Page 18 of Saved By the Mountain Man

I’m still going through some plans when the door opens, and Dani slides onto the passenger seat. “Hey, Matt.”

“Hey.” My throat is dry, like someone rubbed sandpaper on it. Why am I scared and nervous? Is she about to say she’s leaving … alone? Or is there something else? I did leave after hearing her say her company wanted her back.

“You heard us?” she asks, eyes searching my face.

“I did. Congratulations, Dan. You’re amazing, and it’s stupid of them to take this long to realize how valuable you are in their company.”

She laughs softly and tucks a stray hair behind her ear. “Matt…”

“When are you leaving? Because the earliest I can leave is three days. There’s still stuff I need to?—”

Dan touches her parted lips. “Wait, what?”

“Wait. You don’t want me to go with you?”

Her eyebrows squish together, and she tugs on her ear. “I am so confused right now, Matt. Don’t you hate the city?”

“Hate is a strong word, Dan. I don’t like it, but if you do, it might eventually grow on me too.”

When she realizes what I’m trying to tell her, her eyebrows shoot to her hairline. “Matt, are you … telling me that the whole time I was still inside, you’ve been making plans to follow me?”

I have no idea where this conversation is going, but what the hell. “Yeah, why?”

“But the cabin…”

“I can turn it into a rental place or let Milo use it.”

“Goldie…”

“She’s coming with me, obviously.”

“Matt…”

Something flares in my chest, and a heavy weight settles on my stomach. “Unless you don’t want me to. Jesus Christ, here I go, making the decisions again for you without asking you what you want. I’m sorry, Dan. Fuck, that was?—”

“I’m not going.”

I’m feeling so dumb and stupid right now. “What?”

Dan rests a palm on my chest and smiles. “I’m staying here for good.”

“What about your work?”

She pins me with a look. “They were willing to let me go when the manager’s nephew breezed in with nothing but his connections, and now they want me to go fix his mess? Good fucking luck.”

I howl with laughter, relief washing over me in waves. “Didn’t you tell that girl with red hair in high school the same exact words?”

She smirks, a smug look on her face. “I did when she said she’d make you leave me for her.”

I grab her closer to me and kiss her like I’m about to lose her. “I love you, Dan. God, I fucking love you. I never stopped.”

“Good because I love you too. My life is here. It just took me a while to realize that.”

10

DANIKA

Icould get used to mornings like this.

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