Every Girl Needs A Hero (Escape To The Bitterroot Mountains Book 2)

by Debra Kayn

  That hole in my heart? You filled it.

  You're a strong man who unfortunately has a hard life, and I would never want to be another risk you have to take care of. I wish, I could've told you goodbye in person, but I'm not as strong as you. Your strength is something I admire and respect.

  Jared's going to help me leave, and by the time you get this letter, I'll be out of Idaho. I'm sorry if not telling you this morning about my plans hurts you. That was never my intent. I simply couldn't trust myself not to beg you to let me stay.

  Be safe, Quint. There will never be a day, an hour, a second, that I don't think about you.

  Love,

  Katelynn

  P.S. I've left my truck with you. Please sell it and keep the money for the clothes, food, and the extra money you gave me.

  He looked down at the bed and found a key. His hollow heart ached. She'd left him.

  He never asked her to go. Winter was coming, and he'd assumed she'd stay with him. He would finally have all the time in the world to be with her.

  His head pounded. He should've known something was wrong.

  She'd cried that morning after they'd had sex, and blind to her plans, he'd walked out of the cabin without any idea that when he came back home, she'd be gone.

  Where had she gone?

  She'd left Idaho. Would she have tried to make it back to Vancouver?

  His hand wrinkled the paper. She couldn't have gone far.

  He dropped the paper and took out his phone, calling Jared. His employee had left the campground two hours ago. He'd watched Jared's truck go through the gate.

  And, he had no fucking clue; his woman had been in the vehicle.

  "Yo," answered Jared.

  "Where the hell is she?"

  Chapter 38

  The crowd inside Spokane International Airport thinned out at eight o'clock. Katelynn stood from the uncomfortable chair and pressed on her lower back, arching her spine. It seemed like days since she rode away from Bitterroot Campground instead of only five hours.

  So far, two planes had left the airport with a destination of Portland, Oregon.

  Her hope to grab an empty seat had already come and gone when there were no extra passes. The next one wasn't scheduled until three o'clock in the morning. She'd need to spend the night in the chair.

  Flying still beat the bus trip. Once she was in the air, it'd take her one and a half hours to fly back home. Then, she'd call a cab or take Uber across the bridge and find a pay-by-the-day motel in Vancouver and sleep for a few hours. After that, she'd hit the pavement and go job hunting.

  It wouldn't matter where she worked. Fast food. Retail. Car wash. Motel.

  She stopped pacing. A motel was a lot like being employed at the campground. She got along with the guests and helped solve their problems. She'd start off looking there.

  Good. Good. She inhaled deeply. It was necessary to start off with a plan and set goals.

  She groaned and sat back down. No, she couldn't be around any guests. They'd remind her of the campground, which would prompt her to think about Quint.

  Quint.

  She closed her eyes against the pain. When she opened them, a young couple sat across from her. She gawked at their lovestruck gazes and whispered secrets. They were probably going off on their honeymoon.

  She hated them.

  Shaking her head, disgusted with herself. They were probably lovely people. She disliked how easily they made a relationship look.

  Her and Quint's problems were bigger than the mountain he lived on. She'd put extra stress on him when she came to him for help. He still had someone trying to kill him. Besides, there was a fine line when trusting someone, and he wasn't there with her yet.

  He'd closed himself off from everyone his whole life. Sure, he spoke to her about his past, but she suspected there was much more he refrained from telling her.

  "Are you on the next flight?" The woman across from her pointed to the gate.

  "No." She cleared her hoarse throat. "Not yet, anyway. I'm on a waiting list, um, for Portland."

  "Oh, we've been there." The woman pointed between her and the man beside her. "A couple of years ago. Do you remember that?"

  "Then, we traveled to Bend, if I remember correctly," said the man.

  The woman turned her attention back to Katelynn. "Well, I hope you don't have too long of a wait."

  "Thanks." She turned away, not in the mood to talk.

