Page 14 of Found By the Mountain Man
"And that kind of passion, that kind of purpose, it belongs out there, in the world. Not hidden away in a cabin in the mountains."
Silence stretches between us, heavy with unspoken words. When she finally speaks, her voice is softer, more thoughtful.
"What if you're wrong? What if the world isn't where I belong?"
"Mavis."
"Don't," she interrupts softly. "Don't shut down the conversation before it even starts. Just... consider the possibility that maybe we both found something worth keeping."
It's a dismissal, gentle but firm, and I recognize the tactical retreat. She's giving me space to think, to process, to maybe come to my senses.
The problem is, my senses are exactly what got me into trouble in the first place. Around Mavis Aldana, logic and rationality don't stand a chance against the pull of attraction and something that feels dangerously close to love.
I move to the radio, tuning through static until I find the emergency frequency. Jake's voice comes through clearer than it has since the storm started.
"Visibility improving on the valley floor. Road crews are making progress on the main routes. Connor, if you're monitoring, respond."
I grab the handset. "Connor here, Jake. Go ahead."
"Good to hear from you, man. How are you and our photographer holding up?"
"We're fine," I manage. "Cabin's holding up well. No medical concerns."
"Glad to hear it. Listen, storm's breaking faster than predicted. We should be able to get a team up to you by this afternoon. Probably around three or four, depending on how quickly we can clear the access road."
This afternoon.A few hours from now, this impossible situation will be over. Mavis will be back in town, then on her way back to her real life. And I'll be alone again, like I was before she fell through that ice and turned my world upside down.
It's what I want. What needs to happen. Right?
"Copy that, Jake. We'll be ready."
"Sure thing. We'll see you this afternoon. Base out."
I set the radio down and turn to find Mavis watching me from the kitchen, her expression carefully neutral.
"This afternoon," she says quietly. It's not a question.
"Yeah. Storm's breaking. They can get through to us now." Guilt rolls in my gut. "Mavis?"
"It's fine," she says without turning around. "I knew this was temporary. We both did."
But it doesn't feel fine. It feels like something precious is about to slip through my fingers, and I'm too much of a coward to reach out and catch it.
seven
Mavis
Thesoundofsnowmobilescuts through the afternoon air like chainsaws, growing louder as they approach the cabin. I'm standing at the window, watching three bright orange machines navigate through the snow-covered trees, their riders bundled in official SAR gear.
My rescue party. My ticket back to reality.
I should be relieved. I should be grateful that trained professionals are here to safely transport me back to civilization, back to my rental car and my flight home and my real life waiting in sunny San Francisco.
Instead, all I feel is a hollow ache in my chest that gets worse with every passing second.
"They're here," Connor says unnecessarily from behind me. His voice is carefully neutral, professionally distant.
"I can see that." I don't turn around, can't bear to look at his face and see none of the passion from last night.
