Page 52 of Wilderness Daddy

“Jesus! Grant!” I sigh forcefully, adjusting the knit hat on my head. But my embarrassment dissipates quickly. Everything I said was true and why should I care if anyone knows how I feel about Akari?

“Have the videos increased sales?” I ask seriously. I don’t care about hot girls, I care about the success.

“Hell, yeah! Tons of website traffic! And the store is buzzing.” He scoops the sleeping bag up and shoves it back in my arms. “But forget that, some executive from the Global Wild Network called. They’re talking to Dad, but I think they want to make a show about you. Fuck the outpost, dude, you could be famous and I’m gonna be your damn agent.”

“So Dad knows what I’m up to now.”

It’s more a statement but Grant nods.

“And Mom?”

“Dad hasn’t told her if that’s what you’re worried about. She’s not concerned about you either. Barely remembers you exist. She’s got me after all.” He shoves me teasingly. “I can’t tell if Dad’s angry or impressed. I think he goes from one to the other hourly.”

“And Akari?” He brushed off my question before and when I see him bite his cheek now my heart starts racing. I’m about to grab his collar and shake the answer out of him, when he speaks.

“Haven’t seen her, bro.” He shrugs. “Not for a week. Not since she got it out of me that you were up here.” He swallows hard and takes a step back. My face must be a dead giveaway that I’m pissed. “She saw the cutout at the outpost and hunted me down. Pretty sure she’s watched the videos, too.”

“Dammit, Grant!” I look away and gather a breath, trying to calm myself. I’m overreacting. I overreact too often when it comes to Akari. I’m not upset she saw the videos because of my confessions, but because it means she knows where I am and what I’m up to. And I wouldn’t put it past her to come after me.

“Hey, don’t blame me.” When I look up at him, he wiggles his brows. “She can be very persuasive.” My blood begins to pump faster and my stomach tightens.

“What the hell does that mean?” When my brother laughs I lunge for him, grabbing his jacket in my fists.

“Relax!” He holds up his hands and even as he scrabbles for footing on the tips of his shoes, his eyes spark with mischief. I release him, patting the material of his puffy jacket, realizing he’s being a shit disturber.

“I just meant she threatened my Shakespeare Ugly Stick GX2.” His face contorts into a look of horror as he speaks of the destruction of his favorite fishing rod. “She held it over her knee like she was gonna crack it in two!”

It was my turn to chuckle, albeit only halfheartedly as I fight to deflate my temper and ease my worry. “You spilled your guts upon threat of fishing rod annihilation?” I force my shoulders to relax.

“Dude, you know that’s the best on the market.” His smirk is back as he continues. “Now if she was threatening your Ugly Stick, I wouldn’t care.” His innuendo doesn’t impress me.

If Akari knows what I’m up to, who knows what she’s doing. And with all the publicity for Steed possibly undermining Takahashi Sports... My chest tightens again. Was it possible she was the woman the hunters were talking about? Had she come to find me? No, but not that she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t go into the mountains alone. She’d bring her brother, a guide, someone.

Ah, Jesus! Yes, she would.

“Actually I think by your reaction today, she owns your Ugly Stick.” Grant doubles over in laughter and I cuff him.

“Grant, be fucking serious.” I growl searching through my pockets for my phone. “I know there’s a woman in the woods and with those crazy-ass crypto... hunters up there, I’m worried it’s her.”

“Okay, okay,” he says, smoothing his hair where I smacked him. “I’m going to forgive you for that but only because being the brother of the Wilderness Man is getting me laid.” His face grows serious then. “Akari’s fine. She’d never chase you into the mountains. She’s too girly.” Grant doesn’t look like he believes what he’s telling me any more than I do. And he doesn’t even know her like I do.

That fiercely determined little brat would do whatever it took to show both me and the world she’s just as capable of helping the business by sacrificing her creature comforts to survive in the wild. But she’s a city girl, through and through.

“Akari Takahashi, you’d better not be in these damn mountains,” I mumble to her voice mail. “Or I’ll tan your ass so good we won’t need a fire to keep the bed warm.” I shoot my brother a warning look when he starts catcalling.

I phone her parents next. Keeping calm, I speak to her mother. Mrs. Takahashi’s words don’t reassure me.

“Landon, we had a fight. She left weeks ago and hasn’t been home since.” She sniffs into the phone. “You haven’t seen her either?” She chokes back a sob, but I have no sympathy, not with the way they’ve treated her. All I can think of is Akari’s safety.

What if she’s alone, in danger, on the mountain? I end the call and toss my brother a serious look as I turn to head up the peak.

“Find out for sure if she followed me and meet me back here in two days.”

“How do you expect me to find that out?” he calls. I don’t care how he finds out, just that he does.

“Start with George. They’re thick as thieves, those two.”

Akari Takahashi, you are in so much trouble when I find you!

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