Page 197 of Mountain Grump
An alarm on Tilda’s phone goes off, and she jolts in my arms.
“Crap, sorry.”
I loosen my hold, and she moves to grab her phone off the deck railing.
“Time to wake up?” I slide my hands into my pockets.
“Yeah, actually. I forgot.” She turns off the alarm, then reaches up and brushes at her cheeks. “When I was in town yesterday, I called about getting internet. Someone is coming out today to put up the satellite.”
“Who?” I don’t like the thought of someone coming over here when Tilda is home alone.
I don’t like it at all.
“Um, the guy on the phone said the tech would text me their ETA with a picture of themselves. But my service out here sucks, so I don’t know if I’ll get it.” Tilda sniffs again, then finally looks up and meets my eyes. “Which is why I set my alarm so early. I want to make sure I’m ready and not in the shower when they show up.”
My jaw ticks. “I’ll take today off.”
She blinks at me.
“So you don’t have to be alone.” I explain at her confused look.
Her smile is kind, but she shakes her head. “Thank you, but you don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.”
She shakes her head again. “No. What youhave to dois go to work. You’re probably late already.”
“Tilda—”
“Nope.” She reaches out and pokes me in the ribs. “I will not be the reason you mess up what I’m sure is a perfect attendance record of rangering. I’ll be fine. I’ve lived alone for twelve years. This is just a new location.”
“You know that doesn’t make me feel any better, right?”
Her smile lifts into something bright. “Tough shit.”
I roll my eyes but can’t resist my own smile.
Chapter 105
Ethan
“But where are the buffalo?”A dirty fingernail taps against the paper map.
I lift my gaze from the map to the man. “There are no wild buffalo in the park.”
He narrows his eyes. “But they’re wild. Can’t they go anywhere?”
The amount of self-control I use tonotleg sweep this man should be commended.
“Sure.” I shift my grip on the branch trimmer I have resting against my shoulder. “And a herd of buffalo last moved through this area in 1884.”
His expression doesn’t change. “1884? Really?”
“Overhunting and loss of habitat in the late 1800s caused buffalo to nearly go extinct in this state. There are still some wild herds in the mountains a few hours north of here. So, yes. Really.”
The man’s jaw works. And I know the only reason he isn’t calling me a dick is the fact that his three kids are listening to our every word, looking back and forth between us.
He might also be upset that his wife, who is standing beside him, has been blatantly staring at me from the moment they approached.
