Her Mountain Hero

by Jaymes, Holly

  He turned away for a moment and swore, indicating he knew I was talking about him.

  “I understand why you did what you did, though,” I said.

  “If I’d made you feel betrayed, or hurt to your core, I’m sorry, Hope.”

  Hurt to my core? I shook my head. “I’ve been bitter, but not to my core. If I was, I wouldn’t be here.”

  He nodded.

  “They hurt you to your core?” I dared to ask.

  He took another sip of juice, and for a minute I thought he wasn’t going to answer. “Greg was my right-hand man and a good friend. I was the tech smarts, and he was the business. It was my company, but I paid him well for his expertise. When I went public, he was going to get a significant share of the stock.” He blew out a breath. “At the time, I remembered feeling like my life was coasting along pretty well. I had a multi-million-dollar business and…” He looked at me. “A fiancé.”

  Surprise rocked through me. “You planned to get married?” How had I not heard that?

  “Her name was Gwen. She was smart, successful in her own career. We’d dated for a long time,” he said.

  “You wanted to spend your life with her.”

  He shrugged. “It just seemed like the thing to do. I was doing all the necessary prep to take the company public. Life was ticking along. At least I thought so.” He shook his head. “Then one day I found Greg fucking Gwen in my bed.”

  “Oh…wow.”

  “I’d taken a business trip and had finished sooner than I thought, so I decided to come home early. I didn’t call because I thought I’d surprise her. But the surprise was on me.” He dug the heels of his hands in his eye sockets like he wanted to get rid of the image of his fiancé and business partner out of his head.

  “She’s an idiot.”

  He looked at me. “You’re biased.”

  “That doesn’t mean I’m wrong. I know they hurt you, but thank goodness you found out before you married.”

  He nodded. “Or given him a significant part of my company.”

  I leaned forward. “When you sold the company, they got nothing, right?” It seemed like the best revenge.

  “He got a pink slip. She got to keep the ring.”

  I reached across the table and put my hand over his. “I’m sorry, Mitch.”

  “As they say, shit happens.”

  “Did Parker know about this?” I asked.

  “I told him.” He looked down in a way that made me think there was more to the story.

  “But what?” I prodded.

  He inhaled a breath. “A part of me wondered if he knew before, about Gwen. I think he would have told me.”

  “Of course he would. Why would you think otherwise?”

  He shrugged. “He didn’t seem surprised when I told him about it.” He shook his head and waved his hand. “You’re right, he would have said something. I’m not sure he liked her, and it was probably relief I noted.” He clapped his hands together. “But you’re here to plan your business. What do you need from me?” Apparently, he wanted to change the subject.

  I sat back. “Nothing. I just need to actually get to work.”

  “I’ll do the dishes and give you some time.” He stood.

  “Let me do them, Mitch. I need to earn my keep.” I smiled, wanting to bring the happier Mitch back.

  “We’ll do them together.”

  When we finished, I went to my room and hunkered down. I opened my sketchbook and began to draw ideas for fashionable, yet functional outdoor wear and accessories, such as hats and scarves. I’d need to research the best fabrics that were pretty, yet durable and served their purpose, whether that was to keep warm or dry.

  “Hope?” I heard Mitch’s voice as he approached. “Earth to Hope.”

  I looked at my watch. It was just past noon. I’d gotten several hours of sketching done, but no business planning.

  “How’s the work going,” he asked.

  I held up a sketch. “What do you think?”

  He studied my ideas. “You’re right, you can look fashionable in the mountains.”

  I grinned pleased that he saw my vision. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I have something I want to show you if you can take a minute.”

  “Sure.” I was ready for a break.

  “Follow me.”

  I followed him back to the main house and down another hall to a staircase. “Up here.”

  At the top of the stairs was a large open room with windows all along one side where bright light filled the room. Against a wall, there were several artists canvases, some painted on, and others blank. Near the window as a large desk that looked like something an artistic or cartoonist would use. Next to the artist’s desk was a long table, and another long table was against the short wall.

  “What is this?” I asked.

  “It started as a gym until I built the other one. During my art phase, I painted, but now I thought you might want to use it. It has light for your sketching. If you need to make samples, you could put a sewing machine on one of the other tables. It didn’t appear you brought one, so I’ve arranged for one to be sent up. You’ll need to order the fabric though.”

  Warmth flowed through me that he’d think of all this. Gwen was a royal idiot for letting a man like Mitch go.

  “You don’t need this space?” I walked over to the artist table. There were pencils and pens already there.

  “I haven’t used it in over a year. It’s yours while you’re here, if you want it.”

  “Mitch, it’s perfect.” I walked up to him and without thinking of the wisdom what I was doing, I flung my arms around him, kissing him hard.

  He groaned, and his arms came around me. “I like how you say thank you.” Even so, he stepped back slightly, and I saw concern in his eyes. “There’s something else, and I’m not sure what you’ll think.”

  Feeling a little exposed at having been so open with my feelings, I stepped back too.

  “I enjoyed last night. A lot.”

  “Me too,” I said, wondering where this was going.

  “I’d like to do it again.”

  I simply stared at him, waiting for him to say what he had to say.

