Page 23 of Stranded with the Mountain Man

"Now. Tonight." Tank glances between us, clearly sensing the tension."But I can give you an hour to sort out... whatever this is."

"There's nothing to sort out." I cross my arms, trying to contain the hurt and fear churning inside me."Rosco's free to go play outlaw biker whenever he wants.It's what he does best, isn't it?Choose the club over everything else?"

Rosco's jaw tightens. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't I? Isn't this exactly what happened before?The club called, and you chose them.Only difference is this time, I'm not the one leaving."

Tank clears his throatawkwardly."I'll wait by the bike. Ten minutes, Rosco." He retreats, giving us the illusion ofprivacy.

"This isn't about choosing the club," Rosco says once Tank is out ofearshot."This is about keeping a promise to brothers who've had myback.It's a few days, not a lifestylechange."

"And what about your promise to leave that lifebehind?What happened to 'I walked away for good'?" I step closer, voicedropping."What happened to exploring what could be betweenus?"

"That was hours ago, and you've already got me making promises?" He runs a hand through his hair infrustration."Life doesn't work like that,Deena.Sometimes shit happens, and you have to deal withit."

"By going back to the exact thing that tore us apartbefore?"

"The club didn't tear us apart." His voice cuts likesteel."You did. You chose your career, your ambitions, your newlife.Now I'm choosing to help people who depend onme."

The parallel isn't lost on me, and it lands like a physicalblow."So this is payback? Showing me how itfeels?"

"Not everything is about you." His expression softensfractionally."Look, I'll be back in a fewdays.The roads should be clear by then, and you can decide what you want todo.Stay, rebuild, go back toAtlanta.Yourchoice."

"Just like that?" My voice cracks despite my bestefforts."You'll leave me here alone while you go play enforcer with your bikerbuddies?"

Something dark flashes across hisface."I was never the club'senforcer.That was Tank." The quiet correction somehow feels more significant than itshould."And you won't be alone. Bear stays withyou."

"Great. A dog for protection while you ride off into danger." I shake my head, tearsthreatening."What happens if you don't comeback?"

"I always come back." He reaches out, his hand hovering near my cheek before droppingaway."That's the difference betweenus."

The casual cruelty of the statement leaves mespeechless.I step back, wrapping my arms around myself as if that might hold together the pieces he's justshattered.

"Fine. Go." I turn toward thedoor."Don't worry about me. I've managed without you for twelveyears.A few more days won'tmatter."

"Deena--"

"No." I cut him off, refusing to look back. "You've made your choice. Again. Just go."

I don't wait for his response, just push into the cabin and close the door behindme.Through the window, I watch as he stands frozen for a moment before his shouldersstraighten.He retreats to his bedroom, emerging minutes later with a duffel bag and what looks suspiciously like a gunholster.

I move away from the window, unable to watch himleave.The sound of two motorcycles roaring to life and then fading into the distance is confirmationenough.

Bear whines at the door, clearly distressed by his master'sdeparture.I sink onto the couch, suddenlyexhausted.

"Guess it's just us now," I tell the dog, who pads over and rests his massive head on myknee."Don't worry. He'll be back foryou."

The stew sits forgotten on the table, growing cold like the hope I'd foolishly allowed myself to nurture.I should have known better. Some patterns are too deeply ingrained to change.

I just never thought I'd be the one leftbehind.

Morning breaks with a clarity that seems to mock my emotional turmoil.The storm has finally moved on, leaving brilliant blue skies and sunshine that sparkles off dew-covered leaves.From the cabin porch, I can see all the way down to Serenity Hollow, the town slowly coming back to life after days of being battered by rain.

Bear sits beside me, alert and watchful.He hasn't left my side since Rosco departed, following me from room to room like he's been assigned guard duty.Which, knowing Rosco, he probably has.

My phone buzzes with a text from Earl at the general store.

Roads to town cleared this morning.Coming up your way next. Should be passable by noon.

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