She nodded, her throat too tightto speak.
“‘Bye, angel,” he murmured. He slapped the back of the machine and turned, whistling to Riggs.
Dazed, Lily got back on the snowmobile, and Gage settled in behind her. “You okay?” he asked, handing her the helmet again.
She didn’t answer right away, still breathless and feeling the imprint of Rush’s mouth on hers. But as the cold air stung her cheeks, she drew in a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of pine and snow. And with it came something unexpected… a sense of peace.
I am a still lake.
The words settled inside her. Steady and true this time.
She turned back, meeting Gage’s eyes—deep and watchful, the kind that hinted at a story of his own—and smiled. “Let’s take this thing for a ride.”
He revved the engine, the deep growl vibrating beneath her, and a jolt of excitement ran through her. Not just from the ride, but from the choice she was making.
She wasn’t running away anymore.
Maybe whatever had ignited between her and Rush had ended before it had a chance to become something more. Maybe she’d leave the mountain with nothing more than memories that might fade with time.
But she was different.
She tightened her grip, feeling the sharp sting of the wind against her face, and inhaled deeply, feeling more alive than she ever had before.
And for the first time in a long time, she was ready to face whatever awaited her at the bottom of the mountain.
Chapter Seventeen
One Month Later…
“Bye, Miss Lily!”
A chorus of tiny voices filled the studio, all calling out their enthusiastic goodbyes as Lily zipped coats, wrapped scarves, and steered the children gently toward their waiting parents. Despite the exhaustion sinking into her bones, she smiled warmly at each child, waving as they left.
“See ya later, Aunt Lily.” Savannah Henderson blew Lily an exaggerated kiss, which Lily pretended to catch and press to her chest.
“See you, Savvie girl.” Lily braced a shoulder against the studio doorway, watching affectionately as her niece ran straight into her daddy’s brawny arms.
“Daddy,” Savvie announced breathlessly, “I’m a sheep. And Tessa’s a sheep, too, but she wanted to be a unicorn. Aunt Lily said unicorns aren’t in the Christmas pageant.”
Davis laughed and ruffled his daughter’s wild curls. “Unicorns are pretty rare, honey.”
“That’s what I told her,” Savvie said solemnly thenflashed a mischievous grin. “But she cried. So I said she can still have a horn if she uses a carrot. That’s okay, right, Daddy?”
Lily bit back a laugh as Davis glanced at Savvie’s twin, Tessa, who looked distinctly unamused by the idea. He cleared his throat, clearly fighting a smile.
“You know, honey, maybe check with Aunt Lily before you accessorize Tessa’s costume.”
“Yeah,” Tessa chimed in, giving her sister a look. “No carrots.”
Savvie sighed dramatically and leaned closer to whisper loudly into her daddy’s ear. “She gives her carrots to Walter under the table at dinner.”
Tessa gasped at the betrayal. Davis’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he caught Lily’s gaze, warmth and affection clear on his handsome face. “Thanks for today, Lily. Looks like we’ll be having some vegetable negotiations tonight. Come on, girls, let’s go home and see what Mommy thinks.”
“Good luck,” Lily said, laughing as they turned to go. Watching Davis carry his girls, one tucked against each hip, she felt a familiar tug deep in her chest. Allie’s family was perfectly blended, warm and playful in a way that opened an ocean of yearning in her heart.
Someday. Someday that would be hers too. She sighed and rolled her shoulders, releasing the tightness in her back.
Lily loved teaching, even on days when her muscles ached and her voice was hoarse from counting over the music. The Pure Bliss Wellness Studio, tucked neatly between her mother’s interior design business and a law firm on Main Street, had been her sanctuary—especially this last month.
