room, and he nodded at his secretary before passing through another set of large mahogany doors that led into his office.
“Take a seat, Cameron,” he said. “Can I get you anything?”
“No, thank you,” I said.
“I’m really glad that you decided to join the team,” he said.
“I’m really grateful that you had a place for me here,” I said.
“How could we turn you down? You have been one of our greatest assets during the busy winter months, and now, you will be helping all year round. So, your official titles will be lead slope maintenance during the summer months, and Head Instructor during the winter months. You will be responsible for keeping the slopes nice in the warmer months, fixing any issues you come across. That way, when we hit the winter months, we aren’t scrambling to fix the slopes before the season starts. I really want a smooth transition.”
“That is perfect,” I said, smiling. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”
“All right, then,” he said, standing up. I followed suit. “We will see you on Monday and start our planning for when the snow melts.”
“Perfect,” I replied. “And thank you again, from my entire family.”
“It’s my pleasure,” he replied.
I left his office feeling like a million bucks, so thankful that I had the opportunity to stay in Aspen full time. When I decided that I wanted to be part of this family with Lily and Bea, I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to find a year-round position. Bea insisted she made more than enough for me to just work seasonally, but that wasn’t good enough for me. We had big plans for the future, and I wanted to bring in as much money as I could to help us reach those goals. Right now, we were just trying to get her and Lily moved into the new house and everything settled in and calm.
When I pulled up to the house, I smiled, realizing that Bea and Lily had come home early to surprise me. I looked at her truck as I walked toward the front door, seeing all the boxes packed inside. A thrill ran through my chest, knowing that the two most important women in my life were inside, waiting for me. I hurried inside, shutting the door and dropping my keys on the table. I slipped off my wet shoes and walked down the hall, seeing the beautiful sunlight streaming into the house from the floor-to-ceiling windows that Bea insisted we have. I had to admit, they were pretty amazing. As I rounded the corner, I stopped and leaned up against the doorway, watching Bea sitting next to Lily.
My little girl was having tummy time, and from the looks at how strong she was getting, it wouldn’t be too long before she was running around the house like a wild child, at least, if she turned out anything like me. Bea rolled her over on her belly and kissed her cheeks, talking to her softly and smiling. Bea looked up and met my stare, a huge smile crossing her face. She reached her hand out and signaled for me to join them. I grinned and walked forward through the dining room and down into the sunken living room. I got down on my knees and kissed Bea passionately, letting her know just how much I loved and missed her.
As my lips moved across hers, I stopped and opened my eyes, looking down at Lily. She was glaring up at us, reaching for me, little squeals coming from her chest. I chuckled and leaned down, kissing her gently all over her face and then blowing softly on her belly. She reached up and grabbed my face with her little hands and squeezed my cheeks, causing a deep belly to laugh to roll from my stomach. She squealed again in excitement as I laughed, my eyes watering at the corners. I reached over and grabbed her rattle and shook it in front of her, letting it go when she reached up with jerking movements and took it from my hand. Instantly, she put it into her mouth, and I smiled.
“I don’t think that’s where that goes, little panda bear,” I said, pulling it out and shaking it. “Make beautiful music, Lily.”
We sat there on the floor, letting the sun shine brightly over us, bringing the house to life for the first time since we closed on it. Sure, we didn’t have it fully furnished yet, and the boxes were still packed tightly, but I realized in that moment that none of that was what made a house a home. Inside these walls were two people that I loved with all of my heart, and what made the house really feel like a home were the sounds and feelings that were bursting through the open spaces. The sounds of Lily squealing and shaking her rattle, the laughter coming from deep inside Bea, and the chuckles that I couldn’t seem to get over when I was with them. Everything about who we were as a family unit made anywhere we went feel like home, as long as we were together when we did it.
Bea laughed and cooed at Lily, and I watched her interact with our daughter. It was like she was made to be a mother, someone who cared deeply for her child and wanted everything that she could give her to be perfect. She shined brighter than I had ever seen her shine when she was with Lily, and that warmed my heart. I had never thought in a million years that I would be settled down, buying a house, and working for one man, but this was the best thing that could have happened for me. In the end, it was also the best thing to happen to Glen.
When I told him, he was ecstatic, revealing to me that he had proposed to his girlfriend. He was going to talk to me about it when he got back. This got him off the hook, and we just dissolved the company. My days of traveling, living out of hotel rooms, and eating bad room service were finally over. At that moment, from where I was standing, that was an amazing thing, but if you had asked me two years before, I would have laughed you all the way down the slope.
