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“Why is that?”
“Because if I do, I’ll lose him.” The idea came out of her mouth so easily, it took her off guard.Is that how she really felt?
It was.
“He isn’t one to settle down,” Amber continued. “He’s been avoiding that type of life ever since he was old enough to realize he would hate it. He’s told me that repeatedly. If I tell him that not only is that what I want, but that I want it in a small town, I could lose him and I think that I’m…”
Amber dropped her gaze and blinked hard to keep the tears at bay.
“You’re what?” Maureen asked gently when Amber didn’t finish the sentence.
“I think I’m in love with him.” She’d never said the words out loud before and despite the hurt in her heart, they brought a smile to her face.
“So, what’s the problem?”
Amber didn’t even hesitate because theproblem,as Maureen had put it, had been growing in her every day. “I don’t know if he feels the same way.” She let the tears slide down her face.
“Sweetie, there’s only one way to know for sure, isn’t there?”
Amber nodded.
“It was supposed to be just fun and easy.” She chuckled at herself. Crystal Creek and the Snow Ball seemed so long ago. “But you’re right,” she said after a moment. “There’s only one way to know.”
Amber took a deep breath and wiped her cheeks. She’d spent far too long living a half-life. Those days were over.
The minutethey were outside in the crisp, dark night, Cole relaxed. He hadn’t realized how tense his confrontation with Cal had really made him. But it wasn’t all the other man’s fault. Not at all. He had gotten as worked up as he had because he knew there was merit in what Cal had been saying. Of course he had a reason to be concerned about his sister, because Cole hadn’t stepped up and done or said anything for him to feel otherwise.
Cole followed Mitch over to the wood pile and immediately started stacking logs to pick up.
“Just one second.” Mitch put his gloved hand on Cole’s arm. “I don’t think there’s a rush to get back in there, do you? After all, I’m in no rush for another chorus of ‘Hark the Herald.’” Mitch laughed with a shake of his head. “I really have no idea what’s gotten into Ian. I mean, I expect this type of thing from Gwen, but Ian? Christmas carol karaoke? Love does crazy things to a person.”
Even in the dim light, Cole could see the way Mitch looked at him. Watched him and waited for…what exactly?
Cole shrugged. “I guess it does.”
“Things like giving up your dream job and talking about moving halfway around the world with a man you’d just met.”
Ahh, of course.He knew there was more to the late-night firewood gathering. Cole instantly stiffened. Dealing with Amber’s overprotective brothers was starting to get a little tiresome.
“Hey,” Mitch said, reading his mind. “I get it. Dating someone with four brothers must be a bit…well, much.” Cole started to nod, but Mitch kept talking. “The thing is, when it comes to Amber…well…” He laughed to himself as if he’d told a joke. “With Chelsea, it was different, even though she’s the youngest.”
“Why is that?” Cole tried not to be defensive, especially because there was nothing confrontational about Mitch. He was just talking. Not like Cal. Cole took a deep breath and forced his hands to unclench from the fists they’d instinctively formed.
“I don’t really know. And to be honest, as I’m sure you’ve already heard…Amber and I haven’t been close.” Cole nodded. That wasn’t a secret, which made the big brother act even more flabbergasting. “But I’ve always known her. At least, I’ve knownabouther. And who she was,” Mitch continued. “I think we’re all finding this—meaning you”—he waved in Cole’s direction—“so difficult to wrap our head around. Because it’s so out of character for who she is.”
Despite the fact that it was true, Cole was getting really tired of hearing it. “Look,” he started. “I know that she’s made some decisions that are a little out of—”
“Hey.” Mitch cut him off. “Before you go all alpha on me, hear me out, okay?”
He swallowed hard, but Cole nodded and Mitch continued.
“I’m okay with out of character,” he said. “I’m even okay with making radical life choices that people don’t expect. Hell, when you meet the right person, all the rules go out the window. I totally get that. Even if they’re not saying it, every single one of us understand that perfectly.” Mitch moved around the wood stack and started absentmindedly brushing the snow off the top logs.
“It wasn’t just me,” Cole said. “I mean, Amber made those changes for herself. As much as I’d love to take credit for her waking up to the fact that there is more to life than crunching numbers all day, I can’t. It was all her. I just happened to be there. And moving to Australia, well…” He trailed off, because they hadn’t actually discussed doing that for a while. “Well, I can’t take credit for any of this. Good or bad.”
Mitch nodded and was quiet for a moment before he picked up some wood. “Okay,” he said after a moment. “I can understand that. But I don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit.”
Cole mimicked him, and picked up a few logs of his own. “In what way?”
