Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21159 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
“So, Mr. Mountain Man,” I say, flirtatiously. “What’s a big, handsome guy like you doing way up here in the woods all by himself?”
As if I’ve pressed a button or squeezed a trigger, Tyson rockets up from his chair, causing his plate to slam down on the table and nearly knocking his glass in the process. I yelp as it scares me and causes me to nearly jump out of my chair at the same time.
“Why don’t you stick to what you’ve got to do and mind your own business?” he growls, going back to his boots and his poncho.
Before I can even catch my breath or react, he slams the door behind him and is back outside in the rain. Moments later, I hear the sound of the axe again, rhythmic chops from the blade splitting wood.
What the hell was that?
6
TYSON
I wake up on the couch feeling like an asshole. I shouldn’t have snapped at her like that yesterday, but she pushed the wrong button, and I reacted. So to make up for it, I gave her the bed.
I get up and notice the rain has mostly stopped. It looks like today will be the day that Penny will demand I take her home. A hollow feeling forms in my stomach when I think about leading her down the mountain and hiking back up here on my own.
I climb the stairs, expecting to find Penny still asleep in bed. Instead, I find her already awake and standing naked by the window. She turns and sees me, and for a moment I see a look flash across her face as she contemplates leaping back into bed to cover herself. But when she realizes I’ve seen it all before, she stands right in place where she is, almost defiantly, allowing my eyes to drink in the beauty of every inch of her curves. She really is unbelievably sexy.
“Looks like I was up before you this morning,” she says.
“Uh, no,” I lie in an attempt to save face. “I was just going to let you shower before me.”
She’s clearly not buying it and gives me a look up and down, then nods. “Uh huh.”
She steps past me and goes over to her clothes, which she picks up and then tosses back down on the bed. “You know, if I don’t get something new to wear soon, I’m gonna feel like I’m living on the streets–”
“Listen,” I interrupt. “I apologize for yesterday. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. It was wrong of me.”
Penny stops and turns around. I can see the need for what I’m saying in her eyes. She was more than likely going to just let what happened yesterday go and be the better person, but now that I’ve brought it up, her entire demeanor has shifted. She shakes her head warmly.
“It’s all right–”
“No, it’s not,” I reply, taking her hand in mine. “I was a total dick, and I apologize. And if you accept my apology, I have the world’s greatest joke to tell you.”
“The world’s greatest joke?” she asks, cocking her head to the side.
“That’s right,” I reply. “But only if you accept my apology.”
A tiny smile curls across her lips. She pretends to think about this for a moment, then nods. “Okay. I accept your apology. Now let’s hear it.”
I take a power stance, as though I legitimately am about to lay the world’s greatest joke on her. I can see she’s already trying hard not to smile.
“Do you know why the banana got arrested?” I ask.
Her smile broadens. “No, why?”
“I don’t know,” I reply. “But I’m pretty sure he will get out on a peel.”
Penny instantly bursts out laughing and covers her mouth with her hand. She spins around and tries not to let me see her giggling, but somehow that only makes her even cuter.
Thank God this went over well and she’s not still angry with me from yesterday.
“A peel!” She snorts. “I get it!”
“Not bad, right?” I smile.
Still smiling, she nods and gives me a thumbs up. “The pinnacle of dad-jokes, but somehow that’s why I love it.”
I feel so comfortable around her. Like she’s been living here for months already. For so long now, home has meant this cabin. Home has meant this mountain and these woods. But now, I can see home meaning something else entirely.
I can see home meaning Penny.
“There’s a reason I snapped at you last night, and I want to tell you why,” I start to say, but Penny raises her hand to stop me.
“It’s okay, Tyson. If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”
“No, I do,” I reply. I can’t believe I’m going here with her, but I am. “Come on, let’s go outside. But you might want to throw some clothes on first.”