Page 3 of The One With the Mountain Man

I screwed my eyes shut as the world tilted all over again. "Please don't say that!" It was like I'd just jumped out of an airplane every time I thought about the height. My heart took off, the sensation of falling rushed through me, and I wanted to scream.

"The ground is the ground is the ground, Marley."

"That makes no sense! Up here there are all these places you can fall, Jackson. Fall and keep falling all the way down those thousands of feet. Where I'm from, if you fall, you just hit the ground or fall in the water." The very thought of falling so far scared the crap out of me.

Also, the wordfallno longer sounded like a real word.

He shook his head, laughing. "I guess I'm just used to it." He ran his hand down his face as he calmed back down. "So why are you up here? Work? Play?"

"Work." Which was technically true, but this work involved finding wherever I put my creative spark. It was gone and I couldn't relight it. Two years of staring at my laptop while my fans screamed for answers I couldn't give them.

And speak of the devil, my phone buzzed with a new message from my assistant, Eliza.

Eliza

We just escorted your stalker off the property. Two more death threats came in today. I really hope you're safe wherever you are all alone!

All the panic hit me again. The blind dash, the horrid breath, the mob outside the bookstore. Turns out when you give the world something and they fall in love with it, they also get really mad when you leave them without answers for two years.

"Hey," Jackson said, his hand covering mine, "was that bad news?"

I shoved my phone into my bag wishing it would take all my problems with it. "Uh, sort of. It's work stuff."

"You might want to look into a new job. This one doesn't seem to be doing you any favors." He released my hand and sat back as our food was delivered. It smelled amazing but my appetite was gone.

Again.

"Start with the fries. It'll help settle your stomach." Then he picked up an onion ring from the plate that sat between us and placed it on top of my fries. "Grease helps too."

Softly commanding. That's how I'd describe Jackson. Like a gentle giant. If only my life had more Jacksons in it.

But I couldn't have any Jacksons until I finished this book. And even then? Who was I kidding? No one would ever sign up for this three-ring circus. I would most likely die a lonely old spinster. No friends. No fans. No family. Just a wild animal I eventually took in thinking it's a pet, only to have it eat me.

Damn, that was morbid.

Jackson cleared his throat. "Look, it's none of my business, but do you need help getting where you're going?"

"I'll be fine." I had to be.

He cocked an eyebrow. "Again, none of my business, but you say that like you say it a lot. And that comes from personal experience."

"Oldest child."

He shrugged. "You know it."

What was his life like? Why didheneed to be fine? Was it because he had so many siblings?

Stop.Stop thinking about his life. There was no point. In ten minutes I was climbing back in my truck and driving away. Probably.

I poked my fork through the pile of delicious looking pork, then dragged it through the creamy mac and cheese and sighed. "I've just got to get this project done. Everything will be fine once it's done." I forced myself to take a bite.

I was glad I did. My mouth watered as the combination of flavors hit and my stomach actually grumbled. "Oh fuck me, this is good." When I opened my eyes, I found Jackson staring at me like I'd just stunned him. Maybe it was the profanity?

But it was really good food. It deserved an emphatic swear word or two. Maybe if we celebrated more things instead of tearing them down I wouldn't be fleeing to an isolated town I knew nothing about.

"I'm glad you're eating," his voice was rougher than before. He shook his head and cleared his throat. "And I hope whatever is troubling you goes away soon. The mountains have magic in them." His eyes grew darker and his jaw flexed as he turned his attention to the window, seeming to calm himself down.

Okay, so maybe it wasn't the profanity. His reaction, the way he looked away...oh.It had been a long time since someone reacted like that around me. It was nice.

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