Page 66 of Wild Heart

“No promises.”

They both laughed again, and Natalie leaned her head on his shoulder, the gesture simple and sweet. For a long time, neither spoke. The quiet between them wasn’t heavy. It was something else entirely. It was trust. And belonging.

From inside the lodge, Mason’s voice rose in protest: “No one needs six pies!”

Olivia shot back, “This isn’t about need, Mason, it’s about joy! Pies make people happy, everyone knows that.”

Davey chuckled. “God help you both.”

Natalie smiled, already picturing the scene, the lights, the music, the laughter. And all of them together, building something new. It wouldn’t be perfect. Nothing ever was. But it would be theirs.

The porch creaked as Natalie and Davey stepped back inside the lodge, the warmth of the woodstove welcoming them like open arms. Olivia was in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, elbow-deep in a bowl of biscuit dough. Her apron, cream-colored with tiny, faded violets was dusted with flour, and her hair, loose for once, had slipped from its usual bun and fell in soft waves around her face.

It was a scene that tugged at Natalie’s heart in the gentlest of ways. After all the months of tension, of missteps and mending, there was something healing about seeing Olivia like this again, comfortable in her space, at ease in her body, grounded.

“There you two are,” Olivia said, turning with a wide smile. “I was just about to send someone out with a rope to reel you back in.”

“We were bonding,” Davey said, brushing snow from hisshoulders. “You’ll be pleased to know I’ve accepted my new position as best big brother and man of honor.”

“You mean best man,” Natalie corrected, elbowing him lightly.

“I stand by what I said,” Davey deadpanned.

Mason stepped in behind them, closing the door with a gust of wind. “You promised me coffee, Liv. Don’t make me regret this engagement.”

Olivia snorted. “Don’t tempt me. The beans are in the cabinet. If you want it strong, make it yourself.”

Davey turned to Mason and jerked his chin toward the door. “You ready to head into town for the kegs?”

“Ready,” Mason replied, grabbing his keys from the hook near the door.

“Wait, kegs?” Natalie blinked. “I thought this was going to be a quiet gathering?”

Mason shrugged. “This is Olivia’s version of a quiet gathering.”

“We’re not having a party with sparkling cider and hummus, Natalie,” Olivia said with a wink. “It’s Colorado, not Connecticut.”

Natalie laughed, holding her hands up. “Fine. You win.”

Mason stepped close to her and gave her a quick, grounding kiss on the temple. “We’ll be back before dinner. You okay?”

She nodded, but before she could answer, Davey opened the door, letting in another gust of wind. “Let’s go. I’m driving. I don’t trust you not to detour through every scenic overlook.”

Mason shot him a look, but followed him out, leaving Natalie and Olivia alone in the suddenly quieter lodge.

Olivia wiped her hands on a towel and nodded toward the kitchen table. “Come on. Sit. The dough needs to rise, and I need to catch my breath.”

Natalie followed her, taking the seat across from her, foldingher hands in her lap. For a few moments, neither spoke. Outside, snow fell with a quiet insistence. It layered the pine boughs and softened the world. Inside, the crackle of the fire was the only sound. Then Natalie exhaled and met her friend’s eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

Olivia looked confused for a second, then nodded. “Of course. Why?”

“With all of this.” Natalie paused. “With me. With Mason. With… everything.”

Understanding dawned slowly across Olivia’s face. She leaned back in her chair, the weight of history settling gently in the lines around her eyes.

“Oh, Nat,” she said, shaking her head. “That was few blurred hours, a lifetime ago.”

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