Page 2 of Aim High Mountain Man
“I….uh….,” I stuttered, my brain easily malfunctioning with a gun trained on me.
“I repeat, can I help you?”
“Chance.” The word exploded out of me, almost as if it was my saving grace.
“What do you want with him?”
“He…um…” I cleared my throat, waving my hand at the gun. “I’d talk a lot better if that was not pointed at me.”
He lowered the gun, but I realized he didn’t put the safety on, so my sense of peace was short lived.
“What did he do, ma’am?”
“He told me to come see him.”
“I’m sorry, you’re Johanna Ridge?”
“Yes,” I answered, my hands now digging into my pockets.
“Johnnie’s mother?”
“Um, yes,” I answered again, now more concerned by what was going on. “Look, is Chance here? I’d really like to talk to him.”
The man before me took his hat off and the fluffiest brown and blonde wavy locks came out. My fingers inched to run through them, and I had to mentally yell at myself for that because I didn’t know who this kid was.
And he was most certainly a kid. At least far younger than I was.
“Wow, Johnnie never said his mom was a looker.”
I blushed under the compliment and then shook my head.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t have, since he never saw me that way.” I tilted my head to the side, giving the man before me a pointed look, which only made his lips quirk up slightly. I got the feeling he didn’t smile and that he truly was a recluse.
Which might mean that he was watching the property for Chance if he wasn’t here. I really couldn’t afford to come back, though.
“You look just like him.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Johnnie.”
“And you know how?”
The man stepped forward, hand outstretched. “I’m Chance.”
**** Chance *****
When Joker, well, Johnnie as his call sign was Joker, would talk about his mom, he talked about her wit, her charm, her sharp skills with numbers, but damn, never talked about legs that were long and luscious.
He never talked about her eyes that were the color of the sky overhead.
And he sure never talked about a smile that was disarming.
Though that was all great, she was also on my mountain, at my cabin, and I never took kindly to that.
So even though I asked her to come because I didn’t want to ship precious items, I needed her out of here. I liked my solitude, it was my sanctuary, and I never cared for people being here long.
“I’m s…sorry,” she stuttered, clearly flustered, and I almost smiled.