  “The thing is, Hope, I’m not someone to get attached to. I can’t do that again.”

  I knew what he was telling me, and it made me sad for him. Mitch was a man who deserved love and a happily ever after. Gwen stole that from him.

  He blew out a breath. “I feel like I’m going to come off as a fucking douche, but what I’m saying is that while you’re here, I’d like it if you stayed in the main house. Using this room and at night, and using my room. With me.”

  “While I’m here,” I repeated as his request filtered through my brain. He wanted a short term, no-strings affair.

  “Yes. And if you say no, which maybe you should, you can still use this room. It’s not a condition of what I’m asking for.”

  “So, you want me to sleep with you and work in here.”

  He winced. “Yes.”

  I shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

  His brows drew together like he hadn’t expected my answer.

  I laughed. “Mitch, I enjoyed last night too, and while I’m not as averse to relationships as you are, I’m not looking for one nor will have the time for one when I build my business.”

  He didn’t look quite as relieved as I’d have thought. “Parker still can’t know.”

  “Why not?” I didn’t feel like it was Parker’s business, but I was curious about Mitch’s thoughts.

  “He’s my friend, and I don’t think he’d like it. I just told you how a betrayal by a good friend and my fiancé changed the course of my life. I don’t want to do that to him.”

  In my mind, my sleeping with my brother’s friend wasn’t the same as Mitch’s situation, but I could see it was important to him.

  “I don’t kiss and tell, even to Parker.”

  “Okay. Good.” He stepped up to me again.
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br />   “Can I say thank you now?” I teased him.

  “If you must,” he grinned at me.

  I thanked him by getting naked and pulling him to the floor.

  Mitch—Making the Most of a Month

  Mitch

  I was relieved beyond belief not just that Hope agreed to my no-strings fling, but also that she didn’t get offended or angry. What I’d asked for was wrong in so many ways. The proposal itself was crazy, but telling her I wasn’t relationship material the day after I’d spent the night naked with her put me at risk of being as bad as I’d been nine years ago. Next I asked her to lie to her brother. It was bad enough I was lying to him, but to ask her to do it was just wrong.

  Even so, I was thrilled she agreed. I enjoyed my life, but she was right in that sometimes it was a lonely existence. There were times I missed the company and intimacy of a woman. After she thanked me on the floor of the studio, I helped her move her work items in, and then brought her suitcases to my room.

  I left her to work on her business while I went to my office on the lower floor and took care of some freelance work I was doing for my brother Will. Late afternoon, I poured a glass of wine for each of us and brought it up to her.

  “How’s it going?” I asked.

  She sighed from behind her computer. “Okay.”

  “Just okay?” I handed her the wine.

  “Oh, wine break, good idea.” She sat back in her chair. I looked at her screen on which she had some sort of graphic design program.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “I just wish my program was easier to use.” She opened her web browser. “See this fabric? I’d like to test how it would look on this design.” She returned to her graphic program. “But I can’t copy the pattern.”

  “Do you make your own patterns?”

  “Sometimes. Also, I can’t seem to get the ribbing along the sleeves like I want in this program. But,” she continued. “I have made some progress on my business plan. In my SWOT I’ve discovered I have a lot of W and not enough S.”

  I frowned. “I don’t believe it. You have plenty of strengths, and all businesses have weaknesses before they start.”

  She turned to me. “I’ve never run a business. The industry is crowded. I’m not in New York. My ideas aren’t that unique. Those are all pretty big weaknesses. Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  I hate how defeated she looked. “Do you love it?” I nodded toward her drawn sketches.

  “I have to make a living, Mitch. It doesn’t matter if I love it.”

  “That’s not true. Making a living doing what you love makes all the difference.”

  “You don’t. You walked away from your passion.”

  I tried not to take the comment as a barb, although it did poke at me. “My situation is different. I don’t have to make a living, and I still do some work. Besides, what would you do instead?”

  “I could go to New York and get a job with another designer. I could learn more about the business of it before starting my own.”

  The idea of her being so far away bothered me, which was crazy because it’s not like we ever saw each other when she was in Virginia.

  “How long are you willing to put off your dream, Hope? Are you going to give your ideas to another designer in the meantime?”

  She sagged in her chair.

  “Do you need investors? Is it the money? Because I’ll help.”

  “I don’t want your money, Mitch.” She stood, and I realized I’d offended her.

  “It’s not a handout. Even I needed financial help when I really got my business going.”

  “You could lose your money.” She stood by the window looking out over the Blue Ridge.

  “I’ve got money to lose, but I don’t think I will. I believe in you.”

  She gave me a wan smile.

  “But you need to believe in you too. Why don’t you show me your plan? Maybe I can help.”

  Thankfully, Hope rallied and let me see what she had. Some of her self-doubts showed up in the document, but I also saw her creativity and uniqueness. I really wanted to see her get her dream, and so I spent the next few days helping her with her plan, pushing her to expand her ideas and goals.

  When I wasn’t helping her, I was at my computer, working on a program that would help her bring her creations to life.

