A Long Way to Fall, page 21
“I’m only here because you sent me here. The fact that it hasn’t gone as perfectly as you’d planned is your fault. Maybe next time, don’t send your sister to do your dirty work.” She unzipped her snowsuit and stepped out, then hung it on a hook by the door. Yes, she wanted details about the baby, but first, she needed to have a few family questions of her own answered. She also needed to warm up with a hot cup of tea, so she filled the kettle and put it on the stove.
“You’re limping,” Michael said.
“Yeah, that’s the least of my worries.” She pointed at the table. “How about we sit down, and you tell me if the name Ingrid Berg rings a bell.” She took a seat, but Michael hesitated. “So you do know about her and Dad. God, Michael. You really thought it would be okay to send me up here not knowing a goddamned thing about all of the shit that’s been going down for years?”
Michael finally sat. “Honestly, I thought you’d cozy up by the fire all weekend and read those gay romances you love so much.” He glanced around the cabin. “It was all very different in my head.”
“Yeah. Mine too.”
When the kettle whistled, Michael stood. “I’ll get it.”
Kennedy pulled her feet off the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs. “You’d like her, Michael. Bridget, I mean. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever dated.”
“So you’re dating now?” He set a cup in front of her and sat back down.
“No, not exactly. I mean, I’d like to have the chance to date her.”
“But you live in Miami, Ken.” He reached for her hand. “Your family, including your goddaughter, lives in Miami.”
The tears of joy came quickly and so did the need to give her brother a hug. Kennedy stood and opened her arms. “I’m so happy for you, bro. Truly, I am.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her into the air and swung her around. “She’s beautiful, Ken. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
Kennedy giggled. “Put me down and show me a picture.”
He set her down gently and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “She’s why I can’t stay. I have to get back to Josie and my little angel.”
Kennedy put her hands over her mouth and gasped when she saw her niece for the first time. She took the phone from him and sat. “She’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.”
Michael knelt next to her. “Come home for Christmas, Ken. I want you with me when we introduce her to Dad.”
It was the right thing to do. Their past might have been all fucked-up, but their future was this little one with the big pink bow on her head. And really, what else was she going to do, other than spend Christmas Day at that gate while Bridget glared at her from some window on the top floor of the lodge? She’d rather be where she was wanted. And loved. Because as much as she liked to think otherwise, Bridget had made it clear that she didn’t need or want Kennedy in her life. She wrapped an arm around Michael’s shoulder. Too emotional to say the words, she gave him a nod. It was time to go home where she belonged.
* * *
It hadn’t taken much convincing for Michael to agree that leaving the gate open on the access trail until after the new year was the decent thing to do. He still had dollar signs in his eyes, but that conversation could wait until they were back home.
It was important to Kennedy that the no trespassing sign, small as it was, didn’t hinder anyone from using the gate. If she could’ve removed the entire fence, she would have. Instead, she found a piece of rope in the garage and trudged up the slope to the trail one last time to put the sign off to the side.
It was early enough that most of the guests would still be in the lodge having breakfast. That was a good thing since she had no desire to see anyone. Unfortunately, tying a secure knot in anything other than her own shoelaces wasn’t as easy as she’d thought it would be. Was it right over left or left over right? She gave it a good yank, which only seemed to loosen the knot, but maybe if she wrapped the ends all the way around the poles and tucked them in nicely, it would hold. Especially if she didn’t yank on it.
Just as she was about to walk away, she heard the now familiar sound of skis swooshing through the snow. Since it had been bitter cold on the mountain, everyone skied bundled up in hats, scarves, goggles, and some of them wore full face coverings that made them look like burglars on skis. She’d learned to identify the guests by their parkas because that seemed to be the one thing that didn’t change, probably due to the high cost and how much room multiple parkas would take up in a suitcase.
The person skiing toward her wasn’t wearing a parka she recognized, so she turned away and fiddled with the rope in hope that they’d ski right on by. As they sped past, a feeling of anger welled up inside her. Had she still been manning the gate, the new guest would’ve stopped, and she would’ve had to explain that there was a secret password and blah, blah, blah. It all seemed so juvenile and stupid and meaningless that she wanted to scream, but someone else had stopped behind her.
