Fall for Me (Cowboys of Crested Butte 1)

“Let’s go skiing tomorrow,” Liv said to Renie when they finished opening presents.

“That sounds wonderful. Are you sure you’re up to it?”

“Won’t know for sure until I’m on the slope.”

“Where, Mom?”

“Where else would we go, Renie? Crested Butte.”

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

Liv hadn’t heard a word from Ben since the night in the hospital. For a couple weeks, she continued to check the social media feeds.

She saw photos of his boys that he posted right after Thanksgiving, an outing the three of them took together. They were beautiful boys.

Liv closed her eyes, and imagined how their Christmas morning would be. In her daydream, Ben’s boys were with him, at his parents’ house. Will and Matt, and their wives, were there, too.

Whenever she thought about Ben, she could see him so clearly, as though she was with him. Like every other time, she didn’t want to open her eyes and have him go away. He crept closer, so close she felt his breath, his arms, his kiss. The ache for him spread throughout her body.

“I have to see him, Renie. I have to try. I love him.”

“Come in here and talk to me for a minute,” Ginny said to Ben.

Ben smiled and gathered his mother into him for a hug. “Yeah, Mama?” Thank goodness he had his family around him today. They distracted him enough that morning that he only thought about Liv two or three hundred times.

“I’m worried about you, Ben. Is there anything you can do?”

“About?”

“Don’t. You know what I mean. Let’s not waste time playing games.”

“It’s over. There isn’t anything to do about it. If you work that hard and it still doesn’t come together, it’s time to give up and move in another direction.”

“She’s the one for you.”

“Thanks, Mom. It makes me so happy to hear you say that.” Ben walked away from her.

“Do something about it, Ben. Do something.”

“What? What the hell am I supposed to do? Jesus—”

“What’s going on in here?” Bud asked, coming in through the kitchen archway. “You’re raising your voice to your mother on Christmas, Ben?”

“I’m sorry, Mama.” He pulled her into another hug.

“I’m sorry, Dad.”

“It’s okay, Bud. I started it. I’m pushing him to contact Liv, which means I’m pushing his buttons.”

Bud shook his head and walked back out of the kitchen.

“We’re both so worried about you,” his mom continued.

“She’s with somebody else.”

“How do you know that?”

“I saw them together.”