Page 33 of Mountain Refuge

Corbin nodded. “He’s like this secret superhero. By day, he runs a general store. At night, he works with a network of people who help hunt—” His eyes went to Lydia. “Wow, how do you have any normal conversations?”

I laughed. “Very creatively.”

“This is going to take some getting used to. I hope I don’t mess things up around them.”

I shook my head. “Mistakes are okay,” I assured him. “It’s expected in parenthood. It’s how you handle those mistakes that they remember.”

“Geez, no pressure.”

“You’ll do fine. You’ll be their favorite fun uncle who lets them get away with things that their mean old dad won’t.”

Corbin grinned wide. “I can do that.”

I laughed at his confidence. Movement outside the kitchen window caught my attention and I saw Brooke walking around outside. She was bundled up similarly to how I’d first seen her when she’d knocked on theJeep’s window.

Corbin followed my gaze. “Takes a rare woman who can survive out in these parts.”

“She’s certainly one of a kind.”

Lydia piped up then. “Brooke is Daddy’s new friend. I asked her and she said she’d play with him.”

Corbin’s eyebrows rose.

My face flushed hot. “It’s not how it sounds. She means that literally how a seven-year-old would think of playing.”

Corbin laughed. “Pretty sure some adults are into that too.”

I glared at him. “Nothing happened.”

“But you want it to.” Statement, not a question.

“It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t. Nothing can.”

“Why not?”

I looked pointedly at my daughter, sitting innocently at the kitchen table coloring. “My kids have to come first.”

“And they have. You got them out. They’re safe here. You weren’t followed. No one knows where you or they are. Getting stuck in a snowstorm definitely was not in the plan, but it also added to your protection. No one would be mad enough to climb a mountain in this weather.”

“And what about when this weather passes? Will we have to move on? Will we be stuck up in your cabin for the rest of our lives?”

Corbin shook his head. “Not forever. Jack is working on new identities for you. Once that paperwork is ready, you’ll be able to go anywhere you want. Do I hope you stay here? Yes, of course, but I know this lifestyle isn’t for everyone. You’ll still need to be careful. No social media, no public pictures. But, after some time passes and you want to leave, you’ll be free to go.”

“We’ll never be free.”

“Then stay. The mountain provides its own freedom. Between you and my mom, you can homeschool the kids. We’ll figure out getting them socialized with kids their own age later on.” Corbin leaned towards me. “Your kids are safe, Adam. Youcan relax. After everything you just told me, you deserve some happiness too.”

I shook my head. “I can’t drag her into my problems any more than I already have. She doesn’t deserve that.”

“Your problems? You act like you caused this.”

“Didn’t I?” I shot back at him. “If I had gone to the C-O-P-S when I wanted to, then none of this would be happening.”

“And you’d likely have gone to J-A-I-L. There’s no fighting a man with that much money and influence. Waiting likely saved your life as well as your kids.” Corbin ran his hand down his face, pulling on his long beard. “Look, everyone has regrets. Everyone looks back on a situation and wonders what they could have done differently. You think I don’t regret picking up that shard of glass? My revenge cost me ten years when he was going to D-I-E anyway. But think about Henry? If you’d acted when you say you wanted to, where would he be right now? Maybe he would have never been born or maybe he’d be in an even worse situation.”

“You’re not making me feel any better.” I couldn’t imagine a world without Henry. It was inconceivable.

“Rather than kicking yourself for the things you should have done, praise yourself for the things youdid do. You got those kids out. You protected them when it mattered most.”

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