  One of the airline workers wheeled a cart through the gate. Katelynn used that moment to stand and wandered along the wall of windows. She couldn't see outside. Everything was dark.

  "Come on," she muttered, looking at the clock.

  The longer she remained in waiting, the more nervous she grew being away from Quint. She wasn't scared of being alone or not finding a job right away. That was all manageable. She'd struggled on her own since she turned seventeen years old.

  She was afraid of not being with Quint. Of her heart not healing.

  Dashing away the stray tear on her cheek, she sat down in a different area, away from the couple. She only wanted to curl up on her side and pretend to be back on the mountain. The emotional exhaustion combined with the physical fatigue beat her up, yet her legs constantly shook, and she had to keep moving them.

  She had a one-track mind and suffered withdrawals from Quint.

  She wanted to know what he was doing, how he reacted to an empty cabin, and if he forgave her? Without him, she had no idea if he was safe, if he was hurt, if he missed her.

  Would he lean on Anders and Mark with her gone? God, she hoped so. He needed someone in his life. Shutting himself in his cabin in the winter wouldn't be good for him. He needed laughter, touching, sex.

  Everything he'd given her.

  She bent at the waist and cradled her head. He needed everything she needed.

  Her spine straightened, and she gasped. She'd made a mistake.

  A huge mistake.

  Jumping out of the chair, she hurried up to the counter at the gate. "Can I use your phone?"

  "There's a charging station down the corridor on your right." The woman attendant smiled.

  "No, I don't have a phone with me. I need..." She looked around. "A landline."

  "There's a courtesy phone outside of luggage claim," said the woman.

  "Oh, my God." She grabbed the counter in exhilaration. "Thank you."

  Remembering the baggage carousel toward the front of the airport, she walked out of the waiting area, until she spotted people loitering around to pick up their bags. She found three phones on the opposite wall and jogged over, anxious to call Quint.

  She picked up the receiver and read the instructions on the wall. Dialing nine, she could only call local numbers.

  The airport was in Washington. Quint was in Idaho.

  "No, no, no." She hung the phone up, looking around. Someone had to have a cell phone she could use to call Quint or the campground.

  An older couple walked in her direction, pulling their roll-along luggage and in quiet conversation. She stepped out into the corridor, catching their attention.

  "Excuse me. Would it be possible to use your cell phone for a minute? I won't be long." She clasped her hands in front of her chest.

  "I'm sorry, dear. We put our phone in our bag, and our daughter is waiting in pick-up for us." The woman rolled her luggage around Katelynn.

  Disappointed, she looked around for someone else to ask. Someone had to be holding a phone. Before she'd come to Idaho, her cell never left her hand unless she was at work. There had to be someone like her around who would help.

  Walking out of the area, she became more anxious. If she could talk to Quint, tell him how she felt, and then whatever decision he made toward their relationship, she'd accept. Holding out hope that he hadn't thought about how much their needs matched, she needed to tell him what she realized and hear with her own ears how he felt about her.

  God, what if she ruined everything?

  S
he hurried back to the gate to see if she could get a refund on her ticket. Someway, she'd get a ride back to Idaho, and if the worst thing possible happened and Quint told her to leave, she'd take the damn bus back to Vancouver.

  Rounding the corner, she plowed into a large, hard body. Hands wrapped around her upper arms. Brown boots, scuffed and dirty, came into focus. She gasped, slowly raising her gaze, afraid she imagined Quint in front of her.

  His beard came into view, and her heartbeat raced wildly. She snapped her chin up and met his pained blue eyes that were as familiar to her as her own.

  "Why did you leave me?" His voice sent chills down her arms.

  She pried her tongue off the roof of her mouth. "I-I was keeping to our arrang—"

  "Katelynn." His fingers tightened on her biceps, practically lifting her to her toes. "I'm no good at relationships."

  Her pulse beat in her neck. She panted, trying to understand what he was saying.

