Mount Me: A Mountain Man Romance

by Hazel Parker

  It was all she could do not to launch herself at him. Instead, she asked him to wait and climbed out of the car. She couldn’t help the goofy smile that broke out when he ignored her request and got out of the car too. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the man didn’t want her out of his sight.

  Liza sat cross-legged in the reception area, her suitcases piled near her feet. She stood when she saw Alissa. “Good. You’re back. Let’s go. I already sent a group text and told everybody you were safe.”

  Alissa fought an eye roll. She loved Liz, but sometimes her friend could be self-absorbed. Couldn’t she at least rest in the hotel for one night? If she wasn’t going back to Trevor’s cabin, that was.

  “I’m staying,” Alissa said to Liza’s back as she was already pulling her suitcases through the door.

  “Excuse me?”

  She came to a full stop, surveying Alissa’s stance and how close she was standing to Trevor.

  “I said I’m not going, Liza. I’m staying here.”

  For a few seconds, Liza opened and closed her mouth like a fish, one of the rare moments the woman was speechless. Finally, she asked, “For how long?”

  Alissa shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

  “And what are you going to do?”

  She shrugged again. She wanted to say, “Help Trev,” but she wasn’t entirely sure. She wasn’t that much help to him, but she would try to help where she could. Not that he demanded anything from her.

  Liza sighed and rubbed the skin between her eyebrows. “Is this what you really want? I mean, he isn’t forcing you into staying, is he?”

  Alissa threw her arms around her friend, realizing this was her way of consenting.

  “I really want to stay. Trevor is a good guy and… I just need a little more time,” she whispered in her ear.

  “Your mom is going to make me regret this,” she said, hugging her tightly before pulling away.

  “You can tell her you tried to talk sense into me, but I didn’t listen.”

  She smiled. “I definitely will.”

  “Thank you so much for your loyalty.”

  Liza looked at her as if she wanted her to eat her words. They were friends, of course, she’d stayed until Alissa was found.

  Then Liza’s gaze turned to Trevor. “You take care of her.”

  Liza barely came up to his shoulders, but she poked his chest as if she was of equal size or bigger.

  Trevor nodded, respect apparent in his eyes. “I will do my best.”

  “Good!” Liza said loudly before turning away. “I’m blowing this popsicle stand.”

  Alissa laughed as her friend dragged her bags out the door. She’d bought herself more time with Trevor, but she would have to go back home some time. Just not now.

  Chapter 10

  Bliss. Pure bliss. That was what the past two weeks had been.

  Being with Trevor was pure bliss and she was terrified of how happy she was, especially because it was becoming alarmingly clear she was falling madly in love.

  The two weeks had felt a lot like a honeymoon. The most memorable moment by far was when Trevor had come inside of her. The sexfest had them running out of condoms and they’d been too far gone in pleasure that they’d thrown caution to the wind and made love with no barrier between them. He’d never said anything afterward, but she could tell it was a big deal to him. It was a big deal to her. The connection she’d felt between them had been palpable. She’d never felt anything like it. They’d been lost in a bubble of intimacy and mind-blowing sex, and there wasn’t any reason to pop it.

  The mood was light and playful as they drove into town. Trevor didn’t usually keep ice cream on hand, but since she was craving it, he was more than willing to indulge her.

  The last time they were in town felt like a lifetime ago. They’d been tentative, unsure about how each other felt, and Alissa had been unwilling to admit to her feelings for fear that he didn’t feel the same way. This time, she was going with it, boldly holding his hand while they were in the store, much to the clerk Tara’s chagrin. Nothing could stop her from smiling, though. Well, that was what she thought until they were stopped on their way past the hotel.

  “Ms. Fontanne!”

  Alissa turned to see Sally running out of the hotel and into the street towards them. “Yes?”

  “I have an urgent message for you. Please, miss,” she said, bending over to hold her knees as she tried to catch her breath. “I didn’t know how to contact you and your family was clear it was urgent you get this message.”

