Page 30 of Practically Perfect Together

Sabrina straightens immediately.

"I should get back to work," she says quickly, turning back to her painting with sudden intensity.

Max continues to watch her, his usual easygoing demeanor notably absent. "Right," he says finally, before nodding to me and heading toward the workshop.

I glance between them, sensing a current I don't understand. But before I can say anything, my phone buzzes with a text from Jameson.

Found the perfect spot for dinner tonight. Sunset view. Special occasion. Don't dress up too much. There might be climbing involved.

My heart does a little flip, the way it still does whenever he surprises me. I slip my phone back into my pocket, trying not to read too much into "special occasion," though a flutter of anticipation settles in my stomach anyway.

"I should head in," I tell Sabrina. "If you need anything, most of us are around. The Callahans are good people."

"Thanks," she says, looking briefly toward the workshop where Max disappeared. "I'm beginning to see that."

As I head inside with Bear, I can't help but glance back at the woman carefully painting the porch railing, her posture still rigid despite the casual clothes. Whoever she is, whatever brought her to Mountain Laurel Lodge, I recognize the look of someone searching for a new direction.

After all, it wasn't so long ago that I stood in borrowed territory myself, trying to find where I truly belonged.

* * *

"Just a little farther," Jameson calls over his shoulder, reaching back to offer his hand.

I take it gratefully, letting him pull me up the last few feet of the hiking trail. The path is steep but well-maintained. I recognize the careful stonework as Rowan's handiwork. When we crest the ridge, the vista that unfolds before us steals my breath.

The sun hangs low on the horizon, painting the mountains in shades of gold and amber. Elk Ridge sprawls below us, a charming collection of twinkling lights just beginning to come alive as dusk settles. And there, nestled among the pines, Mountain Laurel Lodge gleams like a beacon.

"Worth the climb?" Jameson asks, his eyes on my face rather than the view.

"Absolutely." I squeeze his hand, still amazed at how natural it feels to be here with him, on a mountain at sunset, without a spreadsheet or schedule in sight.

He leads me to a flat outcropping where he's already set up a simple picnic. A checkered blanket is weighted down with stones, and there’s a small basket and a bottle of wine nestled in a makeshift cooler. Bear circles the area, sniffing excitedly before flopping down at the edge of the blanket, his role as chaperone apparently complete.

"This is beautiful," I say, taking in the thoughtful arrangement. "What's the occasion?"

"Do I need an occasion to impress my girlfriend?" Jameson asks with that grin that still makes my heart skip.

"Girlfriend," I echo, settling onto the blanket. "Is that what I am?"

"Well, we never did quite figure out the labels, did we?" He sits beside me, his shoulder brushing mine. "We went from business arrangement to fake fiancés to... whatever this is."

"Whatever this is," I repeat softly. "I like it."

"Me too." He opens the wine, pouring two glasses before handing me one. "To unexpected arrangements."

"And real relationships," I add, clinking my glass against his.

As we eat, sharing a simple meal of cheese, bread, and fruit, I find myself thinking about the first time I saw this view. On the lodge's website, planning a corporate retreat that I'd hoped would advance my career. I had no idea it would change my entire life.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jameson asks, noticing my momentary distraction.

"I was just thinking about plans," I admit. "How mine didn't turn out at all the way I expected."

"Disappointed?" There's a hint of vulnerability in his question that makes me reach for his hand.

"The opposite," I assure him. "For the first time in my life, I'm exactly where I want to be, without a five-year plan to get somewhere else."

The setting sun casts his face in a warm glow as he smiles, relief evident in his eyes. "About that..." He takes a deep breath. "I've been thinking about plans too."

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