“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 Bea’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