Page 2 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

"I'm Harper," the book-holder says, tentatively shaking my hand. "And that's Hazel."

Hazel, still eyeing me warily, asks, "Are you new here? I've never seen you before."

I nod, rising to my full height. "Just got off the bus. Silver Ridge is gonna be my new home."

"Really?" Harper's face lights up. "That's so cool! We’ve never met another twin before. Right, Hazel?”

Hazel nods. “And your eyes are like ours.”

I laugh, noticing that, too. “My Meme said I have my great-great grandfather’s hazel eyes. The kids used to call me cat eyes. I hated it.”

They smile, stepping closer, and it feels like I’ve made a couple of new buddies in town. They don’t have to know this is part of my mediation process. Even though Hazel is correct, Harper and I have similar eye colors. She has one blue and one hazel.

They are truly striking. They’ll give their parents a run for their money when they’re teenagers.

“It seems we have a lot in common.”

“Where are you gonna live? Do you have a job? Oh! Are you gonna work at the diner? They make the best milkshakes and?—"

"Whoa there, Hazel," I laugh, holding up my hands in mock surrender. "One question at a time! How about we start with you two telling me why you're fighting over..." I glance at the book in Harper's arms, "...what looks like a very well-loved copy of 'Charlotte's Web'?"

Hazel huffs, crossing her arms tighter. "She took it even though it's my turn to read it!"

"Nu-uh!" Harper protests. "You said I could have it after you finished chapter three, and I saw you put it down, so?—"

"One at a time," I interject, my voice gentle but firm. "Let's take a breath, okay? Fighting over a book isn't gonna solve anything."

They fall silent, twin expressions of guilt crossing their faces.

"Now," I continue, settling onto a nearby bench and patting the spots beside me. "Why don't you tell me what's really going on? 'Cause something tells me this isn't just about a book."

Harper is the first to cave, plopping beside me with a heavy sigh. "It's Dad…”

“He works all the time,” Hazel chimes in, joining us on the bench.

My heart aches for these girls. I know all too well what it's like to feel forgotten by the people who are supposed to love you most.

"Oh, sweethearts," I say softly, wrapping an arm around them. "I'm sure your daddy cares about you more than anything. Sometimes adults have a hard time showing their feelings."

"But why?" Hazel’s voice is so small and fragile that it wiggles into my heart. "Why can't he just be happy with us?"

I take a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "When I was about your age, my mamma worked all the time, too. Kendrick and I—that's my twin brother—we used to think she didn't love us anymore."

"What happened?" Harper asks, leaning into me.

"Well, one day, I got up the courage to ask her why she was always gone," I explain, the memory bittersweet. "And you know what she told me? She said everything she did, all the long hours and missed dinners, was all for us. Because she loved us so much, she wanted to give us the best life possible."

I leave the truth of that moment hidden deep in my heart. Because it’s clear their life is nothing like mine. My mother was MIA, and if it weren't for Meme, we would have been parentless and loveless.

"You think that's why our dad works so much?" Hazel's brow furrows.

I nod, giving them both a squeeze, hoping I’m right. "I'd bet my last dollar on it. Your daddy loves you girls something fierce, even if he's not the best at showing it right now."

A comfortable silence falls over us, the girls seeming to mull over my words. I find myself studying their faces, marveling at the mix of features that make them uniquely themselves. Their warm caramel skin is a shade or two lighter than mine, and their curly hair—Harper's in two puffs, Hazel's in a single poof—reminds me of the styles my Meme used to do for me.

"You know what I think?" I say finally, my voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "I think you two are pretty darn lucky."

"We are?" They chorus, identical looks of confusion on their faces.

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