Poppy stares at me. "You checked my boot prints."
"I check everyone's boot prints. It's my land." I shake my head. “That’s not what I meant though. He told you that you needed the exercise?”
A flush blooms on her pretty face and she points at her ankle. “I’m not much of a hiker. Matt’s pretty fit, and I prefer doing pretty much anything other than going to the gym.”
"Matt’s an asshole,” I say.
“My friend Neveah’s been telling me that.”
“You need to listen.” I clear my throat, thinking about what to say. Back when I was with Velvet Riot, I didn’t have to worry about coming off like a creep. Women approached me and it was simply a matter of me deciding what I was in the mood for. Since I’ve been up here, there’s been no one. That life loses its luster when you realize no one actually cares who you are, other than what you can do for them. Yeah, it all seems great until the people you trust betray you.
Back then, I was never alone. There was always a party, always someone around and I thought there was always someone I could count on.
But that was a lie. The only person I can count on is myself. Being alone here is way better than being alone in a sea of people who all claim to love you.
“I guess. I think I just figured that maybe my expectations were too high.”
Fuck it. “You should have high expectations. A woman like you should be treated like a queen.”
Her mouth falls open. “You don’t even know me.”
I stand, backing away so I don’t give into the temptation to touch her. “I know you’re beautiful and kind. I know you risked freezing to share your coat with a little animal. An animal you refused to abandon, only for some jerk to abandon you. You are brave and compassionate and relentlessly optimistic when most people would have been terrified.”
“Iwasscared and I’m sorry he was up here. That he cut your fence, that I’m here, interrupting your life.”
“I’m not sorry,” I say in a low voice. “I’m thankful I noticed the fence and went to look for Stevie and found both of you.”
Her head tips up at my words.
“You’re not interrupting my life. There’s plenty of space here and if the road to town isn’t closed yet, it will be shortly and you’re not walking anywhere soon.” I look behind her at the windows, now sheeted with ice. I think about her bare hand shielding Stevie’s face from the wet snow. How she took care of the baby without little thought for herself. “You need someone to take care of you.”
“You’ll take care of me?” I hear the confusion in her tone, and I understand it.
I’m confused too. I don’t know what magic she’s woven around me, or why some long-dead protective instinct has risen inside me at the sight of this woman, but suddenly all I want to do is take care of her. I was once abandoned. Not in the same way, but in every way that matters. Instead of thinking only of herself, she protected Stevie, kept her warm until I found them.
“I’d be happy to.”
Poppy’s eyes meet mine and silence stretches between us, the crack and pop of the fire the only sound in the room and I hold my breath. If she tells me to call the Sheriff or that she wants to leave, I’ll risk the weather outside to get her down the mountain to Hollow Peak.
“You don’t have to take care of me, but I don’t think I have many options at this point. If you’re sure it’s not a bother, I’ll stay.”
“I’m sure.” Somehow, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my entire life.
6
Poppy
Istretch my legs against the soft cotton sheets before the sharp twinge in my ankle reminds me of what happened and where I am.
In Gibson Hart’s guest room. I can hardly believe this turn of events.
Yesterday, after I agreed to stay, Gibb brought me his satellite phone as the storm had knocked out cell service for both of us. I called Neveah so she wouldn’t send out the National Guard, but I didn’t tell her everything, only that a local farmer found me and offered me a safe place to stay until the storm is done.
She was too angry at Matt to think much about anything else, although she did insist on referring to my situation asrescued by a mountain man.She made me promise to send pictures as soon as I’m able, but there’s no way I would ever breach Gibb’s privacy.
He’s obviously here alone for a reason. Even with the beard, Neveah would probably recognize him. I just hope that Matt didn’t learn anything other than he probably shouldn’t invite me to go hiking ever again.
Neveah googled the alerts for the area while I was on the phone with her, and Gibb was right because the roads into the mountains were closed pretty quickly. Grudgingly, Gibb called the Sheriff’s Office, just in case Matt was still out there or tried to come back to get me and apparently someone had called to say there was a woman up in the mountain with an injury. So Matt wasn’t a complete monster, and I’m glad Gibb was able to stop them from mounting a search.