Hero (Alpha Mountain 1)

Gram’s words eased some of the tension I’d carried since I’d claimed Indi. I wanted to believe them. “I don’t know about overjoyed…”

“Yes, overjoyed,” Gram insisted, nodding for good measure. “Their parents, too. It’s about time you got over there to visit with them again, don’t you think?”

So it hadn’t gone unnoticed that I’d avoided Mr. and Mrs. Buchanan. But it hurt to think about seeing them. Still…

I rubbed my beard. “Yeah.”

I’d been meaning to for a long time, except I kept finding reasons to put it off. But Gram was right. I was dating their daughter—no, not dating. That didn’t sound right. It was so much more than dating. We didn’t need to date. I knew everything about her. All that was important. Indi was mine. I didn’t know if she knew it yet, whether she suspected that I was completely all-in with her—even though I had told her I wanted forever—but she’d figure it out soon enough.

Now that I had her, nothing would ever make me let her go.

Chapter

Twelve

INDI

* * *

Ford had been gone for three days. In that time, I’d cleaned my house from top to bottom. Roger Mellman had done me a weird favor, pointing out stuff I didn’t need or forgot I even had. I hadn’t lived in the house long, and I still filled a few boxes for the Lutheran church’s donation bin. Taft had stopped by mid-clean out and helped me. By helped, I meant he carried, and I watched. I’d had dinner with my parents one night, played cards with Taft and Mrs. L another, and kept myself busy.

I never realized how alone I’d been until Ford and I got together. I’d been going about my life just fine hating the guy and then… wham. He kissed me, and everything changed. He’d said forever, and he didn’t lie, but that length of time was a big commitment. I wasn’t holding him to it although I had a feeling my heart wouldn’t do so well if things went wrong.

I was still raw and hurt from Buck’s death. Nothing could take away that ache or emptiness, but Ford had made me feel. I’d been numb for so long that I felt different. Felt alive.

“Earth to Indi.”

I blinked and spun around in the storeroom.

“Brandon.” I set the life preserver I was holding on the table where I was collecting items for the upcoming guide trip. I was to be gone for a week and needed to pull together items for rafting as well as camping to either give to the guests or pack up in the rafts.

“You were staring at the wall. Are you okay? Need a hug?”

I frowned. “Um… no. I don’t need a hug. I’m pulling supplies together for the trip.”

“You’ve been in here a while.”

I sighed. “Lots of things to organize. Deke’s coming in to confirm everything.”

Deke Jacks was another guide. Since we would be out with six in the group, and we’d need two rafts, he was the other guide on the trip.

“About that. We’re going to trade it up. Deke and Jasper will take the rafting crew, and you can take Jasper’s hiking group over the pass and to Glacier Lake.”

I frowned. “Why the switch?”

“Three more signed on for the rafting trip. Between the supplies and the rafts, it’ll be too heavy for you.”

“It’s never been an issue before,” I replied, bristling.

He scratched the back of his neck, his hair sliding over his shoulder. His appearance was more of a wasted skateboarder than a guide shop owner.

“This new trip is shorter, and… I need you around here.”

“Why?”

He shrugged his t-shirt-clad shoulder. “I’ve got tickets to that bluegrass festival next weekend.”

Anger welled thick and bubbly like lava. “You switched trips on me because you want me to go to a music festival?” I pushed past him and out of the storeroom. “Unbelievable.” I flipped off the light on the way out, leaving him in darkness.

“I know you like that kind of music.”

The guide office was a cross between a small wilderness store and a travel agency. There was outdoor gear for sale if a guest forgot to pack something and desks with computers to plan and organize all aspects of adventure travel.

I turned away from the entrance and faced Brandon. I heard him follow because he dragged his feet like a lazyass. “I told you I’m not interested.”

“You were over the winter.”

“Once.”

“Are you turning me down because of Ford Ledger?”

“What?”

He shrugged again, and I looked at him with new eyes. Ford was right, Brandon was a loser. He couldn’t grasp that when I said I wasn’t interested, I really wasn’t interested. That there had to be a reason, like another guy, why I wouldn’t hop back in bed with him.

“Heard he’s at your house every night.”

Heard? Or maybe he drove by and saw Ford’s old truck in my driveway.