Royal Hearts (Love At The Lake #2)

Chapter 39

Thirty-Nine

CAT

“ W here’s the champagne?” I call out from behind the bar. Of all the jobs I’ve had, of all the hats I’ve worn, bartender has never been one of them.

“We’re out,” Patty says, holding up a sad, empty cardboard box stamped with Veuve.

“Nah,” Ricky says, wrapping an arm around her. “I’m sure there’s more. Want me to check?”

“I’ll go look in the kitchen. You guys stay here and man the bar,” I offer, not a huge fan of sticky mixers and the even stickier floor.

“Probably in one of the storage closets,” Ricky hollers as I make my way through swinging doors.

But I stop in my tracks. Winter is sitting on a shiny metal table, hands clasped, head down. “What are you doing?”

His gaze snaps to mine. Whatever he was doing in here all alone, he was deep in thought if he didn’t hear me come through the doors.

“I’m happy for them, I am, but it’s hard to watch.” He shrugs, eyes downcast, all shoulders, perfect hair, and five o’clock shadow. “I needed to get away.”

“You have gotten away, Winter. Denmark is about as away as you could get.” I wince a little at my biting words. I’m not mad at him anymore, I’m just sad—for us. The room is full of shiny metal and large appliances, I look around for a storage closet and spot one behind him.

He slips off the table. I take a step back.

“Wait,” he says on a breath.

Seeing him today has been the hardest thing I’ve endured in my life. Seeing him, and knowing he’s not mine. Wondering if he still wants to be.

Behind me, I can still hear the party going on, muffled by industrial kitchen walls. My sister’s smile was so big, and when we called our parents their tears were so happy, I convinced myself it was enough. I don’t need anyone. My parents are happy, and Frannie is happy. And as much as I still want him, Winter is living his life. And I’m fine.

That’s enough.

“Please, sod bloomst . Don’t leave. Again.” But then he goes and says that—those words make my bandaged heart I’ve only barely been holding together, crack freshly into pieces. “I simply don’t think I’ll live through it. Who will give Lola her dinner? Do you want that on your conscience?”

“I didn’t leave you,” I try to hold my voice steady so he doesn’t hear the rattle in my words.

This conversation was inevitable, it has to happen if we both plan to be in John and Fran’s life. I’ve been preparing for it, but I wasn’t prepared for him. For his sad smile aimed directly at me.

Those blue eyes watching my every move.

“How can you say that? I was there. You. Left,” he presses .

“You made me feel like it was all in my head,” I throw my arms out wide, shouting more than I should and breathing heavily, holding my ground and lifting my chin as he stalks slowly toward me. “Not telling me what your plans were made me feel like I was stupid to believe I’d be a part of your future.” He told me I was wrong, back on that mountain. I didn’t believe him.

But I don’t know if I can look him in the eyes and tell him I don’t need him, again. I don’t know if I can say goodbye, again.

Because I don’t want to.

How long am I going to lie to myself?

“I begged you to come with me.”

“I was freaking out, confused, and you gave me zero time to think any of it through.”

He searches my face, his gaze roaming the curve of my cheeks, the pout in my lips, the water in my eyes. “And the regret I feel is something I’ll live with forever—I thought I was doing it all for you. Pulling myself together, getting things sorted with my life, my family, my future, so I could be worthy of you.”

“You thought you were doing the best thing for you ,” I whisper because I can’t let go of how much it hurt to be left out. Blindsided in such a vulnerable moment. “You were saving face, for your people. Proving something to your parents. And I’m glad it worked out for you, honestly, I am. The world loves you, Winter.”

He drags an exasperated hand through his hair. “And it means nothing without you. Maybe I did want to save face. Be a good little boy who does as he’s told—that’s deep inside me, Cat, for better or worse. But I should have told you everything so you knew without a shadow of a doubt—it was all for you. I should have followed you down that mountain.”

“Yes.”

“Yes,” he breathes, wrapping one hand around my hip, drawing me in. “Fact remains, you were a part of all my plans. You are the center of everything to me. ”

My walls are crumbling. I don’t think I have the strength to board myself up anymore. Not from him.