“Where’s the astronaut suit? I mean…sorry. I didn’t mean to call it that.”
It was Lola, so Kennedy turned. “You can call it that. Everyone else does.”
Lola lifted her goggles and furrowed her brow. “You look like you’re going somewhere.”
“So do you.” It was a terse reply, but what did it matter now? She wouldn’t be missed by Lola. Or Bridget, for that matter. Maybe a few of the guests would miss seeing her at the gate, but they’d be gone soon anyway. She did find a slight bit of satisfaction in knowing that the last time she’d be seen by anyone on Elk Mountain, she looked normal. She wasn’t wearing her dad’s old clothes or an unflattering snowsuit. Nor was her hair doing its own crazy thing on top of her head. She’d finally made use of the clothes and toiletries she’d purchased right before everything went to shit for the flight home. But who was she kidding? Aside from a few nice moments with Bridget, her entire time on Elk Mountain had been one gigantic shitshow. And even though her tight jeans and even tighter ski sweater were meant for Bridget’s enjoyment, she’d take what little bit of pride she could in knowing that Lola could at least report that she’d gone out looking pretty damn good.
One of the guests skied up to them and said, “Wowza.” He took his goggles off and gave Kennedy a slow whistle. “Had I known there was an extremely hot woman under that puffy suit, I would’ve spent a little more time whispering that password into her helmet.”
There it was again. The stupid password Kennedy had been making people use for days. She felt like such a fool now; she could barely look at them. The easier thing to do would be to turn around and pretend she was still working on that knot.
Lola sidestepped over and lowered her voice. “Can I fix that for you?” She untied the rope, and with a few quick flicks of her wrists, she tied it into a much better knot and yanked on it. “There you go. All secure now.”
“Great,” Kennedy said. “I think my job here is done.”
She headed back down the trail, eager to get away, but Lola skied along next to her. “Are you leaving the mountain?”
“Yep.” She pointed to the helicopter where Michael was waiting for her. “That’s my ride out.”
Lola stopped, but Kennedy kept going. There was nothing left to say. Not out loud, anyway. Under her breath was another matter. “Hasta la vista, motherfuckers.”
By the time she got to the helipad, her anger had turned into sadness. She was angry-sad, if that was a thing. But she didn’t dare let Michael see any of it. She couldn’t risk him believing that Bridget wasn’t worthy of the kindness and consideration that Kennedy hoped to convince him of.
He offered his hand and helped her into the helicopter. “Everything good?”
She gave him a smile. “All good, bro.”
As they lifted into the air, she kept her eyes on the balcony where she’d first seen the redheaded stranger who’d turned her world upside down. Unsurprisingly, Bridget had seemingly chosen not to watch Kennedy’s departure. Once the balcony was out of view, she turned to Michael and said, “Show me that picture of my goddaughter again.”
* * *
There was a new ornament on the Christmas tree in the lobby. Bridget didn’t need to get closer to know what it was, but she did anyway because—and this was something she hadn’t known about herself until recently—she was into self-torture. It was a paper cutout one of the kids had made. In fact, there were several different versions of the same image hanging on the tree. One had drawn the astronaut on skis. On another, the astronaut was riding their bronze elk statue like a bucking bronco. That one made her giggle. High on the tree, another astronaut was giving a little boy a hug.
Low on the tree, another astronaut hung, but on this one, the kid had drawn a little arrow on the bottom right corner of their ornament, indicating that it should be turned over. And that was when the self-torture thing really kicked in because like an idiot, Bridget bent and flipped the ornament around. Written in crayon it said, Kendy loves Brijet. Of course, their names were misspelled, but what kid would know how to spell a hard name like Kennedy? And it made total sense that Bridget would be spelled with a J instead of a D and G.
“Such sweet gestures,” her mom said, stepping next to her. “Merry Christmas Eve, sweetheart.”
