Hiding with the Mountain Man (Rosewood Ridge Fire #5)

Chapter 7

7

WYATT

A man was standing in the garage with the fire engine, and he was a man I didn’t recognize.

He was a tall, super skinny guy with a big smile and a friendly demeanor. But something was off. My instincts were telling me this guy was dangerous.

“I’m looking for someone named Rebel Rivers,” he said. “But that’s her pen name. Her real name is Mina Leigh Rivers.”

I was already assessing my surroundings. I didn’t have a weapon on me, and there wasn’t one nearby. I’d fight the guy with my hands if I had to, but if he had a gun concealed in those camouflage cargo pants, I’d need to get it before he could use it on me.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about,” I said. “This is a fire station.”

“She’s here,” the guy said. “Her car is in the parking lot.”

Fuck. I’d forgotten about that. Of course, she’d be parked here.

“I don’t know anything about that,” I said. “You aren’t authorized to be in here. How did you even get the garage door open?”

“Zero, zero, zero, zero,” he said, pointing toward the open garage door. “You really should set up a better security code.”

The smile was still there, but his eyes held something more sinister. They were cold as ice. It was like I was looking into the eyes of a man with no soul.

I crossed my arms over my chest and gave him my most menacing stare. “Guys!” I yelled. “Need some help out here.”

That should do it. He’d turn and run.

I almost felt a smug sense of self-satisfaction when that smile of his fell. But it fell only slightly, then returned.

“You really think I’m that stupid?” the guy asked. “You’re here alone. There are two cars in the parking lot. Yours and Rebel’s.”

“You know, not everyone drives,” I said.

“In this town, they do. No ride-sharing services, and it’s not exactly walkable. Don’t think I didn’t research the town where my favorite author is hiding.”

Mina was his favorite author? Did men read romance novels? Maybe so, but if they did, they didn’t track down the author and show up demanding to see her. I didn’t need to know a damn thing about romance novels to know that much.

“Oh my God. Bruce?”

The voice behind me gave me a heart attack. Mina was here. That was the worst thing that could happen. I wanted to handle this on my own.

“Go back to the classroom,” I called out without looking back over my shoulder.

I wasn’t taking my eyes off this guy for a second. But had it been a mistake to mention the classroom? Would that tell him where she was if he somehow managed to incapacitate me?

“I came here to find you,” Bruce said. “I’ve read all your books. I’ve been trying to track you down to tell you that I’m the man you’re going to marry.”

I narrowed my eyes. I’d been listening for the sound of the door opening and closing behind me, but I’d heard nothing. I couldn’t tell if she was still back there.

“That’s funny,” I said. “Because I’m the man she’s going to marry. You must have the wrong Mina.”

He’d exchanged his smile for a pleading look, but now that disappeared too. He just looked confused.

“You’re not Rebel Rivers?” he asked, shifting his stare to something behind me again. Yeah, she was still back there.

“I am, but I’m in love with this man,” Mina said. “We’re going to get married. I’m sorry, but my novels are all I have to give you.”

I heard her footsteps behind me and held out my hands on either side of me, indicating for her to stay back. This guy still could get dangerous.

Then I waited, ready to take him on, muscles flexed, body tensed. But after staring at her a long time, his face scrunched up. It took me a second to realize it, but the guy was actually getting teary-eyed.

“I don’t understand,” he said, voice shaky. “I was sure you were the one.”

“Dude.” I took a couple of steps closer, letting my arms relax a little. “This isn’t how you find women.”

The guy shook his head. A tear had spilled from each eye and was running down his face.

“Her books were just so romantic, I was sure she was speaking to me,” he said.

“They’re fictional characters,” Mina said from behind me. “But the cowboy in Tomorrow’s Promise was just like Wyatt. I realized it as soon as I met him. He’s the man I’ve been looking for all my life.”

It was killing me not to take my eyes off this guy, but it helped that Mina stepped up to stand next to me. I could see her in my peripheral vision.

“Is that true?” The guy’s gaze shifted from Mina to me. “Are you a cowboy?”

“Cowboys, firefighters…same thing.” I shrugged. “All I know is Mina is the woman I’ve been looking for my entire life. I’ll protect her with that life too.”

From that, the message was clear. Mess with her, deal with me. Everyone who met her for the rest of my life may as well know that.

“Thank you for being a fan,” Mina said, stepping over to stand closer to me. She looped her arm through my arm, settling her hand on my biceps. “But somewhere out there is your cowgirl. Go find her.”

“You’re right.” The guy wiped his eyes and looked around. “I feel like a moron. Do you know of a good place I can stay while I’m in town?”

That question was addressed to me. My response was immediate.

“No. I want you to get in your vehicle and get out of town. If you’re within city limits in twenty minutes, you’ll have me and my firefighter buddies to deal with.”

The guy took me seriously. He turned and headed toward the parking lot after mumbling an “I’m sorry” to Mina. He didn’t make eye contact with either of us before he exited.

“Holy hell,” Mina said once he was out of view. “That was terrifying.”

In one swift motion, I turned and pulled her into my arms. I still didn’t take my eyes off that open garage door, though. Even as I heard a vehicle start up and listened for the hum to gradually fade.

He was gone. It was safe. But my training wouldn’t take me off high alert.

“Did you mean what you said?” she asked.

Her words were exactly what it took to lure my attention away from that garage door. When I pulled back to look down at her, I saw an expression that I never wanted to see on her face again. Fear. But this fear wasn’t over some random guy who thought she was his soul mate. This fear was over the guy who was her soul mate.

“Every word of it,” I said. “I’m not sure specifically which thing you’re talking about, but if it’s the part about me being the man you’re going to marry, I couldn’t mean it more. As long as that’s what you want, of course.”

A smile slowly spread over her face. Relief replaced the fear. And that had me wondering what else I could say to ease her worries.

“I’m falling in love with you, Mina,” I said. “I know it’s early, but my feelings are only going to get stronger.”

“I’m falling in love with you too,” she said, her smile widening. “You’re my happily ever after.”

That was the truth. I knew, as I swooped down to give her a sweet kiss, that this was better than any story anyone could come up with. This was the true happily ever after.