I opened the door to my cabin and walked inside, immediately starting a fire. The bottle of whiskey on the counter called my name, but I didn’t even need a glass—I was definitely finishing the bottle. I sat down in my chair and lit a cigar as I unscrewed the top of the whiskey.
“Here’s to freedom...” I muttered to myself and took a drink.
The fire roared, the smoke rose from my cigar, and the whiskey settled into my veins. Everything should have been perfect. I was exactly where I had wanted to be with all the weights my past put on me finally lifted, but something was missing. Heather was missing.
She was immediately on my thoughts, consuming them in an instant. I had planned to make her mine and I had planned to do anything to accomplish it. I had no idea we would become celebrities. The world had nothing better to talk about in the wake of the storm, so they forced us into a role that neither of us really asked for.
I turned on the television and cringed when I saw the news still covering the story. It had been dramatized and exaggerated. They made it seem like she was frozen, to the point of death, and I spent the days nursing her back to health just so she could return to her family.
The real story is a lot better, trust me...
There were shots of her with them, the loving embrace of her parents, the cheers of her friends—everyone seemed so incredibly happy. When the image of Heather flashed on the screen, I saw something in her eyes. They reflected the same sense of loss that was present in mine.
I miss you too.
Chapter 11: Heather
My parents were so happy to see me. My friends acted like it was a miracle I survived the storm. There were tears and questions, but I tried to dance around them. I really didn’t want to talk about any of it. I just wanted to hide in my room until everything was forgotten.
The news made a big deal of the story, and I was in shock when I heard them spin our story to be one that continued to push headlines. My situation was never as dire as they painted it, but it would have been if Shane hadn’t saved me. They seemed to be willing to overlook his past because of his heroism, but the words I heard bothered me.
He wasn’t just a hermit in the mountains. He was hiding from the things he had done. It made me sick to my stomach to see him in handcuffs, but his crime didn’t sit right with me. There were a lot of conflicting stories—some even suggested the man might have been with his wife prior to the divorce, but there was no evidence to support it without Shane himself saying it was true. The injuries claimed by the man he hit sounded a little exaggerated to say the least.
I had to admit that I didn’t understand the situation and I couldn’t exactly ask Shane about it. I waited until my parents were asleep and I walked out to the back porch with a glass of wine. I just needed to feel something besides the melancholy of my own thoughts and the buzz would remind me of my time with Shane. As soon as I got the glass to my lips, I heard the door open behind me.
“Daddy.” I groaned. “I thought you were asleep.”
“It’s okay Heather. I’m not here to judge you for a glass of wine.” He waved off my transgression. “You’re an adult now and after what you went through, I’m just happy you’re alive.”
“Thank you...” I muttered. “The news is making it so much more than it was.”
“They get paid to do that.” He sat down beside me and put an arm around me. “It’ll be over soon. There will a Kardashian mishap or a rapper will slap his girlfriend and then you’ll be old news.”
“It just sucks.” I shook my head and sat down my glass of wine. “Shane doesn’t deserve to be arrested for helping me.”
“He was arrested for what he did long before he met you. The news story made a big deal out of it, but it’s hard to know how you would react if you aren’t in that situation. I can’t even imagine what I would do to any man that was stupid enough to climb into your mother’s bed while I wasn’t home—there would be hell to pay, that’s for sure. Shane will be fine.” He patted my arm and smiled.
“How do you know?” I raised my eyebrows at him.
“There’s no fucking way Shane is going to jail after he saved my baby girl. I sent Amos to deal with those assholes.” His brow furrowed with a hint of anger.
“Wait...” I pulled away. “Are you serious?”
“You’re damn right.” He nodded. “The man is a hero and he saved your life. Amos will have him out of jail tomorrow. I promise.”
“You’re amazing...” I shook my head. “Thank you so much.”
“From what Amos has heard, Shane’s ex-wife wants this to be over. They don’t want to drag any of the past up.” He shrugged. “I can’t say I blame them. It has been six years.”
“Yeah...” I nodded.
“Don’t stay up too late.” He leaned over and kissed me on the forehead.
There was a time when my father would have lost every bit of his cool if he walked outside and saw me with a glass of wine. It was clear that he saw me in a different light after the ordeal. I was no longer his little girl, the one he had to look after. I had grown up and I made mistakes, but I had gotten lucky because Shane was there to save me. Shane had shattered the veil of innocence that made me a child.
I was a woman in his arms. Once my father was back inside, I picked up my wine glass and kept drinking. I liked the peace and quiet of the evening, but it was nothing like the peace I felt in the mountain cabin with Shane. It was easy to admit I missed him, but hard to do anything about it.
I hoped my father was telling the truth when he said that Shane wouldn’t have to do time because of his crimes. The man that had existed six years ago was clearly not the man who came down the mountain just to keep me from freezing to death.
I would never be able to thank him enough and I would never forget him, even if our lives never came together again. It hurt to think about that, but I knew life had to go on.
