Run to Me: A Mountain Man Romance (Clarke Brothers Series Book 3)

by Lilian Monroe

  I have to believe him about the fire. If I don’t, then I’ll lose him.

  We pull apart and he kisses me again, squeezing my hand. “Be careful,” he says.

  “See you tomorrow.”

  I walk away, forcing myself not to look back. My mind is troubled, and I don’t know what to think. Regret starts to seep into the edges of my heart when I think about bringing my daughter across the country to come here. Do I really know these people? Do I really know what happened last year, with the fire or with Margaret McCoy or with any of it?

  I take a deep breath and let the clean, cool mountain air fill my lungs. When I exhale, I feel more relaxed. Tomorrow, my daughter and my mom will be here. My mother will have fresh eyes on the situation and as usual, she’ll be able to counsel me. Tomorrow, things will make more sense.

  Chapter 24 - Ethan

  “You’re getting too close to her,” Aiden says to my back as I watch Zoe walk away. I turn around as anger flares up inside me, but I know he’s right. “She’s here because of the fire that you and Dominic and Bill Whittaker started. Remember, you and Dominic and the Sheriff? Felony arson?”

  “I fucking remember, Aiden,” I grumble. I glance back down the road to where Zoe disappeared and shake my head. “She’s okay. She doesn’t know anything.”

  “Yet,” Dominic corrects. “She doesn’t know anything yet.”

  He glances towards the house and I know he’s thinking about the newest visitor in town: Margaret McCoy. If anyone will be able to sniff out my weakness for Zoe, it’ll be her. And if anyone will want to exploit it, it’ll be her, too.

  After a fitful sleep and a long day, I’m just about ready to head over to Dominic’s house for dinner. He and Mara have invited Zoe and her family over for dinner. When I pull on a clean t-shirt, I take a deep breath and hesitate. Will Margaret be there?

  If she is, I don’t want to go. I grab my phone off the table, wanting to call Dominic and ask. My finger hovers over the ‘call’ button and I hesitate.

  I think of Zoe yesterday, as she paced the floor of my living room. I think of the way she melted into my arms when I wrapped them around her, and how worried she’s been about this promotion. My heart ached for her. Then, she came with me to Dominic’s house without hesitation.

  And now? Now I’m ready to let her down just because that woman is in town. I click my phone screen off and slip it in my pocket. If I want to be with Zoe, and I do want to be with her, I’m going to have to suck up my discomfort and face Margaret if she’s there.

  A thousand thoughts run through my head as I drive down Main Street towards the other end of town, where Dominic and Mara live. I glance in shop windows and at everyone walking by, trying to spot Margaret McCoy. If I see her somewhere else, it means she won’t be at dinner. When I pass the last building and turn off onto the long gravel drive to Dominic’s house, I shake my head.

  Get a grip.

  If she’s there, I’ll deal with it. Plus, there are no guarantees that she’ll be at dinner at all!

  I park my truck and jump out, scanning the cars that are parked outside. So far, I only see Dominic’s pickup, Mara’s car and Zoe’s rental. Things are looking positive so far, at least. I grab the pack of beer I brought from the passenger’s seat and head towards my brother’s house.

  The front door is unlocked, as usual. They live in a small, two-room house. It’s more of a cabin, really. Dominic, Mara, Zoe, a little girl and an older woman are all crowded near the back of the room, in the kitchen. Aiden, Maddy and their two children are on the couch. Mara is pointing.

  “We’ll build the second bedroom over here, so Hailey can have her own space. We’ve got so much room to build out, it just makes sense to add on to this house.”

  “It’s gorgeous here,” the older woman says. She sees me in the doorway and smiles. Her eyes are kind, and they crinkle at the corners as she turns towards me.

  “And this must be Ethan!” She exclaims with her arms outstretched. “Zoe, you never told me he was so handsome! The camera doesn’t do you justice, Ethan.

  A blush warms my cheeks and I glance at Zoe. Zoe grins.

  Before I know what’s happening, I’m being wrapped in a big hug. Zoe is laughing. “Ethan, this is my mother, Bernadette.”

