Page 34 of Protected By the Mountain Man

But that didn’t mean I couldn’t dream of her.

THIRTEEN

Kat

Things were settling again after the terror of that home invasion.

The police were finally taking me seriously; Livy was cheering up, playing with Bandit, drawing again. We had protection, and Gabe…

Things were really good with Gabe.

We hadn’t talked about how he’d kissed me the night of the attack, how he’d held me through the night. It hadn’t happened again. I wanted it to, but it hadn’t.

We were falling into a rhythm, and it felt good.

I was in the middle of wrestling with a stubborn jar of pickles when my phone buzzed across the kitchen counter. Owen's name flashed on the screen, and I knew this wouldn't be a quick hello-and-goodbye kind of call. He hadn’t reached out since the home invasion, and I hadn’t called.

I figured he would be mad that we didn’t need him.

He was funny that way.

“Kat, what the hell? Why didn't you call me right after the break-in?” Owen's voice came through, sharp and tinged with anger. I brushed it off; I knew it was really just worry in a spiky disguise.

Still, I put the pickles down. A snack would have to wait.

“Owen, breathe. It was hectic, alright? Gabe was here. He handled it.”

“Handled it? Kat, that's not enough! I’m moving in, whether you like it or?—”

“Look, I appreciate it, but no. Gabe's staying with us, and we're fine,” I countered.

“Is there something going on with you two?”

“Of course not,” I snapped.

“Remember Ben?” Owen pressed on, his tone darkening. “Gabe's always had a violent streak. You think he's changed?”

It was crazy—I knew what had gone on between Gabe and Ben, I knew what an asshole he was in high school—but I suddenly felt this surge of defensiveness. Gabe had protected us.

I needed to protect him back.

“Damn right, he's changed,” I said. “You don't know anything about him.”

“Kat, people like him don't change?—”

“I told you, we’re fine,” I cut him off, my patience frayed to its last thread. “And stay away from the ranch for a bit. I'm not up for this conversation.” I couldn't let him taint my newfound peace with his doubts, not now.

“Kat, listen to me?—”

“Bye, Owen.” I ended the call, thumb hovering over the phone until the screen went black. I silenced it just as another call came in. Probably Owen, again. But I had work to do—those were tires I heard on the gravel driveway, Bandit barking excitedly.

Gabe and Livy were back.

Shoving my phone into the front pocket of my jeans, I headed outside and watched from the porch as Gabe parked and swung his door open, Livy following suit. Bandit bounded across the yard to greet them, tail wagging like a metronome.

“Aunt Kat!” Livy called out, sprinting up to me, all bright-eyed enthusiasm. “Gabe let me pet the baby chicks at the feed store! And he said—if you say it's okay—he might build me a chicken coop for my birthday!”

I grinned; I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

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