Chase Our Forever (Sutten Mountain #3)

13. Liv

13

LIV

“I can’t believe you wake up to this view every morning,” I marvel, leaning over the banister of the back porch of the house. In front of us is a beautiful watercolor painting of reds, yellows, oranges, and even touches of green. Calling this a backyard seems like an insult.

There are rolling hills you can see for miles, the mountaintops reflecting on the pond that sits not too far from the back of the house. There’s even a barn to our right with a wood fence right next to it.

Dean’s quiet next to me for a few moments, his eyes tracing over the same view as mine as he thinks over my words. He and Clara spent the morning walking me through the house and showing me where everything is. I had time to unpack my things and ask any questions I had before Clara went down for a nap twenty minutes ago. She fought it hard, wanting to stay up to show me around more before Dean finally convinced her to give in. “It really is a beautiful view, isn’t it?” he finally responds, his voice a little rough.

“The most breathtaking one I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if I’d ever leave the house if this is what I had to leave.”

This makes him laugh, the sound coming from deep in his chest. It’s the first time I’ve heard him laugh. It seems like a monumental moment that I got him to do it. It was the smallest laugh imaginable. Barely a laugh by some standards, probably, but I’m going to count it. He’s been short and closed-off since we met, which I understand, but it’s nice to see him let his guard down slightly, even if just for a brief moment.

His hands wrap around a red mug as he brings it to his lips. I hold a similar one, enjoying the coffee he made me. “Spend enough time in this town and the people here will comment how I don’t like to leave the house often.”

I nod, holding my tongue to tell him I’ve already been made aware of his tendencies to stay home. “I don’t blame you. This view just doesn’t seem real.”

He lets out a long sigh, his shoulders sagging a little as he places his forearms on the railing. “The view does make you seem small, doesn’t it?”

I watch him for a moment. I don’t know what I was expecting him to say, but it wasn’t that. He’s been so quiet, keeping his thoughts to himself. He took me by surprise, but before I can respond, he stands back up and clears his throat. “Do you have any questions on where anything is? I know I showed you a lot.”

I shake my head. I know I won’t remember everything he told me today, but I know the important things—where I’m sleeping and the gist of where things are to take care of Clara. I’ll spend the rest of today and all day tomorrow getting the hang of their routine before being with her fully on Monday. I’ll definitely be able to figure things out.

“I think I’m good for the most part. I appreciate you taking the time to show me around. Everyone in the town has mentioned how busy you are, so I appreciate you taking time out of your day to help me get comfortable.”

His jaw clenches, almost as if he’s annoyed by my words. I shift on my feet awkwardly, wondering if I said something wrong. I just wanted to thank him, to let him know I appreciate his generosity today. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned the fact I spoke with others in town about him.

“You’ll be living here. Of course I needed to show you around and make sure you’re comfortable finding things on your own.” His voice is gruff. We haven’t spent a ton of time together, but I’m learning very quickly how he often gets straight to the point.

I nod in understanding. He has a point. I’m just not used to people being thoughtful, even if there’s a reason for it. I swallow, thinking about another nice thing he did for me that we haven’t discussed yet.

I shift on my feet, not knowing how to broach the subject but knowing I have to. Even though I’m not used to people doing nice things for me, it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate it.

“Thank you for offering a salary that I feel is far more than what I’m qualified for. And on top of that, thank you for paying for my stay at Sutten Inn,” I manage to get out, my words a little rushed from nerves. “That wasn’t necessary at all.”

Dean turns, his body now fully facing me. He leans his elbow against the wood railing, his eyebrows drawn as he takes me in. I don’t know if I want to know what’s going through his head or if I’m relieved I don’t know. Either way, I wait with bated breath for whatever he’s going to say next.

It seems like he takes forever to answer me. I want to fold underneath his intense gaze. I try to look away from him as I wait for him to say something, but my eyes only get as far as staring at his chiseled jaw. A muscle in it ticks against his jawline, and for some reason, I can’t look away from it.

