Page 17 of The Mountain Man's Girl

“What do you need, Ryker?” I barely grit the question through my teeth.

“Talk to me, man. What’s going on?”

I need to calm my ass down and not take my shit out on people who don’t deserve it.

“I met someone,” I sigh. “But we come from two separate worlds, so it didn’t work out. The girl got to me pretty hard though and I’m struggling.”

“Shit. I never thought Mr. Recluse would have it in him to fall in love. I thought you’d die a lonely bastard.”

I’m going to now. And with the pain in my chest, I may be going to an early grave.

“So, how come it won’t work out. Is she a city girl?”

No. Tarryn said she hated the hustle and bustle of the city. She told me it would be a dream of hers to work from home so she wouldn’t have to be around people or deal with the commute.

“Nah. That’s not the problem. She’s…” Fuck. I can barely say it. “She’s twenty-one. It’s our age that’s the problem.”

He lets out a low whistle. “You? Robbing the cradle? Never thought I’d see the day. But why are you letting age stand in your way? If it’s right, it’s right.”

I’d love to hear her father’s opinion on the matter, because I doubt he’ll feel comfortable with her dating someone almost as old as him.

“You know that girl from the restaurant?” he asks.

“The one you said was the daughter of the woman you were seeing?” I definitely recall the tension between them, but she was giving him the brush-off hardcore.

“I’m not seeing her mom. That was a drunken mistake. It’s the daughter who I’ve fallen in love with, and there’s no way age is going to stop how I feel.” And here I thought I was robbing the cradle. “Life’s too damn short to care what others think, Traeger. If you two love each other, you shouldn’t let age stand in your way.”

But it’s not just age, it’s life. And Tarryn’s barely started living hers.

“Guys their age,” he continues, “don’t know what the fuck they’re doing. They aren’t cut out to protect them or take care of them. It takes a mature man—someone wise and strong to know how the fuck to navigate a relationship. And boys these days aren’t built the same. They need us, Traeger. She needs you.”

His point is valid. Carter just left her alone to fend for herself. And he never once came looking for her. Tarryn needs someone who can protect her and keep her safe. Someone who can provide for her. And fulfill all her needs. She deserves to be spoiled, pampered, and given the world.

“If I were you, I’d think long and hard about that decision. Love doesn’t come around often, and you need to seize the day. I’d burn the world down for my Rowan. No one and nothing would stand in my way.”

He’s right. I’ve been thinking about this all wrong. I’ve been thinking that she had to make a choice between her life or me, but she doesn’t. I can move. As much I hate the thought of living back in the city again, I could do it. I could get a place, she could chase her dreams, have her friends, her career, and then have me. I could be there to make sure she’s safe, to make sure she has everything she needs. Because for as much as I hate the idea of living amongst the crowds and the crookedness, I hate the idea of not having her more. And if I even stop to think about her finding someone else, of letting another man touch her sweet body, I want to burn the world down.

“You still there, Traeger?”

“I’ve gotta run, man.”

I need to go hatch a plan to get my girl.

17

Tarryn

Graduation caps go flying up in the air, and I realize it’s over. There are kids smiling and cheering all around me and I can’t even crack a smile. I’ve been on the verge of tears all day. I was barely able to disguise my swollen eyes with makeup. I’ve been crying for days. It’s a wonder that I was able to finish up my classes. But honestly, they were the only mental reprieve I had. They gave me a few hours of distraction from the depression I’ve sunk into.

It feels like it’s never going to stop. This aching pain. The homesick feeling that churns in my stomach from the second I wake up. And I can barely sleep. I wake up searching for Traeger, and as soon as reality sets in, I’m crying again. It’s truly miserable.

“Hello! Are you going to get up and go? Our line is moving.”

It’s time to leave now. I rise from my chair and follow the person in front of me, putting one foot in front of the other,staring at the ground so I don’t trip as I hobble along in my boot. It’s time to go meet up with my dad and his girlfriend. I didn’t get to see him beforehand because he was running late. Apparently, Jules needed some extra time to get ready. In other words, he was too busy fucking her to give a fuck about being on time for his daughter’s graduation.

He never called me back, by the way. He sent me a text making sure I got the extra ticket for her and that’s it. I can’t really blame him though. I understand how consuming love can be. I understand the mental obsession, and the need to spend every waking moment with that person. If Traeger were here, I probably wouldn’t even care whether my dad was or not. I wonder what he’s doing right now? He’s probably out checking his traps or building the addition to his cabin.

We exit the auditorium, and I find myself lost in the sea of people, trying to hobble my way through the crowd but getting knocked in every direction. I turn toward the bathroom, wanting a minute to clear my emotions before I face my dad, but I find my path blocked by a big man in a suit. I nearly run right into his chest, apologizing as I stumble back.

---