Page 29 of Mountain Man Summer

The heat in his gaze momentarily banished all thoughts of stalkers and security measures. "Absolutely," I replied, taking his hand and leading him toward the bathroom. "I might need a very thorough washing."

We were nearly an hour late leaving his cabin.

***

Back in my own space, with Noah's promise to return with security equipment from the station, I tried to focus on work. My makeshift studio was exactly as I'd left it, but sitting before the microphone felt different now. I wasn't just going through the motions.

I recorded segments for both my radio show and the podcast side project, my professional voice returning with surprising ease—that particular cadence and tone that had become my trademark. The words flowed naturally, my thoughts clearer than they'd been in weeks. Perhaps unburdening myself to Noah had lifted a weight I hadn't fully recognized.

After finalizing the audio files and sending them to Jamie, I stood at my kitchen window, gazing out at the lake. The water sparkled under the midday sun, boats dotting the surface as tourists enjoyed the perfect summer day. It was exactly the peaceful scene I'd envisioned when planning my retreat to Hope Peak.

Except now, that peace felt threatened. Not just by the possibility that Preston Barrett might find me, but by the complicated emotions Noah Sterling had awakened. I'd come to Hope Peak to hide, to lick my wounds, to rebuild my sense of safety. I hadn't planned on meeting someone who made me feel alive again, who made me want things I'd convinced myself I didn't need.

What would happen when this was over? When Preston was caught, when my sabbatical ended, when I had to return to Chicago and my real life? Noah was rooted here—his job, his home, his entire identity bound up in Hope Peak and its community. I had a career in Chicago, a life I'd built over years.

And yet.

The thought of saying goodbye to Noah, of reducing what we'd shared to a vacation fling or a pleasant memory, created an ache in my chest I wasn't prepared for. Three days of connection that felt more genuine than three years with my ex-fiancé.

I was falling for him. The realization settled over me like a familiar blanket, as if I'd known it all along but only now allowed myself to acknowledge it. Beyond the physical attraction, beyond the protection he offered, I was falling for Noah Sterling—his quiet strength, his dry humor, the way he looked at me as if truly seeing me.

"This wasn't the plan," I whispered to the empty cabin.

But it was better than any plan I could have made. Finding Noah was what I needed, not just to feel safe again, but to remember how it felt to be truly alive.

With that thought warming me from within, I turned from the window and began preparing for his return. For the first time since ChicagoNightOwl's first unsettling message, I wasn't just hiding. I was beginning to find myself again.

Chapter Eight

“Professional Distance”

Noah

Sheriff Callahan leaned back in his creaking office chair, reading through the incident report I'd just filed. Outside his window, Hope Peak was already buzzing with pre-holiday activity, tourists streaming in for the Fourth of July festivities.

"A stalker," he said, tapping the report. "This is serious."

"Her real name's Deirdre Danielle Lawson, goes by Didi," I explained. "She hosts a late-night radio show in Chicago called 'Late Night with Didi.' The stalker's been identified as Preston Barrett, marketing executive, mid-thirties. Chicago PD has been monitoring him, but he's gone off-grid."

Callahan nodded, his weathered face serious. "And there's reason to believe he might be headed here? To Hope Peak?"

"Her producer called this morning with news. Barrett mentioned Montana and mountain lakes in his online posts." Ikept my voice professional despite the churning in my gut. "He seems to have tracked her location somehow."

"I'll contact Chicago PD immediately," Callahan said, already reaching for his phone. "We'll coordinate monitoring efforts and have officers keep an eye on the resort area without alarming guests." He paused, giving me a pointed look. "You're still off duty tomorrow. Sheriff's orders."

"Sir—"

"This isn't negotiable, Sterling. You can handle security precautions for Ms. Lawson today, but I want you to enjoy the Fourth as a civilian." His expression softened slightly. "Just remember your training. Don't let emotions cloud your judgment."

I nodded stiffly. "Understood."

"And Noah?" He waited until I met his gaze. "Be careful."

I knew what he meant. Callahan had watched me rebuild my life after loss too many times. The warning was personal, not professional.

The July heat hit me like a physical wall as I stepped outside. Record temperatures continued to bake the mountains, the air shimmering above the asphalt. My thoughts turned to Didi, alone at her cabin with only the flimsy locks and windows between her and potential danger.

I detoured to the department's storage room, signing out motion sensors, stronger door hardware, and a security camera system that I'd referenced earlier when we'd discussed improving her cabin's security. It wasn't department standard procedure, but Callahan had looked the other way when I'd mentioned reinforcing Didi's cabin.

---