My Mountain Man Recluse: A Grumpy Sunshine Age Gap Romance

16. Izzie

Icould hardly eat any of the chicken pasta I threw together for Dad. My stomach feels heavy, and my entire body weary.

I sit on the couch in Dad’s living room with my legs tucked up under myself.

Dad reads a paper in the armchair while I scroll through my phone, catching up on the last two days. Only it doesn’t comfort me like it usually does.

All I can think about is Jagger and how he couldn’t look me in the eye when I left. My chest hurts, and even the steady stream of social media can’t mask the pain.

I was sure we shared something special. I could feel it between us. But I guess Jagger does just see me as his best friend’s daughter. I was stupid to think we could be anything more to each other.

“You want a hot chocolate, Izzie?” Dad looks better for having had a shower and some food. He looks himself again.

“Sure.”

He goes into the kitchen to make the hot drinks, and I hear a knock on the door and then voices in the entryway.

It’s not unusual for people to call on Dad. He’s like a father figure to half the guys in the fire department and respected around town.

So I don’t think anything of it until the door to the living room opens and Jagger comes through looking agitated. Minty pushes past him and burrows her head into my lap.

I stroke the dog all the while looking at Jagger. My heart races at the sight of him, windswept and handsome.

“Says he want to talk to you?” Dad frowns. “Everything okay?”

Dad looks between us, and his frown deepens. “Did something happen that I need to know about?”

I keep my eyes on Jagger, silently pleading with him to tell my dad. To tell him there’s something between us.

“Can you give us a minute, Landon?”

Dad grunts and reluctantly heads back to the kitchen. As soon as he’s out of earshot, Jagger falls to his knees in front of me.

“Izzie, I’ve been a fucking idiot.” Minty yelps as if agreeing with him.

“You asked me why I retreated to the mountain, and I never told you. It’s because of you, Izzie.”

My heart races at his confession. I watch Jagger carefully, hardly daring to breathe.

“I came back, and you were a grown woman. A woman I had feelings for.”

He runs a hand through his hair. “But you were Landon’s daughter and off to college. I stopped coming to visit when you were home because I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you ever since I left the military.”

The words rush out of his mouth, and he takes my hands in his. “I couldn’t bear to be around you knowing I couldn’t have you.”

“But why couldn’t you have me?” My voice comes out as a squeak.

“Because you’re so young. You’re away at college, you’re bright and bubbly, and I’m a miserable old man. You deserve better than me, and I tried to stay away. But the last few days, in my cabin…” He trails off, and his eyes search mine.

“If you don’t want to be with me, I understand, but I can’t let you go without telling you how I feel. You’re the sunshine to my rain. You’re the light in my darkness. You’re the only human being I can imagine sharing a cabin with. And I want to share a cabin with you for the rest of our days.”

I’m shaking as I take his hands in mine, and happy tears run down my cheeks.

“You are stupid. Do you think I care about your age? I love you, Jagger. You’re the only one who sees through me. You’re the only one who really sees me.”

He takes my cheeks in his hands and pulls me into a kiss. It’s slow and delicious and feels so right.

The sound of the door opening has me springing backwards on the couch.

“What the fuck?” Dad thunders from the doorway.

Jagger stands up slowly and rests a hand on my shoulder. “I love your daughter.”

He seem to grow taller at the admission. I stand up next to him and take his hand in mine. Together we face my father.

“Is this a fucking joke?” Dad’s holding a tray of hot drinks, and the tray shakes as his hands tremble. Teaspoons rattle against the crockery.

“No.” Jagger squares his shoulders. “I love Izzie, and I’m going to marry her.”

A gasp escapes my lips, and I turn to Jagger. He looks down at me with a warm smile. His eyes dance with a lightness that wasn’t there a few days ago.

“If she’ll have me,” he adds.

I squeal like a schoolgirl and throw my arms around his neck. “Yes, yes yes!”

There’s the thump of the drinks tray being plunked down on the table so hard that hot liquid sloshes out of the cups.

I hold my breath as my gaze takes in Dad’s face. His expression is hard and unreadable.

“How long has this been going on?” he asks quietly.

“Since the storm,” I say. “Nothing happened before then.”

“You’re stuck together for three days and you think you’re in love? It takes more than that to build a marriage on.”

“We’ve known each other my entire life,” I add.

But he’s not yelling, so a kernel of hope unfurls in my stomach.

“It’s what I want, Dad.” I cross the room and put my hand on his arm.

His gaze shifts to mine and softens.

“You’re not leaving your studies,” he says.

“But I can do them remotely.”

“No,” Jagger and Dad both say at once. They share a look, and Jagger speaks.

“You need to be hands on to be a nurse. You have to finish college.”

I raise my eyebrows, because now I’ve got two men bossing me around. But I can’t help the smile that crosses my face. Two men who love me in different ways, who both want the best for me.

“Fine,” I say. “I finish my studies, but we get married before.”

Dad narrows his eyes but nods.

“Does this mean we have your blessing?” Jagger asks.

Dad frowns at him. “I need a fucking drink.”

He leaves the room to fetch a bottle. Jagger takes me in his arms, and I press my head against his chest.

Dad will come around to the idea. And even if he doesn’t, there’s nothing that could keep me away from my mountain man.