Page 102 of Shared By the Mountain Men

I looked at my phone. I had a voicemail and seven texts, all from Jack.

I put my phone away. “I’ll call him back as soon as I’m done with Josie.”

I reviewed the X-rays, then rejoined my patient in the examination room. “I’ve got great news. Your bone transplant was a success. You’ll be able to run on all fours like a horse immediately.”

“No!” Josie whined. “I didn’t want a bone transplant! I wanted my arm toheal!”

“Oh.” I pretended like I was confused while reading the document in my hand. “That’s a relief, because this is a perfectly healthy human arm. You’re all cleared to climb again. As long as you’re careful and don’t fall.”

“Yay!” she squealed.

I turned to her mother. “Everything looks great, but have Josie take it easy for a few more weeks. Even though the cast is off and the knitting is done, it won’t return to full strength until the three-month mark. And obviously she will need to build some strength back up in it.” I glanced at Josie. “Maybe try the easier climbing routes for a while?”

“I don’tdothe easy ones. I’m really good.”

“I’m sure you—”

The door flew open, and Jack burst inside. Ash was right behind him, which alarmed me even more.

Theresa appeared behind them, looking angry. “I told you he’s with a patient!”

“We have to go,” Jack told me. “It’s Melissa.”

A vice gripped my heart. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“Ash!” Josie squealed, hopping up and tackling him in a hug. She barely reached his belly. “My arm is healed! I can start climbing again!”

“Hell yeah,” he said.

Josie’s mother gave him a look.

“I mean.” Ash winced. “Heckyeah. I said heck.”

Jack cleared his throat at Ash, then turned back to me. “Melissa is okay. But she’s leaving town. Right now.”

The vice around my heart loosened, then a different kind of pain squeezed it.

“I think I know how you feel about that woman,” Jack told me, with a firm certainty shining in his eyes. “You need to make a decision right now. Are you going to let her go, or are you going to come with us and put up a fight?”

It was the easiest decision I’d ever made.

48

Melissa

I cried for the first ten minutes in the taxi as we drove out of town. The driver was kind enough to pretend like he didn’t notice.

The tightness in my chest was familiar. The normal sensation of loss. It always hurt when things ended, no matter the circumstances.

But beneath my superficial sadness was the certainty that I was doing the right thing.

I was a completionist. I had to finish the hike that I had started. And it was becoming obvious that the longer I remained in Crested Butte, the less likely I was to get back on the trail. This was the right decision.

I kept telling myself that, but it didn’t make my tears stop.

My only real regret was leaving without saying goodbye to Noah and Ash in person. I knew they were both working, so there wasn’t any way to do it without staying in town longer. And I knew that wasn’t possible. If I remained here even an hour longer, I might lose my nerve. I had to go now, before I changed my mind.

I tried composing a text message to them. Nothing felt adequate. Leaving was absolutely the right decision, but saying goodbye this way felt wrong.

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