Page 19 of Protected By the Mountain Man

Gabe's hand finally brushed Shadow's muzzle, and the horse let out a soft snort, as if weighing his options. I could almost hear Gabe's pulse, steady and sure, as he slowly slipped the lead rope over Shadow's neck.

“Good boy,” Gabe praised, his voice a soft rumble. “That's it.”

I couldn't help but stare at Gabe, my breath catching in my throat. This wasn't the Gabe who had made high school a living hell. This was someone else entirely—someone capable of kindness, patience, and…

Hell, was that gentleness?

“Kat, grab the other side,” Gabe said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

We got on either side of Shadow, guiding him with quiet words and gentle touches. My mind reeled. Gabe was a bully, a brute…or so I thought. But as we walked Shadow back toward the barn, I found myself reassessing everything I knew—or thought I knew—about him.

“Didn't know you had it in you,” I said, unable to resist the jab.

“People change,” Gabe replied.

“Apparently they do,” I muttered under my breath, too low for him to hear.

Once we had Shadow safely back in the barn, I grabbed an apple from the feed room and handed it to Gabe. He gave me a questioning look, his brow furrowed. “Are you seriously rewarding me with an apple?”

I snorted. “It’s for him, asshole. You should do the honors.”

Gabe laughed softly, then turned to Shadow, holding out the apple on his flat palm. “Here you go, big guy.”

Shadow sniffed cautiously before taking the apple, crunching it contentedly. My heart swelled as I watched them, a smile cracking my face—a genuine smile. When was the last time that happened? The tension that had been living in my shoulders eased. I felt…good. Bone-tired, but the right kind of exhausted.

“Come on,” I said, jerking my head toward the house. “Let's get cleaned up.”

Gabe fell into step beside me. We didn't talk much; there was no need. But the silence wasn't awkward—it was comfortable, almost natural. As we approached the porch, Livy looked up from her perch on the steps, Bandit by her side.

“Hey, you two. Finally caught the speed demon, huh?” Livy grinned, her eyes bright. She held up the bag from the diner. “Finished off those chicken tenders. Couldn't help myself. And, uh, might have started on the cookies.”

“Betty threw in cookies?” Gabe sounded genuinely surprised. “She must be feeling generous today.”

“Did you save me any, or am I doomed to starve?” I joked. Livy rolled her eyes as if it was the most ridiculous question she'd heard all day.

“Of course I saved you some,” she said with playful sarcasm. “Though I considered giving your burger to Bandit.” Her eyes twinkled with mischief, and then the laughter bubbled up from her throat.

It was like a balm to my weary soul. Maybe, just maybe, we were going to be okay.

Bandit seemed to catch the lighter mood and trotted over, tail wagging a mile a minute. He sidled up to Gabe, of all people, nosing his hand for attention. This dog, who seemed more than ready to maul most any man who came by, was cozying up to Gabe? The surprise must've shown on my face because Gabe chuckled, reaching down to give Bandit a scratch behind the ears.

“Looks like I've got a new friend,” he said.

“Seems like everyone's charmed by you lately.”

My voice came out sharper than I intended, but something about Gabe being Mr. Popular rubbed me the wrong way, stirring a strange mix of annoyance and…something else I didn't want to name. He looked up at me with a smirk. “You included in that?”

I stared at him, blinked once—twice.

“Hey, I'm starving here,” I blurted out, redirecting the conversation. “Why don't you join us for dinner, Gabe? You've earned it after today.”

He looked surprised, and I got it. This was a complete reversal from my earlier attitude. But then he gave a small nod, accepting the invitation. “Sure.”

I dropped onto the porch steps, the rickety wood creaking under my weight. My body was coated with a layer of grime and sweat, my muscles screamed from the chase, but when Livy handed me that cold burger, I didn't give a damn about anything else.

I took a massive bite, and for a second, nothing else existed but the taste of a perfect Millie’s burger. I moaned, probably louder than I should have, but hell, it felt like the first real thing I'd eaten in days. When I came back to reality, Gabe's eyes were on me—wide, intense, and then quickly looking away.

Heat flared up my neck, and not from the food.

---