Page 149 of Starcrossed Colorado

“I want Emma to go first!”

Ashford and Maisie stood on either side of me as I peered into the eyepiece. But it didn’t look right. “It’s blurry.”

“Huh, pretty sure I followed the instructions,” Ashford said.

Maisie stood on her tiptoes, trying to get a glimpse of the lens. “Emma, I think something is in the way. What is it?” She wiggled like she could barely contain her excitement. And I suspected it wasn’t just the cocoa and birthday cake. But I decided to play along.

I stepped closer to examine the business end of the telescope.

There, balanced on the ledge of plastic that bordered the glass, was a ring.

I gasped.

Ashford reached over and carefully plucked the ring from the end of the telescope. He held it between his fingers, and the tiny diamonds glinted in the starlight.

A lump gathered in my throat.

“What if you’d scratched the glass of the lens?” I asked helplessly.

“I didn’t.” He went to one knee. Stella crowded him, wanting in on whatever he was up to. “Emma, you and Maisie are both the brightest stars in my sky. You’ve brought so much beauty into our lives. Last summer, you agreed to stay. I’d like to make that permanent, because I can’t live without you.Wecan’t.”

“Can we keep you forever?” Maisie asked.

Hot tears gathered in my eyes, a contrast to the cold. “Yes.”

Ashford stood up and slid the ring on my finger. Then kissed me. “I love you.”

“I love you too. I love you both.”

He picked up Maisie, his other arm pulling me close. Stella whapped our legs with her tail.

For the moment, the telescope was forgotten. All the other countless stars overhead. Those could wait.

Everything we needed was right here.

Grace

I was so thrilled for my brother and Emma. As spring turned to summer, the strength of their love amazed me every day. If anyone could beat the odds, it was those two.

Butme? No way. After what had happened with Elias, I was done with men.

As I walked into the ballroom of the new ski resort hotel, feeling the gazes of at least a dozen men rake over my body, I reminded myself of that resolution.

The surroundings were opulent. The chandeliers overhead glowed with a warm, flattering light. My dress was equally fancy. A floor-length, body-hugging gown in a silky red fabric. Mesh cut-outs teased the lines of my figure along the sides.

It was the hotel’s grand opening party. Not only a black-tie affair, but a masquerade ball. Like something out of a movie. Piper had talked me into coming, and it wassonot my usual scene. The dress belonged to Piper too. Why did a small-town coffee shop owner have an extra evening gown waiting in her closet? My best friend was quirky like that.

Yet the dress, combined with the new glittery red mask hiding my eyes, made me feel confident. Like I could pretend, for one exciting night, that I wasn’t some mousy accountant with an abysmal dating history and zero trust in the male species.

Tonight was aboutme. Feeling good in my skin and nothing else.

I didn’t see Piper or her date anywhere. The bar seemed like a safe bet. That was what I needed to soothe my nerves. A drink.

“Glass of merlot, please,” I said, elbows on the bar top with my purse clutched in my hands.

Then a heavy grip landed on my shoulder and squeezed. “You were supposed to wait for me in the lobby.”

“Excuseme?” I looked over to find a gray-haired man scowling at me, his face ruddy beneath his blue jeweled mask. I tried to shake the man off, but he wouldn’t let go. “You must have me confused with someone else.”

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