  She felt ice in her veins. “Well, what is it?”

  Sally gulped, suddenly uncomfortable, her hands fidgeting in front of her instead of resting calmly at her side. “Your father had a heart attack.”

  “What?”

  She hadn’t been expecting that. She gripped the side of the car, hoping it would help ground her. Trevor grabbed her hand, both for support and comfort.

  “Yes. Your mother said it was serious and that you need to come home. She called a couple of days ago.”

  “Okay,” she said, nodding, already thinking of the logistics of getting home as quickly as possible.

  She turned to Trevor, worry twisting her heart. “Can you drive me to the airport?”

  He nodded. “Of course.”

  Soon they were in the city and the airport was a little under an hour away. Trevor hadn’t said anything, which gave her time to process the news.

  She didn’t always get along with her strict, authoritarian dad, but the fact remained that he was her family and she loved him. And how was her mom handling things? God. She wished they were both all right.

  “Should I park?”

  She turned from the window, her brows raised in question. “Why would you do that?”

  “So I can go with you.”

  She stiffened in her seat. How could she tell him that he wasn’t invited? She hadn’t needed to say anything though because she saw the exact moment realization hit him.

  His eyes narrowed. “Let me guess, I’m not good enough to meet your parents?”

  She didn’t answer, biting her lower lip instead, and that was an answer all by itself.

  He nodded. “I get it.”

  She winced because she didn’t want him to get it. She wanted them to be the same as they’d been before they’d come to town, before he got that look in his eyes and before he pulled up to the airport to drop her off. She’d hurt him, virtually trampling on his ego, but she saw no way to go back from that. She wasn’t even sure if she was coming back. She felt awful, but she wasn’t ready to bring home a man who didn’t have a job and who lived in the woods. Not to her wealthy, admittedly snobby parents. Plus, there was still the matter of Lenard.

  Fighting the urge to reach out, she had no choice but to explain. “I’d just broken off my engagement when I came here.”

  Trevor tensed even more, his jaw clenching and his hands tightening around the steering wheel.

  She rushed to add, “I haven’t talked to my parents about it, but I imagine they’re furious. They think Lenard is the perfect match for me and I don’t to want to incite their anger by bringing you home with me. I’m sorry.”

  His gaze roamed over her face and she had the feeling she wasn’t going to like what he would say next. After a beat, she found out she was right.

  “So you’re saying that after you’ve had time to talk with your folks, you’re finally going to introduce us?”

  He asked like the question was rhetorical. And just as well because she knew an honest answer would only make things worse.

  “That’s what I thought,” he said in an impassive tone. “I’ll see you around.”

  He didn’t climb out of the truck. No hug. Not even a goodbye.

  She could only nod. “Yeah.”

  How could things turn from perfect to a total mess in a heartbeat? She swore she heard her heart break when she walked away, leaving her hollow, with nothing but her purse in tow as she boarded th
e plane.

  A short flight later, she was greeted by the sounds of traffic and the familiar sight of skyscrapers. She made a quick call home via a payphone, got the info she needed, and had a taxi drop her off at the hospital.

  “George Fontanne please?”

  “Are you family?”

  “Yes, he’s my father.”

  The nurse typed in something on her computer and said, “Room eight-three-nine.”

  Of course he was in the private wing of the hospital.

  She didn’t bother knocking, letting herself in to see her father sitting up, looking as he had the last time she’d seen him minus a few pounds.

  “So there she is. How nice of you to show your face.”

  Clearly he was mad.

  “Hello, Father.”

  “Don’t hello me. You tell me right now, Alissa Mary Anne, why you told Lenard you would not be marrying him.”

  “I told him I needed some time to think.”