  “Call me Bernie!” She says, holding me by the shoulders and looking into my eyes. She narrows her eyes and then nods, satisfied. “You got a good one, Zoe,” she says with conviction.

  I laugh. “You can tell that by just looking at me?”

  Bernie taps the side of her nose and winks. “Mother’s intuition.”

  Mara laughs. “I’m still waiting for mine to kick in,” she says, glancing at the baby sleeping in her cot in the corner of the room.

  “So am I,” Zoe says, putting her arm around the little girl. She gestures towards me. “Audrey, this is Ethan.”

  Audrey stares at me for a moment. “Are you my mom’s boyfriend?” She says the last word as if it leaves a sour taste in her mouth, scrunching her face and looking at me dubiously.

  “Audrey!” Zoe says, her eyes widening. She looks at me and mouths the word ‘Sorry!’

  I take a deep breath. I can relax. Yesterday was just a hiccup, and soon life will be back to normal. Mara takes Audrey by the hand and they start chopping something in the kitchen. Bernie grabs a bottle of wine from the counter and pours a few glasses, and we all slip into an easy conversation. Even Aiden looks relaxed, as if Margaret’s arrival yesterday didn’t worry him at all.

  My chest feels warm as Zoe sits down beside me on the couch. She snuggles into my shoulder and I put my arm around her, kissing her temple and breathing in the smell of her skin. I close my eyes for a second and let the happiness of this moment sink in.

  “So, Bernie,” I say, turning to the older woman. “What do you think of our little town?”

  “I think it would be the perfect place for a retiree like me,” she says, winking at Zoe. “Zoe thinks she can just move away, but she won’t get rid of me so easily!”

  Zoe laughs, and shakes her head. “Mom, if you moved here with us I would be over the moon. You know that.”

  “Well that’s settled, then,” Bernie says with finality. “All three of us are moving here. You’ll have to find me one of these sexy mountain men,” she adds, waving to my brothers and me. “I like them a bit older, of course, but this general look is quite alright with me.”

  “Mom!” Zoe exclaims, laughing.

  Mara joins in the laughter from the kitchen. “They’re hard to resist,” she says. “I tried to get away but I was dragged all the way back.”

  “Dragged!” Dominic exclaims, and everyone laughs again.

  It’s an easy evening. The past two months, Zoe and I have been stealing moments together, trying to ignore her inevitable departure from Lang Creek. This is the first time that we’ve been together with our families, and instead of feeling overwhelming, it feels incredibly good. I squeeze Zoe’s shoulder and she leans into me. I glance over at Audrey, busy in the kitchen with Mara, and for the first time in a long, long time, I feel like I have a family again.

  It’s not until I’m driving home with a full belly and a full heart that I realize how lonely I’ve been. Ever since my parents died over a decade ago, my brothers and I have been floating out here, on our own. I’ve watched them find their wives and loves and start families, and the gnawing envy inside me has grown.

  Now, happiness actually seems possible for me.

  As I pass the McCoy Hotel, I look up at the building. One of the lights in the top windows is on, and the curtain moves as I glance at it.

  Margaret McCoy appears in the window. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I squint my eyes up to see her more clearly.

  I can’t make out her face, but I know she’s watching me. She stays at the window as I drive down the road until I turn my head forward and try to shake the uneasy feeling away.

  The warmth in my heart is replaced with an ominous chill, and
the smile fades from my face. I tighten my hands over my steering wheel and press my foot down on the pedal, watching the road in front of me until the McCoy Hotel is out of sight.

  Chapter 25 - Zoe

  “Can I get some candy, Mom?” Audrey asks, turning her head up to look at me with pleading eyes. “Please?”

  I grin. “Fine. One piece. It’ll rot your teeth.”

  Audrey smiles and disappears into the corner store. I wait outside with my mother, watching my daughter through the shop window. She walks slowly along the wall of candy, inspecting her choices. I turn to my mom and shake my head.

  “She’s got me wrapped around her little finger,” I say with a smile.

  My mother laughs. “Welcome to motherhood,” she grins. “What do you think you were like when you were little?”

