Page 11 of Rugged Courage

Marian looks at me and smiles. “Yeah, the men up here are the good ones.” It seems like there’s more meaning to what she’s saying, but before I can ask, someone flags her down.

I carry our beers to a booth along the wall. The leather seats are cracked and worn but comfortable.

Dane joins me a moment later, his expression unreadable. “Waylon’s on his way,” he says simply, taking a long swig of his beer.

We sit in easy silence, lost in our own thoughts, until our food arrives—massive burgers with a mountain of fries. We dig in with gusto. The first bite is heaven, juicy and flavorful, exactly what I need after our long hike.

“This is the best burger ever,” I say, wiping a napkin across my mouth. I take a long drink of my beer, and this all feels like the end to a perfect day.

Only I don’t want this day and my time with Dane to end…

“I still can’t believe how close we came to those mountain lions,” I say, shivering at the memory. I remember the fear when I laid eyes on them. “I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

Dane’s expression softens, his eyes meeting mine across the table. “You handled it like a pro, though. Not everyone would’ve kept their cool like that.”

I’m about to respond, to tell him how much his presence calmed me when I notice Dane’s gaze shift to something behind me. I turn to see a bearded man approaching our table. He’s about the same age as Dane, but he walks with a purpose and authority that makes it clear he’s a powerful man around here, even if Dane hadn’t told me he was his boss.

“Waylon,” Dane says, standing to greet him. His voice holds respect and something else I can’t quite place. “Thanks for coming. This is Cece, the woman whose beacon was activated.”

“Pleasure to meet you. I’m glad Dane here was able to get you back in one piece. I heard about the two of you crossing paths with a couple of mountain lions.”

Waylon watches me intently, making me feel like I’m being sized up. I don’t know what’s going on, but it reminds me of all the times when I needed to behave properly for my parents or their friends.

“It was scary. I’m not sure I’d have survived if I hadn’t been with Dane.” I look at Dane and place my hand on his. His tense expression eases as he meets my eyes.

“Glad to hear it. We don’t like people getting hurt up here,” Waylon says, turning to Dane. “Dane, if I could have a word?”

“Of course,” he says, pushing his plate away and wiping his mouth. “Hang tight, Cece. I’ll be back.”

CHAPTER 6

DANE

What the fuck were you thinking, Dane?” Waylon’s voice booms in the confined space of his office, his face flushed with anger. “Or were you thinking with your damn dick?”

I lean against the wall and look at Waylon. Waylon’s usually friendly eyes are hard, his jaw set.

“That was uncalled for,” I challenge. I’ve only known Cece a couple of days, but I won’t let anyone—even Waylon—talk about her like she was a random fuck. She’s better than that, and I’ll defend her against Waylon and anyone else if it comes to it.

“Taking her to one of the Creek Ravine cabins? Were you out of your mind?”

My stomach tightens. I knew this conversation was coming, but I hoped maybe he wouldn’t come out yelling. “Waylon, I can explain—”

“Explain? What is there to explain?” He throws his hands up, pacing across the wood floor of his office. “What if we had guests there? Did you even think about that?”

I step closer, lowering my voice. “But there weren’t any guests there, Waylon. I knew no one was there–everyone knows the cabins are empty right now.”

He scoffs, shaking his head. “That’s not the point, and you know it.”

I run a hand through my hair, frustration building. “Then what is the point? What were we supposed to do? It was getting late, and there were mountain lions in the area. I wasn’t willing to risk her life because it was the wrong,” I use air quotes around the word, “thing to do.”

Waylon’s anger deflates slightly at the mention of the mountain lions and potentially sacrificing someone’s safety because of rules. He knows the risks with mountain lions as well as I do, and he also knows why I left the Army. The silence stretches between us.

“We needed shelter,” I continue, calmer now. “I made a judgment call. Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but I was trying to keep us safe. I didn’t expect to find anyone alive when the beacon signal came in. I certainly didn’t want either of us to get hurt or killed because we couldn’t make it back here before dusk. We were tired and needed safety.”

Waylon sighs and runs his hand through his dark hair, his shoulders slumping. He leans against the wall of his office. “I get it, Dane. I do. But you have to understand how serious this is. That place is hidden and secret for a reason. We don’t let outsiders in. I know you haven’t been here long, but I need you to understand that.”

I nod, relief washing over me as the worst of his anger seems to have passed. I want to say that Cece isn’t an outsider, but I know how crazy that sounds—I only met her two days ago. I don’t know how to describe my connection with her, but she’s way more than some hiker I rescued or a beautiful woman I slept with. There’s something more, something deeper, between us.

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