Page 13 of Mountain Man's Christmas Gift
7
CAMILLA
Walking away was a mistake. But giving up my entire life to move to Wildwood Valley for a man could be just as foolish. My family, friends...everyone would think I’d lost my mind. That had to mean something, right?
Right?
“Are you okay?”
A female voice cut into my thoughts as I sat on the bench next to the entrance to the inn. Christmas surrounded me—the lights, wreaths, and gigantic decorated trees nearby—but I felt anything but festive.
And now a woman I recognized as the town mayor was standing in front of me, looking like she’d just stepped out of a fashion ad with her long, wavy blonde hair and red skirt suit.
Even though Tessa was clearly in a position of power, something about her felt approachable. If I moved here, I could see us becoming friends. Same with the other women I’d met—Sheraton, Brielle, Paige, Ivy, Lainey, and Ava.
I had plenty of reasons to move to Wildwood Valley someday. But the biggest reason was Keaton.
“Yes,” I said. “I just needed…a minute.”
Tessa glanced at the door, probably verifying no one was exiting, and came over to sit next to me on the bench. “I totally get it,” she said, sighing. “I still haven’t gotten used to being around crowds like this. Sometimes you just need to step outside and breathe.”
I looked at her—young, confident, and clearly comfortable in her role as mayor—and shook my head. “It’s not the crowd.”
“Oh.” She studied my face. “Want to talk about it?”
Something about her genuine concern made the words tumble out. “It’s complicated. There’s this guy…Keaton. And I think I’m falling for him, but I live in Hartsville and I have a job there and?—”
“Keaton Sutter?” Tessa’s face lit up. “He’s a good one. One of the best men in this town.”
“That’s the problem. He wants me to stay, or at least be part of this community, and I want to, but it feels crazy to change my whole life for someone I just met.”
Tessa was quiet for a moment, then she smiled. “Can I tell you something? My family moved here when I was eight. Left everything we knew in Salt Lake City—my friends, my school, my whole world. I thought my parents were crazy, dragging us to this tiny mountain town where everyone already knew each other.”
“That must have been hard.”
“It was terrifying,” she admitted. “But you know what? Within a year, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. This place has a way of wrapping itself around you. And now, at twenty-three, I’m the mayor of the town I love more than anywhere on earth.” She stood up, brushing off her skirt. “Sometimes taking the leap is worth it, even when it's terrifying. And Hartsville’s only twenty minutes away—it’s not like you’re moving to Mars.”
She was right. Keaton was right. I was making this harder than it needed to be.
“Thanks,” I said, standing up too.
“Anytime. And Camilla? The town festival committee is already talking about expanding next year. We could use someone with your skills.”
I watched her walk toward the inn entrance, then took a deep breath and followed. I barely made it into the lobby when I saw Keaton striding across the space, his jaw set with determination. When he spotted me, relief flooded his face.
“Camilla—”
“You were right,” I interrupted. My voice shook, but I forced myself to hold his gaze. “I’m scared. Terrified, actually. But I’d never forgive myself if I walked away from this. From you.”
His hands framed my face, thumbs stroking my cheeks. His palms were warm, steady, grounding me when everything else inside me felt like a storm.
“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life,” he said, and I believed him. Every word.
He kissed me—gentle, sweet, full of promise—and my doubts dissolved. It wasn’t just passion. It was safety, belonging…an unspoken vow.
When we broke apart, I lingered in his arms, my forehead pressed to his chest. His heart thudded against me, strong and certain, as if it had been waiting for mine to find its rhythm all along.
After several minutes, I tilted my head back and studied him. The dark hair that never seemed to fall out of place. The set of his jaw that always looked a little too serious until he smiled. The way his green eyes softened only for me.