  "Our arrangement changed when I told you about me. I never would've shared that part of myself if I believed you were leaving me." His lowered voice gripped her. "I trusted you—"

  "You can trust me." She moistened her dry lips. "I would never tell anyone."

  A flash of pain etched his forehead. As if suddenly aware of how tightly he held her, his fingers loosened without letting her go.

  "I will never stop falling in love with you," he whispered. "Come home with me. Stay."

  She grabbed the front of his shirt to keep from swaying. "I love you."

  "Then, why in the hell are you leaving?"

  "I thought that's what you wanted, but I changed my mind. I was trying to find a stupid phone to call you, but I couldn't find one. Then, you came. You came for me." She threw her arms around his neck.

  He captured her mouth. She kissed him back deeply. Hysteria built inside of her. She couldn't believe that a minute ago, she'd wanted him here, and he'd shown up.

  She pulled back. "Is this really happening?"

  "Can you live at the campground?"

  She nodded. "Definitely."

  "It's not going to be easy." His brows lowered. "You know what goes on around me. I can't guarantee that something won't happen, but I can promise that I will do everything possible to make sure I fight like hell so that we can have the rest of our lives together. Can you be happy with that?"

  "Yes." She kissed him hard and quick. "Please, take me to the mountain. Take me home, and get me out of here so I can show you how much I love you."

  His gaze heated and he turned around, keeping his arm looped across her shoulders. "That's the best thing I've ever heard," he mumbled.

  She smiled, clinging to his side. The decision to go back with Quint was one she'd never regret.

  He was her hero.

  Epilogue

  The snow continued coming down. Quint cut through the high trail, skipping the switchback, and came out at the top of the mountain. He stopped the snowmobile and looked over his shoulder at Katelynn.

  She lifted her goggles and pulled down the mask covering her lower face. The smile she gave him worth the early morning ride when he could've stayed in bed and made love to her. Ever since he took her out on the sled, she'd become a fan of the snow.

  "Let me see your phone." She bit the end of her mitten and pulled it off her hand.

  He stood, straddling the seat, and unzipped his suit. "Reach in and grab it out of my pocket."

  She slid her ungloved hand inside the cover and found his jeans, then found the pocket, and pulled out the cell. "Got it. Now, sit back down. I want to take a selfie with you."

  He lowered his ass to the seat. Katelynn leaned against his back, holding the cell in front of them.

  "Smile," she said.

  He gazed at her instead. She gave a cheesy grin before laughing and lowering her arm.

  Wiping the snow off the screen of the phone, she held it up for him to see. "You're actually smiling in this one."

  That happened a lot when he looked at her. Most times, he wasn't even aware that he had matched her expression. He only knew that being with her made him happy. A contentment he never knew existed before her.

  "Here you go." She slid the phone inside his suit.

  He leaned, letting her put it in his pocket. "Are you still warm?"

  "Toasty." She wrapped her arms around him and hugged his back. "Where are we?"

  "Cougar Gulch. About thirty-four degrees from the Montana border. We'll be going Northeast about two-point-six miles," he said.

  She smacked his arm and laughed. "In English, please. You know I'm no good at math."

  "We're on the first peak behind the cabin. We'll go down the other side and take the third turn and head back up on that ridge, which is in Montana. The others are probably already there waiting for us." He pulled down his goggles. "Are you ready?"

  She squirmed behind him, situating herself for the ride. "Yep, let's go."

  His city girl turned out to fit in perfectly for mountain life. The first time he'd brought out the snowmobile, she'd balked at going up on the trails, afraid of sliding off a cliff. But, one ride around the cabin with him and she'd begged him to take her riding every day.

  He continued on their trip. The snowflakes getting bigger and slower. By the time they gained elevation and reached Mark, Anders, and Iliana, they had a three-foot base underneath them. Winter still had two months to go, and he hoped they received more snow to escape fire season next summer.

