Page 18 of The Mountain Man's Irresistible Bride
Back at the cabin, Wren’s in the kitchen, slicing apples for a pie Juniper promised to help her bake later. There are bowls out, cinnamon on the counter, and her sketchbook open beside the recipe. She’s humming to herself. Something soft and familiar. It’s the same song I hear from Juniper when she’s working in the kitchen.
I nod and reach for the coffee. She doesn’t look up.
“You’re an idiot, you know.”
I freeze mid-pour. “What did you say?”
She finally looks at me, arching one unimpressed brow. “You heard me.”
“Watch your mouth.”
“Why? So I don’t say something true?” she shoots back.
I sigh and lean against the counter. “This isn’t your business.”
“Juniper made me a list of possible Halloween costumes and asked if I wanted to carve a giant jack-o’-lantern with her. She gave me a better pillow because she thought I didn’t sleep well on mine. She’s trying so hard to make this feel like a home, and all you do is scowl and pretend nothing matters.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Don’t I?” Wren says, slamming the knife down. “She’s kind. She listens. She doesn’t push. You’re pushing her away like you do everyone else. If she leaves, it’s on you.”
“She’s not leaving.”
Wren crosses her arms. “Wanna bet? Because I heard her crying in the bedroom this morning.”
Her words hit me like a fist to the chest. I close my eyes, exhale slowly. “What do you want me to do, Wren?”
“I want you to stop being a coward.”
Her voice breaks a little, and when I glance at her again, I realize she’s not just angry. She’s scared. Scared she’s finally found something steady, someone steady, and it’s about to fall apart.
“She makes everything better,” Wren says softly. “Don’t ruin that.”
I nod, throat tight. I head down the hall and knock once on the bedroom door. Then again. I don’t wait for an answer.
Juniper’s there, suitcase on the bed. Clothes folded neatly inside. Her hands are shaking.
“What are you doing?”
She doesn’t look at me. “Packing.”
I step inside, close the door behind me. “Why?”
She finally turns. Her cheeks are flushed. Her eyes are bright with unshed tears. “Because I can’t stay where I’m not wanted.”
“That’s not true.”
“You told someone last night this marriage is just for Wren. That I was just a solution.”
“Juniper—”
“Don’t.” She swallows hard. “I let myself believe it was more. That we were becoming more, but you keep making it clear we’re not.”
I take a step closer. “I didn’t mean it.”
She laughs. It’s brittle and quiet. “You didn’t mean it, but you said it, and you keep acting like everything between us doesn’t matter.”
“It does. It matters more than anything else.”