Bridget took the cup of wassail and clinked it against her mom’s. “Merry Christmas Eve, Mom.” She took a sip of the warm deliciousness and then another. She could do without the holiday eggnog they served in the lobby every year, but the spiced apple cider and orange drink had always been a favorite. It didn’t hurt that her mom had given her the rum version, either. Maybe it would take the edge off of how badly she felt about everything.
“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Her mom asked.
“How could I not when she’s all over this tree?”
“I think it’s safe to say, she’s everywhere you look but nowhere to be found. That’s how it works when you miss someone you love. You search for memories of them that make you smile, but it doesn’t take away the ache in your heart. The longing to touch them. Feel their skin and take in their unique scent. It’s all very visceral for us humans. And we don’t always get to choose who we end up loving so deeply. Sometimes, the universe chooses for us, and I can’t help but wonder why a Boden and a Fleming are in this situation again. Why is Jerry’s daughter so clearly in love with my daughter?”
Her mom looked at Bridget as if waiting for an answer. Bridget turned back to the tree and took another sip. “She’s not in love with me. If she was, she wouldn’t have left without saying good-bye, don’t you think?”
“Under that logic, you couldn’t possibly love her, given the way you ignored her while she was out at that gate. Even after I told you about my history with Jerry, you still didn’t go out there and sort it all out.”
Ire rose in Bridget’s chest. She couldn’t shout at her mom. Not in a lobby full of people on Christmas Eve. So she turned to her and calmly said, “I’m not Dad, Mom. He took all the abuse Jerry dished out because he felt guilty. Well, I don’t have that guilt. I didn’t break up a marriage. And I shouldn’t have to fight Jerry’s kids to keep what’s mine.” She punctuated it with a wide-eyed look that was code for, this conversation is over, and turned back to the tree.
“I wonder what Christmas is like in Miami,” her mom said.
Bridget threw a hand in the air and then downed the rest of her wassail in one gulp. “I’m going to need another if you plan on keeping this up.”
Her mom took the cup. “I guess it’s understandable that you’d want to get drunk tonight. Hell, even Harriet thinks you blew it big time.”
She gave Bridget a wink and walked away, leaving her to wonder who else her mom had discussed it with. Lola? Chef Lawrence? Maybe she’d sidled up to the bar and hashed it out with Kevin while he made her a dirty martini. Her face went hot while thinking about the possibilities. She decided she should find someplace more private to stew, but when she turned around, Harriet was right there. “I have to get home to my mother and sister before they think I’ve abandoned them on Christmas and decide to drive home in a snowstorm just to prove a point.”
“Of course,” Bridget said. “I didn’t even know you were still here.”
Harriet shrugged. “I’m not surprised. You’ve been in your own world lately. Oh, and there’s a call on line two I’d like you to handle. See you in a couple of days.”
Bridget hadn’t noticed it earlier, but Harriet seemed down. She followed her to the door. “Harriet, you’re right. I haven’t been myself lately. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.”
Harriet gave her a pat on the arm. “Don’t worry, honey. You’ll make it up to me with some paid time off in the spring. And don’t forget to answer line two. Merry Christmas.”
Bridget watched until Harriet was safely down the steps and then went to the front desk and picked up the phone. “This is Bridget. How can I help you?”
“Um…you called me.”
“I’m sorry?” Bridget’s heart dropped into her stomach. “Kennedy?”
“Why do you sound surprised? Harriet called and said you wanted to talk to me. Look, I need to get back to my family.”
“No! No, wait,” Bridget said. “Just wait.” It was a shock to hear Kennedy’s voice again, but in a good way that had Bridget smiling, even though she could hardly breathe. “Kennedy, stay on the line while I change phones, okay? Don’t hang up.”
She didn’t wait for a reply. She rushed into her office and shut the door, then picked up the phone. “Okay, hi. I’m alone now. I mean, it’s quiet in here. We can talk. Kennedy?”
“I’m here.”
