Page 16 of Scolded By the Mountain Man

“Well it’s not raining now!” Jerry smiles. “So you can come back with me!”

I nearly flinch at the words that have just come out of his mouth. He’s also standing there looking at me like a creepy Uber driver waiting for me to get into his car but without the car.

“Go back with you?”

“Yeah,” he replies, still smiling. This is the most I’ve seen Jerry smile since we first met. “Unless you’ve taken some extra vacation time I’m not aware of?”

There’s an edge to his voice just hiding under the friendly tone. Is that because he just hiked up the mountain on his own? Or is there something else going on here?

“Nope, no extra vacation time,” I reply. “I was worried you would be angry with me for missing work and not calling in, but there was really nothing I could do.”

“Well, just throw some clothes on and let’s get going, and I’ll let you off without a penalty. How’s that sound?”

Jerry is acting really strangely. Maybe I’m just not used to seeing him outside the office, but it’s almost like he’s putting on a performance for me. Like he’s pretending to be a nicer guy than he is. Under normal circumstances, he’d be chewing me out for not being at my desk on time.

“Um…” I say hesitantly. “No thanks, Jerry.”

Jerry’s friendly demeanor suddenly vanishes and is replaced by an angry glare. “No thanks?”

“I think I’ll stay here,” I reply. “Maybe I’ll come back later in the day. But there are…some things I have to get done before I can go.”

“Oh, well, I’ll help you with them,” he replies.

“No, they’re things I need to do on my own,” I say as I start to back up toward the cabin. “But go ahead and tell Henry that I’ll be there as soon as possible and that I’m so sorry that I was delayed by the storm–”

Before I can react, Jerry lunges forward and snatches me roughly by the arm. He grabs me hard and starts to pull me away toward the woods. “Sorry, but that’s not gonna work for me.”

“Let go!” I cry out. “Jerry, what are you doing?”

I stumble, and stones and sticks and bits of brush stab into my bare feet.

“Henry assignedme, and me alone, to find you and bring you back to the office, Penny,” he replies. “And if you think there’sanyway I’m going back there without you, you’re insane.”

“Jerry, let go!” I yelp as his fingers dig into my arm.

“I ain’t losing my job over you, girl,” he replies, tugging me past the stacks of freshly chopped wood Tyson has yet to bring inside.

This is insane. I never would have even thought Jerry had anything like this in him. I’m going to need to get Tyson’s attention somehow.

I take a deep breath, swallowing all the air I can, then let out the loudest scream of my life.

But before I can get out even half-a-second’s worth, Jerry clamps his hand across my mouth and pulls me in tight. My foot lands on a sharp rock, and I squeal into his gross, sweaty palm.

“Now, now, now,” he says softly, picking up the pace and dragging me quickly into the trees. “There will be none of that. We don’t want to attract the attention of whoever it is you’ve been shacked up with.”

I feel deflated as I yank my head back and watch as the cabin disappears behind us, shielded by the trees.

If only Tyson would wake up and see that I’m gone.

Please, Tyson. Wake up!

9

TYSON

When I open my eyes,I roll over, expecting to feel a nice, soft, warm woman beside me in bed. Instead, I find myself staring at an empty space and minor indentation in the mattress.

“Penny!?” I call out with a smile. She must have gone downstairs to get a drink, or maybe even to make us both a snack like she had made for me before. “Hey, city girl!” I call out.

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