Page 20 of Her Mountain Man Secret
There’s an awkward silence before Wyatt reaches out a hand. Dad shakes it before quickly letting go, and I smile to myself, full of appreciation for both of them. I know it will take a long time for them to overcome their issues. There’s still distrust, an uneasiness that stretches like a chasm between them. But with time and some honest conversations, maybe one day they can be friends again.
“Well, I’m heading back to Ralph’s place,” Dad says, clearly eager for a break from the rollercoaster ride we’ve all been on today. “Lots of work to do.”
“We’ll be there in a little while,” I tell him.
He nods before raising a hand in parting. Just before he reaches the door, he looks back over his shoulder at me.
“Love you, Izz.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
He gives me a small smile—reassurance that everything’s okay, thatwe’reokay. Then he leaves, closing the door behind him. A minute later, we hear the hum of his engine as he drives away in his truck, leaving me alone with Wyatt.
“That went a lot better than I expected,” he says as I turn to face him. “You’re a miracle worker, Pixie.”
I beam up at him, and all at once, the anxiety of the last few hours seeps away, leaving me feeling light and free, like I could float out of the cabin and up into the summer sky. There’s nothing standing between us now. Wyatt and I can be together, and the guilt that has been eating me up over the last few days can finally be laid to rest.
But what happens now?
The thought dampens my joy. Once Ralph’s cabin is finished, I’ll have to go back to Denver and find a job. I won’t be able to see Wyatt as much as I want to.
“You okay, princess?” he asks, clearly noticing the change in my mood. “What’s on your mind?”
“I was just thinking about how I’ll have to go home soon.” I sigh as I lean into his broad chest, his arms wrapping tight around me. “Then I’ll find a job and we won’t get to see each other that often. Maybe once every couple of weeks?—”
Wyatt makes a noise deep in his throat, his hands gripping my shoulders as he eases me off his chest, forcing me to look at him.
“Fuck that, Pixie. Either you’re staying here with me in my cabin, or I’m moving to Denver with you.”
My heart stutters at the intensity in his eyes. “I…really? You would do that?”
“Of course.” He lifts his hands to my face, cupping my cheeks. “I love you, Isabelle. You’re all I care about, and I’ll do whatever it takes to be with you. I’d move to fucking Antarctica for you if I had to.”
Butterflies erupt inside my chest, the cabin dissolving until there’s nothing but Wyatt’s touch, his pale blue eyes brimming with emotion as he looks at me.
I love you, Isabelle.
With a burst of happiness, I throw my arms around him, grinning as he sweeps me off my feet.
“I love you too, Wyatt,” I tell him breathlessly. “You don’t need to move to Denver. I want to stay here with you.” Saying the words makes me tingle with delight. Cherry Hollow has captured my heart just like this mountain man, and I’m ready to leave the suburbs behind and build a new life here with Wyatt.
My perfect Wyatt.
He’s grinning at me beneath his beard, his handsome face lighting up as he says, “Then it’s settled. This is your home now, Pixie. Forever.”
Then he leans in to kiss me, his lips warm and firm against mine. It’s a kiss full of love. Full of promises. I melt into him, breathing in the smell of sandalwood, my fingers threading through his hair as the world falls away, leaving nothing but Wyatt—the man who has changed my life. The man I love with all my heart. He’s my home. My future. And our forever is only just beginning.
EPILOGUE
WYATT
It’sa balmy August evening on Cherry Mountain, the heat of the day still trapped beneath the trees. Isabelle and I are lying by the river on a picnic blanket, her head on my chest as we listen to the soft ripple of the water. The sky blazes with color, bathing everything in golden light as the sun dips slowly behind the mountains. It’s peaceful. Quiet. Just how we like it.
“I’ll never get tired of this view,” Isabelle says, sighing contentedly against me.
“It sure is pretty. Got nothing on you, though, Pixie.”
She giggles, lifting her head to beam at me. It still takes my breath away how damn beautiful my wife is. I’m always losing myself in those pretty amber eyes, letting everything else fall away when she looks at me. She seems to get prettier every day, and it’s only enhanced by her pregnancy glow, which makes her look even more breathtaking than usual.