“This was Harriet’s doing. She told me I had a call on line two, but I had no idea it was you. Not that I’m upset it’s you, just…surprised.”
“Harriet did this? I find that hard to believe since she seemed to hate me.”
Bridget sat behind her desk. “Wait. You believe me, don’t you?”
“You know, I remember saying something along those same lines to you. In fact, I begged you to believe me, but you just walked away.”
“I did,” Bridget admitted. “And I regret that and so much more. Kennedy, I…” Bridget put a hand over her mouth to stop it from quivering. She took a breath and said, “Not even five minutes ago, my mom was telling me that sometimes, we don’t get to choose who we love, it just happens. And while it’s really inconvenient for me to have fallen for a Fleming, it’s my current reality.”
After an achingly long pause, Kennedy said, “You’re in love with my brother?”
Bridget laughed. And the realization hit her that she hadn’t really laughed since the night she and Kennedy were in that dumb little room in the bed and breakfast. She could’ve held it in, but she continued to laugh until she heard Kennedy giggling too. “You’re such a smartass,” she said. “But you’re also my hero. And I miss you, Kennedy. I really miss you.”
“Does that mean I can get your phone number? I mean, I think I’ve worked hard enough for it, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Bridget whispered. “I do.”
“Good. Because you need to see pictures of my niece. She’s gorgeous and has the chubbiest little cheeks. Oh, and Bridget, leave my brother to me. We’ll work this whole land thing out, okay? One way or another, I’ll make sure you don’t lose what’s rightfully yours.”
Bridget grinned. “You really are my hero, Kennedy Fleming.”
“Okay, but there isn’t any kind of weird rule where you don’t sleep with your heroes, right?”
Bridget cleared her throat. “Actually, I think it’s a requirement. You know, so we can confirm that the hero aspect applies to the bedroom as well.”
“Oh, you are in so much trouble, Bridget Berg. You should probably get in better shape. Work on your cardio or something.”
Just the thought of the two of them in bed together sent a jolt of electricity through Bridget’s body. “Will do, hero. Will do.”
* * *
Three Months Later
There was no need for a helicopter this time around. The roads were clear, the sun was shining, and according to Bridget, some people were even skiing in shorts and T-shirts. Kennedy couldn’t picture it. Not after the harsh weather she’d experienced the last time she was there. Also, she didn’t trust that the good weather would hold once she was on the mountain. It didn’t matter if she got stranded due to a freak springtime storm this time around, but she was determined to be ready for it, which was why she might have shopped every winter clearance sale on the internet and managed to pack all her purchases into two large suitcases. She might have sent a few last-minute items directly to the lodge as well, and yes, it was overkill, or as she liked to think of it, over-survival.
“Doing okay back there, ma’am? The road is pretty windy from here to the top.”
“Fine, thanks,” Kennedy said. She took the complimentary water bottle from its holder and took a sip. It reminded her of the crystal-clear tap water in her dad’s cabin, which then reminded her of Ingrid. Sweet Ingrid, who’d secretly traveled to Florida to visit Kennedy’s dad in the nursing home but was caught red-handed when Kennedy showed up at the same time. She’d said she felt the need to apologize and wish him well into the next life. It was more than he probably deserved but kind nonetheless.
The higher they climbed, the more snow and ice was still on the road. Not enough to ski on if one were so inclined, but enough to remind Kennedy of that awful day when she’d tried. It was all a very bittersweet memory now. More sweet than bitter because of who she was about to wrap her arms around. The truth was, she didn’t linger on any of the painful memories, not when there was so much to look forward to.
The car pulled up to the lodge, and standing on the top step was Kennedy’s Viking Queen, Goddess of the North, soon-to-be sex slave. Okay, maybe not the last one, but a girl could dream. She unrolled her window so she could get a better look. Grinning from ear to ear, Bridget bounded down the steps and opened the car door. Since it was an SUV, they were eye to eye, but it seemed like Bridget’s eyes were everywhere, taking in all of Kennedy. When their eyes finally locked, she said, “We have seventy-two hours and twenty-six minutes, and we’re not wasting a single second of it.” She took a breath and paused as she touched Kennedy’s cheek. “Maybe just a few while I try to remember why I ever let you leave.”