And I don’t want to .

“Can I believe you? I asked you once not to break me, turns out, I’m very fragile.” I shrug. “That’s just me.” My voice cracks and I suck in a ragged breath. I do have weaknesses, I am fragile, and that’s okay.

“It’s my fault. We could have avoided all of this if I’d been open with you,” he confesses, tucking my hair behind my ear. His eyes search mine, quizzical now. “Are you going to forgive me? Do I need to beg? Because I will.”

“You will?” A laugh bubbles out of me in sputters, starts and stops that are escalating with the emotion of the past month.

I’ve missed him desperately.

“For as long as it takes. I’m yours, Cat. Nothing you can do can shake me. We’ll figure out the logistics— together . I want you to feel safe.” He drags a hand across his face as if he’s lost, and tired. And I finally notice his cheeks are gaunt, he’s lost weight, and he’s sadder than I’ve ever seen him, and an avalanche of protectiveness courses through me. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“Winter.” I wrap both my hands around his handsome face, forcing him to hear me.

“Bloom.” His voice breaks as he grips my arms as if he’s afraid I’m not really here. As if he’s afraid I’ll walk away . . .

Voices, louder than the hum of the party outside approach the kitchen doors and we both startle. “It sounds like Jack and Wagner,” he says, breathing heavily. “Fuck, I can’t do this right now. I don’t want to talk to anyone before we’ve finished this conversation.”

“Probably been sent on a champagne hunt. Here, come with me.” I take him by the wrist and drag him toward a closet door. And I see it, the heart, my heart just under my fingertips, slightly red but healed with time passed.

My grip tightens and I pull him into the closet as the swinging doors to the kitchen open. Sure enough, the muffled voices of Jack and Wagner talking about the cost of a case of champagne versus what a good prosecco might run trickling through from the other side. I hope they find nothing fast like I did, and go on their merry way back to the party.

I need to be alone with this man.

Winter and I breathe in the darkness, both of us trying desperately to stay silent.

“I’m so, so sorry, Win,” I whisper when it’s been quiet for a moment. Because I am. I hurt him while protecting myself and erecting my walls. Self-preservation and all that.

“You have nothing to apologize for. I’d make a joke about always running into you like this, but I don’t care. While I have fond memories of us sneaking into closets, I’m just so happy to breathe the same air as you again. Even if you tell me it’s still over.”

“It was never over for me.” Fisting my hands in his shirt, I let myself inhale his scent and it feels like coming home. It feels safe. “I wish I could have stayed for you.”

“I should have left for you. Explained everything even if I had to chase you down a mountain, made you listen, smashed through your walls. Will you forgive me?”

“Forgiven.” The pads of his thumbs wipe tears from my cheeks as he tips my chin up and drops his mouth to mine. Featherlight, he brushes one reverent kiss across my lips.

“I hated every moment away from you, I wanted to crawl out of my skin. Hated not knowing what you were thinking. I have so much to tell you,” he murmurs through kisses.

“I want to tattoo your heart on my wrist, too. I’ve missed it. God, Winter, I’ve missed you,” I say into his mouth, sharing breath.

“Shh,” he hushes, and I melt. “I’m here now.”

“We’ll tell each other everything from now on? Open, no surprises?”

“Of course, you’re my best friend, Bloom. ”

“Yes,” I breathe, realizing that’s the most romantic thing a man has ever said to me.

“You’ll never need to miss me again if that’s what you want. Cat, you must know how badly in love with you I am?—”

“ Madly ,” I say, smiling against his lips. “And me, too.”

He nods, “Have been, for a while now.”

And then his mouth is hungry, starving, but not as much as mine. It’s been weeks of fantasizing about him coming to me like this, about running to him like this. About his hands roaming my body, his mouth sucking at all the sweet spots. The heat that slicks through me is instant, wet pooling between my thighs, and I reach for him through his pants, dragging his zipper down.

“But you live in another country.” He moans and doesn’t stop me as I free him from his pants. Our last episode of sneaky closet kisses never got this far, and I’m wondering if it’s a fantasy we’ve both been holding onto.

