Page 3 of Orphan Girl's Mountain Men

After my parents' death, I buried a lot of things for my own sanity.

It's yours now. Always was. Your Aunt May's lawyer should have more information. You can do whatever you want with it. Remember: When the drumbeat stops and the shadow climbs the third pine—that's where we gave it back to the land.

All our love,

Mom and Dad xx

I stare at the words, unsure of their meaning. What does that last part mean?

When the drumbeat stops.What drumbeat? I dig through my faint memories of childhood summers in the mountains, trying to grasp any hint of what it meant. There's something there—a drumbeat, a dance... a bonfire burning brightly, people moving around it. But that's it. Everything is hazy. I was too young to fully understand and no doubt I slept through most of it. Did this memory have anything to do with the letter? I can't tell.

As for the shadow climbing the third pine, that sounds like nonsense. Nothing stirs in my mind about shadows or pines. And what did Mom mean bygiving it back to the land? I shake my head, confused and frustrated.

And then, out of nowhere, the thought hits me like a bolt of lightning.

The True Heart Lodge… I can't stay here, but I can stay there.

Shit, shit, shit.

This is what I get for making an impulsive decision. I'd made it most of the way without incident, enjoying the peace and quiet, the wide-open views. Gradually, I'd begun to feel more like myself again, for the first time since landing back in America. This is where I belong—out in the beauty of God's own creation, breathing in the fresh, clean air, eating fresh, home-grown food, becoming self-sufficient, being one with nature. Not stuck in some man-made city, choking on automotive fumes and ordering takeout.

But then, on a steep mountain road, I lost focus for a moment when I spotted what I thought was a golden eagle soaring high above me. Now my rental car is stuck in a ditch—and not just any ditch. The kind that isn't shallow enough for me to back out of. I've been trying for thirty minutes, but the wheels merely spin, the car if anything, sinking deeper into the mud.

I bang my head against the headrest, frustrated. To make things worse, I’ve no cell service. I had a bar an hour ago, but now it's gone. The sun will be setting soon. Walking along the side of the road at night in the mountains, with only a tire jack for defense isn't smart. Not with potential human predators, let alone bears, wolves, and the occasional mountain lion in the area.

I don't know what to do.

Just as I give up and accept that I'll probably be sleeping in the car tonight, a truck rumbles up the mountain behind me. It passes by, then screeches to a stop.

Anxiety tightens my chest.

On the one hand, this could be someone coming to help. On the other hand, it could be an axe murderer coming to dismember me.

I slide down in my seat, grabbing my phone with trembling hands, desperate to find service. The lug wrench for the wheel nuts is still in the trunk with the jack and the spare tire, worse luck. Damn! I should have thought of that before.

I hear a door slam shut, then the steady crunch of footsteps coming closer. Too late now…

There's a knock on my window.

I look up to meet the eyes of a large man, smiling down at me.

CHAPTER 2

Reed

The tension in the truck is thick enough to cut with a knife, but I don't care. I'm not going to let the assholes I call my best friends ruin my mood.

I hum along to the pop song on the radio, my eyes closed, my head tapping against the headrest. I'm nursing a mild buzz that has me feeling all good and lightheaded. The gentle evening breeze from the rolled-down window carries the scent of the night sky, mingled with the fresh pine smell of the Colorado woods, soothing any worries I may have had.

I have a feeling it's going to be a good night, even if we are heading home super early.

Hell, even the sting of my cheekbone isn't enough to ruin my mood.

I keep humming, and even though I don't know the song, it's so repetitive that the lyrics burrow into my brain. Before I know it, I'm singing along:

"California girls, we're unforgettable, daisy dukes, bikinis on top..."

Dean, our designated driver for tonight, reaches over without a word and turns off the radio, plunging us into silence.

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