Page 17 of Marrying the Mountain Man

Her expression grew more somber. “Yes. And by the time I knew she was serious about moving here, it was toolate. I panicked, didn’t know how to come clean, so I…took off to Florida with Ryder.” Her throat bobbed. “I hoped you’d somehow make it work if she showed up. And you did.”

My jaw clenched. “What about Mindy in all this, though? She’s the one who sold her stuff, left her city, trusting a man she’d never met. You put her through hell.”

Tessa’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I’m aware. I’m going to accept responsibility, apologize to her. If she never forgives me…well, I’ll understand. But maybe, if you two fall in love”—she offered a watery grin—“she can cut me some slack.”

I stared at my sister for a beat, torn between anger and empathy. I saw the same Tessa I’d practically raised after our parents died—headstrong, determined, but never malicious. She’d always believed in romantic leaps of faith. Meanwhile, I was the cautious one.

“I’m still upset,” I managed. “You overstepped. But we do love each other, right? That’s what this is about. You wanted to help. I get that. I’ve done the same for you, pushing you to make the right choices.”

She nodded, tears slipping free. “Exactly. We overstep because we care.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You need to own up to Mindy,” I insisted. “Give her a genuine apology. She deserves that.”

“I will,” Tessa whispered. “I promise. She’s…she’s a wonderful person, Levi. She might forgive me. And if you’ve caught feelings for her, all the better.”

I rubbed my face, heat creeping into my neck. “I…yeah. I have feelings. But that’s between me and Mindy.”

Tessa’s mouth curved. “Of course.”

I inhaled. “For now, we’re good if you apologize properly. And please, no more meddling.”

She let out a shaky breath, wiping her cheeks. “Deal. Thank you for not hating me. I know I messed up.”

“Big time,” I muttered, though my tone softened. “But you’re still my sister.”

She stood, and we shared a brief, tight hug. Despite everything, love for my kid sister coursed through me.Damn it,I thought,this is exactly how we do. We overstep, we clash, but we’re family.

That evening, after Tessa promised to arrange a meet-up with Mindy soon, I headed back to Skyline. Mindy wanted to pick up the twins from school and join me later for dinner here. She was juggling board-meeting follow-up calls but said we’d see each other around six.

By the time the clock neared six, the bar’s after-work crowd was trickling in. Rachel handled orders, while I chatted with a couple of regulars. Then the door opened, and I spotted Mindy entering, twins in tow. Connor and Cody beelined for the Mario Brothers arcade, big grins on their faces. Mindy gave me a small, warm smile.

Before I could greet her properly, a flirty voice cooed from my left. “Levi, sweetie, is that you?”

I stifled a groan. Kylie. She was an old fling from a couple of years back, known for her overt flirtation whenever she was inthe mood. She sidled up to the bar, leaning forward so that her low-cut top was hard to miss.

“Didn’t realize you were so busy these days,” Kylie purred, tapping my arm with her manicured nails. “Heard rumors you’ve got a family living with you.”

I forced a tight-lipped smile. “They’re friends who needed a place. How have you been?”

Mindy approached quietly, her eyes flicking between me and Kylie. I caught a hint of discomfort in her posture. The last thing I wanted was for Mindy to get the wrong idea.

Kylie tossed her long, honey-hued hair. “I’ve been lonely. Maybe we can catch up, hmm? Or do you prefer to play dad these days? You haven’t gotten a dad bod yet, though, I’m happy to see.” Her eyes drifted down my body, and heat instantly crawled up my neck. I cleared my throat. “Kylie, please don’t.”

Mindy stepped closer, politely. “Levi, we’re grabbing a table, okay?” Her voice was calm, but I sensed the tension.

“Sure,” I said. “I’ll come by in a minute.”

Kylie glanced at Mindy, her eyes narrowed. “Oh, so this is the new occupant. And those out-of-control kids are…yours?”

An awkward beat passed. Mindy forced a smile. “We’re good friends with Levi, yes. Excuse me, I’ll check on my boys.” She walked off, head held high.

I turned to Kylie, frustration simmering. “Look, I’m busy right now. If you want to chat, let’s keep it friendly. Mindy’s a guest, and those kids are under my watch.”

Kylie pouted exaggeratedly. “Oh, I see. Fine. Just don’t forget who had your attention first.” She winked, swirling her drink, and sauntered to a nearby stool.

I exhaled. Great. So that fiasco had just played out in front of Mindy. No doubt she was upset—or at least rattled. Need to fix this. Stat.

When I joined Mindy at a booth, the twins were too absorbed in studying the menu to notice the weird tension between us. Mindy, however, was fiddling with a napkin.

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