Above and Beyond (Twist of Fate 4)

Bennett leaned in to wipe Lola’s mouth with a wet cloth. “When you get back, we should already be setting up down by the lake. I told everyone to come earlier this year because of the nap schedules and stuff.”

As soon as I was out the door, I blew out a breath and relished the time alone. After Xander had been released from the hospital, he and Bennett had sat me down to ask about the longline rescue stuff. I’d finally told them the truth about not spending my summers at Yellowstone as a tour guide. I’d admitted to becoming trained as a paramedic as well as my ultimate desire to be an alpine search and rescue expert. They’d been understandably upset, but they’d felt much more betrayed by the secret than the decision itself.

“Lucky,” Xander had said, “Of course we worry about you. Of course we want you to choose a career where you aren’t dangling from a freaking rope over a mountaintop. But—”

Bennett had reached over and squeezed his hand. “But if you hadn’t… the three of us wouldn’t be sitting here together right now,” he’d said softly with a grateful smile. “We’re so proud of you.”

I’d burst into tears. We’d spent a long time talking. I’d explained how it had started with a simple EMT class and then escalated to more search and rescue technique classes and eventually paramedic training. By the time we finished talking, they’d been clear as a bell.

They wanted me to be happy.

I ran fingers through my hair as I pulled the SUV out of the driveway.

Happy.

The one thing I hadn’t told them about was Zach, and that was mostly because I still felt a sense of loyalty to him to keep the relationship we’d had a secret. I had no doubt Xander and Bennett would have eventually come around to the idea of me dating a man who was considerably older than myself, but with Zach’s defection, it was a moot point. I thought of Zach and the absolute dead end he presented in my life. I’d been a fool to ever think I could change him or expect him to change for me. That was elementary level bullshit, the kind of thing teen bloggers even warned against in those silly quizzes Minna always made me take.

Top Ten Mistakes Everyone Makes with Their First Crushes.

I laughed out loud. “Number one, expecting him to change.”

The song “Truth Hurts” came on the radio, and my laugh cut off as soon as I recognized the beat.

“Number two,” I whispered to myself, “he’s just not that into you.”

Before I slipped into a complete pity party, I reached for the channel dial and spun it away from the stupid Lizzo song. Today was about celebration. I was going to enjoy the day.

Even if it fucking killed me.

I squinted at something in the middle of the road in front of the Haven Hotel.

“Oh for god’s sake,” I muttered, rolling down the window. “Aunt Lolly, what are you doing?”

She stopped and stared at me. The two dozen balloons she held in one hand bobbed and weaved in the morning sunshine while her other hand held a leash tied to a goat.

“Surprise! Happy Fourth!” Her grin was contagious, and I was thankful she was at least fully dressed. She wore a flowy yellow sundress that reached almost all the way down to her purple flip-flops. “I brought us some meat for the grill.”

I blinked at her and then the goat by her side. “No.”

She looked at her boyfriend, Steve, in confusion before turning back to me. “But I told Xander I’d bring the main course.”

I stared at the goat whose white fur looked as soft as clouds. “Aunt Lolly…”

Steve shifted and I realized he was carrying a large cardboard box with All-Beef Patties stamped on the side.

I looked back at the goat. “What… what are we eating, exactly?”

Lolly looked even more confused. “Well, I’m having a veggie burger, but I brought an assortment.”

Steve’s mother, Wanda, pushed her way out the hotel’s front door. “There you are. I couldn’t find you anywhere. I told you to wear a bright color today so I could find you.”

I looked back at Lolly’s bright yellow dress and the twenty-plus metallic silver star balloons in her hand, but decided against saying anything.

“Let’s get going,” I said instead, pulling over to the side of the street so I wouldn’t block traffic.

“Who’s that?” Wanda asked loudly enough for people in Idaho to hear.

“THAT’S LUCKY, MOM,” Steve said.

“What’s lucky?” she asked.

“HE’S LUCKY,” Lolly shouted, pointing at me.

The older woman narrowed her eyes at me. “How so? Is that some kind of innuendo?”

Steve laughed and shook his head, stepping toward the back of the SUV. I shifted the SUV into park before hopping out to help him. Once we loaded the box into the back, Lolly tried stuffing the balloons in. As soon as she got about half of them in, they’d start escaping out my open window and she’d have to start all over again. When we finally had all the burgers, all the balloons, Steve, and his mom loaded into the vehicle, we were left with Aunt Lolly and one fluffy goat.