Page 26 of Saved By the Mountain Man

The path to town was muddy and slippery, and destruction reigned around me. Trees had fallen, branches ripped off, and parts of the mountainside had been shifted in landslides caused by all the water. Boulders weren’t where they used to be and I had to pick my way down a different path than usual.

There was no way Rae would get down here with that ankle.

Finally, I reached the town. I made my way to Garrison’s General Store.

Hank was behind the counter, as usual, his bushy mustache twitching as he chatted with a customer.

I walked through the aisles, finding what I needed to get the two of us through the next few days. Bread, fresh produce, a couple of canned foods. I added cookies and chocolate to the basket because she’d always loved that.

I spotted Laken and walked to her, told her what had happened.

“Oh, God,” Laken said. “I was worried when she didn’t show this morning.” She tilted her head and looked at me. “Just make sure she’s safe, okay? She doesn’t need more pain.”

I blinked at Laken. What did she know? What had Rae told her?

Laken turned back to her chores, an obvious dismissal, and I walked to the counter to pay.

Hank smiled, making small talk while he rang up the goods.

“Anything else you need?” he asked when all items in the basket had been accounted for.

“Need to talk to you about Rae.” I leaned against the counter.

“Oh?”

“She’s going to be off for a few days. Got caught in the storm and hurt her ankle pretty bad.”

Hank’s expression turned serious. “Is she okay?”

“She’s fine. Just needs some rest. I’m looking after her.”

Hank’s face perked up at that. It was gossip that could be spread, no doubt. But he needed to know.

“You’ll keep her position for her?”

Hank nodded, his eyes thoughtful. He smoothed his mustache with his thumb and forefinger. “She’s a good worker. We’ll manage without her for a bit, but her job will be waiting for her when she gets back. Tell her to take care.”

“I will,” I said, turning to leave.

It was harder to make my way up the muddy mountainside, but eventually I reached the cabin.

Rae was sitting on the couch where I’d left her, her eyes following me as I entered. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I replied, hanging up my jacket. “Hank says to take all the time you need.”

“Thanks,” she said, her voice soft. “I don’t know how to repay you for this.”

“You don’t have to.” I handed her a packet of cookies. Her eyes widened, and a small smile crossed her face before she opened it.

I loved seeing her smile. I loved the sparkle in her eyes that came with small, simple pleasures.

While she munched on her cookies, I unpacked the food I’d gotten into the cabinets. The silence with her in my cabin, watching my every move, wasn’t tense. It was comfortable, the way it was before.

Rae used to be someone I could talk to about everything, about nothing at all.

She used to be someone I could be quiet with.

That was a lifetime ago, before everything went wrong. I had to make sure it wouldn’t go wrong again.

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