Page 27 of Stepbrothered by the Mountain Man

Chapter Nine

Maya, Two years later

“Daddy!” Sunny yells as she runs onto our property.

Levi’s bent over a log and Beau’s measuring something.

“Ah, there’s my ball of sunshine,” Levi says, opening his arms wide and lifting Sunny in a bear hug. She really is our ball of sunshine with her beautiful smile, golden curly hair, and tanned skin. Her eyes were the same seafoam green as Levi’s, but her button nose was identical to mine. “Did you bring Daddy lunch?”

Sunny nods, pointing at the four lunch boxes in my hands. “Wolf,” she calls.

At the sound of his name, Wolf, our Northern Inuit dog, who looks very wolfish indeed, comes bounding into view.

“Of course I couldn't forget my third baby,” I coo, ruffling his fur, and placing his special container on the ground.

“What’s on the menu today, Maya?” Beau asks, taking off his safety goggles as I go on my tiptoes to kiss my husband.

I’ll never get tired of the feel of his bushy beard scraping my chin, or his strong arm that wraps protectively around my waist as he brings me flush against him.

“Grant’s famous rosemary pot roast and a few beers, although I’m not so sure if the beers are a good idea...” I trail eyeing the men’s power tools. They’d been working on our cabin for the past three months, and the framework was already done.

They were building it exactly like my drawings. Looking around, I could envision sitting on the back porch and rocking Sunny to sleep while the sun sets and Levi holds us both.

“We’re wrapping up anyway,” Levi assures me.

“My Unkie!” Sunny squawks, pointing a finger at Beau, who comes over to lay a kiss on her forehead.

“My favorite sun,” Beau says before turning to me, his expression souring as I hold out his lunchbox.

“Sorry,” I chuckle, patting his arm.

“I’ll never complain about a good roast, but Grant has got to add more variety to the menu,” Beau grumbles, taking the container and settling it on a nearby boulder.

We all wash our hands at the water reservoir before settling onto some boulders. Sunny climbs into Levi’s lap and he takes turns feeding her then himself.

Over Levi’s shoulder, Beau’s smile at the duo doesn’t escape me. He can try to keep busy with the lodge and helping with our cabin all he likes, but there’s no hiding the loneliness in his eyes when he looks upon Sunny or our niece, Everly, who is two and a half now. Emmy’s already pregnant with her and Grant’s second, and even the sight of her belly ignites sadness in Beau’s eyes.

I clear my throat and feign ignorance when I say, “I’ve ordered some new groceries so perhaps Grant will be more inclined to try some new recipes. Cali’s coming to drop them off at any minute.”

Beau freezes. “Cali’s coming here?”

I nod. “I told her I was here with the truck and since it’s closer to the base of the mountain than the lodge, I figured I’d spare her the journey and we’d just transfer the cargo here. I thought you guys could help us with that?”

“Of course,” Levi says without missing a beat, but his eyes are boring into his brother curiously as he watches Beau wipe sawdust from his flannel shirt. “That’s no problem, right Beau?”

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