Page 10 of Rugged Courage

I came up here to figure out what was next, so I need to listen to my head and my heart. Spending more time on this mountain is so far from my “normal,” but I don’t care. Being with Dane makes me think that maybe I’ve found a man who wants me for me. It doesn’t hurt that he’s tall, muscular, blond, and built like a warrior.

“It looks like you’re thinking a lot,” Dane says, pulling me close. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just thinking that I could use some coffee. I didn’t,” I lean up and kiss him again, “get all that much sleep last night. Not that I’m complaining.” I grin.

“Coffee I can do.”

Dane gets out of bed, and I gaze at his body. The man is huge—including where it counts—and it takes my breath away. I’ve always been overweight—or zaftig as my grandmother always called my body—and I’ve never actually felt small. But being with Dane? He makes me feel tiny.

He smiles as he pulls on his jeans and buttons them. “You get dressed while I sort out some coffee and see what there is for breakfast.”

“Sounds good.” I smile and stretch out in bed. I don’t know where any of this is going, but I do know I want more of Dane.

After getting cleaned up, I put on my jeans and hoodie and follow the scent of coffee.

“No milk, so I hope black is fine,” Dane says, handing me a chipped mug of coffee.

“This is perfect.” I take the mug, wrap my hands around it, and take a sip.

“I found some oatmeal in the cupboards.”

“That’s fine. I also have freeze-dried meals in my pack. Not exactly breakfast food, but food is food.”

Dane looks at me and nods. “Those might be the better option. We still have a good hike in front of us today. I’ll contact Reggie and see if they have any information about the mountain lions.” When he sees my confusion, he adds, “We do drone surveillance on the mountain. It’s not perfect, but it helps with finding people or keeping an eye on situations.”

I don’t know what situations he’s talking about, but I nod. That kind of surveillance is unexpected, though it makes sense to keep track of a large space with few people. I haven’t seen any drones, but it makes me glad I didn’t decide to go skinny dipping in the lake I passed on my first day here.

We finish breakfast, and I watch Dane pace on the porch while he talks to his buddy. Even from here, I can see something is wrong. There’s a crease on his forehead when he comes back in.

“Is everything okay?” I pick up the dishes and wash them in the sink.

Dane runs his hand over his face and eventually nods. “It will be. I need to talk to someone when I get back. He’s not happy with me.”

I look at Dane and wonder what’s going on. Something tells me not to press him.

“Finally,” I breathe as the weathered wooden sign of a place called King Tap comes into view through the trees. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across the dirt path, and I can feel the day’s hike in every muscle. “I was starting to think we’d never make it.”

Dane chuckles beside me. “Having second thoughts about the great outdoors?”

“Never.” I grin despite the ache in my legs and the sweat trickling down my back. I’m excited to be finished with today’s hike, but I’m apprehensive about what comes next. Dane and I need to talk more and figure out if what’s been building between us has a future.

We push through the heavy wooden door, the hinges creaking in protest. The scent of beer and grilled food washes over us, and my stomach growls in response. The din of conversation and clinking glasses fills the air, and I instantly feel at ease.

Without a word, we both drop our bags near the entrance. I roll my shoulders, relishing the absence of weight on my back.

I take a moment to absorb the rustic charm of King Tap. Wooden beams crisscross the ceiling, dark with age and smooth from years of smoke and steam. The walls are a patchwork of vintage signs. Mismatched chairs surround sturdy wooden tables, and a pool table is tucked at the back. It’s exactly the kind of place I’d expect to find at the end of a long hiking trail, full of character and cold beer.

“Why don’t you grab a table and order some food? I’m starving,” Dane says, his hand on my arm. The touch, brief as it is, makes me smile. “I need to go find my boss.”

I nod, watching him weave through the bar and into a hallway at the back. My eyes linger on his broad shoulders, remembering how it felt to be held by him. Shaking off the memory, I make my way to the bar, where a red-haired woman is wiping down glasses.

She looks up as I approach, a warm smile spreading across her face. Laugh lines crinkle at the corners of her eyes, and it feels like seeing an old friend. “Hey,” she says, smiling. “You look like you could use a beer and a burger. I’m Marian.”

“Cece,” I reply, returning her smile. There’s something about Marian that puts me instantly at ease. “And you’re absolutely right. Can I get two of whatever your house specialty is? And maybe a couple of beers?”

“Coming right up, honey,” Marian says, turning to the taps. She slides two pints of beer across the bar to me. “You’re here with Dane?”

Heat creeps up my neck as I remember the night we shared in the cabin. “Yeah. I accidentally set off my emergency beacon, and he came and tracked me down. He probably saved me from getting eaten by mountain lions, so I guess I owe him my life.”

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