Making short work of it, he unbuttons my jeans and pushes them down my thighs. “I live wherever you live. I’ll figure it out.”

I kick one boot off and manage to free myself from one pant leg—that’s all we have time for and as if he’s on the exact same page, he picks me up and whirls me around until my back is against the closet door. With zero warning, he presses deep inside me in one fast thrust.

“You— yes, Win . I want you, like this, right now, always.” I kiss his neck, clutching at his shoulders as he moves fast inside me, stretching me from the inside out. Filling up all the emptiness.

“Good, because I intend for you to have all of me, sod bloomst . All of forever. Forever and a day.”

“Forever and a day,” I repeat, wrapping my arms around him and hanging on, running my hands through his hair, gripping him with my thighs.

“Let me come back? Live with you until . . . whatever.”

“Yes, I’m still in the cabin,” I sigh heavily into his ear, “I couldn’t leave, I don’t know why. Allyn’s thrilled because I’m not making her hunt for fancy new offices. Maybe I’ve been waiting for you this whole time. I can work from wherever so . . .”

“Perfect. I was hoping you’d say that,” he grunts, pushing into me relentlessly, no mercy, no slowing down. “I’m never watching you walk away again.” He’s ratcheting me up so quickly, I’m going to come and promise him anything. Everything.

“Yes, yes that’s so good. Just like that,” I praise him and the man grins so wide, all the cocky confidence back and in full effect.

“Say please, princess?—”

“I told you not to call me that—” but he tilts his hips up in the most delicious way. “Please, Winter. Please .”

“Good girl.” And that does it for both of us I think. Whether we’ve both been waiting so long to have the other, or needing to heal this wound between us, coming together like this does it. Or we’re just that right together. Or we’ve learned and grown through these past few months together and we can fully trust the other in ways we both needed.

When we find that exquisite release together, him sucking at my throat and whispering through his climax, I know this is it for me.

“There’s one more thing—” I drop my head to his shoulder, breathing heavily, sated.

“What else could there possibly be? I got the girl. Fuck, I’m living the American dream right now, aren’t I?” He’s breathing heavily, holding me up easily against the door as I flex and squeeze my thighs around him, not ready to let go. “Sixteen-year-old Winter would not believe me if I told him Boggs and I would marry sisters and live in each other’s backyards.”

“Marry?” I press my hands to his chest and pull back. “Did you say?—”

But he puts a finger to my lips. “Later. We have forever to discuss it. Whatever you want, whenever you want, it’s yours as long as you’ll keep me. ”

“Winter, I need to tell you something—there’s one more thing you need to know?—”

He straightens, gripping me tighter, a funny little smirk tipping his lips up and one eyebrow raises sky high. “Cat Bloomfield, are you trying to tell me . . . you’re not . . . pregnant?”

“Oh my God, no!” I drop both my hands on his chest and smack him.

“Ow,” he yelps. “Then what is it?”

“When I was sad, and you were gone, I missed Lola and needed something to snuggle. So, I adopted a kitten.”

There’s a knock at the door. “Are you guys done yet? Or can you slip a box of champagne out and then you can finish jumping each other’s bones, or writing sonnets, or whatever it is you two are doing in there?”

“Have you guys been out there this whole time?” I yell.

“Well, we took a walk down to the docks to give you guys a minute, but we’re back now and tired of waiting.”

Winter pulls a string dangling over my head and the room goes from dim to bright. We’re surrounded by giant cans of tomatoes, dried pasta, simple syrups, and bar mixers. There’s a case of champagne on the floor.

Ignoring Jack’s voice on the other side of the door, he looks directly into my eyes. “Tell me everything,” he demands. “What color is he? She? How old?”

My grin is slow and my chest bubbles with delight. “He’s black, twelve weeks old, and has two little white mittens on his front paws. Found in the walls of an old, condemned record store in Novel. It was Fran’s idea. She saw the listing in the Spirit Lake newsletter. The vet is getting him ready to go home tomorrow.”

“I’ll need to get all the records so we can take him to Denmark with us. Have you named him?—”

I laugh at his extreme excitement and lower my voice. “We can’t do this right now.” I rearrange my disheveled sweater and finger- comb my hair.