  At night, she was in my bed, and I made sure to take advantage of her warm, sweet body. It had been a long time since I’d gone to bed and woken up with a woman beside me. I savored it even as I reminded myself not to get too used to it. This was a short-term thing. When the month was done, she’d be back to city life, building her dream, and I’d be here, back to my regular life.

  On Sunday, I prepared to head to my mother’s house. I wanted to invite Hope but knew that would be problematic. Who knew what my family would read into it, and what could get back to Parker?

  “You’ll be okay here for a few hours?”

  She nodded as she sat on the deck with a fashion magazine. “Yes, Mitch. Go have dinner with your family. I’m going to eat something, call my parents, and then probably call it a night.”

  “I want you to come but—”

  “I get it, Mitch and I feel the same. I like that what happens here in your magnificent home in the woods stays in your magnificence home in the woods.”

  I didn’t like it. “I can leave Duke here if you’d be more comfortable.”

  “Mitch,” she said with humor in her voice. “Take your dog and visit your mother.”

  I laughed. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Duke and I loaded up into the SUV and headed down the mountain, and east toward my mother’s home. As usual, as the area became more populated, I began to tense, and when I hit traffic, I wanted to turn around and head back home. Back to Hope.

  I was the second son to arrive as Nate and Hallie were already there.

  “Hey Mitch,” Hallie gave me a hug and then patted Duke. Duke soaked up the attention and then headed out to the backyard to play with my mother’s dog, George. “Nate will be so glad you’re here.”

  I smirked. “Only because I can grill.”

  “That’s exactly right,” Nate said, handing me a beer. “How are things in the woods?”

  I thought of Hope keeping me warm at night and filling my days. “Good.” I walked with them to the kitchen where my mother was cutting fruit.

  “Mitch.”

  I kissed my mother on the cheek. “Mom. That looks delicious.”

  “Thank you. I know your brother will want you to grill. The chicken is in the fridge. I had the tanks of the grill filled this week.”

  “I’ll take care of it,” I assured her.

  “Can you start before Will gets here?” Gabe said, entering the kitchen, followed by Samantha carrying little Annabelle.

  I gave my niece a kiss on the forehead, feeling a tinge of regret that I’d never had a little person like this in my life. I’d have to shower all my parental love on my nieces and nephews, assuming Nate and Hallie ever had kids.

  “Hello to you too, Gabe.” I teased. “Sam, you look radiant as always.”

  “Thank you, Mitch.” She tilted her head. “You look happy too. Has something changed?”

  “Nope.” They didn’t need to know about Hope.

  I grabbed the chicken and headed out back to fire up mom’s grill. My brother’s desire to have me do the grilling was appropriate, as my brother Will was terrible at it. As the oldest, he’d taken on the role of the patriarch when my father died, but when it was clear he couldn’t grill to save his life, I’d worked to take over those duties.

  “How’s things?” Will said as he joined me on the deck.

  “Cookin’.” I lit the grill and then closed the lid to let it heat up. I sat with my beer in one of the chairs on the deck next to Will.

  The sound of laughter came from the house.

  “Do you ever feel outnumbered?” Will ask with a glance to the house.

  “Outnumbered?”
I sipped my beer.

  “Growing up, it was five boys and one girl. When dad died, it was still four boys and mom. Now it’s three girls, four, if you count Annabelle and four of us.”

  I laughed. “You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

  “Whatever got Gabe and Nate, I hope I don’t get it.” Will shivered.

  “You mean love?”

  “Yep.” Will pointed his beer bottle toward me. “You and I have to stick together.”

  I clicked his bottle with mine to show my solidarity. While I was happy for Gabe and Nate, my feelings of love mirrored Will’s. I had good reason to distrust it.

  “Gabe I get. He was always into Sam. But Nate, that came out of left field,” Will said. “I’ll be honest, he’s the last guy I’d ever think would have married, aside from me.”

  “So, you think I’m the marrying type?” I asked.

  “Well, at one time, you were.”

  True. But not anymore. “I learned my lesson.”

  “Bitch of a lesson.”

  I couldn’t agree more. My brothers and the ladies came out of the house with snacks. I stood to give Hallie my chair and returned to my post at the grill.

  “Mitch, guess who I ran into the other day,” my mother said, sitting under the umbrella at the table shucking corn.

  “Who?” I said, opening the grill to start putting the chicken on.

  “Clare Caldwell.”

  My hand stilled for a moment at the mention of Hope’s mother. “Oh.”

  “You know, I think there’s a problem with her husband’s business.”

  “I’ve heard that too,” Will said.

  I shrugged.

  “You haven’t heard anything about it from Parker?” my mother asked.

  I shook my head. “No.” That wasn’t a lie. Parker hadn’t told me about his dad’s business troubles.

  “Well, I suppose it’s a difficult thing to talk about. She said Hope was going to start her own business. In fact, she’s supposed to be up your way. Have you seen her?” my mother asked.

  My head scrambled to figure out what to say. I didn’t want to lie, and yet, I couldn’t admit that Hope was staying at my house, could I?

  “She’s using the extension,” I said. That had been true when she first got there. Still, I needed to make sure that whatever I said didn’t come back to bite me. My mother’s trust was important to me.