“You’re limping,” Michael said.
“Yeah, that’s the least of my worries.” She pointed at the table. “How about we sit down, and you tell me if the name Ingrid Berg rings a bell.” She took a seat, but Michael hesitated. “So you do know about her and Dad. God, Michael. You really thought it would be okay to send me up here not knowing a goddamned thing about all of the shit that’s been going down for years?”
Michael finally sat. “Honestly, I thought you’d cozy up by the fire all weekend and read those gay romances you love so much.” He glanced around the cabin. “It was all very different in my head.”
“Yeah. Mine too.”
When the kettle whistled, Michael stood. “I’ll get it.”
Kennedy pulled her feet off the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs. “You’d like her, Michael. Bridget, I mean. She’s not like anyone I’ve ever dated.”
“So you’re dating now?” He set a cup in front of her and sat back down.
“No, not exactly. I mean, I’d like to have the chance to date her.”
“But you live in Miami, Ken.” He reached for her hand. “Your family, including your goddaughter, lives in Miami.”
The tears of joy came quickly and so did the need to give her brother a hug. Kennedy stood and opened her arms. “I’m so happy for you, bro. Truly, I am.”
He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifted her into the air and swung her around. “She’s beautiful, Ken. I can’t wait for you to meet her.”
Kennedy giggled. “Put me down and show me a picture.”
He set her down gently and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “She’s why I can’t stay. I have to get back to Josie and my little angel.”
Kennedy put her hands over her mouth and gasped when she saw her niece for the first time. She took the phone from him and sat. “She’s gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.”
Michael knelt next to her. “Come home for Christmas, Ken. I want you with me when we introduce her to Dad.”
It was the right thing to do. Their past might have been all fucked-up, but their future was this little one with the big pink bow on her head. And really, what else was she going to do, other than spend Christmas Day at that gate while Bridget glared at her from some window on the top floor of the lodge? She’d rather be where she was wanted. And loved. Because as much as she liked to think otherwise, Bridget had made it clear that she didn’t need or want Kennedy in her life. She wrapped an arm around Michael’s shoulder. Too emotional to say the words, she gave him a nod. It was time to go home where she belonged.
* * *
It hadn’t taken much convincing for Michael to agree that leaving the gate open on the access trail until after the new year was the decent thing to do. He still had dollar signs in his eyes, but that conversation could wait until they were back home.
It was important to Kennedy that the no trespassing sign, small as it was, didn’t hinder anyone from using the gate. If she could’ve removed the entire fence, she would have. Instead, she found a piece of rope in the garage and trudged up the slope to the trail one last time to put the sign off to the side.
It was early enough that most of the guests would still be in the lodge having breakfast. That was a good thing since she had no desire to see anyone. Unfortunately, tying a secure knot in anything other than her own shoelaces wasn’t as easy as she’d thought it would be. Was it right over left or left over right? She gave it a good yank, which only seemed to loosen the knot, but maybe if she wrapped the ends all the way around the poles and tucked them in nicely, it would hold. Especially if she didn’t yank on it.
Just as she was about to walk away, she heard the now familiar sound of skis swooshing through the snow. Since it had been bitter cold on the mountain, everyone skied bundled up in hats, scarves, goggles, and some of them wore full face coverings that made them look like burglars on skis. She’d learned to identify the guests by their parkas because that seemed to be the one thing that didn’t change, probably due to the high cost and how much room multiple parkas would take up in a suitcase.
The person skiing toward her wasn’t wearing a parka she recognized, so she turned away and fiddled with the rope in hope that they’d ski right on by. As they sped past, a feeling of anger welled up inside her. Had she still been manning the gate, the new guest would’ve stopped, and she would’ve had to explain that there was a secret password and blah, blah, blah. It all seemed so juvenile and stupid and meaningless that she wanted to scream, but someone else had stopped behind her.