I miss you.
MY CELEBRITY STATUS faded when classes started. I got the window replaced in my car, but it never really ran the same again. It made me late for class a couple of times and I had no choice but to trade it in. My father was willing to get me a new car, but I didn’t really care about having anything fancy.
I settled for an old Toyota that promised good gas mileage instead of the BMW he tried to push on me. I faded into the scenery of school, not really caring much about the parties on the weekend or getting wasted with my friends. I just wanted to finish school and leave it behind.
I often thought of Shane. Sometimes it was over a glass of wine at the end of the day and sometimes it was long nights alone in my bed, imagining the things we did when we were together. I had no idea if he even thought about me, but I knew I could never forget him—I didn’t want to forget him.
God, I miss having you inside of me.
A YEAR PASSED AND THE winter winds blew through Tennessee again. A storm was on the horizon, but it was nothing like the one I faced the previous year when I met Shane. They said that one was once in a lifetime. They didn’t know how true those words really were.
“You really won’t come to the mountains with us this year?” One of my friends, Amelia, nudged my arm as she walked beside me.
“I think I’ve had enough mountain vacations to last a lifetime.” I shook my head.
“We’ll give you directions.” She laughed. “Hell, you can ride with us this time.”
“I think I’ll just spend my winter break at home.” I shrugged and shook my head. “I’d prefer not to risk it.”
“Have you heard from him at all?” She asked. “The guy that saved you.”
“No, he doesn’t really have a phone.” I sighed. “He probably doesn’t want to hear from me anyway since I got him arrested.”
“Damn, he was hot.” She raised her eyebrows a couple of times. “I’d love to get trapped in a cabin with him for a few days.”
“He was a gentleman.” I said, although technically it was a lie.
“I wouldn’t want him to b
e a gentleman.” She licked her lips. “You missed out.”
“Yeah, I guess...” I shrugged.
I didn’t miss out on anything—I had every inch of him inside of me.
She had no idea what it was really like at that cabin—nobody did except for the two of us that spent time there. The chill of winter was in the air and the cold made me think of him. I had thought time would separate me from those feelings, but it hadn’t done anything to pause the longing I felt when he crossed my mind. When he entered my thoughts, my heart shuttered. When the thoughts got a little hotter, I got so wet and excited I had to satisfy myself just to maintain my sanity.
I drove in silence as I approached my apartment. I could have gone to the mountains with Amelia and the rest of my friends, but Wolf Creek almost felt like it occurred in another lifetime. I wasn’t sure I could see a mountain cabin and not go rushing off in the middle of the night to find him. He might not be there to save me if I got lost again.
I parked in the back of the apartment building and walked around the corner to the front door. It would be a lonely night, a lonely winter break—a continuation of what had become a lonely life. When I got to the top floor, I heard a noise behind me. I turned around to see my neighbor, Paul, opening his door. He stopped when he saw me and gave me a slight nod.
“I know you keep telling me no, but the invitation is always open.” He folded his arms and leaned against the wall. “One night out wouldn’t kill you, you might even enjoy yourself.”
“You’re sweet.” I smiled. “I’m just not looking for that right now.”
“You can’t blame me for asking.” He turned and walked towards the elevator.
Paul wasn’t the first guy to ask me out, but he was the most persistent. The problem with all of them was they barely even compared to Shane. I couldn’t take them seriously when I was certain they didn’t know how to build a fire, much less protect me. They were nice enough, but there was just something missing in every one of them.
I didn’t feel like I could just settle for a lesser man. The fact it would be settling was the worst part. I had tasted something that couldn’t be replicated, which meant I was always going to compare them to the man who showed me what it meant to be a woman. I sat down on my couch and turned on the television, trying to find something decent to watch.
I poured a glass of wine and sipped it while I skimmed through the television. A yawn confirmed it would be a short evening, and I didn’t care. Sleep sounded better than the meaningless rattle of the television and it came quickly once I turned the television off.
I WOKE UP THE NEXT day and showered, putting on my makeup just for the sake of going out to get food. I checked my mail and headed towards the exit, when I saw the man at the front desk waving towards me.
“Ms. Westbrook.” He smiled when I approached.
“Yeah?” I asked.
“This came for you. I was supposed to give it to you last night, but I was on break when you arrived. I hope it wasn’t time sensitive.” He grimaced as he handed me a folded piece of paper.
“Thanks.” I took it from him and held it up to the light.
I had no idea who could have left something for me at the front desk. Everyone I knew would call or text before they would bother with the trouble of pen and paper. The front was scrawled with ‘Heather’ in dark black ink. I turned it over in my hands and then started to open it, trying to figure out exactly what it was.
Across the top of the paper were the words Wolf Creek, faded but clearly visible. It was a map. I continued unfolding it and I saw a red line drawn from my apartment to a spot in the mountains. My heart started to beat hard in my chest when I realized exactly where it was pointing.
Holy shit...Is this?
