Page 84 of Forever Theirs

“And the somewhat treacherous hike down the snow-covered trail?—”

I scoffed and shot her a dull expression. “Thatwas not treacherous.”

Aspen’s focus shifted from the small screen on her camera to level a glare my way. “It turned out to be a successful hike.” I held her glare with one of my own. “Don’t be so grumpy, Miles. These pictures from yesterday are some of my best, and that’s before editing. These will bring in some money for sure. Once I figure out how and where to sell them.” That last part was muttered under her breath.

I dipped my chin in agreement, having already seen a few of the shots, and shifted my attention back to the plowed road. Despite all the dangers and scares from the last twenty-four hours, I couldn’t stop the slight smile that pulled at my lips. Last night was monumental. It deserved to have its own holiday dedicated to it, and it had nothing to do with what the three of us did together.

For the first time since leaving the hospital, I slept with someone—two someones—in the same room. Not that long of a time frame, considering we passed out late and Jubie woke us up at first light, begging to go out and play in the snow, but it was still a significant milestone.

It sparked a tiny flame of hope that it could be the first of many future nights not sleeping alone. I had zero doubts that Jubie would readily pass the torch of being my lone bed buddy, though she would always be welcome in my bed no matter who else was in it. Hell, after everything she’d done for me, Jubie deserved her own king bed.

The radio was playing some old country song as we cruised along. The early-morning sun streaked through the few clouds remaining from the dissipating storm, highlighting the beautiful landscape surrounding Anchor Bay. That flicker of hope burned brighter. This overall lightness could be how I felt every day from now on. This emotional freedom had been missing for too long. There was an eagerness for a new day and excitement for what it would bring instead of dragging myself through the same emotionless routine, barely surviving one day to the next.

Looking back, I’d starved myself. Not in the food sense but from the joys of life. Now I knew what Aiden meant about us barely surviving instead of living before Aspen burst into our lives, shocking our systems back to life.

A giggle had me glancing from the road, finding Aiden whispering something in Aspen’s ear, her smile just as wide as his. The two burst out laughing, filling the truck’s cab with so much fucking joy it was almost tangible. My grin grew as I absorbed every bit of happy energy pouring from the two.

Realization hit me in the heart so hard it skipped a beat. This was it. Everything had finally come together, our missing piece slotted into place, making both Aiden and me happier than we’d ever been. Making us whole.

As soon as I had that thought, a wave of fierce protectiveness followed, and both hands tightened on the wheel. Now that we’d found this, her, it was my responsibility to protect it and prepare for a future together.

Mentally creating a checklist of all the things we needed to move Aspen in with us, I steered toward The Nest so she could grab a few things before coming back to our place. With the road plowed and the streets fairly empty, it was a simple drive, but as we headed through the town, worry sat in my gut like a hundred-pound weight.

Nothing good lasted long for me.

“What’s wrong with you?” Aiden asked. Of course he’d picked up on the apprehension slowly overtaking the earlier carefree feeling.

“Nothing,” I muttered while pressing my sternum to ease the building pressure in my chest.

Arm snaking behind Aspen, he shoved at my shoulder, making me curse and adjust my hold on the wheel to keep us from veering off the road. I shot him a stern look before turning my focus back out the windshield.

“Everything is all good, Miles. Enjoy it instead of preparing for when it will end.”

Damn, he doesn’t miss a thing, does he?

As the truck crested a hill and The Nest came into view, a viselike grip encircled my chest and tightened, making it difficult to take a full breath. Something wasn’t right, but I didn’t know what.

Good thing I didn’t have to wait long to find out.

31

ASPEN

It was the stiff silence, the almost palpable tension suddenly filling the truck that jerked my focus from the camera to glance between the two men. The question asking what was wrong never left my parted lips when I tracked their pointed stares to the decked-out Escalade parked in front of the path that led to my cabin.

The single parking spot was reserved for my cabin. The only time it was occupied since checking in was when the guys came to pick me up or drop me off.

Odd.

My stomach rolled with the rush of nervousness flooding through my veins.

I carefully set the camera on my lap. “Wonder who’s SUV that is?” I asked, my voice shaking from my heart slamming into my chest. Something was wrong, very wrong, but I didn’t have the faintest clue what. That was almost more nerve-racking.

“No idea. Looks like a rental,” Aiden murmured, leaning forward and squinting like that would help us identify the owner. His sharp whistle pierced through the truck. “A fancy rental. Who knew something like that even existed in Anchor Bay.”

Miles parked the truck directly behind the SUV, blocking it in. I shot him a confused look when he turned off the engine.

“If it’s the same person who broke into your cabin, I don’t want them to leave until I talk to him or her first.”

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