Page 7 of Marrying the Mountain Man

She brightened. “Thank you, Levi. That means a lot. And I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

Outside, the sun was dipping, casting a golden glow through the window. Connor and Cody, worn out from the fort-building, were sprawled on the rug, sipping cocoa and plotting their next adventure. It was a strangely comforting scene—likemy house was meant to have life in it, not just me rattling around alone.

I felt that same flicker of inner conflict: anger at Tessa for forging all those messages, yet a grudging awareness that maybe she’d had a point. I liked Mindy—her warmth, her humor, her easy way with the boys. And as frustrated as I was by the deception, I couldn’t deny my sister’s meddling had led to…something.

At least, I thought, glancing at Mindy’s soft smile, something that might actually be worth it.

Chapter Three

MINDY

I woke to the faint hum of a radiator and a sliver of early morning light seeping through the curtains of Levi’s bedroom. For a groggy moment, I had to remind myself this wasn’t a dream: Connor, Cody, and I had spent Saturday night driving into Hope Peak, landed in Levi’s house, then navigated a surprising first full day yesterday—Sunday—with pancakes, snow forts, and more hospitality than I ever expected. Now it was Monday, the day the twins would start school.

Pushing off the covers, I glanced around Levi’s small bedroom. The walls were bare except for a single photo of a scenic mountain

lake. A tall dresser stood in the corner, half-cleared to make room for my duffel bag. My heart pinched, remembering how he’d insisted I take his bed while he slept on the couch. Kindness from strangers like that wasn’t something I was accustomed to.

Yawning, I padded into the hallway. The office door sat ajar, revealing two lumpy outlines on the pullout sofa—Connor and Cody, still snoozing after their Sunday adventures. Yesterday they’d been so hyped about the snow fort and the leftover pizza dinner that they nearly forgot about being mad at Levi. Progress. I quietly shut the door so I wouldn’t disturb them yet.

A muffled clatter drew me toward the living room, which opened into the kitchen. Sure enough, Levi was up, rinsing out a mug in the sink. He wore a simple gray T-shirt and jeans, hair still a little messy from sleep. The couch behind him bore rumpled blankets from his second night in a row sleeping there.

He glanced up, offering a small smile. “Morning. Ready for day two? Or I guess day three if we count the day you arrived?”

I huffed a laugh. “I’m just trying to remember my own name at this point, but yeah—good morning. Sorry you’re on the couch again.”

Levi shrugged, turning off the faucet. “I’ve had worse. Coffee’s fresh if you want some.”

“Thanks.” I moved to pour myself a mug, inhaling the comforting aroma. “The twins sleep okay last night?”

A flicker of amusement crossed his face. “I heard them giggling around ten, but they conked out eventually. Must be excited for school.”

I sipped coffee, letting the warmth cut through my lingering nerves. “Yeah. Day one in a brand-new school is alwaysnerve-wracking. But at least we had all Sunday to get a bit settled.”

Levi nodded. “They seemed calmer by yesterday evening. Maybe building that snow fort burned off the last of their energy.”

The corners of my lips lifted at the memory: the twins flinging snow while Levi gamely chased them. They’d fallen asleep last night talking about how cool the mountains were. That was a small but significant shift from their initial grumbling.

“Well,” I said, glancing at the clock on the microwave, “I’d better wake them soon. Don’t want to be late for their big day.”

Levi set his mug on the counter. “I’ll get breakfast going. Oatmeal? I have some microwave packets if you’re ok with that, or would you prefer cold cereal and milk? I can slice up some bananas too to put over top of the cereal.”

“Oatmeal with sliced bananas sounds perfect.” I said. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome. It won’t be pancakes and sausage, but it will still fill our bellies with something warm to start the day.”

Once the twins got dressed—grudgingly peeling off the cozy pajamas—Levi dished up breakfast, and we ate crowded around his small dining table. It struck me how different this morning felt from Saturday’s chaos or even yesterday’s confusion. Something about the routine of breakfast together made the house feel…almost normal.

Afterward, Connor and Cody wrestled on jackets, fussing over whether gloves were truly needed. Our second-hand store spree before leaving Chicago had armed them with a few extra layers, which I was grateful for.

“Mom, do I have to wear these puffy gloves?” Connor complained, waving them in the air. “They make my hands sweat.”

I tried not to laugh. “You’ll survive. It’s cold out.”

Levi, sipping his last bit of coffee, hid a grin. “Better to have gloves and not need them than freeze at recess.”

Cody rolled his eyes but complied. In a matter of minutes, we were all heading out the door, the morning chill nipping our faces. We hopped into my SUV, and Levi followed in his pickup so he could run errands afterward. The kids seemed to relax once we pulled up to the elementary school. Sunday had given them enough time to mentally prepare, I hoped.

The school parking lot was lively with families and kids. Connor tugged at his jacket zipper nervously, while Cody fidgeted with his backpack strap.

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