“Finally,” Leah sighs. “Do you know how many dreams I’ve been havin' about kangaroos, koalas, tree branches, and butterflies?"
We all look toward the woman who I now know is the Bull Mountain Seer. “Koalas? When didthathappen?” I ask.
“Three nights ago,” Lee replies. “I looked it up, did you know there are things called drop bears in Australia.” She shudders. “I think I’d much rather come across a grizzly bear than one ofthose.”
Finding out that Lee was a Seer was definitely a mind-blowing discovery. Here I was thinking that the mountain seers in Aster’s books were these cruisy, hippie types when in reality, they're just regular people with extraordinary abilities who all have a connection to the mountain spirit.
What was also interesting was the fact that just like in the books, the spirit communicates with the Seers in different ways.
Aster chuckles, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "If everything came to me at once, I'd be writing a book a month. Just like those going through the call, I often have to wait for the story to play out. It has to happen naturally, there's no rushing it." She lifts her chin in Lee’s direction. "Which I'm sure Lee told you too."
I shake my head, still trying to process all of this. "So, does that mean everythin’ in the books is true?"
Aster leans forward, her expression serious. "The Mountain Call isn't just a story, Dee. It's the spirit's reward to the keepers and protectors of her land. They look after her and in return, she brings their true love, theirOne, to the mountain. How that happens is unique to each couple.”
Slumping back in my chair, I cradle my mug of peppermint hot chocolate in my hands and stare at the swirling froth on top. The reality that not only are my favorite romance novels biographicalbut thatI'mliving out my own love story right now is both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. The question now is, what do I do about it?
Aster observes me with wise eyes as if she can sense the whirlwind of emotions raging within me. "Dee, I understand that this is a lot to take in," she says gently. "But remember, the Mountain Call is not just about finding your soulmate. It's about the journey you've gone on so far and the one ahead you'll share with Toby. It's about discovering something about yourself."
"I think this was the final step."
All of their expressions change. Cora’s brows furrow. "What do you mean?"
Star studies me before her eyes warm and fill with understanding. "You were waitin’ for a sign, weren't you? Somethin’ to tell you that what you were feelin' for Toby was real."
I nod. "I knew it was real, I was just scared of how life-definin’ it might be."
"Life-definin’, I like that. Does that mean you’re still afraid?" Lee asks curiously.
"Not anymore," I reply, feeling a sense of sureness fill me up inside. "Because the mountain hasn't steered me wrong so far and goin' by all of y'all's stories, she's never got it wrong yet."
"You know that once you accept the Call, you can't be away from your One. It physically hurts to be apart. It happened to Jesse and Kendra, Ellie-Mae and Miller, even Remy and Tess,” Lee explains.
"I understand that." Knowing it in theory is the same thing, right? Then it's like a light bulb goes off in my head. “That’s why I felt so off when I was away for Thanksgivin’, wasn’t it? I thought I was just missin’ him.”
“You were, but it’ssomuch stronger when you’re goin’ through the Call,” Lee explains.
Aster nods. "Unfortunately–or maybe fortunately–it means that if you're planning on going back to Montana permanently or even traveling anywhere for longer than a week or two, Toby would have to go with you?"
"I hadn't thought about that, but that's not an issue. I feel as much at home at Bull Mountain as I do in Montana. So other than visits home, I don't see that bein’ an issue. I love it at Bull. It almost feels like myspiritualhome, if that makes sense.”
All of the women grin at me. “That’s the Call. That’s how you know you’re his and he’s yours. You’ve found the person you’re meant to be with and the place you’re meant to do that in.”
“Is it strange I’m makin’ all these plans and we haven’t evenkissedyet,” I say, thinking out loud.
“You think that boy doesn't know how to kiss? He’s probably kissed his fair share of witches in his time,” Cora says with a wink. “Haven’t seen it for myself but I’ve heard the brothers talk.
I frown. “Witches?”
Cora grins. “Well, the sayin' goes, 'kiss a lot of frogs before you get your princess' and there's no such thing as a female frog, so I had to think of something on the fly. Witches sound better than girl trolls. Toby has kissed a lot of witches to get to hisSkippy.”
Lee giggles, Aster smirks and I just laugh. “Too true.”
“Um… Aren’t we all getting a bit off track here?” Aster says, trying to get the conversation back on track. “Dee here has a decision to make.”
“I thought she’d already made her choice,” Lee says. “She wants Tobes. She always has. She just didn’t know she was hisOne.”
"I'm not complainin' though," I muse. "There's a reason I've felt drawn to him since the day we met, I just wasn't sure it was smart goin' after one of the ranch owners. Not that I got a choice in the matter."
