Her smile widens. “Smart, charming, and relentlessly snarky? I’ll take it as a compliment.”
I can’t help the low chuckle that rumbles in my chest. “They’re idiots.”
“Idiots who placed a mail-order bride ad on your behalf,” she points out, her tone mock-innocent. “So maybe not completely wrong about you.”
I shake my head, fighting back a grin. “You gonna keep bringing that up?”
“Probably.” She returns to the telescope, her fingers adjusting the focus with practiced ease. I watch her, the way her lips move silently as she names the stars under her breath, the way her brow furrows when she’s deep in thought. She’s completely in her element, and I can’t tear my eyes away.
“This one,” she says, pointing to the screen a few minutes later where the telescope’s feed displays a faint cluster of stars. “Do you know what it’s called?”
“Pleiades,” I answer without hesitation. “Also known as the Seven Sisters.”
She gives a small nod, her lips curving into a smile that makes my pulse jump. “I’ve always loved this one. There’s something… comforting about it.”
“Comforting?” I step closer, close enough to catch the faint scent of her shampoo—something light and citrusy that makes me want to bury my face in her hair. “I’ve always thought it looked a little lonely.”
She tilts her head, her gaze meeting mine. “Lonely? How so?”
I shrug, leaning on the console next to her. “Seven stars, clustered together but still light-years apart. Close, but not really connected.”
Her expression softens, and for a moment, I swear I see something vulnerable flash in her eyes. “I guess it depends on how you look at it,” she murmurs. “To me, they’re connected. Even if they’re far apart, they’re still part of the same constellation. Like a family.”
I don’t reply. I can’t. The way she says it, so quietly and with so much conviction, hits me harder than I expect. Family is something I’ve always had—my brothers, my best friends—but I’ve never thought of it the way she just described. Like a constellation. Like a connection that transcends distance.
“You really love the stars?” I ask after a long silence.
Quinn blinks up at me, her curiosity piqued. “Of course. Isn’t that why I’m here?”
I arch a brow, giving her a once-over. “I thought you were here because of Zane’s stupid ad.”
Her laugh is soft but genuine, and it does something to my chest I don’t entirely like. “Maybe it’s both.”
“Come on,” I say, grabbing my jacket. “I’ll show you something better.”
She follows me out into the cold starry night, her breath visible in the crisp mountain air. The trail to my favorite stargazing spot is narrow and steep, but she keeps up without complaint, her determination matching my stride.
“This better be worth it,” she says as we crest the ridge.
“Oh, it is.” I step aside, letting her take in the view.
The stars stretch endlessly above us, their light reflected on the snow-covered peaks below. It’s the kind of view that makes you feel small and infinite all at once. I glance at her, waiting for her reaction.
She’s silent for a long moment, her face lit by the faint glow of the Milky Way. Then she whispers, “It’s perfect.”
Something in her voice—awe, maybe even gratitude—makes my chest tighten. “Yeah,” I say quietly. “It is.”
The next morning, I’m finishing up in the barn when I hear voices approaching. It’s Slate and Zane, followed closely by Grady, Fox, and Liam. I groan inwardly. Nothing good ever comes from unannounced visitors up here.
“Well, look who it is,” Zane calls, grinning like the devil. “Ridge and hisbride.”
I glance at Quinn, who’s standing beside me with a bucket of feed for the chickens. She raises a brow, unfazed. “Here we go.”
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath, “so much for your brother never finding out.”
“What the actual fuck?” Grady bellows, his eyes angry as they bounce between mine and Quinn’s. Zane’s eyes are sparkling with amusement. “What’s this I hear about you shacking up with my sister,a mail-order bride?”
“It’s not like that,” I snap, but the damage is already done. The teasing comes fast and relentless, each brother trying to outdo the last.
