Page 18 of Snowed in with the Mountain Man

She curls against my chest, suddenly looking younger, more vulnerable. "No one's ever put me first like that."

The admission breaks something open inside me. I want to find every person who's ever made her feel secondary and teach them the meaning of regret. Instead, I hold her tighter, let the fire warm us both.

"Their mistake," I whisper into her hair.

We stay like that for a long time, tangled together on the hearth rug, the fire crackling beside us. Outside, the night deepens, stars appearing in a sky cleared by the storm. In here, something else is growing—something I'm not ready to name, something that scares me more than any blizzard.

Because when the roads clear and the world intrudes again, she'll have choices to make. And loving a mountain means accepting its permanence. I am rooted here, like the pines that have weathered countless storms.

The question is whether she's just passing through or planting roots of her own.

I'm afraid to ask. More afraid of the answer. So I hold her instead, pretending this moment could stretch into forever, knowing all the while that nothing in these mountains is guaranteed.

Except change. And loss.

And the certainty that snowmelt always comes, revealing what was hidden beneath.

seven

Phoebe

Morningcomeswithsunlightbreaking through the patched windows, transforming the cabin into something almost magical. I stretch languidly, my body pleasantly sore from yesterday's work and last night's... activities. Beside me on the makeshift bed, Aiden sleeps soundly, his face relaxed in a way it never is when he's awake.

Less than forty-eight hours. That's all it's been since I first walked into his store. How is it possible to feel so connected to someone in such a short time?

Maybe it's the circumstances—survival situations have a way of stripping away pretenses. Or maybe it's just him—solid, steadfast, unexpectedly tender beneath that gruff exterior.

I trace the line of his beard with my finger, careful not to wake him. Last night revealed layers to this mountain man that I never expected. His confession about his engagement, his revelations about books and philosophy, the way he focused completely on my pleasure with no expectation of his own.

Kyle never once put me first like that. Three years together, and he always made me feel like I was asking for too much. Two days with Aiden, and I feel special.

It's crazy. I barely know him.

The distant sound of an engine breaks through my thoughts. Aiden stirs immediately, years of living in isolation having honed his senses.

"Someone's coming," he says, voice rough with sleep.

We dress quickly and make our way downstairs. Through the front window, we see a large truck with a plow attachment making its way up the newly cleared road. Behind it is a tow truck.

"Jake," Aiden says. "My brother."

I feel a strange pang of disappointment. Rescue means returning to reality. To separate lives.

Aiden opens the front door as the trucks pull up. A man who could only be his brother jumps down from the plow truck—similar build, similar features, but clean-shaven and with an easy smile that suggests he does it more often.

"Sorry for the wait!" Jake calls, trudging through the snow. "Cell towers just came back online this morning. Mom's been worried sick."

"We've been fine," Aiden replies, stepping aside to let his brother in.

Jake's eyes land on me, and his grin widens. "So I see." He extends a hand. "Jake Calloway. Search and rescue, mechanic, and this grumpy bastard's much more charming brother."

I laugh, shaking his hand. "Phoebe Hartley. New cabin owner and damsel in distress, apparently."

"Max's niece, right? Heard you inherited the old place." He looks around, whistling low. "Got your work cut out for you."

"She can handle it," Aiden says, surprising me with the confidence in his voice.

Jake raises an eyebrow, glancing between us. Something unspoken passes between the brothers.

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