“Where’s the astronaut suit? I mean…sorry. I didn’t mean to call it that.”
It was Lola, so Kennedy turned. “You can call it that. Everyone else does.”
Lola lifted her goggles and furrowed her brow. “You look like you’re going somewhere.”
“So do you.” It was a terse reply, but what did it matter now? She wouldn’t be missed by Lola. Or Bridget, for that matter. Maybe a few of the guests would miss seeing her at the gate, but they’d be gone soon anyway. She did find a slight bit of satisfaction in knowing that the last time she’d be seen by anyone on Elk Mountain, she looked normal. She wasn’t wearing her dad’s old clothes or an unflattering snowsuit. Nor was her hair doing its own crazy thing on top of her head. She’d finally made use of the clothes and toiletries she’d purchased right before everything went to shit for the flight home. But who was she kidding? Aside from a few nice moments with Bridget, her entire time on Elk Mountain had been one gigantic shitshow. And even though her tight jeans and even tighter ski sweater were meant for Bridget’s enjoyment, she’d take what little bit of pride she could in knowing that Lola could at least report that she’d gone out looking pretty damn good.
One of the guests skied up to them and said, “Wowza.” He took his goggles off and gave Kennedy a slow whistle. “Had I known there was an extremely hot woman under that puffy suit, I would’ve spent a little more time whispering that password into her helmet.”
There it was again. The stupid password Kennedy had been making people use for days. She felt like such a fool now; she could barely look at them. The easier thing to do would be to turn around and pretend she was still working on that knot.
Lola sidestepped over and lowered her voice. “Can I fix that for you?” She untied the rope, and with a few quick flicks of her wrists, she tied it into a much better knot and yanked on it. “There you go. All secure now.”
“Great,” Kennedy said. “I think my job here is done.”
She headed back down the trail, eager to get away, but Lola skied along next to her. “Are you leaving the mountain?”
“Yep.” She pointed to the helicopter where Michael was waiting for her. “That’s my ride out.”
Lola stopped, but Kennedy kept going. There was nothing left to say. Not out loud, anyway. Under her breath was another matter. “Hasta la vista, motherfuckers.”
By the time she got to the helipad, her anger had turned into sadness. She was angry-sad, if that was a thing. But she didn’t dare let Michael see any of it. She couldn’t risk him believing that Bridget wasn’t worthy of the kindness and consideration that Kennedy hoped to convince him of.
He offered his hand and helped her into the helicopter. “Everything good?”
She gave him a smile. “All good, bro.”
As they lifted into the air, she kept her eyes on the balcony where she’d first seen the redheaded stranger who’d turned her world upside down. Unsurprisingly, Bridget had seemingly chosen not to watch Kennedy’s departure. Once the balcony was out of view, she turned to Michael and said, “Show me that picture of my goddaughter again.”
* * *
There was a new ornament on the Christmas tree in the lobby. Bridget didn’t need to get closer to know what it was, but she did anyway because—and this was something she hadn’t known about herself until recently—she was into self-torture. It was a paper cutout one of the kids had made. In fact, there were several different versions of the same image hanging on the tree. One had drawn the astronaut on skis. On another, the astronaut was riding their bronze elk statue like a bucking bronco. That one made her giggle. High on the tree, another astronaut was giving a little boy a hug.
Low on the tree, another astronaut hung, but on this one, the kid had drawn a little arrow on the bottom right corner of their ornament, indicating that it should be turned over. And that was when the self-torture thing really kicked in because like an idiot, Bridget bent and flipped the ornament around. Written in crayon it said, Kendy loves Brijet. Of course, their names were misspelled, but what kid would know how to spell a hard name like Kennedy? And it made total sense that Bridget would be spelled with a J instead of a D and G.
“Such sweet gestures,” her mom said, stepping next to her. “Merry Christmas Eve, sweetheart.”