  I grin and shake my head. “I wasn’t that bad,” I answer, nodding towards the shop.

  “No,” she agrees. “You were worse.”

  I laugh and nudge my mom, who puts her arm around my shoulder and kisses my cheek. “Am I still allowed to kiss you even though you’re grown up?” She teases.

  I just glance at her and grin.

  Her eyes are sparkling and her skin looks brighter. Her cheeks are rosy, and I think she’s standing up straighter. I watch her take a deep breath and exhale with her eyes closed. She groans and shakes her head.

  “The air actually tastes good here,” she says, opening her eyes and looking at me. She shakes her head again.

  “I know,” I laugh. “I didn’t know that was possible. I wonder how much smog and pollution we’ve been breathing back home.”

  “Might not be ‘back home’ for long,” she grins. “Audrey seems to like it here.”

  “You seem to like it here.”

  She laughs. “I do, I have to admit it. It’s only been a couple days, but I could see myself living here.”

  A lot of people might balk at the idea of their mother moving to a small town with them, but the thought makes me smile. Audrey loves her, and it would break my heart to leave my mother in Seattle on her own.

  “I might miss the ocean, though,” she adds, glancing at the mountains. “I’ve lived on the west coast for the past forty years.”

  “I thought I would too, but I don’t,” I tell her, following her eyes to stare at the rough peaks that surround us. “It’s comfortable being here. I can’t explain it.”

  Audrey reappears with a full bag of candy in her hand. She’s got a gummy in her mouth and she grins at me.

  “Audrey!” I exclaim. “I said one piece of candy!”

  “It was a mystery bag! I couldn’t open it before I bought it!”

  I look at my daughter and shake my head. If anyone could find a loophole in what I say, it’s her. I sigh, but I can’t keep the grin from my face. She extends the bag to me and I hesitate and then laugh and take a piece of candy from the bag. “Thanks,” I say.

  “You’re welcome,” Audrey answers, skipping down the sidewalk as my mother and I exchange a glance.

  “Well hello there!” Comes a familiar voice. “What’s your name?”

  I look up and see a woman crouching in front of Audrey. Audrey proudly tells the woman her name and extends a sticky hand for her to shake. The woman glances up at me and I recognize her immediately. It’s Mrs. McCoy. Her eyes narrow and a strange smile appears on her lips.

  “Nice to meet you, Audrey,” she says, not looking at my daughter. “I know your mother.”

  Mrs. McCoy stands up and walks towards me. An icy chill passes down my spine, and I feel my mother stiffen beside me.

  “Welcome to Lang Creek,” Margaret McCoy says as she drags her eyes away from mine and looks at my mother. “I’m Margaret.”

  “Bernadette,” my mother answers. I notice she doesn’t tell Margaret to call her Bernie, which is unusual. I clear my throat.

  “How long are you in town?” I ask, trying to sound casual. Margaret swings those dark eyes back to me and smiles again. She takes a deep breath and shrugs before glancing back at Audrey. The look makes me want to throttle her right here, in full daylight on Main Street.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she says with a lazy wave of her hand. “I might end up staying for good. It’s nice to be home.”

  “Well, it was nice seeing you again,” I respond, making a move to walk around her.

  “And nice to meet you,” my mother adds, doing the same.

  “Yes. Nice to meet you too. Give my regards to Ethan,” she says. When she says Ethan’s name, it sounds like she spits it out with disgust. I look up to see her eyes flashing with anger. Her lip curls into a snarl and she lifts an eyebrow. “And congratulations on the promotion.”

  “I… right. Okay, thanks,” I stutter, shuffling past her.

  “Tell that boyfriend of yours not to start any more fires.”

  I turn around and stare at the woman as my jaw drops. A smug look appears on her face and she puts her hands on her hips. My mother pauses with me, looking back at the woman. I wonder if she can hear my heartbeat? It’s drumming in my chest and filling my ears with the sound of my pulse. Margaret McCoy is looking at me triumphantly and I take a deep breath.

  I want to ask her what she means by that. I want to ask her why she spat Ethan’s name with disgust. Alarm bells start going off in my head.

