Page 3 of Marrying the Mountain Man

“No problem,” Levi said, tone low but not unkind. “I guess we’ll figure it out together.” He hesitated, then murmured under his breath, “And I’ll kill Tessa for this,” as if tacking that on for emphasis.

Despite everything, a tiny spark of relief flickered in me. He might not have sent those messages, but at least he wasn’t a monster. And from the quick glimpses of those forearms and strong jaw, he was definitely easy on the eyes. My traitorous mind conjured how his arms might feel wrapping around my waist, if the circumstances were different. I swallowed that thought fast.Focus, Mindy. He’s basically a stranger doing damage control.

We circled back inside long enough for Levi to give the impatient truck driver coordinates. The bar’s patrons mostly stared, but Levi shot them all a glare that silenced the amusement. A middle-aged woman with a half-finished beer whispered something to her friend about mail-order family, and I tried to pretend I didn’t hear. The twins traded an eyeroll that made it clear they’d heard every word. My cheeks flamed again.

Finally, with the instructions settled, we trudged to the SUV. The truck driver followed. Levi said he’d lead in his own pickup, so I told Connor and Cody to buckle up while I started the engine.

The night air felt sharper now, the last vestiges of daylight gone. As I settled behind the wheel, I caught a glimpse of Levi heading to his pickup. His posture was tense, but he moved with a confident grace that made my insides flutter again. He’s so tall, I noted, a silly detail to cling to in the midst of crisis. Yet attraction slipped through my chaos-laden mind, stirring a fresh dose of adrenaline in my veins.

Cody poked my arm from the back seat. “Mom, you’re staring.”

I whipped around, flushing. “No, I’m…I was just making sure he’s ready.”

Connor snickered. “Riiiight.” They shared another look. Those two were unstoppable.

But maybe they had a point. I was staring at the way Levi’s shirt pulled across his broad shoulders. Even from here, I noticed how his flannel stretched when he lifted his arms, how his jeans hugged his thighs. The thought that this ridiculously handsome man never once typed those sweet lines to me was equal parts humiliating and weirdly disappointing. I almost wished he were an older, toothless, pet-raccoon guy—that would’ve made it easier to be mad. Instead, I found myself noticing every appealing detail about him, from the shape of his hands to the faint shadow of stubble on his cheeks.

I inhaled hard, forcing my eyes on the road. “All right, seatbelts on. Let’s follow him.”

We rolled behind Levi’s pickup, forging a slow path out of town. Snow flurries drifted past our headlights, giving me fleeting glimpses of the silent pine trees around us. The kids quieted down, probably fatigued from hours in the car plus the shock of our mismatched greeting. My own thoughts spun in loops. Part of me still stung from the betrayal that these last few weeks of messages were a hoax orchestrated by Levi’s sister.Another part recognized that Levi had no responsibility to us. He was being decent by letting us crash at his place.

Twenty minutes later, we stepped onto the porch of a small house located at the end of a heavily forested road. Levi unlocked the front door and gestured for me and the boys to follow him inside. The space was small but quaint: one open living area with a worn leather couch, a kitchenette to the left, and a short hallway presumably leading to a bathroom and a single bedroom. A sturdy set of stairs climbed to a loft overhead.

Connor and Cody halted, scanning the interior suspiciously. “No bunk beds,” Connor declared, shooting a pointed look at me. He said we’d have bunk beds, remember?

I swallowed. “We’ll adapt.” My chest pinched again. So many tiny illusions undone. I forced a small laugh. “It’s cozy, though, right?”

Levi flicked on a second lamp, revealing more details. A battered coffee table, a braided rug that had seen better days, and an old photo or two on the walls. No actual dead animals except a single set of antlers mounted above the stone fireplace. Connor wandered over, poking it. “This better not come alive at night,” he muttered.

Levi observed the twins with a mixture of uncertainty and faint amusement. “It won’t,” he assured them. Then his focus shifted to me, his expression tilting toward sympathy. “You must be tired. Let me help bring your things inside. Unpacking can wait until tomorrow.”

It was true—I basically wanted to sink into the couch and cry from exhaustion. Instead, I nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good.” My voice wavered. “Sorry this is…well…” I almost said “so humiliating,” but I opted for a calmer approach. “I know it’s not your fault.”

He opened his mouth as though to respond, then halted at a noise behind us. The truck driver poked his head in. “Ma’am, where do you want your stuff? And do you mind signing the form soon?”

We busied ourselves hauling in the few boxes and bags we’d brought from Chicago,having sold or donated the rest since Levi—er, Tessa—had assured us there was no need to double up on furniture. I located the suitcase containing the boys’ pajamas, some toiletries, and my prized laptop for tomorrow’s remote ad meeting. Even in my chaotic meltdown, I had work to do.

After we finished piling in our belongings, I scrawled my signature on the moving form and the driver lumbered back to the empty truck.

The twins hovered near the couch. Cody discovered a small, crocheted blanket and wrapped himself in it, squinting at Levi with uncertain curiosity. Connor flopped down dramatically. I took a slow breath, letting the warmth from the nearby radiator soothe my trembling nerves.

Levi shut the door against the swirling snow, turning to me with a cautious expression. “Sorry there’s just one real bed. The loft’s sofa bed is decently comfortable. Whichever you prefer, just let me know. I can…I can crash wherever.”

I rubbed my forehead, the realization of sharing tight quarters with him all too real. “I appreciate it. The twins might take the couch if it’s big enough, or I might. We’ll figure out the arrangement.”

His gaze flicked to the boys, then back to me. “I can also throw something together for dinner if you’re hungry. Or if you want to call it a night, that’s okay too.”

Connor’s stomach growled right on cue. Cody brightened. “Got any pizza?”

Levi chuckled low in his throat, the sound unexpectedly warm. My pulse jumped. “I have frozen pizza, yeah. It might be pepperoni if that’s okay?”

I forced a smile. “Pepperoni is good. Thanks, Levi.” My voice sounded calmer than I felt. The entire day’s chaos buzzed through my skull like a broken neon sign: Fake father figure, real confusion. Yet I couldn’t deny how my heart thumped whenever Levi’s honey-brown eyes slid my way.

He moved to the kitchenette, rummaging in a small freezer. I took the moment to glance around more thoroughly. The cabin might’ve been small, but it had potential—log walls, a stone fireplace, and well-made furniture. If only the path to living here had been a little more, well, real.

Levi set the frozen pizza on the counter. “This’ll take about twenty minutes. Then we can all chat or… rest.” He paused, as if unsure how we’d want to handle the next phase of our unplanned cohabitation.

I mustered what I hoped was a gracious expression. “We appreciate it. Really. I know you’re blindsided, too.”

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