Page 19 of Harvested By The Mountain Man
“Thank you,” I say once we reach my car. My voice is still shaky. “For being there. For stepping in. Your presence made me feel stronger.”
“You don’t owe me thanks,” he says, eyes fixed on mine. “You owe me honesty. Does he know where you live?”
The question lands like a stone in my stomach. “I don’t know. I’m afraid he might. How else would he know where Ivy goes to school?”
Levi’s jaw hardens, his blue eyes dark in a way that makes me feel tense. “That means he could already be watching.”
Ivy looks up at me, confused, so I force a smile and brush her hair back. “Why don’t we stop at the park for a little while? You’ve had a big day.”
Her face lights up instantly. “Can I go on the swings?”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
She runs ahead as soon as we pull into the small playground near the school, leaving Levi and me standing near the picnic tables with a clear view of her.
I exhale hard. “Jake … we were never married. He left when Ivy was barely three. Even before that, he wasn’t much of a father. No steady job with little to no financial help. And after he walked out? Nothing. No support. No visits. No calls.”
The words are hard to share. Still in my mind, it makes me feel like there’s something wrong with us … something wrong with me that a man could care so little.
“And now he just shows up, like he gets to decide he’s a father again?”
Levi’s fists flex against the table edge, his whole body tense. “He doesn’t get to walk back into your lives and scare you like this. Not after what he did.”
I press my hand over my eyes, blinking back the heat there. “I don’t know what he wants. But the thought of him near Ivy …” My voice cracks. “I can’t lose her, Levi.”
He shifts closer, lowering his voice so only I hear. “You won’t. Not while I’m here.”
I meet his eyes, and the steadiness there anchors me.
“Come stay at my cabin,” he says firmly. “Both of you. At least until this gets sorted out. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to either of you.”
The words take my breath. The cabin. With him. I know it might be a sensible choice to change our location. But it also feels risky. The intimacy of it terrifies me almost as much as Jake does.
“I don’t want to impose …”
“You wouldn’t be,” he cuts in, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You’d be giving me peace of mind. That’s worth more than sleep to me right now.”
I glance at Ivy, squealing on the swings, legs pumping high toward the sky, trusting the world to hold her. Maybe it’s time I let someone else help hold us, too.
♥♥♥
Back at the house, the air feels heavier than usual, like the walls know what just happened. I move quickly, pulling open drawers, stuffing clothes into a duffel bag without bothering to fold. My hands tremble, but keeping busy helps me hold it together.
Levi moves through the rooms with calm efficiency, lifting Ivy’s backpack onto the counter, then snagging her favorite blanket from the couch. He tucks it under his arm like it’s treasure, his quiet focus grounding me in ways I can’t admit aloud.
“We’re going on a little trip,” I tell Ivy, pitching my voice higher, lighter. “An adventure.”
Her eyes brighten instantly. “Like camping?”
“Exactly like camping,” Levi says, crouching down to her level with a grin. “Only better. My cabin’s got a fireplace, plenty of room, and if you’re really lucky, I’ll whip up my secret blueberry pancakes in the morning.”
Ivy claps her hands, squealing, and runs off to fetch her stuffed rabbit. My throat tightens at how easily he transforms fear into excitement for her, weaving safety out of thin air.
When Ivy disappears into her room, I glance at Levi. He’s watching me, his expression promising without words that we’ll be all right. I want to believe it.
The ride out of town is quiet at first, the sound of the truck filling the silence. Ivy sits in the back seat, hugging her rabbit to her chest, chattering now and then about all the things she wants to do at the “camping trip.”
“Can we build a fort?” she asks, her voice bright over the rumble of the road.
