Chapter One
NATALIE
“Oh my gosh,” my mom gasps from the doorway. “Honey, you did all this by yourself?” Her eyes, so much like my own, are wide with surprise.
“Is it too much?” I wring my hands together wondering if too much is a bad thing. I know sometimes people can say I’m a bit over the top, but every now and then, it’s called for.
I’ve been at Hot Toddy since ten this morning. I wanted to get inside the bar as soon as possible, but Buck said the only way he was letting me into this place at six in the morning on a Sunday was if I slept in his bed the night before. Which happens to be over the bar.
I’d rolled my eyes and agreed to ten. I get it. The bar is open till two in the morning on Saturday night, but I wanted this to be perfect. My twin brother is having a baby, and I’m in charge of the baby shower. I’m determined to make sure that everything is perfect.
“It’s not too much.” She walks over to wrap me in a hug. “It’s never too much when it comes to you. I just wish you would’ve let me help if you were doing all this.” She motions around the room.
“What? It’s a bar and I had to turn it into a winter wonderland.” That takes a lot of work.
There aren’t a ton of places to hold events in Bear Mountain. It’s slim pickings around here, but we kind of like it that way. Bear Mountain is a beautiful little town that the corporate world hasn’t gotten their hands on. Not that some haven’t tried. We have some of the best skiing mountains in the world if you ask me, but we’re a small piece of heaven tucked away and kept secret.
If more people knew about us, this town would turn into Touristville in no time. We don’t mind a bit of company to fill the small bed and breakfast places around here, but we don’t need some giant ski resort taking over.
I’d gotten a taste of that one weekend when I’d decided to rent out a few of the cabins we have on our family's land. That had ended in a nightmare with a bunch of rich asshole college kids. Though it did give us Evie, who married my cousin Connor, but I’m not making that mistake again.
“You really thought of everything.” She runs her hand over one of the tablecloths and looks around. I’ve covered almost everything in the place to hide that it’s a bar. Even the ceiling is hidden by balloons. My fingers are going to hurt from tying so many of them off, but it was worth it.
“Think they’ll love it?” I ask.
“Of course.” She gives me a smile that turns into a knowing look. Oh crap. “You did all this because you don’t want them to know you’re a bit sad.”
“What? I have no idea what you’re talking about. Oh gosh, you losing your mind? You’re so young.”
“You’re a brat.” She laughs before her face goes serious on me again. “You’ll find the one too, Natalie.”
“I’m not looking for ‘the one,’” I huff. She lifts a brow, not buying what I’m selling. Since I was a little girl, I always talked about finding a love like her and Dad’s. “Anymore,” I add.
“Honey.” She pulls me into one of her big soft mom hugs. She gives the kind of hugs that linger even after they’re over. They also get you to word-vomit all over the place, but I’m not going to do it this time. No way. “I love you.”
“Okay! I’m jealous, and I want to make sure that’s not coming through. I won’t let my jelly feelings touch this baby and their love. All right? I adore Bri, and she’s the best thing to ever happen to Wilder. Well, except me, but I don’t count.”
“You count.”
“I know, and I’m so happy for them.” I bite the inside of my cheek to make sure my chin doesn’t wobble.
It always quivers when I’m about to cry, which I will not do because I’m an ugly crier. My whole face turns red and blotchy, and it lingers for hours, and everyone will know. Then they’ll worry about me and ask what's wrong. Which will steal attention from the baby shower. All attention is going to be on Bri. It’s her moment to shine.
She’s been through so much, having lost both her parents a year ago. When Wilder and I lost our dad, it was hard. I can’t fathom losing both parents at once. It’s been my mission to show her that she has us now, and though we’ll never replace her mom and dad, we can be a kickass family to her. Also we adore her to pieces.