Page 9 of Saved By the Mountain Man

You can’t be this comfortable around strangers.

But they didn’tfeellike strangers.

And they didn’t feel like danger, either.

“Come on,” Laken said, motioning for me to follow her to the back of the store. “I’ll show you the ropes.”

We spent the next few hours going through boxes, unpacking goods, and chatting. Laken was easy to talk to, with a bubbly personality that made the time fly by. She told me about her love for Silver Ridge, how she’d moved here a few years ago to start fresh after a messy breakup. It was clear she knew about having a past and was someone who could understand the need for a new beginning. Not that I was planning on sharing too much with her. Getting close to new people was just as dangerous as trusting older relationships.

That was what I’d had to learn the hard way.

“You’ll love it here,” Laken babbled, unaware of the tug-of-war going on in my mind. We stacked cans of beans on the shelves. “Everyone’s so friendly. It’s like one big family. And everyone knows everything abouteveryone. I think that’s the part I hate and love the most. In equal parts.”

I swallowed hard. “It doesn’t sound very good not to have privacy.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t…” Laken tilted her head. “But it’s nice to know that someone has your back when shit hits the fan, right? Because if someone doesn’t know you’re going through a tough time, they can’t actually help you. So I guess there’s upsides and downsides to having people so close to you.”

I nodded. I guessed she was right in some ways. It still scared me to think that around here there were no secrets.

When I was made of nothingbutsecrets.

“Sounds really good,” I lied, trying not to sound as worried as I felt.

Laken seemed to sense my hesitation. “Hey, don’t worry,” she said, giving me a reassuring smile. “We all have our reasons for being here. Just take it one day at a time. Change is hard, you know?”

God, she had no idea.

I nodded. As the day went on, I found myself relaxing a bit more. The steady rhythm of work, the soft murmur of customers browsing the aisles, and Laken’s easy chatter all combined to create a bubble of normalcy that I hadn’t felt in a long time.

By the time the store closed, I was exhausted but content. Hank handed me an envelope with my first day’s pay and clapped me on the shoulder. “You did good, Rae. We’re glad to have you.”

“Thanks, Hank.” I slipped the envelope into my bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I had a steady job. I had a place to lay my head tonight.

I was safe, for now.

Overall, I wasn’t doing too badly.

My mind flashed on Tanner, but I forced myself not to think about him. I couldn’t afford that. I’d managed without him for years and that wasn’t going to change. I wouldn’t allow it.

As I walked back to the cabin, the sun setting behind the mountains, I allowed myself a moment of peace. Silver Ridge was starting to feel a little less like a hiding place and more like a home. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to fit in here for a while before I had to move on.

But the shadows of my past were never far away. As I unlocked the cabin door and stepped inside, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was still being watched. I had hidden the evidence—Jethro’s files—in a hollowed-out floorboard, but it didn’t feel safe enough. I needed to find a better place, somewhere no one would ever think of looking.

I glanced around the cabin, my gaze landing on the small window that overlooked the forest. Tanner’s cabin was up there somewhere. In the mountains, away from the prying eyes of the curious, friendly townsfolk.

I understood him

The thought of him brought a mix of emotions—fear, longing, confusion. I couldn’t afford to get tangled up in his life again, not when mine was already a mess.

I sank onto the bed, the day’s events swirling in my mind. I had a job, a tiny bit of stability. But I was still running, still looking over my shoulder. And I knew that if Jethro found me, everything I’d built here could come crashing down.

Hell, I was lucky if he’d let me live.

I curled up under the blankets, and my thoughts drifted back to Tanner.

Was he thinking about me, too?

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