I reached out and grabbed Be
a’s hand, thinking about all the time I had spent in agony, wishing and hoping that she would find her way back into my arms. I pulled her close, lifting her up into my lap. She sat sideways, blowing kisses to Lily and turning to me, wrapping her hands around my neck. Her eyes shimmered under the light of the sun cascading over her face, the light reflecting off the streaks of red naturally intertwined in her long, brown hair. She smiled at me and leaned in, kissing me on the cheek. I smiled back and shook my head, taking in a deep breath.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing.” I smirked. “You know, I really love you.”
“Thank you.” She laughed.
“No, I mean it. I love you without even the shadow of a doubt lurking nearby. There has not been one moment since New Year’s Eve that I questioned my feelings for you and how deep they truly run. You are the woman of my dreams.”
“You are the man of mine, figuratively and literally.” She laughed. “And I love you, too.”
I smiled and leaned in, kissing her lips and holding her tightly, my head resting on her chest. I listened as her heart beat steadily inside, pulsing the amount of love she had in her heart out into everyone within close range. It was amazing to me that over a year after she captivated me with her smile and her charm, she was still doing that today. I never got tired of her voice, of her giggles, and of her warmth. I never got tired of coming home and seeing her there by my side, excited to have me back home. I already knew that in the blink of an eye, fate had given me everything I needed in my life, but I just refused to acknowledge it at the time. There wasn’t a single part of me that missed my old lifestyle, not even for a second. I knew now that the men that complained about being in a committed relationship because they missed their freedom were never really in love with the other person. It took a cosmic connection, a partnership, and emotions that I couldn’t control if I wanted to, to make me never want to go back to my old life ever again.
I loved Bea, and I couldn’t wait to see what the future held for us.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
Bea
I tossed my towel over my shoulder and walked into the kitchen, laughing as Lily sat up and giggled at the cartoon on the screen. I turned back to the sink and finished rinsing the dishes and loading the dishwasher. I had finally found a rhythm between work, keeping up with the house, and taking care of Lily all day. Of course, I never had to do it alone. Cameron was on point every time he came home from work. He knew that I worked hard, too, and instead of treating me like a housewife, like Grant had done a lifetime ago, Cameron split everything with me, making sure we were partners and equals in our relationship. Truth be told, I loved having my little family. It was exactly I’d always wanted and more. The love I had for Cameron just kept growing, even when I thought I couldn’t love him any more than I already did.
Work was amazing, and they found that I had a real knack for writing romance. Not only was I still ghostwriting, but I had put out my own series of chick-lit with the publishing company. It was doing amazing, and this last book had hit the top ten within hours of going on sale. I never actually thought I would enjoy writing romance, but now that I wasn’t bitter and unhappy with my life, I had a lot to pull from. The first story I wrote was actually about my journey with Cameron, only I changed the names and added a few extra romantic gestures for the readers that liked the overload of love and mush. Cameron thought it was funny, and he read every book that I put out.
I looked over at Lily as I reached up to put away the coffee mugs. She was sitting quietly, playing with her new blocks with drool just dripping all down her chin. The poor girl was teething, and it was keeping her, and us, up at nights. I loved watching her grow, being so amused and enchanted by the smallest things in life. Lily reminded me to slow down, to take in the moment to moments, and to really stop and be thankful for everything that was around me. She made me see the world with a new light and a new curiosity, just like she did every day. I was almost jealous at how new everything was for her, and she wasn’t tainted by the Grants of the world quite yet. My hopes were that she would grow up to be strong and independent enough to never fall for the Grants of the world.
The house phone rang just as I was thinking about that, and I walked over and picked it up. The caller ID was from the resort, and I figured Cameron was calling to check in on his lunch break. Sometimes, he would call ahead, and I would fix lunch so that we could sit down together and eat. It was a nice treat, especially right now when the resort was getting ready for the normal end of October winter weather. The jump off to ski season was right around the corner, and I was happy for Cameron because that meant he could start teaching again.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hey Bea, it’s Brian,” he said.
“Oh, hey, Brian. Is everything okay?”
“Yes, yes,” he replied, calming my nerves. “I was calling to ask you if you would pack up Lily and come up to the resort? Cameron needs you up here.”
