Page 295 of Mountain Grump
Stephen nods as he leans forward and nudges the plate of desserts toward me.
I take one of the cookies shaped like an elf.
Stephen takes a square one that looks like lemon.
And as we take bites, a tiny dog walks out from behind the second chair, startling me.
The dog yawns, his gray fur sticking out in all directions, looking like he just took a winter-long nap.
Then, the dog coughs. A raspy cough.
And my mouth opens.
Stephen scoops up the tiny dog and sets him on his lap. “Cena always has allergies this time of year.”
I gape at the man and his little dog too. “I thought you were dying.”
He grins. “Did you?”
I try to scowl at him, but I can’t find it in me. I’m more impressed by the trickery than upset over it. “You two really were made for each other.”
Stephen winks at me as he scratches Cena behind the ears. “The wrestling DVDs were mine.”
I slump back against the plush couch. “Did Uncle Jack really not drive his truck back and forth? Or was that a ploy to get me to fly with Ethan?”
“Jack did not drive that old-ass pickup back and forth. The truck stayed at the mountain house year-round.” Stephen takes a bite of his cookie. “He drove his Corvette.”
“Corvette,” I deadpan.
Stephen grins. “He left that to me. Your man can buy you one if you want to match.”
I press my lips together, but I think Stephen might be my only family now, so I decide to tell him the truth. “I found the letter Uncle Jack sent Ethan. About the money.”
Stephen lets out a heavy sigh. “I told Jack not to do that. Told him it was a bad idea that would backfire. And that Ethan wouldn’t need the nudge. But Jack wasn’t willing to risk it. Said he needed to make sure the wedding would happen. It was the idea of an old, foolish man. And the fault of that lands on him, not Ethan.”
I let his words settle against me as I absorb them. “Have you met him? Ethan?”
“That handsome man waiting outside?” Stephen shakes his head. “No. Our paths never crossed. Jack mostly went to the mountains by himself, when he wanted to disconnect and be one with the trees. But Jack told me all about him. And I believe him to be a good man.”
I shove the rest of the cookie in my mouth.
Chapter 172
Ethan
Tilda spokewith Stephen for almost two hours.
I heard all about how he and Jack met.
Heard that damn dog coughing.
Heard Tilda’s laugh for the first time in weeks. And I let myself smile over the sound as my ass went numb from sitting on the concrete.
Tilda was silent on the drive back to the airport. And silent the whole flight. But something felt… lighter.
Feelslighter.
The engine slows to a stop, and I climb out of the plane first, then I help Tilda down.