  He didn’t have anything to do with the fire. As long as I keep reminding myself of that, then all these small-town rumors about him won’t hold any weight. I close my mouth again and turn around, walking down the street without looking back.

  We walk in silence for a full block before my mother speaks.

  “Who was that?”

  “Mara’s mom,” I answer, not looking at my mother. I take a deep breath and try to let the crisp air of the mountains clean me after that interaction.

  “How did she know about your promotion? And she seemed to know who I was before I even said it.”

  I shake my head. “I don’t know. Ethan doesn’t like her.”

  “What did she mean about the fire?”

  I take a deep breath. “There’s a rumor that Ethan and his brothers started a fire here last year.” My mother grunts, and I look over to see her frowning.

  “The fire last year? The fire that’s the reason why you’re here?”

  “Yeah,” I reply. “That fire.”

  “The Ethan that I met yesterday? But he was so sweet!”

  “I don’t believe the talk!” I add. I glance at Audrey, who is over by a tree, watching a squirrel jump from branch to branch. In a low voice, I keep going. “Ethan told me they were just rumors, and I believe him.”

  My mother glances back towards Mrs. McCoy and then at me. She takes a deep breath and shakes her head.

  “I don’t like that woman,” she finally says.

  I laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “Me neither, Mom,” I say. “Me neither.”

  Chapter 26 - Ethan

  For the next week, it seems like everywhere I go, Margaret McCoy is there. I see her at the store, and at Harold’s Pub. I run into her when I visit Dominic, clutching his baby and shooting daggers with her eyes. I even see her on a trail by the river when I go out walking one evening.

  I just can’t get away from her.

  Every time I see her, my jaw clenches and I look away. She’ll stare at me with that gloating look of hers, and we won’t say a word to each other.

  She doesn’t have to speak, because her face says a thousand words.

  I know what you did, it says. And now I can hurt you with it.

  She knows that I care about Zoe. Everyone knows. It’s been obvious since the first day she walked into the office. Even if we’d wanted to hide our relationship, we wouldn’t have been able to.

  This morning, on my way to work, Margaret McCoy is at convenience store when I go in to grab a coffee before work.

  “Ethan Clarke,” she says, glancing at me as I walk up to the cash register. “Fancy seeing you here.”

  I look at
her and then up at the cashier. “Thanks, Ted,” I tell him with a nod. He grunts, and glances at Margaret.

  She’s still staring at me. I turn towards her, and suddenly the frustration of the past week is boiling over. I’m sick of seeing her face, jeering at me every time she sees me. I’m sick of feeling like I’m walking on eggshells. I’m sick of being scared of what she’ll say to Zoe… or what she’ll do.

  So in this moment, I’m mad. I stand up straight and stare at Mrs. McCoy, almost for the first time since she’s arrived.

  “What do you want, Margaret?” I spit. Her thin lips curl into a grin. For the first time, I notice the lines around her eyes and mouth, and the frizzy, greying hair on her head. Her eyes are sharp, but there’s an edge to her movements that I’ve never noticed before.

  Still grinning, she takes a step towards me and raises her eyebrows. She opens her mouth, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “I want to ruin your life, Ethan,” she snarls. “Just like you and your brothers ruined mine.”

  I snort. “You did that to yourself, Margaret. That had nothing to do with me.”

  “You ruined my marriage,” she spits.

  “You did that yourself, as well,” I say, a little louder. My heart is thumping. “You’re the one who was unfaithful to your husband. I had nothing to do with that. Do you know that he thanked my brothers and me? After you left and he recovered from the shock of finding out his wife had been cheating on him for years with my own father, he thanked me. What does that tell you?”

  Her mouth falls open in shock but she recovers quickly. “Your father didn’t seem to mind that I was cheating on my husband. But then again, he was reaping the rewards, wasn’t he? How does it feel to know your father was an adulterer?”

  “Fuck you, Margaret. Go back to the hole that you crawled out of and get out of my life.”

  I turn to leave and I hear her cackling behind me. “I’m only getting started, Ethan! We’ll see how much that little girlfriend of yours loves you when she finds out who you really are.”