We hear the front door open and heavy boots entering the house. Rosie grabs my hand.
“Let’s go explore the back porch.”
We make our way outside, all three of us gaping at the view spread before us. It looks like a painting. The distant mountains are framed by clouds and the sun slowly dipping behind them, sending bright streams of light to paint the scene with an orange-and-pink glow.
“I mean, he said he loves me. But he hasn’t said anything about committing to me, becoming an official couple, or our future.”
Rosie shakes her head. “Maybe he needs someone to talk to him about how a woman needs a declaration of feelings and not while she’s naked.”
Monroe sips on her wine thoughtfully. “I think for someone like Sam, it might take him some time. Because to him, the actions he’s taken are quite the declaration themselves, right? I mean, he barely knew his mother, and his grandmother died when he was young too. He was raised by a man as an only child. The emotional conversations aren’t going to be his strong suit.”
“Which is partly why he fits in so great with your brothers,” Rosie adds. “But still, you’re allowed to want a declaration and a formal label as his girlfriend.”
I shiver as a brisk wind blows over us from the mountain. “It’s freezing out here.”
“I’m gonna ask Cash to build us a fire,” Monroe says, standing up to go inside.
Rosie steps closer to me, wrapping her arms around me and squeezing me to her. “Does he make you happy, sis?”
I nod. My heart is bursting with how happy I am with him. I opted not to take a Plan B pill after the condom broke because I was about to start my period and I was ninety-nine percent sure I wasn’t fertile.
“Does he show interest in things you care about?”
I think about theTwilightseries, the new baking sheets that magically appeared in the kitchen a few days ago, and the time I saw him reading the back of one of my books.
I smile, nodding.
“I don’t think I need to ask if you feel safe with him.”
I laugh. “Yeah, that one is pretty obvious.”
“I think you need to give him time.”
“I know. But I’m already so gone for him. He could crush me at any moment. He has so much power over me, and it scares me.”
“And you think you don’t have power over him? I’m sorry, but that man is a goner for you.Youhave power over him too. Don’t ever forget that.”
Cash and Monroe come out, followed by Sam. Cash starts working on building up a fire in the oversize pit, surrounded by cozy wooden chairs with black cushions tied to them. Sam’s gaze rakes over me. He removes his sherpa-lined denim jacket and places it around my shoulders, despite the fact that I’m already bundled up in my own winter coat.
“Wow.” He wraps his arms around my shoulders as he takes in the miles of snowy mountains and valleys before us. He leans down and whispers into my ear, “You know what this place looks like?”
“What?”
“Like a wedding venue.”
My pulse jumps. “Yeah. I can see that.”
“I never used to notice shit like that before.” He chuckles, nuzzling my ear.
I look over at Monroe, who is grinning at us so big that I can see all her teeth. She leans down to whisper something to Cash.
Cash looks over at us, shrugs, and returns to his task of building the fire. Rosie goes inside, probably to get a refill of her wine or see what the twins are up to, even though Holden is a very involved dad and can handle them on his own.
“What do you think? Winter or summer?” Sam prods.
I turn to look up at him, raising a brow. “For what?”
“For the wedding.” He says it casually, like I should’ve known what he was getting at.
