Page 94 of Entangled with a Mountain Man

I park, and my feet carry me to my favorite bench without conscious thought. The sunlight dances on the lake like crystals. I take a deep breath as the sounds of the park soothe me.

It feels like I'm chasing peace, but insane people keep finding me.

Ian.

Paige.

Her freaking… ass-kissing minions.

Why?!

"I can’t catch a fucking break."

A wave of nausea grips me, and I fold over, trying not to cry. As I take deep breaths, I think about how I got here.

Just a few months ago, I was in Detroit, feeling lost and alone. I remember the day I decided to leave it all behind. The emptiness in my tiny apartment, the dead-end job, the constant reminders of a life going nowhere.

Meme was dead. Kendrick's in prison. But I had Ian.

His letters had been a lifeline, a promise of something different. Something better. I'd clung to that hope like a drowning woman to a life raft.

Now, sitting here in this beautiful park, surrounded by the warmth and beauty of Silver Ridge, I realize how far I've come. I'm not that scared, desperate girl anymore.

"And I'm not a homewrecker," my voice cracks, and a wave of nausea hits me. "I'm not bean, I promise."

If anything, I'm the glue.

I held my family together. And now I'm doing the same for the Logans.

I think about Everett, about the girls. They've helped me see how I can do this. I can survive tough times. I can thrive through adversity.

And I can love.

Because I came here looking for Ian, but what I found was so much more.

A family. A home. And love.

My hand drifts to my stomach again. This baby, this tiny life growing inside me, is a symbol of everything I've gained here. Everything I stand to lose if I let fear drive me away.

"We're gonna be okay, bean," I whisper, more to myself than the baby.

I stand up, brushing off my jeans. It's time to pick up the girls from school. Time to face whatever happens when I show my face at Milli's. Because I ain't running.

Not anymore.

I check my phone and don't see a call from Everett. He's probably in a meeting. I'll get the girls and talk with him tonight.

As I walk back to my van, I feel my stubborn spirit gearing up for a fight, and I chuckle. Meme used to say I was as stubborn as two mules and a pissed-off bull. And I am because these people are not about to jack my peace.

I'm staying. And I'm fighting for the life I've built here. For the love I've found with Everett.

I reach for the handle of my van and hear footsteps behind me. I spin around…

"You fuckin' bitch!"

My heart leaps into my throat. Paige rushes upon me, her face twisted with rage.

Before I can react, something hard connects with the back of my head. Pain explodes through my skull, and the world goes dark.

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