Page 15 of Tracked By the Mountain Man
I consider the question as we resume climbing. "The self who used to love challenges. Who got excited about pushing my limits. Who understood why Katie was drawn to wild places."
"That self was always there," Tyler says. "Just buried under grief for a while."
As we climb higher, the views become increasingly spectacular. The Darkmore range spreads out below us like a rumpled green blanket, dotted with alpine lakes that shine like mirrors in the morning sun. To the north, I can make out the town of Darkmore itself, tiny and distant in the valley.
"Katie's last selfie was taken right here," Tyler says when we pause at a distinctive outcropping of red rock. "She sent it to your parents with the message 'Almost there!'"
I pull out my phone and take the same shot—me grinning at the camera with the mountain wilderness stretching endlessly behind me. But instead of sending it to anyone, I save it for myself. A marker of this moment, this mountain, this day that's changing everything.
The final push to the summit is the most challenging yet—a steep scramble over loose scree and solid granite that requires both hands and feet. Tyler goes first, testing each hold before I follow. When a rock shifts under my weight, he's there instantly, steadying me with a strong hand.
"I've got you," he says, and I know he means more than just this moment.
"I know," I reply, and realize I mean it completely.
And then, suddenly, we're there. The summit of Eagle's Rest opens before us like a scene from a movie—a broad, rocky platform with 360-degree views of the Alberta Rockies. Mountain peaks stretch to every horizon, painted in shades of blue and purple and gold by the morning light. I can practically hear the soundtrack rise around us.
"Oh my god," I breathe, turning slowly to take it all in. "It's..."
"Worth it?" Tyler suggests.
"Worth everything." Tears stream down my face, but they're good tears. Happy tears. "Katie, you were so right about this place."
"What are you feeling?" Tyler asks, moving to stand beside me.
"Alive," I say simply. "More alive than I've felt in five years. Like I finally understand what she was trying to show me."
"Which was?"
"That life is meant to be lived fully. Even if it's dangerous. Even if it's scary. Even if we might lose everything." I turn to face him, this man who's become so important to me in such a short time. "Katie didn't die because she was reckless. She died because she was brave enough to chase what made her feel alive."
Tyler's eyes are soft, understanding. "And what makes you feel alive, Leah?"
The answer comes without hesitation. "You."
Tyler's face transforms, the careful control he's maintained for days finally cracking to reveal raw emotion underneath. "Leah," he says.
"I love you," I continue, the words spilling out in a rush. "I know it's crazy and fast and probably the worst timing in the world, but I love you, Tyler Brooks. I love your strength and your gentleness and the way you've taken care of me. I love that you carried Katie's memory for five years and helped me learn to carry it too. I love that you see me as brave when I feel terrified, that you make me want to be the person Katie always believed I could be."
"Leah."
"I know this complicates everything," I rush on before he can object. "I know you probably think I'm confusing gratitude with love, or that I'm not thinking clearly because of the altitude or the emotion or, oh!"
He silences me with a kiss that steals what little breath the mountain air has left me. His hands frame my face, thumbs brushing away my tears as his mouth claims mine with tenderness that speaks of feelings too deep for words.
"I love you too," he whispers against my lips when we finally break apart. "I've been falling for you since the moment I found you on Devil's Thumb, and I've been fighting it every step of the way because I thought it was impossible."
"Why impossible?"
"Because you're supposed to go back to Calgary. Because I'm supposed to be helping you heal, not falling in love with you. Because this isn't how these stories usually go." He rests his forehead against mine. "But I can't fight it anymore, Leah. I love you. I love your courage and your stubborn determination and the way you've honored your sister's memory by learning to live again."
"Then don't fight it," I say, pulling him closer. "Katie spent her whole life chasing moments like these, moments of perfect clarity when you know exactly what you want. This is my moment, Tyler. You are what I want."
He kisses me again, deeper this time, and I pour everything into it—all my gratitude and hope and the fierce, bright love that's been growing in my chest since that first day in the meadow. Around us, the mountain wilderness spreads in every direction, vast and beautiful and full of possibilities.
When we finally break apart, both breathing hard, Tyler cups my face in his hands.
"What happens now?" he asks. "Your life is in Calgary. Mine is here. How do we make this work?"
