Page 11 of My Mountain Man Valentine
I’m skeptical, but I let him help me up, and I lean on him as I hobble to the door. My foot hurts less after having rested it for the last hour. But when we get to the threshold, Ethan scoops me up into his arms.
“Hey!” My protest is feeble, because when he presses me to his hard chest I want to snuggle into his solid warmth.
“We can’t get your bandage wet.”
He pushes open the door and carries me around to the side of the hut.
There’s a clearing on some rocks, and Ethan has laid out the picnic blanket from my backpack. Candles from the hut flicker at the edge of the blanket where he’s dripped wax onto the rocks and stuck them down.
In the middle of the blanket are pouches of food and two bamboo forks.
“What’s this for?” It’s not what I was expecting from the no-nonsense ex-military man.
“I can’t make up for the Valentine’s dinner you’re missing, but I thought I could try to make it a little bit special for you.”
My chest squeezes. I’m not used to acts of kindness from a man, let alone a complete stranger.
“You didn’t need to do this.”
He sets me down gently on the blanket then slides a cushion under my foot.
“Don’t get too excited. It’s only cold pouches of chicken stew for dinner. I couldn’t find any wood dry enough to make a fire, and there’s no gas for the cooker.”
He hands me a pouch and a fork, and despite the gloopy consistency, it’s gone within moments.
The candles flicker, casting golden light dancing over our picnic. I wonder how a man as thoughtful and good-looking as Ethan can still be single.
“Why doesn’t a man like you have a Valentine’s date?”
Ethan shakes his head. “Nah, love’s not for me. Been there, got the t-shirt. Or the divorce papers, I should say.”
“You’re divorced?” It surprises me. The man is obviously a catch, and if he does all this for a complete stranger, what would he do for the person he loved?
“It was a long time ago.” He holds out another pouch. “You want to try the beef?”
I take it the subject is closed and accept the pouch of mushy food. “Sure.”
“So how about you? Was it a first date?”
His voice has an edge to it that I don’t understand. I look down at my food and wonder if I should attempt to explain the strange situation.
“Yes,” I say honestly.
“I’m sorry. He was probably taking you somewhere really nice, and you got this instead.”
I pull the blanket around my shoulders and look out at the dark night. The trees rustle in the breeze, and insects hum in the forest.
“This isn’t so bad.” He smiles, and I want to keep making him smile. “If only the stars were out.”
He chuckles. “And we had decent food.”
I nod in agreement. “It would be perfect if only we had lobster and champagne and a big chocolate cake for dessert.”
He raises his eyebrows at me. “You don’t strike me as a lobster and champagne kind of girl.”
I look mock offended, but he’s right. “You got me. I like simple things. To tell you the truth, sitting on a picnic blanket outside is pretty near perfect.”
“What would make it perfect?”
