Page 21 of Snowed In With the Mountain Man
“But it’s not for me.” Her tone said that was all she had to say on the matter.
He nodded, beating her to her side of the truck to open the door for her. He considered it a win when she didn’t so much as roll her eyes at his act of chivalry.
When he started the truck for the drive back, he was certain that was all she’d say on the topic, and that was fine. He wouldn’t push her. But then, when the truck lights dimmed and they were driving the long winding road to the ranch in the dark, she spoke up. “I just wish I didn’t have to go back there.”
His heart gave a sharp tug. He knew what most would say—what he should say.But they’re your family.
He didn’t say it. Because what kind of hypocrite would that make him?
“I sound like a jerk, don’t I?” she asked when he was quiet for too long.
“No,” he said quickly. “Not at all. Family can be… complicated.”
She gave a little huff of rueful laughter that made him smile as well. “That’s one way of putting it.”
There were so many things he wished he could say. Even more questions he wanted to ask. But it wasn’t his place. They might have a friendship starting here, but that was all. And it was temporary, to boot.
Finally, he sifted through the words spinning in his head and broke the comfortable silence. “I don’t know you well, Dahlia, but I get the very strong impression that you’re not the type of woman to run from her problems.”
She shifted slightly and he felt her gaze on him. She didn’t say anything, and that was good. That meant she was listening.
“Maybe you being stuck here a little longer…” He took a deep breath. He didn’t know how much she believed in God or fate, but he wanted to make her see that maybe it was okay not to be in control all the time. That maybe there were other plans in play…
“You think it’s a good thing I’m going back,” she said. It wasn’t a question.
He glanced over. “It seemed like maybe you hadn’t gotten the answers you needed. Like maybe… maybe there’s more that has to be said.”
She went quiet again, and for a second, he waited for her to scoff or yell or tell him to mind his own business. But instead, she sank against the passenger door, and her breath fogged up the window as she stared out.
“Maybe you’re right,” she whispered.
He glanced over in shock. Maybe he was right?
A smile tugged at his lips, and a surge of happiness warmed him all the way through.
“Maybe you’re right.”
Something told him that when it came to Dahlia, those words were not easy to come by.
7
The next day, Dahlia had a plan.
As she stood and stretched in her half sister April’s bedroom, her head felt clearer than it had in days.
Thanks to JJ.
She pursed her lips as she stared out the upper-floor window as if JJ might just happen to be strolling the grounds below.
He wasn’t. Of course not. He was probably out on the range, or fixing a fence on some distant part of this vast stretch of land, or…
Or… who cared? What did it matter what he was off doing? He wasn’t here, and that was for the best. Because today she was going to settle some family business.
She turned away from the window and went back to her open laptop on the pink desk. She’d stayed in April’s old bedroom long enough that she was starting to grow immune to the pinks and purples that made up their youngest sister’s childhood room. Even the bunk beds didn’t bother her anymore. Though when she’d first shown up, they’d brought up more questions than she could handle.
About their father. About his life after he’d walked away from Dahlia and her family.
Questions that no one but the owner of this room could answer, but since April was stubbornly ignoring Emma’s every attempt to get in contact, Dahlia wasn’t holding her breath for answers any time soon.
