Epilogue
“You built this?”
I turn around trying to take everything in.
We are in a cabin up in the mountains. But it’s not a normal cabin.
A round door, built into a mountain, and everywhere there are wood features to be admired.
Wood carved to look like vines. A curved wooden roof.
The fireplace is a masterpiece. And a round window that looks out over the valley below.
The four posted king bed is wood carved and features vines and leaves.
All of it beautiful. All of it giving Lord of the Ring, Hobbit vibes.
It is truly like something out of a fairy book.
“I built this one for me. And there are two others for my brothers. All with eco-friendly features. It’s what I do now, I like to build things that fit in with nature, things that are good for the environment. But I only take on projects that I want to work on. Stuff that inspires my imagination.”
I shake my head in amazement.
“And over here, I made this desk for you.”
I mentioned in passing that, having spent so much time on my own as a kid, that I liked to make up my own little stories.
Ridge had suggested I might like to try writing.
Maybe kids books. Or maybe a fantasy novel.
It’s nice to know that he is supportive of whatever I want to do.
And that he had gone to the trouble to build me a desk, to set up my own space.
“We can live here if you like it.” Ridge smiles.
“Or I can build us something at the lake if you want to live there and be near your Aunt. And we can buy her a house if that’s what she wants too.
Or something in town. Whatever you like.
I thought we might live here for the summer and live by the lake in spring and fall and maybe in town in winter.
Or when we have kids you might prefer to be in one spot. ”
“You really don’t mind where we live?” I ask.
He walks towards me with that smile that says he is thinking about kissing me. “I don’t care as long as I am with you. I never really felt like I fit in anywhere. But I fit with you. Anywhere I am with you, that’s where I am happy.”
I pull him to me. Standing on tippy toes to plant my lips to his.
He pulls me in close. Taking over the kiss.
His hands roaming over my body. I never thought I could feel so loved.
I will always be grateful to his family for trying to set him up.
They all say it worked out just as they planned.
That they organized it all - Summer for the Mountain Man.
But I think we would have found a way to each other.
A love like this always finds a way. And that’s what I’ll be telling my kids when we have them. That love always finds a way.
* * * * *
Thank you so much for reading Summer for the Mountain Man.