I thought about his words, the logic behind them. There was definite truth to what he was saying. And yet, it still hurt deep inside. I bucked in his hold and sobbed for all that I’d lost.
The loss of being a part of my heritage growing up.
The loss of connecting with my sisters as children.
The loss of knowing my mother.
Then my best friend held me until I cried myself to sleep.
* * *
“Slow ride...ba na...” Jasper played air drums on the dash of my new baby. “Take it easy!” He sang the classic rock song by Foghat at the top of his lungs.
I grinned and focused on the road ahead. After our night of many rum and Cokes and tears galore, we slept in, ate lunch at a nearby diner and then headed out on the road.
It was now close to nine in the evening and we were just entering Colorado Springs. I turned off the radio and handed my phone to Jasper. “Pull up Evie Ross in my contacts and hit Call for me, will ya?”
He did so without question while shimmying in his seat. The song was badass and I imagined it was still running through his head.
The phone rang and I took a deep breath, not sure if I was hoping Evie would answer or hoping she wouldn’t. Either way, I had to take the plunge.
“Hello, Isabeau?” Evie said through the speakers in my car.
“Hi, Evie. Yeah, it’s me, Izzy.”
“So glad you called. How are you?” Her voice sounded cultured, yet direct.
“Um, well, fine. Actually uh, my best friend Jasper and I are in the area and I know it’s late and all that but...”
“You’re in the area? Meaning Colorado?”
“Yeah, we’ve actually just entered Colorado Springs.”
“Oh, my goodness! You have to come straight to our home. Where are you staying? Why are you here?” The questions came rapid-fire.
“Um, I, you know that’s kind of a hard question and a long story. Though we figured we’d stay at a hotel. No biggie...”
“Absolutely not! You’ll stay here with me and Milo. Suda Kaye is going to lose her mind when she finds out you’re here.”
“Look, I know it’s a surprise, we can totally just go to a hotel and then meet up with you tomorrow if you have the time. Or not if you have work or other plans.”
“Tomorrow is Saturday, so no work. I can’t believe you’re here. You must come straight to our house,” she demanded yet again. “Let me give you the address.”
Jasper put the info into his phone because I didn’t know how to use the satellite navigation on Serenity just yet.
“Says we’ll be there in fifteen minutes,” Jasper announced.
“Fantastic, see you soon!” she said, and then hung up.
“That was unexpected,” I stated, biting into my bottom lip.
“Looks like no hotel for us tonight. Where do you think she lives?” He glanced around the landscape, but it was dark and there wasn’t much to see.
I shook my head. “She mentioned on one of our calls that she lives in a secluded area by a lake and mountain on the outskirts of town. Said nature calls to her and her fiancé.” Not exactly sure what that meant but I figured it was likely beautiful.
Jasper leaned back with his eyes glued to the phone. “Take that exit there.” He pointed.
I followed Jasper’s instructions to the letter until we pulled down a long, winding gravel-and-dirt road. We drove for maybe half a mile before we came upon what had to be the most beautiful log cabin I’d ever seen in my entire life. Not that I’d seen many log cabins in Chi-town, but I’d been out in the wilderness with friends over the years. Skied a time or two, but nothing would have prepared me for this splendor.
To the left of the enormous wooden house was a serene, sprawling lake and a mountain in the background. Pine trees were everywhere.
The house was two stories tall with a wraparound porch. Everything was made of wood. Though that wasn’t the most imposing thing about the house.
No, that would be the giant Native American man with long, flowing black hair, his locks lifted by the breeze and shooting away from his striking bone structure and imposing features. He stood at the top of a flight of wooden steps with his massive arms crossed over one another. Daunting. Dark. Dangerous. Hot as heck. If he wasn’t casually dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, I might have thought he was a warrior who would mount up on his horse and chase us away from his land. Until he smiled wide. A bright white smile against his dark skin that was welcoming and warm. Especially when the tall blonde approached him from behind and cuddled up against his side. He immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Holy hotness. Who is that hunk of a man?” Jasper gasped.
I grinned and turned off the car. “Pretty sure that’s Milo Chavis. Evie’s fiancé.”
“Dang, she hit the jackpot with that one.” My best friend practically drooled, his gaze never leaving the handsome man.
I opened my door while snickering under my breath and started toward the house. Evie let go of Milo, raced down the stairs and shockingly, threw her arms around me, pulling me against her chest in a tight hug.
“I’m so happy you’re here. In Colorado. At my home.” She leaned back and put both of her hands to my shoulders. “You’re absolutely gorgeous.”
I grinned. “Says one of the hottest chicks I’ve ever seen.”
“She speaks truth, Nizhoni,” Milo said, a smirk on his lips. His long legs ate up the slack between our huddle in no time. He held his hand out to me. “Milo Chavis, soon to be your brother-in-law.”
“Isabeau Collins, but my friends call me Izzy.” Jasper came up to my side. “And this is my best friend, Jasper Prince.”
“Prince?” Milo repeated.
“I know, right? Isn’t it fab?” Jasper held his hand out and shook Milo’s, then reached for Evie and pulled her into a hug. “My Izzy’s sister. This is so cool!” He kissed her cheek and stepped back with a flourish. “Now, you must show us your incredible home. You have your own lake! No one has their own lake,” he gushed. “Amazing!”
Milo and Evie chuckled as Jasper walked around us, up the steps—uninvited—and to the left side where he could get a better look at the view. Jasper loved anything water related.
“I’m sorry to just show up out of nowhere like this. You really don’t have to take us in for the night.”
“Any family of Evie’s is welcome in our home. We are honored to have you stay.” Milo’s voice had a deep bass to it that could comfort or scare the bejesus out of you.