“Why not?” he drops his voice to match my whisper.

“Because you’re still inside me!”

“But I’m a new cat daddy, I’m excited!” He squeezes me.

“Hey guys, thirsty party people out here!” Jack hollers again.

“Well bring it out, just a minute!” Winter replies, rolling his eyes.

“Keep your pants on, we’re coming,” I holler, already sliding down Winter’s front and struggling to get my pants back on.

Winter’s head tips back and he roars with delighted laughter while I listen to two equally childish men on the other side of the door fall into a fit of giggles.

“What’s gotten into you?” Frannie sidles up beside me, a salty margarita in her hand made exactly the way she likes it.

“My sister’s getting married! What do you mean? I’m having a great time at your party.”

“You’ve been all slumped shoulders and gray faced and woe is me for weeks, and now you’re shining like a freaking diamond from the inside out—what’s this?”

The collar of my sweater is a bit stretched out at the neck from Winter pushing it over my head and behind my neck. “It’s nothing.” My hand goes to cover whatever she sees but I’m too late.

“That is a love bite, Kitty-Cat,” she hisses, keeping a smile on her face and looking around the bar as if there’s nothing to see here. “Have you been getting it on at my engagement party?” she whispers.

“No. No, no,” I stammer.

“Is it Winter? Did you forgive him? Did he realize he’s a huge idiot?” she squeals, trying to keep her face neutral. “Please tell me it’s Winter, you two are perfect?—”

“Don’t you dare start jumping up and?—”

Too late. “Oh my God! Are you back together? I’m totally making you guys walk down the aisle as best man and maid of honor now.”

Winter and John make their way to the bar, drawn by Frannie’s freak out, no doubt.

“What’s gotten my wife-to-be to be so excited all of a sudden?” John asks.

“You young people, always hanging by the bar without a care in the world. Do you know what kind of hangover I get from one glass of wine these days?” Patty joins our circle, followed quickly by Ricky, who’s got a hand on her curvy hip.

“Just a happy bride!” I say, with so much unnatural enthusiasm, it’s as if a record scratches. They all turn to stare at me: all of Winter’s friends, most of the town, except Mayor Troutwine and the mayor of Novel who are arguing near a bowl of potato chips.

“Tell them what’s going on, or I will!” Frannie shouts. “I get a whole year to be a bride.”

“We’re waiting a year?” John’s lips form a pout.

“We’ll talk about it.” Frannie wraps her arms around his middle and presses up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“Well, out with it.” Logan startles us as he crosses his arms. “What?” he asks, looking around, clearly trying to school his features into something less grumpy. “The mystery is killing me?”

Winter gives me a nod, and I know, we’re about to let the cat out of the bag in a big way. Pun intended.

“Winter and I are back together and we’re adopting a kitten.” It comes out of me in one long gush and the entire bar is frozen still.

Then there’s an eruption of aww from around the entire room and everyone’s eyes go googly.

“And she’s coming with me to Denmark for a visit while I take care of some business.”

The dudes form a huddle around Winter and bear hug him all at once.

Frannie kisses me on the cheeks. Then she picks up a party popper off the bar and yells, “Bon voyage to the happy couple, but Winter, you better bring my sister back for my wedding or I’ll come for you!”

The party popper explodes in strands of little streamers and a burst of glitter.

Winter wraps both arms around my neck, pulling me out of the crowd enough so that it’s the two of us in a little corner.

“Are you happy?”

“Um, hold on?—”

“Bloom?”

“I can’t believe this, I’ve got glitter in my eye,” I laugh, looking up and blinking at him like a madman. “Yes, I’m happy—but do I look like a pirate?”

“Here, let me.” His thumb brushes gently under my eye. “I see it, hold on.”

In this moment, I realize I have someone to take care of me. And that hits harder than any tangible gift or romantic gesture could.

“It doesn’t hurt, get in there,” I say, opening my eyes wide and pushing up on my tiptoes.

He pokes a bit harder and I feel it when he swipes the chunk of glitter away. “Better? I think I got it.”

“Yeah, Win. I’m much better. You definitely got it.”

THE END