Page 23 of Saved By the Mountain Man

Emma sobs against my chest, her body shaking.

I fall to my knees and clutch her hands, begging her to speak.

“I didn’t think you were coming back,” Emma gasps, her words shattering my heart to pieces. Me. I did this to her. “I thought you were gone.”

I shake my head, rising to grip her face. Her perfect, beautiful face.

“No, no… baby. Never. I would never do that. I would never leave you.”

She trembles and I want to punch myself in the face. I hate that I’ve made her this way.

“I didn’t mean to be so long, I’m sorry.” I hold her head, pressing desperate kisses, hoping they will make everything ok again. “Please, let me explain. Let me… let me… show you.”

Emma’s brows crease and her red eyes lock on mine. “Show me what?”

I take her hand and lead her through the cabin. I grab any lights that I find along the way, four or five torches and the candle sitting in the middle of the table. I’ll need them all it’s so dark outside. There’s no electricity where we’re going either, just a sketchy generator that battles to start up.

Cradling her in my arms, I lead Emma to my truck and help her into the front seat. She’s shivering, her teeth chattering in the cold of the night, so I rip my coat off and lay it over her.

I buckle her in and tell her everything will be ok, pressing a kiss to her hair.

The sound of my truck’s engine is louder as I race up the beaten track towards my old cabin, the wheels spinning on the dew that’s starting to settle on the land. I didn’t plan on showing Emma yet, I needed a few more days to make it just right.

But I need her to see that I’m not going anywhere.

She’s curled in a ball next to me, her cheeks red, the rest of her skin pale white. I drive as close to my old cabin as I can and that’s when I see her glance across to me, a frown splitting her eyes.

“What are we doing here?”

“Wait in the truck, I’ll get you in a second.”

From the outside, Emma won’t be able to tell what I’ve been doing. I haven’t got to that bit yet.

Inside, I race around and set the lights up throughout my old cabin. Tools are spread out all over the floor from where I’ve been working all day, so I push them aside and throw a blanket over them to hide the mess.

I race around and check everything one last time. It’s not as perfect as I wanted, but it will do.

On my way back out, I make sure the old photograph of Emma and her parents is perfectly straight. It’s got prime position, directly about the arched entryway so it’s the first thing everyone sees when they step inside and the last thing they see when they leave. The smiling faces of my best friend’s family, standing in front of this exact cabin, is the perfect touch to our new home.

Ryan will always be a part of my life, my brother, my best friend. And I’m about to honor his memory by giving his only child everything she ever dreamed of.

“Come with me,” I tell Emma when I get back to my truck, a mix of excitement and nerves making my stomach queasy.

She grabs my hand, tentative legs making her unsure on her feet as I wrap my coat around her.

I guide her inside, and as we step in the doorway, I can feel her hesitation. Then she sees the photograph and looks right at me. I squeeze her hand and look directly into her amazing blue eyes, giving a gentle nod to assure her everything will be ok.

“Jack, what is this?” Emma whispers, her voice trembling.

With the assortment of lights, candles and torches, I’ve managed to give the cabin a gentle glow. Somehow, it adds to the ambiance, the rustic wooden walls providing a warm feeling, showing off the new paint job I applied today.

I squeeze her hand again, leading her further inside. “I’ve been working on something. For us.”

Her eyes widen as she looks around. She’s never seen inside this cabin, at least, she doesn’t think she has. She was only a baby the last time she was here.

Now, the run-down cabin from her favorite photo looks almost new. Not bad for one day’s effort. The walls are freshly painted, and I’ve sanded back a few old pieces of furniture that were left lying around.

There’s still work to do, but I’ve made a good start.

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