Page 178 of Mountain Grump
And anger at myself makes my fingers numb as I lift it.
I know I should’ve told Tilda about it. Explained that Jack sent it to me. But… there was never a good time.
There was never a good time.
I’ll repeat that to myself however many times it takes.
And the letter, it doesn’t mean anything.
I pull the paper out of the envelope.
It doesn’t mean anything because even if I’d never gotten this fucking letter, I still would have done everything the same.
I still would’ve flown Tilda to Vegas.
I still would’ve stood beside her against her shitty fucking family.
I still would’ve married her.
Without anyone’s interference, I still would’ve married Matilda Iris Wright.
I unfold the single sheet of paper.
Dear Ethan,
I’m sure you’ve met my Matty by now. Sorry (not actually sorry) for misleading you. But it was necessary to get your acceptance.
You’re a stubborn man, Ethan Grant. A real ass sometimes. But your heart is good.
And Matilda needs someone with a good heart.
You gave me your word that you’d keep an eye on her. And I need you to keep your word. Because even if you didn’t know it at the time, it was a promise to a dying man. And since I’m dead now, you can’t take it back.
So, Ethan Grant, Park Ranger, Overall Grump, I need you to promise me one more thing.
That you will keep an eye on Matilda.
That you will keep her safe.
And for the next three months, starting tomorrow, when you fly to Vegas, I need you to do whatever she asks of you. No matter how… unconventional.
A heavy scoff leaves my chest.
Unconventional.
I shake my head.
A Dolly Parton wedding sure counts as un-fucking-conventional.
My jaw works as I lower my eyes back to the page.
Then my phone rings.
I pull it from my pocket and see it’s coming from the park’s Visitor Center.
“Ethan.” I answer as I always do.
“Hey, man.” Conners heaves out a breath. “I’m not sure if you’re available, but we had some idiot break the handrail on the west overlook trail. And we’re trying to get it fixed before tomorrow morning.”
