Page 111 of Wildest Dreams

TANNER:anything for you, baby.

AISLING:are you gonna sneak into my tent?

TANNER:every freakin’ night.

She sends me an emoji of a smiley face all cuddled up in love hearts and I send her back as many ‘x’s as I can physically type. When she finally pads back to the campfire I catch her eyes and give her a wink.

She drops her gaze, cheeks turning pink, and a tiny dimple pops in her cheek.

Chest heaving with pride, I toss my cell to the dirt, and then I glance over the shimmering water toward Aisling’s lake house.

I crack my knuckles and roll my neck.

I’ve got some work to do.

Chapter 27

Aisling

Present day

“What d’you think?”

I place my hands on my hips and purse my lips to hide my smile, turning in a slow circle with my head titled back, admiring the golden light streaming in through the emerald canopy. The rest of our group is scoping out the small sign-posted campsite.

Connell’s football teammates are playing a ‘no rules’ version of football with the hockey guys, except for Hunter and Caden who are cosied up with their beautiful girlfriends.

Fallon and I are the only campers who actually brought a tent with us to Larch Peak, seeing as camping out was on our summer bucket list. But Hunter and Connell are going to head into town to buy a couple more, so that the whole group of us can spend a few nights here – so that we can all be together before Connell and the football guys who are just about to start their professional careers in the NFL leave, moving into their new places and starting their training.

“I think it’s cool,” I say, grinning as I turn to face my brother, and he gives me a grin of his own as he squeezes his arm around my shoulders.

“So we’ll spend the rest of the week chillin’ up here, then I’ll head with the guys, unless you want me to be around forwhen Mom gets here?” he asks as he takes off his cap, scrubbing roughly at his messy golden hair before flipping the brim and placing it on his head backwards.

I shake my head at him, answering his question before the words even leave my mouth, and he gives me an understanding squeeze as he pre-empts my reply.

“You totally don’t have to stay to make sure that everything’s in place for when Mom comes down to see the lake house. I’ve basically finished it already so, fingers crossed, everything’s pretty much in place for when she visits.” Except for the bed, but I’ll still have a couple of days to build that thing after we get back from our camping-in-the-mountains adventure.

Connell winces, breathing out a laugh.

“When you put it like that, it kind of makes me feel like I should stay even more.” He shrugs the shoulder that isn’t resting over mine and says, “But honestly Ash, I think that she’ll be happy with whatever you do. I can tell that you’re freaking out about her not liking it, but there isn’t anythingnotto like.”

I have to blink a couple of times before I fully understand what he’s saying because his use of a double-negative is a little stretching for my early morning brain.

Sensing my confusion he shakes his head with a grin and prods my cheek with his big pointer finger.

“I mean that everything is going to be fine,” he explains, his eyes kind and bright when I finally nod. “And even if it wasn’t? There would be no point stressing out over it beforehand. If they honestly decide to knock the whole thing down, it would be out of our hands. But that’s not going to happen because they’re going to see how much you love this place and it’s going to make them fall in love with it too. If things don’t go to plan and they don’t like your ideas for the company – which isnot going to happen,” he adds, head ducked down to mine when he sees a surge of fear in my wide eyes, “then I’ll get my ass right backhere, comfort the shit out of you, and then, like, probably buy you a place right next to mine.”

I let out a shaky exhale, dropping my eyes to watch my twiddling hands.

“Ash, look at me,” he says, prodding me gently in the ribs until I do. “You’re my sister and I’ll do anything for you. No matter how this thing goes, I’m going to always be on your side. I’m going to always be there to look after you, even though you’re such a tough fuckin’ cookie that I know you don’t even need it.”

I feel a dangerous stinging behind my eyes but don’t blink away from him – trying to put up my tough cookie front.

He keeps his eyes locked on mine for a long, searching moment, and then he nods, standing back to his full height, before a smile starts tugging at the corner of his mouth.

There’s a knowing glint in his dazzling irises.

“So, uh…” He looks away for a second, laughing as he plays with the brim of his cap. “Tanner seems pretty keen to help out.”

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