  Katelynn stood on the runners. He turned to grab her and missed as she fell through the fresh powder. She sputtered, pushing up her goggles while buried neck deep in the snow. Amusement hit him. She'd learn the tricks and downfalls of winter in the Bitterroot Mountains.

  And, he couldn't wait to show her the benefits.

  She held up her hands, laughing. "I'm stuck."

  He jumped, landing up to his thighs in snow. Grabbing on to her arms, he pulled Katelynn to her feet and kissed her.

  Holding her hand, he navigated a path for her, pointing to where she should step. Her shorter legs made the twenty steps to the join the others around the fire they'd built slow and difficult for her.

  "You took your sweet time." Mark sipped from a steaming travel cup. "How's the trail that side of the mountain?"

  "Smooth. All powder." He put Katelynn in front of him, using his back to shield her from the blowing snow. "Not many of the riders come over from Montana this early in the season. If we double the pack this winter like the weathermen predict, I'm sure they'll find their way over soon."

  All that mattered was he'd made the first trail up the mountain. It meant Jaster hadn't tried to make it down to the cabin yet. If he had, he would've spotted the tracks.

  Iliana passed two mugs to Anders. "Honey, pass the hot chocolate to Katelynn and Quint so they can warm up."

  "Thank you." Katelynn leaned back against Quint. "This is great. Thank you."

  "The only way to stay warm." Anders threw a log on the fire and unzipped the front of his suit. "You guys should come by the Lair tonight and listen to Iliana sing."

  "Can't. Busy season." Mark looked up at the grayish white sky. "I hired two teenage boys to cover the office this winter. It's the only reason why I could get away on a Friday."

  "How's that working out for you?" asked Anders.

  Mark shrugged. "As long as they don't break anything, it'll help."

  Mark's equipment consisted of off-road vehicles. A temptation for anyone. But the boy's young age made Quint concerned for their safety.

  "Have there been any signs around for anyone?" Quint held Katelynn against him when she tried to look over her shoulder at him.

  She understood his concern about Jaster hitting them hard in the winter. He expected something to happen, considering McCloud was dead. That would make Jaster more desperate, going alone.

  "Not at the Lair." Anders looked at Mark, who shook his head.

  There was a reason why they all agreed to come up on the mountain peak today. Some t
hings needed to be done in person and not over the phone.

  "Since Will left his property on the river to the three of us, how do you want to handle it?" Quint looked into the fire. "The attorney wants an answer by the twentieth."

  He wanted nothing from Will. His loss still pained him, and he couldn't imagine using something that belonged to Will when he should still be here, living his life.

  "I don't want any part of it," said Mark.

  Anders nodded. "I suggest we split the taxes in three and let the land go back to the mountain. Maybe someday in the future, something will come to us on how we can use the land. In the meantime, it's there if we want to visit, but we leave it in Will's memory."

  He'd never be able to return to the plot of land that meant freedom to Will, where he'd thrived, and put his stamp on the world. Broken dreams and a life cut too soon, not to mention the sight of Will hanging from a rope, left him angry.

  "Sounds good." Mark tapped the packed snow with his boot. "If we're done here, I'm going to take off."

  "Watch your speed going down." Quint slapped Mark on the shoulder. "If it gets hairy, feel free to cut across Cougar Gulch and come out at the cabin. We'll be back within an hour if you need a ride from there to your place."

  "I will." Mark looked back and forth from Katelynn to Quint. "Congrats to the both of you. I'm happy for you."

  Katelynn smiled up at Quint and then turned to Mark. "Thank you."

  He shared an understanding look with his friend before Mark walked to his snowmobile and rode off. None of them ever believed they'd have someone in their life, knowing the crimes they'd committed and the goal to take all the men who were responsible for the nightmare they lived, and bury their past.

  Anders had found Iliana. And, he'd picked up Katelynn at the airport a month ago and married her three days later at the courthouse with him saying "I do" for the rest of his life. Because of the short notice and wanting the ceremony to remain private, one of the women working in records witnessed the judge declare them married.