Page 18 of Falling for the Mountain Man
I cross the space between us and pull her into a hug. She stiffens for only a second before collapsing against me, her own arms wrapping tightly around my waist.
“You two are all I have. That isn’t going to change.” Murmuring the words into her hair, I sigh. “I’m scared of losing you, so you have nothing to worry about.”
I’m sure this kind of discussion is going to happen again the moment Kallie finds her other half. I’ll be the one begging her not to disappear out of our lives.
I hold her tighter, praying she understands that my love for her isn’t diminished; it’s the very foundation that makes my love for him feel so right, so destined. The super glue she put between us years ago is still there, stronger than ever. It just has to hold one more, priceless piece now.
“Please, Kallie. Try to understand.” Pleading the words, I release her.
The way she looks between us, like she’s trying to picture a rare future, she pulls me back into her arms.
“How in the heck am I supposed to tell you no when you look so sad?” She squeezes me tight. “I want you to be happy. But it’s going to be weird.Soweird.”
I can agree with her in that sense. She’ll always be my best friend. “This way, we won’t have to worry about parting ways after graduation. I’ll stay here, and you can see me whenever you want.”
Ryder does not help by agreeing happily behind me. He likes the thought far too much.
As if seeing there’s only one path to giving me my happiness, she caves and nods. “Fine.Fine.But you need to soundproof thatroom. You’re going to give me nightmares if I have to ever listen to that again all night.”
She really knows what to say to make the heaviness of the room disappear, morphing it into absolute humiliation.
“Yeah, that’s an easy fix. I’ll take care of it while you’re gone. When winter break rolls around, you won’t hear a peep.” Shameless, Ryder agrees to her stipulation.
Turning to look at him, I want to scold him for being so comfortable. Seeing how cheeky he is, a full on grin on his face, I can’t.
Kallie curses and gags when he reaches for me. “Can’t you guys give me five more minutes before you start getting handsy? At least have her put on some pants. Dad, you can get the fire started. I want to be warm, if you don’t mind.”
“It is…kind of chilly in here.” Murmuring the words, I gasp when he picks me up, much to Kallie’s dismay.
“Go warm her up, got it.” He nods like he heard every word.
Leaving her behind, his smile seems to grow.
“She’s barely agreed to accept us.” Huffing, I can’t help but cradle his face as he carries me toward what I hope is her room so I can get clothes. “Let’s not make her change her mind. If we leave together, she might not let me come back.”
He scoffs at the very thought. “She may get her greediness from me. But hey, if she tries, I’ll just have to come to Arizona and steal you away.”
Okay, I won’t lie. I wouldn’t mind the thought of him doing that. So just this once, I’ll let him get away with it.
He sets me down just inside the doorway of her room, but he doesn’t let go. His forehead rests against mine, the playful grin softening into something deeper, more profound. “She’ll be okay, Zaria. We’ll all be okay. Because this isn’t something that’s sudden, and she knows it.”
I believe him. Because in his arms, with the ghost of Kallie’s reluctant blessing still hanging in the air, I finally feel it—not just the thrilling, passionate secret, but the solid, unshakable foundation of a future. It’s messy and complicated and utterly terrifying, but it’s ours.
Eventually, this will become the norm. The three of us, finding our rhythm, building a new kind of family from the pieces of our old ones. There will be more conversations, more awkward moments, and undoubtedly, more threats from Kallie.
As Ryder’s lips find mine in a soft, sealing kiss, I know with every fiber of my being that it’s a future worth fighting for.
9
Ryder
Epilogue
I don’t know how these two do it. Sure, I’ve fought fires for years, so I know the definition of hot. Yet, the moment I stepped onto Arizonan land, I was ready to hop on a return flight. The heat here is dry and suffocating.
Now look at me, sweating up a storm while waiting for my two favorite women to leave the campus. Sitting through the graduation ceremony was a challenge in itself, but I’m not budging from the shade of this tree. Not until I have who I’m looking for.
The sea of identical purple and gold caps and gowns is disorienting, but a determined man always finds his mark.
