Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Walker
When I opened my eyes, I looked around my darkened bedroom and blinked.
I was hot, so hot, and felt a lot of pressure on my chest. I immediately looked down and saw a beautiful woman sleeping there, and it all made sense.
But I didn’t mind. She was worth it. So worth it.
I wanted to wake up to her in my bed every day.
The urge to pee hit me sideways, and I tried to slink out of the bed without waking her, but it was damn near impossible.
She stirred in her sleep, and that was when I heard a buzzing noise.
It sounded like something vibrating. Was it her phone? I looked around the floor and the bed, but didn’t see it.
I managed to slide out of bed without waking her and quickly snuck away to the bathroom. When I came back with a clean pair of boxers on, I heard the noise again. It must be her phone. Mine was downstairs on the charger, the ringer silenced like always. Not that many people called me anyway.
Picking up Emilia’s sweater, I heard and felt the vibration and pulled her phone out, the name Mom flashing across the screen. Should I answer it? Or wait for Emilia to get it?
Without answering, I placed the phone down and walked over to her side of the bed, sitting down gently. I watched her sleep for a few moments, a serene look etched across her face. She looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake her. “Emilia?” I asked softly, but she didn’t stir. “Emilia?”
Nothing. The woman was out cold.
Her phone started vibrating again, and I wasn’t sure if I should answer it. But maybe her mom was worried. Didn’t she say she came here just to get some photos?
After a few more minutes of back and forth, I answered the call. “Hello?”
“Who the hell is this, and what have you done with my daughter?”
“Oh, hello, Emilia’s mom. It’s nice to meet you. I haven’t done anything to your daughter. She stumbled across my cabin, and now we can’t seem to be apart.”
“It’s Kate. Call me Kate. And what are you even talking about?”
“Meaning, I really like your daughter, ma’am. Could I borrow her for a few more days?”
“Are you being serious? Or is this a joke? Emilia! You better not be on this line!”
I chuckled. I need to put this woman out of her misery. “She showed up here taking pictures. I didn’t like the invasion of privacy at first, but we hit it off. Anyway, I answered the phone in case you were worried. I felt bad.”
“I was. Thank you. But what do you mean you hit it off? You two barely know each other.”
“Things on this mountain seem to move fast when it comes to love. Don’t understand it, just what I heard.”
“How so?”
I launched into a conversation about some of the lore around town, and before I knew it, an hour had gone by, and Emilia now sat up in bed, a very puzzled look on her face as she stared at me.
“Sorry, your mom called.”
Emilie’s face went as white as a ghost. “My mother? You’re talking to my mother right now?”
“I didn’t want her to worry more when she kept calling.”
“Hi, sweetie!” Kate called. “I love your new boyfriend! I approve!”
Emilia groaned, pulled the covers over her head, and lay back down.
I said my goodbyes to Kate and climbed into bed, snuggling up against Emilia’s back. “I’m sorry.” I kissed her shoulder. “Moms worry. You know that.”
She rolled over and faced me. “Beckett…” She wouldn’t meet my eyes. Uh-oh. Here it came. The breaking up part, the shattering of my heart part. “I had fun, but you know this is only temporary, right?”
Crack. “How can you say that? You told me there was no one else for you.”
“I know, but realistically, how would we work? I live over an hour away. I don’t come by here often.”
“You wouldn’t want to move here? Move in with me?”
Emilia let out a whoosh of breath. “I can’t uproot my whole life overnight. And my mom…”
“What about your mom?”
Emilia sighed and pulled out of my arms, scrambling into a sitting position. “There are a few things I haven’t told you yet. I didn’t want to spoil the mood, I guess.”
“Okay…” I said cautiously.
“I still live with my mom. She raised me her whole life as a single mom. Never had a dad. I can’t leave her behind, won’t leave her behind. Not when she has dedicated her whole life to me.”
“So, we’ll move her here, with us.”
“You act like it’s so simple. We have lives there, Beckett.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I should be more considerate. But why…” I sighed and shook my head. “Never mind.”
“What? Just ask it already.”
“Why kiss me if you knew this couldn’t go anywhere?”
She eyed me suspiciously, a teasing gleam in her eye. “And miss the opportunity to have sex with you? Have you seen yourself?”
I burst into laughter, a deep, bone-shaking laughter, and I pulled her close to me, resting my chin atop her head. “I don’t think I can let you go, Emilia. You’re the first person who’s made me feel alive again.”
“I’m so sorry, Beckett. For whatever you went through.”
“Thank you. Life hasn’t been easy. My dad died unexpectedly when I was only eight years old. My mom took off, and my grandparents took me in. I love them so much. But eventually, their health took a turn, and they both died within a year of each other. They left this cabin to me.”
“Oh, Beckett. I had no idea.” Emilia leaned back and kissed me gently. “I’m sorry for your pain.”
“It’s why I’m grumpy and like to be left alone. But you…you turn me inside out. And I can’t let you go.”
She smiled sadly. “I wish I could stay. But I can’t. I hope you’ll understand.”
But I didn’t. I didn’t understand.
And two days later, when she finally managed to escape my bed, she left town and took my heart with her.
“Not right now, T.” I scooted my cat away, not in the mood for any love.
My girl was gone, and she wasn’t coming back.
I knew I shouldn’t have trusted my heart.
Here I was. A broken mess once again.
It had been one week. A whole week, and my heart still hurt as much as the day she left. I loved the girl; that much was true. And I didn’t see that changing anytime soon.
A chime rang through my cabin, and I stood from my recliner in my den. I never had visitors. Who could it be?
My heart lifted, unable to hold back hope that it could be her.
Maybe…just maybe…
I swung the door open, and there she stood, accompanied by an older woman who very much resembled her.
“Emilia!” I choked her name out, pulled her into my arms, and kissed the crap out of her, pouring all of my love from the past week into her.
When we broke apart, she laughed along with her mom. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t live without you.”
“Good. You don’t have to.”
“By the way, this is my mom, Kate. We’re sort of a package deal.”
“Hi Kate, nice to meet you. I’m Beckett. And if you’re a package deal, then a package deal is what I’ll take. As long as I have my girl.”
“I love you, Beckett.”
“I love you more, Emilia. Forever and ever.”