Page 6 of Mountain Man's Corn Maze Cutie
The question hung in the air between us, and I watched as her tongue darted out to wet her lips. My hands clenched into fists at my sides to keep from reaching for her.
“I think,” she said softly, “that you’re very good at what you do.”
Something hot and primal unfurled in my chest. “And what is it that I do?”
“Take charge.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Take care of things. Take care of people.”
Fuck. The way she was looking at me, like I was some kind of hero instead of a guy who built corn mazes for a living, made me want to show her exactly how good I could be at taking care of her.
“Hello?” a young voice called out, much closer now.
The spell between us broke, and I stepped back, immediately missing her warmth. “This way,” I said, my voice rougher than it should have been.
We followed the sound, turning left at the next intersection. That led us right back to where we would have been if we’d gone right at the previous one, just like I’d known it would.
“How did you—?” Cecelia started to ask, but I held up a hand.
“Oliver? Is that you, buddy?”
“Yeah!” a little voice called back. “I’m stuck!”
We rounded the final corner and found him sitting in a small clearing that marked one of the maze’s dead ends, looking frustrated but unharmed.
“Oliver!” Cecelia rushed forward and knelt beside him. “Are you okay? Your group is worried sick about you.”
“I got lost,” he said, looking embarrassed. “I thought I could find my way back out, but everything looks the same.”
“It’s okay,” she said gently. “That’s why these mazes are tricky. Come on, let’s get you back to Miss Taylor.”
I watched as she helped him to his feet, checking him over for injuries with the kind of care that made my chest tight. She was a natural with him, warm and reassuring without being condescending.
“Can you walk okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just embarrassed.”
“Don’t be embarrassed,” I said, speaking up for the first time. “Happens to a lot of people. That’s why we don’t recommend going in alone.”
Oliver looked up at me with wide eyes. “Are you the guy who built this?”
“Guilty.”
“It’s really cool. I mean, I got lost, but it’s still cool.”
Despite everything, I found myself smiling. “Thanks, kid.”
The walk back to the entrance was easier, with me leading and Cecelia walking beside Oliver, keeping up a steady stream of chatter. I found myself listening to her voice, warm and animated as she answered his questions about making popcorn.
When we emerged from the maze, Taylor was waiting near the entrance, pacing frantically.
“Oliver!” She rushed over and pulled him into a hug. “Thank God. I was about to call your parents.”
“I’m sorry,” Oliver said, looking genuinely contrite. “I didn’t mean to scare anybody.”
“It’s okay, honey. Just don’t wander off again, okay?”
As Taylor fussed over Oliver, checking him for injuries just like Cecelia had, I found myself standing next to the popcorn queen herself, both of us watching the reunion.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, not looking at me. “For helping find him.”
