Page 42 of Protected By the Mountain Man

“Here you go, loves.” Betty set the dishes down with a clatter, oblivious to the tension.

“Thanks, Betty,” I managed, feeling like I'd just been dunked in cold water.

“Enjoy your meal.” She winked at me, then walked away.

We both reached for our burgers, and the moment was gone. I took a bite, the taste somehow bland compared to the rush of desire that had just been coursing through me. I caught Kat sneaking glances at me between bites, but neither of us spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward; it was charged, every glance loaded with words we couldn't say. I was trying to focus on my fries when I heard our names being tossed around from the next table over, a low murmur that was impossible to ignore.

“Think the ranch will go under?”

What the fuck? Somebody was talking about Kat just a few tables down.

“Maybe it should,” someone replied, not bothering to lower her voice. “Heard Ben was hard on those animals. His own horse was always so skittish.”

“Kat's no better, they say.”

I saw Kat stiffen across the table, her fork suspended mid-air. Her eyes flickered for a moment, betraying her attempt to listen without looking like she was.

“Bad to the horses, bad to poor Olivia too, maybe?”

“Ignore them,” I muttered under my breath. The urge to march over and set things straight was strong, but I hesitated, not wanting to make a scene.

Or at least, that's what I thought until I saw Kat's reaction.

“Excuse me,” she said sharply, dropping her half-eaten burger.

“Kat, wait?—”

She was already on her feet, food forgotten as it clattered onto her plate. Her face was a mask of fury, her hands balled into fists at her sides. She didn't look back as she stalked towards the source of those ugly words. I shoved out of the booth and trailed after her, feeling the weight of every eye in the place upon us.

The women at the table went pale as death when Kat bore down on them. They shrunk back into their seats, but the damage had been done; they couldn't unring the bell.

“Where did you hear that? That horrible rumor?” Kat demanded, her voice shaky with barely contained anger.

“Um…I don't remember exactly,” the woman stammered, her bravado gone now that she was confronted. “Just something going around the middle school.”

I stood behind Kat, ready to intervene if things escalated beyond words, but when she turned to face me, tears were welling up in her eyes. It took me by surprise—the tough-as-nails woman I knew seemed so vulnerable all of a sudden.

“We are kind to our horses,” she choked out, her voice raw with emotion. “Ben’s horse was skittish because he was abused before—and Ben was the one who rehabilitated him. How dare you spread lies about how we treat our animals, our Olivia…about my dead brother!”

Kat stormed out. I followed her, barely keeping up with her brisk pace, as she pushed through the door and out into the cool night air.

“Kat, wait!” I called after her, but she didn't slow down, her strides long and determined. The distance between us grew until I was practically jogging to catch up.

“Let me go back and get your food,” I offered when I finally reached her. “You barely touched it.”

She was crying now, furious tears that she wiped away with an angry swipe of her hand. “No,” she snapped, her voice brittle. “Just take me home, Gabe. Please.”

I nodded, not sure what else to say or do.

Fuck this town…fuck gossip, and fuck anyone who wanted to hurt her.

We walked back to the truck in silence. Kat climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut, her body language screaming leave-me-alone. I got in on my side and started the engine.

This dinner had gone sideways fast.

Kat was quiet as we drove, leaving the lights of town for the dark backroads of the country. She stared out the window, jaw clenched, looking like she was trying to hold herself together.

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