Bridget took the cup of wassail and clinked it against her mom’s. “Merry Christmas Eve, Mom.” She took a sip of the warm deliciousness and then another. She could do without the holiday eggnog they served in the lobby every year, but the spiced apple cider and orange drink had always been a favorite. It didn’t hurt that her mom had given her the rum version, either. Maybe it would take the edge off of how badly she felt about everything.
“You’re thinking about her, aren’t you?” Her mom asked.
“How could I not when she’s all over this tree?”
“I think it’s safe to say, she’s everywhere you look but nowhere to be found. That’s how it works when you miss someone you love. You search for memories of them that make you smile, but it doesn’t take away the ache in your heart. The longing to touch them. Feel their skin and take in their unique scent. It’s all very visceral for us humans. And we don’t always get to choose who we end up loving so deeply. Sometimes, the universe chooses for us, and I can’t help but wonder why a Boden and a Fleming are in this situation again. Why is Jerry’s daughter so clearly in love with my daughter?”
Her mom looked at Bridget as if waiting for an answer. Bridget turned back to the tree and took another sip. “She’s not in love with me. If she was, she wouldn’t have left without saying good-bye, don’t you think?”
“Under that logic, you couldn’t possibly love her, given the way you ignored her while she was out at that gate. Even after I told you about my history with Jerry, you still didn’t go out there and sort it all out.”
Ire rose in Bridget’s chest. She couldn’t shout at her mom. Not in a lobby full of people on Christmas Eve. So she turned to her and calmly said, “I’m not Dad, Mom. He took all the abuse Jerry dished out because he felt guilty. Well, I don’t have that guilt. I didn’t break up a marriage. And I shouldn’t have to fight Jerry’s kids to keep what’s mine.” She punctuated it with a wide-eyed look that was code for, this conversation is over, and turned back to the tree.
“I wonder what Christmas is like in Miami,” her mom said.
Bridget threw a hand in the air and then downed the rest of her wassail in one gulp. “I’m going to need another if you plan on keeping this up.”
Her mom took the cup. “I guess it’s understandable that you’d want to get drunk tonight. Hell, even Harriet thinks you blew it big time.”
She gave Bridget a wink and walked away, leaving her to wonder who else her mom had discussed it with. Lola? Chef Lawrence? Maybe she’d sidled up to the bar and hashed it out with Kevin while he made her a dirty martini. Her face went hot while thinking about the possibilities. She decided she should find someplace more private to stew, but when she turned around, Harriet was right there. “I have to get home to my mother and sister before they think I’ve abandoned them on Christmas and decide to drive home in a snowstorm just to prove a point.”
“Of course,” Bridget said. “I didn’t even know you were still here.”
Harriet shrugged. “I’m not surprised. You’ve been in your own world lately. Oh, and there’s a call on line two I’d like you to handle. See you in a couple of days.”
Bridget hadn’t noticed it earlier, but Harriet seemed down. She followed her to the door. “Harriet, you’re right. I haven’t been myself lately. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.”
Harriet gave her a pat on the arm. “Don’t worry, honey. You’ll make it up to me with some paid time off in the spring. And don’t forget to answer line two. Merry Christmas.”
Bridget watched until Harriet was safely down the steps and then went to the front desk and picked up the phone. “This is Bridget. How can I help you?”
“Um…you called me.”
“I’m sorry?” Bridget’s heart dropped into her stomach. “Kennedy?”
“Why do you sound surprised? Harriet called and said you wanted to talk to me. Look, I need to get back to my family.”
“No! No, wait,” Bridget said. “Just wait.” It was a shock to hear Kennedy’s voice again, but in a good way that had Bridget smiling, even though she could hardly breathe. “Kennedy, stay on the line while I change phones, okay? Don’t hang up.”
She didn’t wait for a reply. She rushed into her office and shut the door, then picked up the phone. “Okay, hi. I’m alone now. I mean, it’s quiet in here. We can talk. Kennedy?”
“I’m here.”
“This was Harriet’s doing. She told me I had a call on line two, but I had no idea it was you. Not that I’m upset it’s you, just…surprised.”
“Harriet did this? I find that hard to believe since she seemed to hate me.”
