Of Mountains and Men: A Why Choose Romance

Chapter 26

Lindy ignores me most of the week, I mean she's polite, and that's it. On Friday before I leave, I corner her in the back room. "Why are you avoiding me?"

I have a slight bump now, since I was fairly thin before. I slump into one of the chairs so I can still see the playroom and keep Lindy in my sight. I glare up at her waiting for her response.

She glances at me, and finally throws her hands up in the air. "I may have overheard Andrew talking while I was on the phone with David."

I blink a few times, "Is it worse than me overhearing a woman with him?"

She shakes her head, her eyes get a bit watery. "No, it's nothing like that. I overheard Andrew discussing a ring!" She peeks up at me through her hair, "I didn't want to give anything away."

I snort waving her off watching Charley take out all the blocks I just neatly stacked. "I'm not getting involved with them. It's probably a present for Amelia."

Lindy laughs, "If that's what you need to believe then, alrighty."

"Are you going to stop acting all weird and avoiding me now?" I say standing back up to head out to restack the blocks.

"Uh duh, I told you what I've been hiding."

"Just so you know we'll be in Bozeman this weekend." I pick Charley up and put him in a playpen with his teddy. "No more messes little man, we're about to head out."

"What are you doing there?" She asks easily.

I roll my eyes, "What else do you know? James said he and Michael will watch the kids at the hotel while Andrew takes me out."

Lindy giggles, "I know where he's taking you, but I can't tell you that will ruin the surprise."

"I don't like surprises." I grump, "I'm outta here, see you Monday."

"Have fun!" She says shooing me out the door.

I check my phone seeing I have a message from James telling me we'll be leaving first thing in the morning. "I guess we need to get our bags packed." I say to Charley.

"Yay! Are we going to swim?"

I grin down at him, opening his door and letting him climb in. "I think that is a big possibility."

"Yes!"

"How do tacos sound for dinner?" I ask.

He starts chanting, "Tiko taco ya ya ya!"

James got us a dvd player, and a lot of kid dvd's for Charley. Charley's favorites are Rio and Rio 2. I think I may have all the birds of a feather stuck in my head forever.

Since it's still daylight when I get home and semi warm, I open up some of the windows to let the fresh mountain air fill up the house. And air out the stuffiness. Charley takes out some of his toys from the front closet and starts out the front door.

"Excuse me young man, what do you think you're doing?" He blinks and looks at the door.

"I go play."

I can't help my little smirk, "Did you ask permission?"

He rolls his eyes, "I go play outside."

"Fine, but stay by the window so I can watch while I make dinner." I go with him outside pointing to the arena where he needs to stay.

To his credit, he does stay playing in the mud, it's times like these though that I wish we still had a dog to watch him. I remember all growing up I always had a dog or two with me to keep me out of trouble. Maybe soon, I can get him his first puppy.

A text pops up, I set down the knife I was using to chop onions, tomatoes and cilantro.

Michael: We're five minutes away.

Me: I have dinner going. Excited to see you.

I put my arm up over my face, seriously I just flirted again. What's wrong with me? I hurry to finish chopping the veggies and get the meat with my homemade sofrito going. Since I'm already paying attention to Charley outside, I hear the crunch of tires and run out the back door to scoop up Charley before he takes off. The escalade and the new van pull into the new parking spaces.

I can't help my smile, I'm actually happy to see them. James exits the van with a big grin, he comes to hug Charley and I before going back to open it and let the girls out.

Andrew is driving the escalade with Michael in the passenger seat. They grab the bags, pausing to hug us too. "How was the flight?" I ask them.

Lexi rolls her eyes, "Short, bumpy otherwise fine."

I laugh pulling her in for a hug. "Do you like tacos?" I ask the three. Charley goes limp in my arms so I set him down before he does anything more drastic.

"Tacos are fine." Amelia says. "So which room will be mine? And I want an alpaca for a pet, you have a huge barn it needs animals." She struts off to the house.

I'm a little slack jawed by that girl sometimes. James closes my mouth, "I may have slipped and told them we'll be moving in."

I arch a brow at him, "I haven't made any final decisions yet."

He gives me a half smile, staring at my lips, "Haven't you?"

I let out an unladylike snort shoving him gently away before following the others into the house. I stir the meat and turn off the burner, "Dinner is ready. But if you want you can go pick out which rooms you want to make your own. The pink one is going to be the new baby's."

Priscilla grins, and I squat down with my arms open, "I missed you." I tell her, kissing the top of her head.

She grins, very similar to her father's. "I missed you too." Then she's off running upstairs, Charley follows after them excited too.

Michael comes to my side, tucking me into his, "This is the most excited they've been in a while."

"Why's that?" I look up at him.

"They were mad, you're not their new mother." Andrew answers coming in the kitchen to join us. "What do you need help with?"

"Setting the table and moving the food over." I tell him with a soft smile, "They know I'm not actually dating you now right?"

I see Andrew's grin as he turns away from me to get the plates. I glare up at Michael, "What did you tell them?"

He batts his eyes innocently. "Just that we're visiting you this weekend and moving to be closer to the baby."

I know there's more he's not saying, but I let it go and start putting the food onto serving platters. "Go get the kids ready for dinner." I tell Michael over my shoulder, realizing he was staring at my ass. I throw a hand towel at him. "Get."