Where are you from?

Apparently, everywhere. Do you know how cool I think you are? Growing up moving around must have been hard, but it created a woman who looks at someone and sees underneath to the parts others don’t.

What are you doing after this?

I hope after this night, in the future, we’ll be together, in some city, crazy in love.

Please tell me you’re single.

You aren’t single, Anastasia. You’re mine.

Also… I’m not a serial killer. True.

Or an alien. (People in Walker really dig that stuff.) True.

Or a player. I had my moments.

Or a douchebag. Again, had some moments.

Or a dick. Okay…maybe once or twice.

I’m just the guy in front of you on a snow-covered mountain, baring his soul to the most beautiful girl in the world.

You have dreams and I get it. I’ll wait for you forever. No matter how long it takes for us to come back to a place where we can be together for real.

Your first reaction to this note may be to run as far as you can, but you only live once, and we can’t lose what we have.

Fate has a way of bringing people together, and, baby girl, we’re meant to be.

* * *

Kappa Boy AKA River Tate AKA Snake AKA Fake River AKA Anastasia’s Man

* * *

She turns to face me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I love it so much.” A tear escapes and tracks down her face before she swipes it away. “I’ve never cried this much in my life.” She laughs.

“Glad you like it.”

She runs her gaze over it again, then carefully folds it up and tucks it back in the book. “I’ll keep it forever.”

“I’ll take that blow job now,” I tease with a grin.

She throws a pillow at me and it bounces off my chest. “Forget that! Your gift is too good, and I don’t have anything for you! I can’t do better than this!”

“I think this bed has too many pillows,” I say on a laugh as she throws another one and I duck. “And you gave me a unicorn pencil.”

“It was nothing compared to your note!” She comes at me and swings her legs around, losing her blanket in the melee, then sits on top of me.

“I could get used to this kind of fight,” I murmur as my hands span her waist.

“I’m mad you didn’t tell me we were doing gifts, but I forgive you,” she says in a serious tone. “We’re early in the relationship and mishaps will happen, but I need to know about gifts.” She pouts. “Yours was so meaningful! I feel terrible!”

“You helped me pack and helped me write that damn paper. I got an A, by the way. I checked online earlier.” I chuckle. “I like you riled up though. Reminds me of the elevator.”

She sends me a pretend glare.

“Want to do an angry fuck, baby girl?” I purr as I skate my hands up her waist and suck a nipple into my mouth, my eyes on her face.

“Yes.” Her breaths are heavy as she pushes me back down. “First, I’m going to lick your python, then make you crazy with a special gift. Payback for not telling me…”

I groan at the heat in her eyes. “Give me your revenge gift, Rainbow.”

She moves down my body, a wicked smile on her face.

27

“Oh my God! River!” my sister Rae yells as I walk in the door. The floor plan of the house is wide open, a vast den that opens to the modern kitchen. She flies across the room toward me, sidestepping a pile of white gauzy fabric before she jumps at me. “Little brother! Finally! About time you got your ass here!”

My heart swells as I hug her. She’s five years older than me, tall like Mom, with the same glossy brown hair and blue eyes. She leans back to take me in, running her eyes over me in that direct way she also got from Mom. “You look good. Relaxed. Which is good. I need things. We jumpstarted the whole thing, so it’s nuts. I have to go to the alterations place today, like right now, for my last fitting, Jagger needs you to hit the tux shop this afternoon before four, the flowers are terrible, and the caterer needs to know how many people are coming and I honest to God don’t know. I’ve called everyone, or I tried, but it’s the holidays and everyone has plans, so we may have a thousand shrimp that no one eats and I’m not sure we can decorate around the giant tree we put up and Callie is everywhere because school is out and we leave for Hawaii after the wedding—

that was fun at the last minute—and I hate that we won’t be here, like a real holiday, but it’s for the best and then I’ll be back—” She stops and takes air in. “I won’t even get started on the decorations. I wanted some tulle and fairy lights draped from the ceiling, but we don’t have the electrical outlets and the wedding planner is losing her damn mind. I mean, it’s to be expected. This is all so last minute—”

My sister can talk. Well, we both can. I interrupt her before she passes out. “I’ve missed you, and yes, you can order me around to do your wedding things, but, Mom—”

She gives me a wan smile and a kiss on the cheek. “Right. She’s out on the sunporch, waiting for you.” She grabs my arm before I turn that way. “Hey, I’m glad you’re here, for real.” Her eyes water. “It must have been hard to leave Braxton, but this means a lot…” Her voice trails off. “River, it’s so uncertain. This wedding…me moving out…it’s what she wants. I wanted to go back and forth between here and New York, but she wants me to get on with my life…”

“And your life is going to be great.”

She nods, then takes a deep breath. “I have to run out, but I have to go put that dress on, then pick up the dog at the groomer…” She hugs me again, pressing her face to my neck. “I’ll be back, ’kay? I’ll grab us takeout. The house is a wreck, so…”

She dashes out the door, and I’m heading through the house when Callie rushes at me from the den, and I swing her up. She plants a kiss on my face. “River, River, River, lemme tell you about it.”

“What?”

“Christmas play. That’s what. I was an elf and Mama and Nana said I was the best one! I didn’t mess up, not much, maybe a tiny bit, but I got to give gifts to the babies’ class! They let me! Me! I’m a big girl, like really, really big.” She moves her hands apart dramatically. “Can you tell I growed?”

“You’re almost as tall as me!” I swing her around and she squeals.

I set her down after promising to play a game with her later. She dashes for her room to find what she wants to play, and I take a long breath as I run my eyes over the house, taking it in, feeling that Ah, yes, this is home I’ve been missing so much. I pass by the framed photo of me, Dad, Rae, and Mom and brush my fingers over it.

I step out to the sunporch, a big addition Dad put in when I was a kid. Heated with comfy furniture and a big-screen TV, the windows face the west, the sun shining in. The view is of snow-covered hills.

She’s asleep on one of the couches, a blanket tucked around her shoulders. I settle down on the end, being quiet and moving her legs so they rest in my lap. Her face is pale and thin, but there’s a peace about her.