Page 19 of The Mountain Man's Unexpected Bride
"Come on back, we're set up at the outdoor kitchen."
"The famous outdoor kitchen and the world-renowned deck I've been hearing about?" Erika says.
"You mean the one Fletcher has been envying from afar? I don't mind helping him build one for your house, you know."
"Oh, I know you're helping him. He's been fussing about the plans for weeks now."
"Does that mean we get to watch two sweaty mountain men work while we sip on refreshing lemonade?" Savannah says.
"Oh, I like you. You need to catch me up on how you two met."
As they go on before us, I worry that Savannah will feel embarrassed about her journey. She shouldn't be, and I want to support her in whether or not she wants to tell it.
"It seems like they are getting along," I say idly.
"For a mail-order bride, you seem to have gotten an amazing woman."
"You don't know the half of it. I'll man the grill and you can pour the drinks."
When we get outside, Savannah and Erika seem to be thick as thieves, whispering and giggling, while sharing secrets. I wonder if one of those secrets is how Savannah feels about me. About us. I can hear bits and pieces from where I'm standing at the grill.
"You need to write these things down, Savannah," Erika says.
"What do you mean?"
"Like a journal, for posterity, but in this case also for letting out your feelings. Talking about your amazing journey is a part of it, but you might want to look back on it all in a couple of years to see how far you've come."
"What do I need to start journaling?"
"Some paper and a pen. Later, you can get a fancy notebook to use. I have tons of them."
"There's some paper in my office you could use." I offer her, not ashamed that I'm listening in on them.
I turn back to my grilling, and Fletcher comes to stand beside me.
"You've got it bad."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Only because I know you."
"She's amazing, Fletcher," I say.
"Have you told her how you feel?"
"It's been less than a week! I don't understand how I've fallen so hard so fast."
"It happens to the best of us. And for the record, hiding doesn't work. I tried that and failed."
When the food is ready, we all sit down at the table and chat and joke around. Savannah looks so happy, and I vow to keep her in this state for as long as possible. She deserves it after all her supposed family made her go through.
Erika tells us about this show she's throwing for Fletcher, where all his best pieces will be auctioned for charity.
"Can I help you with anything? It sounds like interesting work." Savannah says.
"Of course. Come down this week to the gallery and I'll show you the ropes."
After hours of sharing life tidbits and town gossip, Fletcher and Erika leave. Savannah looks energized and ready to take on life. Thoughts of talking to her run through my mind, but I don't want to upset her, so I keep quiet.
