Page 73 of Never Your Valentine

“Yes. Admit it.”

“She’s right,” Sophie grumbles. “They’re all hot. They know it too.”

Grant certainly does. How could he not? He’s got the body of an underwear model and a face that could sell bad decisions at full price. He’s financially stable, has grown-up manners, good hygiene, and creative bedroom ideas.

He’s not arrogant, but he’s got the confidence of a man who knows he’s a catch. Too bad he doesn’t want to get caught.

As much fun as it is to giggle about him with my girls, I know there’s no long-term solution to that problem. Grant likes me, but he’ll never choose me, and I’m not sure that will ever change.

Chapter 28

Grant

I wasn’t thrilled about helping Felix with this tour group, but at least we have decent weather for it. The end of February is still cold, but not polar vortex cold, and there’s a cooperative amount of snow. Annabelle and I are dressed in full snowmobile gear including insulated bibs, down coats, two pair of gloves, and helmets with face shields. Her arms are around my waist, her legs behind mine.

Earlier today, we set up the targets and shot a few rounds. Annabelle claimed to be out of practice, while hitting bullseye after bullseye. It’ll be interesting to see what Tim and his friends do with that.

We park at the site and start unloading the sled we dragged behind the snowmobile. Felix already towed in the small trailer we’re using for our food truck. Once we get everything plugged in, we’ll have lights in the trailer as well as string lights over the campsite, but for now, we’re relying on headlamps in the darkness.

“Did you see that house back there?” Annabelle asks. “Like a log cabin on steroids? It’s huge. How many people do you think live there?”

“One,” I say. “That’s Cole’s house.” My brother lives alone. He doesn’t throw parties. He doesn’t invite people over. He just makes money and lives in his four thousand square foot fortress of solitude.

“I’m doing the math,” Annabelle says. “If he’s the youngest, he’s what, twenty-five? And he can afford a house like that?”

“Land too.” I gesture around us. “All of this is Cole’s.”

“He owns an entire forest? I have so many questions.”

“You and me both.”

My brother’s a great guy, but he’s hard to understand. When he was eighteen, he sold an app to the right person at the right time, and used that money to make more money. He could have gone anywhere, done anything, but instead, he settled just outside Echo Creek, as if he wanted to keep his family close, but not too close. He spends his money improving the town, but never wants credit for it. He’s great to hang out with when we see him, but we hardly ever do.

“Should we start the fire?” Annabelle asks when everything is in the trailer.

“I want to give you something first.”

Her eyebrows dance. “Oh yeah? What are you going to give me?”

“The stars.” I turn off all the lights and lead her to the clearing. I lie on my back in the snow and invite her to do the same. She settles in next to me and we look up into infinity.

Dark treetops ring the clearing, cutting the world down to this single circle. Our breath fogs the air and vanishes, but the stars stay, steady and endless, as if they’ve been waiting for us. The vastness above us sharpens everything, like the night has stripped away all the noise and left only what matters.

Annabelle is silent for a long time. I am too. All this vastness, and we’re a part of it. I’m at peace. Settled.

Annabelle inhales, long and deep. “This must be what the inside of a nebula smells like.”

I get up and offer her a hand. “I was expecting wow or pretty. But I should know better than to guess what you’re going to say next.”

“Wow,” she says as I pull her to her feet. She stretches up to kiss me. “Pretty.”

A low growl rumbles through the trees, fraying the edges of the night. The vibration swells and multiplies, wiping away our shared moment of stillness. White beams flicker between the trunks. The snowmobiles burst into the clearing a heartbeat later, headlights blazing, exhaust hanging in the cold air, punctuated by whoops and back slapping as Felix leads four men to the site. Time to get to work.

I build a fire and set up a ring of camp chairs while Annabelle follows the caterer’s instructions for reheating the food. The main course is slow-cooked venison ribs with porcini mushrooms in a rich wine sauce. We’ve got a crockpot of garlic mashed potatoes and a pan of roasted carrots and fennel, along with sourdough rolls with herbed butter. Dessert is a dark chocolate torte. This is Felix’s favorite kind of tour. Over the top. Memorable. Tell-all-your-friends.

Tim is already enjoying the bump in status, as everyone keeps saying, “this is so cool,” and “how did you find this place?” As if Michigan didn’t appear on a map until Tim found it. I let him play the big man, giving him a warm welcome and saying how nice it is to see him again.

He introduces me to Logan, Lincoln, and Brick. I find out they were in the same fraternity and now all go to the same church. They even look alike. They’re white guys in their thirties with builds that say “desk job.” They’re wearing the same hats and matching gloves, as if they bought them last-minute at a gas station on their way out of town. I immediately lump them together as all the same person.