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“I can drive you back.” Nate filled the doorway.
Ruby swiveled her head from me to Nate and back again. “That sounds like a wonderful idea. Let me pack up some food for you to take with you.”
CHAPTER5
NATE
The driveto Ruby’s cabin seemed to take forever, but at the same time, not nearly long enough. Rain pelted the windshield, providing the only sound as I tried to think of something to say to Ainsley. She sat in the front seat, her arms wrapped around her middle as she faced the passenger-side window.
“You warm enough?” I reached out to adjust the temperature. Damn windows kept fogging up, making it difficult to see the road ahead.
“I’m fine.” The way her shoulders shivered told me otherwise, so I turned the heat up on her side of the cab.
Ten minutes later, I pulled into the long drive that led to Ruby’s rental cabins. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Ainsley. There hadn’t been a day that had gone by over the past eight years that I hadn’t thought about her. That I hadn’t questioned my actions and wondered if I’d done the wrong thing.
“Which cabin are you in?”
“The one to the right up here.” She picked up her bag like she was ready to bolt as soon as I stopped the truck.
I pulled up as close as I could to the front door of the modern but rustic-looking cabin. “Can I come in and get a fire started for you?”
“I’m sure I can handle it.” Her fingers wrapped around the door handle. Within seconds, she’d be out of my life again. I couldn’t let that happen. There was a reason she’d shown up in Mustang Mountain. I wouldn’t get my hopes up that I deserved a second chance, but I’d give just about anything for a few more minutes with her.
“It’s one of those cranky old hunting stoves. You sure you don’t want me to get it going? It’ll only take me a minute or two.”
She hesitated—a good sign. Then her shoulders slumped, and she opened the door. “Fine. I’d appreciate it.”
The pressure in my chest eased to a barely noticeable degree. I raced around the front of the truck to meet her on the porch. Her fingers fumbled with the key, then she opened the door and we stepped inside.
Ainsley flipped on the light, and a warm glow spread through the cozy front room. Ruby had done a great job with the cabins. What they lacked in square footage, they made up in character. A large picture window provided a sweeping view of the mountains. She’d decorated the interior with professional photos of the area showing the beauty of all four seasons.
I kicked off my boots and headed toward the wood-burning stove that sat in the center of the cabin. It was original to the structure and probably weighed as much as my truck. I got to work building up a base to start a fire in its belly while Ainsley climbed the steps into the small loft area that served as the bedroom.
As I broke twigs into smaller pieces to use as kindling, I imagined her shedding her wet clothes. She’d always been beautiful—the most gorgeous woman I’d ever seen. Thinking about her made my skin heat, so I shrugged off my damp jacket. If things hadn’t ended between us, we might have spent a weekend in a place like this.
While I’d grown up in a small town in northern California, Ainsley had lived in Montana her entire life before she took a job in London right out of college. We met our freshman year at Montana State. She sat in front of me in our Interpersonal Relations class, and it took me a month of staring at her long, thick hair before I got up the nerve to ask her if she wanted to have coffee.
From then on, we were inseparable. She’d been the best thing that had ever happened to me, and I threw it all away. I thought I was doing the right thing at the time, and it was killing me to not know if the sacrifice I’d made had been worth it.
The first flames flickered to life in the middle of the big black stove. I sat back and waited, watching the thin twigs curl as they fed the fire.
“Looks like it’s off to a good start.” Ainsley came down the steps. She’d traded her wet jeans and button-down shirt for a pair of yoga pants and an off-the-shoulder sweatshirt. Her hair piled on top of her head, leaving her neck exposed.
Heat burned low in my belly. Looking at her made my gut clench. “It should start heating up the place in a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Nate.” She stood a few yards away, like she didn’t trust either one of us enough to move closer.
I got up from where I’d been crouching in front of the stove. “You didn’t get a chance to eat anything. Can I heat up some of the food Ruby sent back with you?”
“Why don’t you take it? I’ve got stuff here.” The rigid set of her shoulders said she’d rather not spend any more time with me than necessary, but that’s not what I had in mind.
“I bet you don’t have her grandma’s sage stuffing or homemade pumpkin pie from Mountain Delight.” Ignoring the urge to protect myself and leave like she wanted me to, I moved toward the small table in the kitchen where I’d left the bag. “You’ve got to try the turkey, too. I’m pretty sure it’s fresh. One of my MC brothers usually takes care of bringing the birds.”
“Seems like you’ve made a life for yourself here. I’m happy for you.”
Hopeful that maybe she’d be willing to talk a little over a meal, I searched the cabinets for a couple of plates. “There wasn’t anything for me back home, so I stayed in Montana after graduation. I’m working as a conservation officer now. Except for all the political stuff I have to deal with occasionally, it’s a dream job.”
“I bet. You always loved the great outdoors.” Her lips curved into an almost-smile.
