Page 57 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

It's dangerous territory, I know. I've been down this road before, and it didn't end well.

Jillian and I thought we had it all figured out, the perfect balance of career and family. But in the end, the job won out for both of us.

I can't go through that again. I won't put the girls through it.

But as I sit here, listening to Kenzie moving around in the kitchen, humming softly to herself... I wonder. What if it could be different this time?

The thought terrifies me. And yet...

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. Kenzie's back, a steaming plate in her hands.

"Dinner's ready," she says, sitting it on my desk. "You should eat while it's hot."

I nod, suddenly realizing how hungry I am. "Thanks. It smells great."

She hovers for a moment like she wants to say something more. Finally, she asks, "Do you want company? Or would you rather eat alone?"

I hesitate, torn between the desire for solitude and the inexplicable urge to keep her close.

"I've got some work to finish up," I say finally. "But... maybe after? We could have a drink on the porch?"

Kenzie's eyes widen slightly, surprised by the offer. Then she smiles, and it's like the sun coming out after a storm.

"I'd like that," she says softly. "Just come find me when you're done."

As she leaves, I stare at the plate she's brought me. It's nothing fancy. A simple meal of grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, and rice. But it's been prepared with care and plated beautifully.

It hits me then, how long it's been since someone cared enough to do something like this for me. Not out of obligation but because they wanted to.

I take a bite, and it's delicious. Of course, it is.

Everything Kenzie does seems to turn out that way. It's like the woman has magic at her fingertips.

As I eat, I review the documents for the mission ahead. The logistics, the potential risks, and the contingency plans. But my mind keeps reverting to Kenzie and the drink we'll share later.

It's just a drink, I tell myself. But even as I think it, I know I'm lying to myself.

Because with Kenzie, nothing is ever simple.

I finish my meal, savoring every bite.

Setting the empty plate aside, I turn back to my work. The mission details are spread out before me, demanding my attention.

I have to focus. Lives depend on it.

But as I pour over the plans, I start cataloging all the ways Kenzie's managed to breathe life back into this house without even trying.

The first thing that comes to mind is how the laughter of Hazel and Harper seems to echo more brightly through the halls since Kenzie arrived. They chatter animatedly now, a contrast to the silence that used to fill the air.

She's found little ways to engage them that I hadn't thought of—a simple game of hide and seek, or teaching them to bake cookies in the kitchen, flour dusting the countertops.

Then, there's the way Kenzie effortlessly organized the chaos in the kitchen. She transformed it from a cluttered mess into a warm, inviting space. I catch myself wandering in there more often, half-expecting to see her humming as she prepares evening meals.

It’s not just the food she makes. It's how she sets the table, with mismatched but charming place settings, making every meal feel special, as if we’re celebrating something important, even on the dullest days.

With Kenzie here, I even notice I’ve slept better at night, no longer restless from guilt or worry. It’s as if her presence calms the chaos inside me.

I think of the way she tucks the twins in on those evenings when I’m mired in work, her soft voice reading bedtime stories, weaving magical tales that lull them into peaceful dreams. She’s become so integral to their routine that they often ask for her when I announce it’s bedtime.

---