Bridget sat behind her desk. “Wait. You believe me, don’t you?”
“You know, I remember saying something along those same lines to you. In fact, I begged you to believe me, but you just walked away.”
“I did,” Bridget admitted. “And I regret that and so much more. Kennedy, I…” Bridget put a hand over her mouth to stop it from quivering. She took a breath and said, “Not even five minutes ago, my mom was telling me that sometimes, we don’t get to choose who we love, it just happens. And while it’s really inconvenient for me to have fallen for a Fleming, it’s my current reality.”
After an achingly long pause, Kennedy said, “You’re in love with my brother?”
Bridget laughed. And the realization hit her that she hadn’t really laughed since the night she and Kennedy were in that dumb little room in the bed and breakfast. She could’ve held it in, but she continued to laugh until she heard Kennedy giggling too. “You’re such a smartass,” she said. “But you’re also my hero. And I miss you, Kennedy. I really miss you.”
“Does that mean I can get your phone number? I mean, I think I’ve worked hard enough for it, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” Bridget whispered. “I do.”
“Good. Because you need to see pictures of my niece. She’s gorgeous and has the chubbiest little cheeks. Oh, and Bridget, leave my brother to me. We’ll work this whole land thing out, okay? One way or another, I’ll make sure you don’t lose what’s rightfully yours.”
Bridget grinned. “You really are my hero, Kennedy Fleming.”
“Okay, but there isn’t any kind of weird rule where you don’t sleep with your heroes, right?”
Bridget cleared her throat. “Actually, I think it’s a requirement. You know, so we can confirm that the hero aspect applies to the bedroom as well.”
“Oh, you are in so much trouble, Bridget Berg. You should probably get in better shape. Work on your cardio or something.”
Just the thought of the two of them in bed together sent a jolt of electricity through Bridget’s body. “Will do, hero. Will do.”
* * *
Three Months Later
There was no need for a helicopter this time around. The roads were clear, the sun was shining, and according to Bridget, some people were even skiing in shorts and T-shirts. Kennedy couldn’t picture it. Not after the harsh weather she’d experienced the last time she was there. Also, she didn’t trust that the good weather would hold once she was on the mountain. It didn’t matter if she got stranded due to a freak springtime storm this time around, but she was determined to be ready for it, which was why she might have shopped every winter clearance sale on the internet and managed to pack all her purchases into two large suitcases. She might have sent a few last-minute items directly to the lodge as well, and yes, it was overkill, or as she liked to think of it, over-survival.
“Doing okay back there, ma’am? The road is pretty windy from here to the top.”
“Fine, thanks,” Kennedy said. She took the complimentary water bottle from its holder and took a sip. It reminded her of the crystal-clear tap water in her dad’s cabin, which then reminded her of Ingrid. Sweet Ingrid, who’d secretly traveled to Florida to visit Kennedy’s dad in the nursing home but was caught red-handed when Kennedy showed up at the same time. She’d said she felt the need to apologize and wish him well into the next life. It was more than he probably deserved but kind nonetheless.
The higher they climbed, the more snow and ice was still on the road. Not enough to ski on if one were so inclined, but enough to remind Kennedy of that awful day when she’d tried. It was all a very bittersweet memory now. More sweet than bitter because of who she was about to wrap her arms around. The truth was, she didn’t linger on any of the painful memories, not when there was so much to look forward to.
The car pulled up to the lodge, and standing on the top step was Kennedy’s Viking Queen, Goddess of the North, soon-to-be sex slave. Okay, maybe not the last one, but a girl could dream. She unrolled her window so she could get a better look. Grinning from ear to ear, Bridget bounded down the steps and opened the car door. Since it was an SUV, they were eye to eye, but it seemed like Bridget’s eyes were everywhere, taking in all of Kennedy. When their eyes finally locked, she said, “We have seventy-two hours and twenty-six minutes, and we’re not wasting a single second of it.” She took a breath and paused as she touched Kennedy’s cheek. “Maybe just a few while I try to remember why I ever let you leave.”