  She looked to her mother, who was sitting at his bedside, for help. But as usual, Elaine Fontanne didn’t voice an opinion. She was alone, and she felt like running again. There was no place she’d rather be than in Trevor’s arms. If it weren’t for her father’s illness, she would have been in the cabin, curled up next to Trevor by the fireplace. She had to remind herself that this was more important.

  “He’s not an imbecile. Anything other than yes is a no. I did not raise you to be that way.”

  She sighed. “Can we talk about you right now? How are you?”

  “I’m in a hospital. How do you think I am? Where have you been anyway? Your mother has been calling you on the phone.”

  She didn’t bother sitting down. “I lost my phone when I got lost and I haven’t gotten a replacement yet.”

  “Well, you do that as soon as possible. Can’t you do anything right?”

  She turned, a sudden, unbearable sadness threatening to flood her eyes. “All right, Father. I’ll be back later.”

  He huffed but didn’t respond.

  Alissa left, and it took everything in her to remember that she could do a lot of things right. Like grilled cheese and French toast and baked ziti. Taking care of chickens and a vegetable garden. Shoveling dirt for Christ’s sakes! She also reminded herself that she wasn’t a coward and that somewhere up in the mountains was a man who believed in her.

  Chapter 11

  Alissa sat in the hospital watching her dad scowl at the nurse, who was doing her job, taking his blood pressure.

  “I said I feel fine today.”

  Alissa felt bad for her, but there was nothing she could do to save her from his scorn. In a twisted way, she was thankful someone other than herself was taking it.

  “I told you my blood pressure is fine.”

  That was obviously a lie. He looked anything but fine. His words were barely audible through the breathing mask he wore. The tubes connecting him to machines made him more robotic that human and the sunken eyes amongst sallow skin told a very different story. He was not fine.

  She could feel her mood dropping lower with every moment she spent in the hospital room. There was nothing cheerful, colorful, or lively about the place. She needed a reprieve. Her mother had promised to come at noon, and it was 11:50.

  The door pushed open and Alissa looked up, hopeful that her mother had finally arrived, but instead of the sharp cheekbones of her mother, she saw the round, bulging eyes of her ex-fiancé.

  “Lenard?”

  “Alissa,” he said, looking over her head to her father.

  She watched their curious interaction, noting the hard look in her father’s eye.

  “Can I talk to you outside?”

  She had nothing to say to him, but she owed him an explanation. She had done enough running to last a lifetime. They moved to the far corner of the suite.

  “So,” Lenard said, standing still as a statue. “How are you?”

  “Lenard, my father is in the hospital, almost dead. How do you think I am?”

  He looked sheepish under her criticism but didn’t apologize. “I just wanted to tell you some things.”

  Her arms crossed over her chest and an irritated huff threatened to escape her lips. “Look, Lenard. You don’t need to tell me anything. You need to go. I know you’re probably waiting for me to give you an answer, but now isn’t the right time for that.”

  “Your father was depressed before his heart attack,” he said, talking as if she hadn’t politely dismissed him seconds ago. “He was stressed and had a lot of debt. He probably didn’t mention it, but he made some bad decisions. Lost a lot of bets.”

  “I fail to see what you’re getting at,” Alissa said, dreading whatever came next.

  “We made a deal.”

  She held up her hand, willing him to stop talking, but he kept on.

  “I promised your father that I’d take care of the debt if you married me.”

  She inhaled and forgot to take another breath. No. No. No. This was not what she wanted to hear.

  “Alissa, you know I love you. I’ve been after you since forever. I shouldn’t have to ask you to reconsider. We’re perfect for each other, and at least now you’ll know you’re helping your entire family out, not just yourself.”

  She turned from him, no longer wanting to hear what he had to say. All she could see was her dad, pitiful and practically lifeless in his bed, and her mom, whom she hadn’t noticed come in, sitting beside him. Her mom held her dad’s hand like he held the entire world in his palms and Alissa knew her mom wouldn’t be able to support herself if they lost everything they owned.

  Talk about pressure.