“Um, okay,” I said, looking over at Lily. “What’s this all about?”
“Honestly, I really don’t know,” he said, sounding suspicious. “I was just asked to give you a call and have you come up. Do you want me to send a car?”
“Um, no, I can drive,” I replied. “Give me about fifteen minutes, and we’ll be over.”
“Great, see you soon,” he said, hanging up before I could ask any more questions.
I clicked off the phone and looked down at it with curiosity. Why in the world would Cameron need Lily and me to come to the resort in the middle of the day on a Tuesday? I shrugged my shoulders and walked into the living room, scooping up Lily and taking her upstairs to get ready. I brushed my hair and threw on a t-shirt and jeans with a light jacket. I changed Lily’s diaper and packed a diaper bag full, just in case we ended up being there all day. Before I left her room, I checked my phone to see if Cameron had texted me. It was so strange and so very vague, but I had agreed to come, so I figured why not?
I slung the diaper bag over my shoulder and picked Lily up, carrying the car seat out and snapping it into its base. I fastened Lily in, realizing she may be getting ready to move up a size in car seats, and I shook my head and sighed, wishing she would slow down already. I went around the car and climbed in, starting it and pulling down the driveway. We only lived about ten minutes from the resort, but in the opposite direction of the town, so the view was beautiful, and the drive was always pleasant.
As I made my way there, my mind skipped all over the place, from worrying that something was wrong, to wondering what in the world Cameron was up to. It wasn’t often that we surprised each other with anything, except maybe an extra hour of sleep on the weekends. Nonetheless, I needed to turn off my brain. I didn’t want to ruin whatever it was that he had in store. When I got to the resort, I parked the car and lifted Lily out of her seat, putting her on my side and grabbing the diaper bag. As I walked forward, I saw some bright neon yellow signs stuck in the ground, which was not at all like the resort. They were very neat and orderly all the time. As I got closer though, I realized that the message written on the sign was for me.
“Bea, turn right here,” the sign read.
I turned right, looking around to see if I could see anyone, but I was all alone. I followed the stone steps down the side of the building and stopped at the next sign. Cameron had planned something, but I couldn’t possibly imagine what for. It wasn’t our anniversary or my birthday.
“Keep going until you reach ‘our spot,’” the next sign read.
I took a deep breath and smiled, thinking about the courtyard where we had made all the most important decisions in our lives. Even when we decided to buy the house, we brought the papers to the bench and sat there reading them, enjoying the warmer spring temperatures. When I rounded the corner, I stopped, frozen in my tracks. I looked around the courtyard in awe at the paper flowers that had been strung through all the branches of the trees. The iron bench that we normally
sat on was covered in a red cloth, and there was a sign that read, “Stop here.” I turned and looked at Brian, standing at attention in his tux.
“This way, madam,” he said, offering his arm and walking us over to the bench.
He nodded his head and walked back to his position, staring off at the mountain. I scrunched my eyebrows and giggled, looking down at Lily who was laughing as the paper flowers flowed with the still warm breeze. I looked up at the sound of footsteps and smiled, watching Cameron walk in front of us, dressed up in his New Year’s Eve tuxedo.
“Thank you for coming,” he said, smiling and walking over to me. “I remember exactly what you looked like when you were standing here in the snow, wrapped in your white bubble jacket, your tight jeans, and your fur-topped snow boots, looking around with Hailey. I remember what you looked like when you laid in my arms as the fireworks shot off over our heads and our lips touched for our very first kiss. I remember what you looked like dressed in that black velvet gown, coming to tell me the most important announcement of my life. I remember sitting here, going over the paperwork for our first house together, and now, I will never forget what you and Lily look like, sitting here now.”
Cameron sat down next to me and looked up at the slopes across the way, still filled with green grass and life. He took a deep breath and looked down at his hands, obviously nervous about something. I reached over and touched his hand, smiling and nodding my head.
“Everything in my life had been a whirlwind of events, starting from the first time I picked up a pair of skis,” he said. “When you came into my life, it immediately calmed, leaving a man with dreams, aspirations, and a whole lot of love to give. Just in the short time we have been together, you have given me so much. You have shown me what it means to love someone. You have given me the courage to push myself to the next level. You have shown me patience and caring, even in the moments I might not necessarily deserve them. And most importantly, you gave me our little girl. The two of you light up my life like nothing I have ever experienced before.”
