Page 15 of Jealous Mountain Man
“Not when I was a kid and my life was being threatened. So, what do you want?”
“I said I wanted closure.” Chuck crossed his arms over his chest. “I want to know why you did it.”
Enzo took a step toward him. “Take a look at Pamela’s parents. Did you see their faces when the verdict was announced? The relief? They just wanted answers. They forgave you for putting them through nearly twenty years of agony. You served two years. They have a lifetime without their daughter—not to mention all the friends she left behind who cared about her. You just left her in the road like she was an old couch.”
For the first time, Chuck’s stance changed. He slunk a little, head lowered. Enzo was getting through to him.
“I shouldn’t have come here, man,” he finally said. “I realize that now. I ran you out of Cheyenne, and for that, I’m sorry.”
“It all worked out,” Enzo said, glancing over at me.
It was the first time he’d really looked at me since stepping into that doorway. The warmth in his stare told me things weren’t over between us—not by a long shot.
“Coming to this town was the best thing I ever did,” Enzo continued without taking his eyes off me. “It’s my home. It’s where I’m going to get married and start a family with the woman I love.”
Was I the woman he loved? Was it possible? I didn’t want to get my hopes up. But he was still staring at me. He hadn’t even glanced in his former friend’s direction.
“That’s good to hear,” the guy said, thrusting out his hand. “Truce?”
Chuck wanted to make peace, but they weren’t exactly going to be hanging out if Enzo ever went back home. Chuck may have done his time, but that didn’t erase the damage he’d caused. Finally, Enzo reached out his hand and they shook on it.
“I’ll take a bottle of that moonshine,” Chuck said, turning back to me.
I rang it up with shaking hands while he grabbed the bottle from the shelf. The whole time, I could feel Enzo’s gaze on me. He wasn’t rushing out the door. That was a good sign.
“Later, man,” Chuck said as he rushed past Enzo, bag in hand.
He seemed in an awful big hurry now that they’d had their discussion. I was thankful for that. But I was even more thankful for the way Enzo turned and flipped the lock, keeping the outside world outside.
“That got a little scary,” I said when silence fell between us.
Enzo took a few steps into the center of the store. I didn’t budge from my spot behind the counter.
“I was afraid to assume anything,” I said. “So I waited to see what happened next. I honestly wasn’t sure what that guy would do.”
“I’ve been worried for a while that he’d show up in town with a gun, ready to follow through on his threats,” Enzo said. “But I couldn’t let your association with me put you in danger too. I couldn’t.”
“That’s why you disappeared for a few days?”
“I headed back to Wyoming to track him down. Couldn’t find him. And finally, his sister told me he’d come here. He found out about your video. Since your location is on your social media profiles, I figured it’d be easy enough to track you down.” He paused and sighed. “I rushed straight here. Sure enough, there he was, standing right at your counter.”
“I was ready to cover for you,” I said. “I didn’t know who he was, but I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you.”
“I would have rather you sent him on his way than put yourself in danger. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.”
“I feel the same,” I said. “And that’s why I was doing what it took to protect you.”
“Well, it looks like everything worked out.”
He took another tentative step toward me—I assumed it was tentative because of the tightness of his features. He was afraid I would reject him. He didn’t get that we were both on the same page. Honestly, I didn’t fully get it either.
I glanced at the door, making sure nobody was on the other side of it. Then I stepped out from behind the counter, removing the last obstacle between us.
But I didn’t stop there. I walked straight toward him, not stopping until his arms were around me and my body was pressed against his.
It was like coming home.
“Don’t ever do that again,” I said.
