Page 17 of Single Mom for the Mountain Men
“And would you look at that—our champion has fallen asleep,” Aiden announces, and I glance over to see Sophie passed out in Brody’s lap.
“Oh, it is her bedtime,” I say, quickly getting up and dusting off my clothes. “I need to tuck her in, and I’m feeling tired, too, so I’m gonna–”
“I’ll help you,” Aiden interrupts, then takes a sleepy Sophie from Brody’s arms.
I smile and say my goodbyes to Brody and Tanner, the latter just having walked back out with more marshmallows.
I follow behind Aiden as he leads the way, feeling a warmth in the base of my stomach that I haven’t felt in years. I brush it off as the beer’s influence, but I know it’s more than that.
Chapter nine
CHAPTER 9: Aiden
“Lena, the movie’s starting,” I call out while putting Sophie’s coloring books back on the shelf.
“Just a minute!” she responds from the kitchen.
I lie back on the sofa, crossing my arms behind my head. She scurries back into the living room, a load of laundry piled in her hands before she zooms out into the hallway again.
I watch her go back and forth like this a couple of times, my patience wearing thin with every passing moment. I don’t understand what chores she has to do this late at night, since she told me she was free to watch a movie after she put Sophie to sleep.
“Lena, it’s been fifteen minutes,” I find myself whining when she comes into the living room again, her head cocked as if she’slooking for something. “What is it? Let me help you, so you can get done quicker.”
“No, no, it’s nothing,” she says. “I’m just looking for the new heavy-duty lock I ordered. It’s really heavy and big, so you can’t miss it. The box came in this morning, so I know it’s here somewhere. I’m just having trouble finding it.”
“A heavy-duty lock?” I raise a brow, getting up from the couch. “Are your bolts faulty? You want me to look at them?”
“No, no,” she insists, distracted, as she shuffles the pillows of the sofa. “Nothing’s wrong with the cabin’s bolts. They’re fine.”
As she turns her couch upside down, I go to check the locks of the main and the back doors. She’s hot on my heels, peering around me anxiously to see if they’re locked properly after I check them.
As she tugs on the bolt, I finally ask her, “What’s the problem, Lena? Why are you so anxious? Did something happen? Did a bear burst in or something?”
She looks at me, the haze of worry breaking apart slightly. “Anxious? I’m just checking the locks, Aiden.”
“For the third time tonight? These locks are new, by the way. And what are you going to use the heavy-duty lock for, anyway?”
“The main gate,” she responds, not answering any of my other questions.
My brows furrow, and I hold her hands gently. “Are you satisfied now? I’ve checked them, too, and they all seem fine. Did somebody try and break in?”
This erratic behavior of hers comes out sometimes, I’ve noticed. There is this sense of insecurity she carries around with her, a fear that all three of us have noticed. Even during the day, I’ve seen her fidget with the locks, her brows furrowed. I didn’t point it out, but Tanner said that he’s noticed her doing it, too.
What in the world has her acting this way?
“No, nothing like that, Aiden. It’s just better to be safe than sorry.”
I can sense her defenses going back up, so I nod calmly and lead her back to the couch. “We’ll find the lock, all right? But I really want to watch this movie with you.”
“You want to watchHome Alonewith me?” she asks, incredulity coloring her tone as she glances at the screen.
“Hey, it’s one of my favorite movies,” I defend, and she snorts, a smile finally breaking through. We sit together, with her head cuddled on my shoulder as the movie plays. Her knees are in my lap, and I rub soft circles into her waist. She relaxes, the cloud of worry finally dissipating. Looking down at her, I’m captivated once again by how beautiful she is.
Lena has become the center of my thoughts now. More often than not, I find myself thinking about her, thinking of her scent, the soft hair at the crown of her head, and the way she smiles.
Her beauty is one thing, but even the way she thinks is so captivating. She always has an opinion on any matter you bring up with her, and her most attractive quality is that she listens. Her face is always slack when she does so, her pouty mouth slightly parted. Whenever I see her during her morning walks, my day automatically gets better. The birdsong these days has been sounding chirpier, and the mountains feel less intimidating and far more friendly.
Sometimes, I hear her laugh as she’s heading out to hunt with Tanner, and I feel jealous of the trees that will get to see her in the forest.
