“I’m not sure if I’m ready for all the people coming today.” It was still blissful to wake up most mornings and know the day was his own. No nosy cameramen looking over his shoulder while he planned improvements to the greenhouses or community. No one lurking around when he and Riley stole a moment alone.
“It’s for only a few hours,” Riley reminded him. “I wonder how many people will show up for the open house?”
“Renata thinks it will be a lot. That’s why Fulsom is filming it.” Boone had thought the man would disappear from their lives as soon as they’d played out their parts on his television show, but to his surprise he had more contact now with the billionaire than he did when they were being filmed for the weekly show.
“I needed to keep my distance to keep things fair,” Fulsom had told him once when he’d spent a weekend at Base Camp after the show ended. “Now I can keep in touch more. Get to know you all better. Base Camp is like a living laboratory. You can tell me what’s working and what isn’t, and I can put my innovation divisions to work to find solutions and enhancements.”
Fulsom was already working to design better midrange wind turbines big enough to power small communities like theirs but not so big that they require more resources to maintain than a small community might have. Boone hoped he’d take on some other projects as well.
“I’d better look my best, then, especially since there will be cameras around. Base Camp, One Year Later,” she intoned dramatically. “We wouldn’t want to disappoint the viewing public.” She edged out of his arms, ready to get up, but Boone pulled her back again.
“One more minute.”
“You always say one more minute and then it’s an hour.”
He smiled, pressing a kiss to her neck. “I can’t help that I’m irresistible.”
“You really are,” she agreed, melting in his arms, but when Jason let out a soft cry from his crib on the main floor, she sighed. They both knew there was no putting off their son. He might start slowly, but those cries would ramp up fast. “Be right back.”
In a moment, Riley had slipped from their bed and stepped down the ladder, reappearing some minutes later with a freshly diapered baby in her arms. They’d installed a railing and baby gate across the edge of the loft so Jason could hang out with them up here safely while they got ready for the day. Handing him to Boone, she crawled back under the covers.
“Thought you were getting up.” He smiled at her.
“One more minute,” she said. “I want to spend some time with my two favorite men.” When she was comfortable, she added, “I wonder how Byron will frame this show.” It was to be a two-hour special. Film production capabilities had grown rapidly at Base Camp. Renata and Eve had taken the first few documentaries they’d worked on and run with it, and Byron kept working for Fulsom even after the show was over. As the community had expanded, Fulsom had hired him for other one-time shows featuring new members of the community and their experiences, and Boone knew Byron was developing a new television show in partnership with him.
“I suppose he’ll compare how things were two years ago when we first arrived to how they are today.”
“I can’t believe we have sixty people living here now.”
“I can’t believe we survived the show.”
“It’s been a year!” Riley reminded him.
“Every day I wake up, look around and think, ‘Fulsom can’t take Base Camp away,’ and I’m just as relieved as I was the day Fulsom gave you the deed.”
“I guess I’ve settled in more than you,” Riley said. “This is my home. It was always meant to be, and now here we are. This is the only possible ending I could stand.” She bent down to drop a kiss on Jason’s little forehead. He was struggling to pull himself up to a standing position, gripping fistfuls of his father’s skin, pinching Boone.
Boone detached him and let his son hold on to his fingers instead. “Look at you. Soon enough you’ll be riding a horse!”
“He is not riding Behemoth,” Riley said automatically. It was a topic they’d covered many times before.
“Not to begin with,” Boone agreed. “Maybe something smaller,” he told Jason.
Riley leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m happy,” she told him. “I have everything I want.”
“Then I’m happy, too.”
It really was time to get up, but Riley still hesitated. She loved these quiet times with her husband and baby son. All too soon they’d join the others for chores and breakfast, and their busy day would start, but Boone’s words had reminded her of all she had to be grateful for.
Just over two years ago, she’d received word that the adoption she’d counted on wouldn’t go through. The grief she’d felt that day had faded, replaced by the wonder and joy of holding her son in her arms. She hadn’t just wanted a baby back then; she’d wanted a partner to go through life with. A man to love, who would love her back. A family.
Now she had both.
She wasn’t lonely anymore, the way she’d been in those days. All her best friends—old and new—lived with her, worked with her and celebrated their mutual accomplishments with her. Every day there was a new challenge to face together. She couldn’t believe how different her life had become.
As she slipped out of bed to get dressed for the day, she wondered how many other people would choose to band together as she and her friends had. It was true Base Camp was
