Scolded by the Mountain Man (Sweetheart Falls)

8. Penny

8

PENNY

When I wake up from what must have been a nice long nap, Tyson is sleeping beside me. I open my eyes, smile, and gently trace the lines of his biceps, triceps, and shoulders with my nail, being careful not to wake him.

I can’t help but think this would be an amazing way to wake up every morning.

I realize I’m thirsty, and after all the work Tyson did saving me from that bear, then carrying me up those stairs and doing all that wonderful things he did to me, we could both probably use a glass of water. So I head down to the kitchen to grab us both one.

I fill a glass, but just as I’m about to go back upstairs, I catch a flash of something out of the corner of my eye, and it stops me right in my tracks.

I couldn’t have seen that, right?

I immediately duck for cover and grab the blanket from the couch to cover myself. Then, slowly, I stand and peer out the window again. My eyes scan the cleared land outside the cabin. At first, I see nothing. I’m just about to head upstairs again when I see it.

When I see him.

Jerry, my boss from Goldman Sachs, walking out front in full hiking gear.

“No…it can’t be.”

He’s spotted the cabin and he’s coming this way.

This cannot happen. I cannot have him and Tyson run into each other. I have to get him out of here as quickly and as quietly as possible.

What is he doing up here anyway? How did he find this place?

Wearing nothing but a blanket, I step out the front door and call out quietly to Jerry. “Hey! Fancy seeing you here!”

I’m doing my best to appear as friendly as possible, even though he is the last person on Earth I want to see here right now. I came out here to get away from him in the first place.

Jerry’s eyes light up when he sees me, then react again when he sees me in nothing but the blanket.

“They do Airbnb out here?” he jokes, walking my way. “Cause I wouldn’t mind renting this place for a day if I ever get one off.”

I can feel my heart racing in my chest. I’m starting to panic as he stops in front of me. This cannot be happening.

“How did you find me, Jerry? I came for a hike and got caught in the storm. I’ve been stuck here ever since with no reception.”

“Stuck here, huh?” he responds. For some reason, he looks skeptical as he eyes the cabin behind me. He then turns his gaze back on me. “Henry sent me to look for you when you didn’t show up to work and you weren’t answering your phone.”

Henry, Jerry’s boss. Our senior broker.

My heart drops.

Me being on Henry’s radar is not good. Not good at all. The only time you as an analyst want to be on Henry’s radar, is if an idea you brought to Jerry made the firm a lot of money. Even when my pitch about Ainsworth Pharmaceuticals made Goldman a big profit, Henry didn’t bother to come and thank me personally. Him sending Jerry out here to get me means he’s really pissed at me for being gone this long.

“Yeah, well, like I said,” I say, trying not to panic, “I got caught in the storm. My phone hasn’t had any signal out here. It’s been pouring rain until today, so–”

“Well it’s not raining now!” Jerry smiles. “So you can come back with me!”

I nearly flinch at the words that have just come out of his mouth. He’s also standing there looking at me like a creepy Uber driver waiting for me to get into his car but without the car.

“Go back with you?”

“Yeah,” he replies, still smiling. This is the most I’ve seen Jerry smile since we first met. “Unless you’ve taken some extra vacation time I’m not aware of?”

There’s an edge to his voice just hiding under the friendly tone. Is that because he just hiked up the mountain on his own? Or is there something else going on here?

“Nope, no extra vacation time,” I reply. “I was worried you would be angry with me for missing work and not calling in, but there was really nothing I could do.”

“Well, just throw some clothes on and let’s get going, and I’ll let you off without a penalty. How’s that sound?”

Jerry is acting really strangely. Maybe I’m just not used to seeing him outside the office, but it’s almost like he’s putting on a performance for me. Like he’s pretending to be a nicer guy than he is. Under normal circumstances, he’d be chewing me out for not being at my desk on time.

“Um…” I say hesitantly. “No thanks, Jerry.”

Jerry’s friendly demeanor suddenly vanishes and is replaced by an angry glare. “No thanks?”

“I think I’ll stay here,” I reply. “Maybe I’ll come back later in the day. But there are…some things I have to get done before I can go.”

“Oh, well, I’ll help you with them,” he replies.

“No, they’re things I need to do on my own,” I say as I start to back up toward the cabin. “But go ahead and tell Henry that I’ll be there as soon as possible and that I’m so sorry that I was delayed by the storm–”

Before I can react, Jerry lunges forward and snatches me roughly by the arm. He grabs me hard and starts to pull me away toward the woods. “Sorry, but that’s not gonna work for me.”

“Let go!” I cry out. “Jerry, what are you doing?”

I stumble, and stones and sticks and bits of brush stab into my bare feet.

“Henry assigned me , and me alone, to find you and bring you back to the office, Penny,” he replies. “And if you think there’s any way I’m going back there without you, you’re insane.”

“Jerry, let go!” I yelp as his fingers dig into my arm.

“I ain’t losing my job over you, girl,” he replies, tugging me past the stacks of freshly chopped wood Tyson has yet to bring inside.

This is insane. I never would have even thought Jerry had anything like this in him. I’m going to need to get Tyson’s attention somehow.

I take a deep breath, swallowing all the air I can, then let out the loudest scream of my life.

But before I can get out even half-a-second’s worth, Jerry clamps his hand across my mouth and pulls me in tight. My foot lands on a sharp rock, and I squeal into his gross, sweaty palm.

“Now, now, now,” he says softly, picking up the pace and dragging me quickly into the trees. “There will be none of that. We don’t want to attract the attention of whoever it is you’ve been shacked up with.”

I feel deflated as I yank my head back and watch as the cabin disappears behind us, shielded by the trees.

If only Tyson would wake up and see that I’m gone.

Please, Tyson. Wake up!