  And just like that, she was back with her ex. She turned back around, hardened by the shit storm that was her current life.

  “How soon do we need to get married?”

  *****

  George Fontanne was stubborn and held on until the very end. He should have died in his sleep, but life had to wrestle with him and forced him away during a cough attack where he couldn’t catch his breath. It was a grotesque way to die and, worse, her mother was there for all of it.

  Alissa couldn’t process it as she was planning her wedding. She flipped through the pages of wedding dresses in front of her with disinterest and no enthusiasm. She slouched in the chair, for once not caring about her posture beside her mother, and not allowing the clerk to tell her about all the small nuisances and accents on each dress.

  Her mother interrupted her flipping with a soft palm over her hand. “Alissa. Really. You’re not even doing a good job at pretending.”

  She shrugged, not sure what she could say. She wasn’t happy. She wasn’t content. She wasn’t fulfilled. Why should she pretend she was? She was going to be married off nonetheless because that was what you did for family.

  Her father’s death made very clear just how unhappy her mother was. She hadn’t shed a single tear for a man she’d spent forty years with. Alissa wondered if her mom had been unhappy the entire time they were married. Why had she stayed?

  “What is going on? I don’t understand this.”

  “There’s nothing to understand,” Alissa said, pulling her hand free to stand. She walked up to the rack of gowns and randomly chose one. “I’d like this one, please.”

  The clerk was unsure what to do with the strange behavior, but in the end, she took the dress down and walked Alissa back to the dressing room.

  “Alissa, you need to tell me something,” her mother said through the door.

  In the small room with nothing but her and the door, she felt a bit of reprieve and calmed enough to open up.

  “I’m marrying Lenard, mother. I don’t want to, but I’m going to because he promised to pay off father’s debts.”

  “Is that the only reason you’re marrying him?”

  Alissa noted the surprised tone but didn’t bother getting her hopes up. “Yes. He made a deal with dad, and it makes sense. If I don’t go through with the wedding, all your assets, the estate, everything wi
ll be seized.”

  “Alissa.” That one word had been said in the most caring tone she’d ever heard from her mother since Alexis died. “I don’t care about the money or the assets.”

  She didn’t believe that.

  “I have a little money saved, I am not a dumb woman. I have been moving money for 40 years into my own accounts plus I have assets from my parents I never touched. I don’t need your father’s money but I don’t need his debts either. So this stays between us.”

  Her pulse picked up. Did it mean she could— No. It still sounded too good to be true.

  “Sure, I won’t be living the life of luxury, but I’ll be comfortable. It had taken me years to realize I never needed all that. Plus, you’ll be free. That’s the most important part. I don’t want you to be trapped in a loveless marriage like I was, especially when I know you don’t have to do it. You don’t have any kids tying you down.”

  Alissa rested her forehead on the door, the unzipped dress still hanging from her arms, trying to get as close to her mother’s words as possible.

  “You should follow your heart, honey. You only have one life to live... and I think you left that behind somewhere in the mountains. You should go.”

  Alissa opened the door, dropping the gown on the floor, tears pooling in her lower lids. “Do you really mean that?”

  “I do,” her mother said, looking every bit of her sixty-eight years.

  She felt like a small child, unsure about anything. “But what if he doesn’t like me anymore?”

  “Now that’s just silly. Men don’t know what they want. If he thinks that, you show him how wrong he is.”

  Alissa smiled. She kind of liked this new side of her mother. But she sobered quickly as her thoughts darted back to Trevor. She was scared he wouldn’t take her back and, for a brief second, was tempted to go with the most convenient route. Lenard was uncomfortable but convenient. But then she remembered what Trevor said.

  “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't—you're right.”

  She flung her arms around her mother, noting how tightly her mother hugged her back, and kissed her on the cheek.

  “I always knew you were the brave one,” she whispered in Alissa’s ear before kissing her cheek. “Now go.”