Mountain Men Triplets

Chapter Twenty-Five

Isatinmycar for few minutes after watching Julian slam the door shut on me. Hank was buckled into his car seat, happily unaware of what’d just happened. My heart ached painfully as I forced myself to accept that things were ending. I didn’t want to give up. I wanted the three of them, no matter how crazy it was.

No matter how hard I tried to stop myself from crying, it was useless. Even as I made myself turn around and start the drive down Julian’s driveway, tears leaked from my eyes. I couldn’t stop looking back at the cabin, hoping and waiting for Julian to run out and tell me he changed his mind. It didn’t happen, though.

I pulled out of his driveway and started the horrible trip back down, all alone. The sun was starting to set and the thick tree coverage made it even darker on the road. My headlights clicked on and I drove even slower. Between wiping my eyes and nervously checking on Hank in the backseat, I wasn’t as focused as I was on the drive up. My mind was all over the place, and it wasn’t easy to keep going.

My phone rang from my purse next to me, and I reached over to shut it off, afraid the shrill sound would bother Hank. I looked away from the road for a split second, and when I looked back up, there was a massive deer in the middle of the road, staring into the car. I screamed and slammed on the brakes, automatically jerking the wheel to avoid crashing into the animal.

The car didn’t go far since I was going so slow, but I felt the moment the front wheel slipped off the side of the road. The crunching sound of the side grating against the massive wall of rock was painful as the car came to a stop. Hank immediately started screaming, and I reached back to stroke his chest so he knew I was there.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s okay. Mommy made a mistake, but it’s okay.”

The deer continued to stare at me, unbothered. I glared at it as I put the car in reverse and gave it some gas to back up. Only, nothing happened. I gave it more gas and felt the car struggling. Still, nothing happened. I tried to open my door to look at what was happening, but the door was wedged too tightly against the side of the mountain. I rolled down my window and pulled myself out enough to see that the tire was wedged into a narrow gap between the edge of the road and the mountain. The tire was already flat, and I knew there was no way I was driving it anywhere.

Swearing and crying even more, I turned the car off and looked back at Hank. He was still screaming, even as I stretched over and took him out of his seat. Pulling him into the front with me, cradling him to my chest, we both cried together for a few minutes before I gathered myself and realized that I needed to do something. Unfortunately, I was the adult in the situation, and I needed to handle things.

Reaching over to grab my phone, I saw that the call I’d missed was from Blake. I immediately called him back and held my breath as his phone rang. I wasn’t sure what to do. I’d gotten far enough down the mountain that it would be a hike back to Julian’s. It wasn’t like he wanted me there.

“Mallory? Where are you?” Blake’s worried voice made me more emotional. Hearing someone care after feeling so rejected by Julian was too comforting.

“I’m driving down the mountain. I had a little wreck. We’re okay, but the car is stuck.” I cried harder when I spoke, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“What’d you say? The car is stuck? Baby, we’re coming, okay? Are you and Hank okay?”

“We’re okay.” I looked up as the deer sprinted away and heard what had scared him. The sound of loud, revving engines grew closer and louder. “I think someone’s coming.”

Blake swore. “It’d better be Julian.”

I frowned. “It’s motorcycles, I think.”

“Cycles? As in plural?” Blake swore even louder. “Just hang tight, baby. We’re coming to get you.”

I saw the group of motorcycles come into view around the sharp turn farther down the mountain and my back stiffened on instinct. I was alone, with Hank, and I wasn’t feeling safe. I didn’t want to be surrounded by men that I didn’t know.

“Mal?”

The men stopped several yards in front of the car and the man at the front lifted his hand in a wave. I held Hank tighter and forced a smile to what I was sure was my tear-stained and bruised face. “I’m here. They’re stopping.”

“Who’s stopping? Men on motorcycles? How many are there?”

The leader stepped off his bike and smiled at me while pointing to my tire. He called out something, but I couldn’t hear him with the windows up. “Seven. I think they’re going to help with the car.”

I rolled the window down enough to hear the man speaking. He was asking if they could help get my car unstuck so they could get past. Relief coursed through me, and I nodded. “Please. That would be so amazing.”

“Mallory, what’s happening?”

“They’re going to help get the car unstuck. Oh, thank god. I just want to get off this mountain.” I wiped my tears and sighed. “Julian doesn’t want us.”

“Ma’am? Do you have a spare in the back?”

“I have to go, Blake.” I hung up, despite his protests, and looked out at the older man helping. “I do. Thank you so much for helping.”

He motioned for a couple of the other guys he was with to start working on the tire. “Of course. If one of our old ladies was trapped, we’d want someone to help them, too.”

I almost melted in relief. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“Not to be rude, ma’am, but you don’t look like you’re having the best day. The little man seems to be having some troubles, too.” He smiled. “I’m Mac.”