What would it feel like under my touch?

I brush off the fleeting thought and straighten my spine, ripping my eyes from his jaw and looking at the mountains in front of us.

Finally, he speaks up, taking me by surprise again with another question I wasn’t expecting. “Have you never had anyone do the right thing when it comes to you?”

I frown. “What do you mean?”

He lets out a sigh, as if he’s annoyed at having to repeat himself. Not that he’s necessarily irritated with me, but more that he doesn’t strike me as someone who likes to repeat or explain his reasoning. “I mean, I asked you to wait until today to start. The whole reason you were staying there was because of me. It was the right thing to do, to pay for your stay.”

I tilt my head to the side, thinking his words through. I guess I understand his logic, but I don’t necessarily agree with him. It wasn’t his responsibility to pay for my lodging. It’s not like I traveled to Sutten for a job interview with him. The job stumbled into my lap in a twist of fate actually going my way for once. Never once did I expect him to pay for my stay at the inn, even after he asked for me to wait a couple of days before starting the job.

“I don’t know you well, but your face pinching together in a scowl tells me you don’t like what I just told you.”

I hadn’t realized I’d been scowling at him—more at his words than at him. I relax my facial muscles at his comment. All he ever does is scowl, so I’m shocked he’s calling me out for it the one time I might’ve been doing it. “We’ll just agree to disagree.” I look at him, brave enough to let my eyes travel over him as I try to figure out the man standing in front of me.

He’s more blunt than I was expecting. The times we met at Wake and Bake, he seemed so quiet. He’s still not the most talkative man I’ve ever met, but he’s got more to say than I was expecting. “It’s not that I don’t like it. Have you not had anyone vocally appreciate you doing something nice for them?” I throw his sarcasm back at him, loving how it’s his turn to scowl at my words. Although, I don’t know if getting him to scowl is considered a win. His face almost seems to be forever plastered in a permanent scowl. It just got deeper this time.

Dean whistles, and I swear my words earn the smallest whisper of a grin on his lips. “I see what you’re doing.”

I shrug, letting a smile take over my face, feeling triumphant. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything. If you’re going to call me out, I’ll do it right back. So, Dean ,” I emphasize his name, remembering the hard set of his jaw when I’d called him Mr. Livingston. “Thank you again for covering the bill at the inn. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” he grits out, clearly wanting to say more but holding back.

I rub my lips together, fighting the urge to smile even wider, feeling satisfied by him accepting my gratitude instead of arguing over it. “Since you’re already clearly uncomfortable with accepting my appreciation, I might as well say everything else I want to as well.”

He lets out a slow groan of displeasure. “I understand you’re thankful. We don’t have to keep making this awkward.”

I cock my head to the side, watching him carefully. He refuses to look at me, instead choosing to look out at the mountain view in front of us. It doesn’t bother me that he won’t look my way. I still want to get the words out regardless. “I want—more like need —to just express how thankful I am for you taking a chance on me and giving me the job. After seeing the house and spending more time with Clara, I’m just incredibly grateful to start this job. I just know I’m going to love it.”

“Even if your boss is kind of an asshole?”

He looks over at me with a quirked eyebrow and the shadow of another grin. I don’t know if it’s his words or the mischievous tilt of his lips that catches me off guard more. A small laugh escapes me as I shake my head.

“Hey, those were your words, not mine. I was busy being professional and saying thank you.”

He holds the mug to his lips, the grin disappearing as quickly as it appeared. “I know you were thinking it.”

I stay quiet, not wanting to tell him I was thinking that I think the town he grew up in might not understand him fully. Yes, he clearly has his walls up high. Could we really blame him? But there’s still some of the old Dean in there they all talk about.

He’s got a grumpy exterior, but I’ve already seen it slip a little.

And even though it’s only my first day with him as my boss, I know having him as one won’t be as bad as people made it out to be.