It felt like a dream suddenly manifested in real life. I walked over to the light and unfolded it completely on a table. It was the size of two regular sheets of paper with my apartment on one side and Wolf Creek on the other. I traced the line, one that led straight to Shane’s cabin.
I looked over at the man at the desk to ask him who left it for me, but he was already gone. I stared at the paper and then I noticed there was writing along the bottom. I traced it with my fingers as my eyes opened wide.
You know where you belong.
Chapter 12: Shane
Someone once said that if you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, then it was meant to be. That person was a fucking idiot. There was no glory in letting love slip away over a proverb.
There was certainly no excitement in spending the long months alone in my cabin once Heather was gone. I missed her every day. I craved her. Each day we were apart drove me mad and I simply couldn’t allow the madness to consume me. I considered getting a cell phone, but I didn’t even know her number.
I knew I could probably find out if I tried, but embracing technology wasn’t me, even if it meant I got to hear her voice again. It was strange to try and comprehend how a few days together turned me into a monster hellbent on possessing my blonde goddess once again, but I couldn’t get her off my mind.
I need you so fucking bad.
The idea of her finding another man and giving herself to him made me angry when there was no evidence it was even happening. I knew it was only a matter of time because time was the ultimate enemy. If I didn’t do something, she would move on. I had to connect with her again, to show her why she belonged with me for as long as we both drew breath.
“Have you heard from that girl?” Mr. Blanchard asked as he ran up my purchase at the local liquor store.
“No.” I shook my head.
“That’s a shame.” He sighed. “Maybe one day.”
Very soon if I have anything to say about it.
I found myself buying more and more liquor each time I went to town. It wasn’t because I was drinking more, I just didn’t like the questions. I only made trips when I had to. Mr. Blanchard always asked about Heather. I couldn’t even stand to go to the diner and have a Country Fried Steak because someone was always there to ask more fucking questions.
Our story may have passed from the world’s voice and the evening news, but she was still a celebrity in Wolf Creek. She had only spent a few nights there, but they were ready to adopt her as one of their own. They would have probably thrown her a parade if she showed up again.
Business had been booming since the town became famous and I hated every bit of it. Occasionally, a group would get a little too close to my cabin and I would have to send a warning shot their way. When the months started to wear on, I decided it was time to move. I started building another cabin nearby, far enough away from the one we spent our time in, but close enough to easily walk there if you knew the way.
It was a little fancier than the first one, with a few modern upgrades to make life a little easier. It even had doors on all of the rooms. I worked on it most days, just letting the toil take my mind off the things when it could.
“I’M SORRY, WHERE DO you want me to put this?” The older man wiped his brow as he delivered a load of materials.
“Just up the hill is good.” I pointed in the direction of the new cabin, which was hidden from his view.
“If I get stuck, you’re paying for a wrecker.” He spat on the ground and climbed back into his truck.
When the winds of winter came, I felt a desire for Heather’s touch that couldn’t be simply washed away with a night of drinking. The new cabin had been completed and the old one was just a shell. The upgrades I made were nice, but they just couldn’t distract me from my thoughts.
I need you so fucking bad.
I woke up one morning with a new conviction. I wasn’t going to wait around for the world to spin in my direction again. I was going to take the motherfucker by the balls and do something about it. I was going to hold her again.
I got in my truck and drove. I passed landmarks, small towns, and even a city before I rolled into her bustling college town. It took some time to figure out where she lived
, but it wasn’t difficult. She was a student and practically a celebrity.
A few harmless questions brought me closer and eventually I figured out which apartment building she lived in. I sat in the parking lot with my truck running, just trying to figure out how I was going to approach her without seeming like a crazy person. I might have been going crazy without her, but I didn’t want to seem like the desperate asshole I was. As I sat there in my truck, I saw her turn the corner. My chest started to tighten.
Damn, you’re even more beautiful than I remember. How the fuck did I make it so long without you?
It took everything in me not to open my door and walk over to her. Watching her enter the apartment and disappear into the sea of humanity was a struggle, but I couldn’t put her on the spot. I had to give her a choice, even if I wanted to take control of the situation.
I devised a plan and pulled out an old map. I tore a square that connected the place she was to Wolf Creek and drew a line to connect them. Once I was satisfied with my work, I dropped it off at the front desk and asked them to deliver it to her that evening. Despite my possessive nature, I knew it was the right thing to do.
It has to be your choice, blonde goddess. You know where you belong, but you have to be the one that decides to come to me.
If she understood the message and followed the directions, she would be in my arms before the first snow fell. It wouldn’t be anything like the storm I saved her from, but it would coat the ground. I got back into my truck and drove home, hoping she cared enough to find me. If she didn’t, I had to be man enough to let her go forever.
The miles I put between us felt like lifetimes, especially after seeing her in person. I had made the first move, the move that would bring her back to me if she had the same feelings inside that resonated in my heart. If she didn’t come to me, I would die alone in the cabin after thinking about her every single day.
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