Mountain Man’s Accidental Surprise Page 14

  I heard another motor and thought the return was awfully fast.

  Almost too fast.

  I scanned the horizon, searching for the boat, and when I saw it, a smile spread across my face. Teddy wasn’t behind the wheel; Sam and Eli were rushing through the water to get me.

  I waved my arms until they steered the boat in my direction, and before long, they were parked beside the building.

  “What happened to you?” Sam asked as I climbed aboard the boat.

  “I could ask you the same question,” I said. “Where’s your truck?”

  “It’s just on the other side of this mess.”

  “In the mountains?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good, take me there. I need to find Emmy,” I said.

  Sam steered the boat away from the building and toward the higher ground.

  “Care to tell me what happened? One minute you were behind me, the next you were gone,” I said.

  “We got separated at one point, and when I drove over the dam, I knew it wouldn’t be long before it gave out. So we swung by the dock and picked up the boat because I knew Teddy would need help with the rescue efforts. Didn’t think I’d be rescuing my own brother, though.”

  “Where’s Mason?”

  “He’s helping the medics with injuries.”

  “Good. Take me to your truck,” I said. “I have to save Emmy.”

  Ooo000ooo

  I drove Sam’s truck along the mountain road that Emmy most likely traveled to get to safety. I told Sam and Eli to go back on the boat - Liberty needed them. Normally I’d be out there with them, but I had Emmy to save first.

  Please let her be safe, I prayed to myself. Please let her be safe. Please let me find her.

  I rounded the corner and the view from the mountains was astounding. Up ahead, there was a lookout point. I knew it well - it offered a beautiful view of the town. I wondered what there was to see now.

  My truck, for one thing, I thought, frowning. Someone was standing next to it, but it wasn’t Emmy.

  I skidded to a stop right behind it, not caring if I was blocking the road. I was out of the truck before it even came to a full stop.

  “Emmy!” I cried out, running to the driver’s side. The truck was empty.

  The elderly woman was staring at me. She was wringing her hands, and she looked scared and confused.

  “Do you know where the driver of this truck went?”

  “Who?” the woman asked.

  “The driver. Her name is Emmy.”

  “Emmy? I don’t know no Emmy,” the woman said, shaking her head.

  “How did you get here?” I asked.

  “Well, she drove me. Said we were picking up my grandkids,” the woman told me. She frowned. “Where did she go?”

  “Yes, where did she go?”

  “Who?”

  “The driver of this truck, the woman who drove you here.”

  “Oh, yes. Emilia. What a beautiful name,” she commented, a smile on her face.

  “Emilia, yes. Where did she go?”

  The woman pondered my question for a few moments, then her face lit up. She held up her finger and said, “That’s right. She left with a man.”

  “A man?”

  “Yes, they went that way,” she said, pointing in the direction I was headed. “Do you think they went to pick up my grandkids and bring them here? I really need to make them lunch…”

  A car headed toward Liberty slowed down to drive around my truck, and I rushed to the passengers, calling to them. “Hey! You can’t go that way. There’s nothing left down there,” I said. “It’s all under water.”

  The driver rolled down his window. “I’m a medic and she’s a nurse,” he said. “We’re headed down to help.”

  “There’s nothing that way. I’d head back where you came from and call the sheriff’s office, see where they’re meeting.”

  “Thanks, man,” the guy said, waving.

  “Wait a second. This woman needs to be taken to safety,” I told them. “Can you see to it that she’s taken care of?”

  “Of course,” the medic said. The woman next to him got out of the car. She had a friendly face and was probably not much younger than the elderly woman herself. She walked over to her and started talking to her.

  “Thanks, I have to go,” I said. Emmy was last seen with a man. I didn’t have a good feeling about this.

  I hopped back into Sam’s truck and went in the direction the woman had pointed.

  He has her, I thought to myself. That bastard has her.

  And I was going to get her back.

  Ooo000ooo

  I’d driven a few miles down the road when I caught sight of something off to the side. I slowed down, unsure if what I was seeing was right. A black car was at the bottom of a ravine. It had driven off the road and hit a tree head on.

  The car was a black BMW, just the type of car someone like Antonio would drive.

  I stopped alongside the road and made sure I had a gun on my hip before getting out of the truck.

  My heart stopped when I saw the wreckage. There was no movement, nothing from the car. I rushed toward it and stopped at the passenger side, glancing inside.

  The driver was unconscious or dead - I couldn’t tell which. Nor did I care.

  Because Emmy was in the backseat.

  “Emmy, it’s me. Can you hear me?”

  A muffled voiced answered. “Graham, is that you?”

  “Yes, baby. It’s me. I’m going to get you out of there.”

  I tried to open the back door, but it wouldn’t budge. So I went for the passenger side in the front and it opened. I climbed into the mangled car and leaned into the backseat.

  “Can you remove your seatbelt?” I asked her.

  She didn’t answer. I leaned closer until I found the buckle and released it. Emmy’s eyes opened briefly.

  “The baby… I don’t know if—”

  “Shh, it’s going to be okay. One thing at a time,” I said. “We have to get you out first.”

  I managed to get her free from the seatbelt and carefully moved her to the front seat with me, then out of the car. She laid on the ground, in my lap, her eyes opening and closing. She kept trying to speak, but she made little sense.

  There was some blood on her forehead, dripping into her eyes. I wiped that away as I reached for my phone.

  “We’re going to get help for you,” I said softly. I dialed 9-1-1 but found the signal was busy. I tried again. Busy signal.

  Dammit. They were overwhelmed right now. A town the size of Liberty wasn’t used to disasters like this. They were unprepared for it.

  I heard the sound of a car and looked around. The medic and his wife were heading in our direction. They were both medical professionals and could help Emmy.

  They slowed down when they saw my truck, and I called out to them. The woman was out of the car and hurrying toward us, followed by the man.

  “Help is here,” I whispered to Emmy. “You’re going to be okay.”

  “What happened?” the nurse asked as she reached my side. “Is anyone else in the car?”

  “Yes, the driver,” I said, and the medic ran past us to the car.

  The rest was a blur, but I heard the medic yell, “He’s dead.”

  “Antonio’s dead?” Emmy muttered.

  “Yes, darlin’, he is,” I said. “You’re going to be alright.”

  “Let me help her to truck,” the nurse said. “Let’s get her to the hospital, and we can wait here for the coroner for this one.”

  Emmy’s eyes opened, and she stared up at me.

  “You’re going to be okay,” I promised her.

  And I always kept my promises.

  Emilia

  “How’s the baby?” I asked as soon as the nurse entered my room.

  “The baby is fine, but we’re going to keep you overnight for observation. Just to be safe,” she said with a bright smile. “You’re a lucky woman. You only have a minor c
oncussion. Good thing you were wearing your seatbelt.”

  “Can I see Graham now?”

  “Of course, I’ll send him right in.”

  It felt like an eternity until that door opened and Graham stepped into the room. For the first time since we’d met, I saw tears in his eyes.

  “I let you down,” he whispered shamefully. “I wasn’t there.”

  “You were there, Graham. You found me.”

  He leaned down and kissed my forehead, then my lips. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

  “Me too. And the baby should be fine too.”

  We hadn’t really had a chance to discuss the baby, and I wasn’t sure how he felt about the child, but the smile on his face told me all I needed to know.

  “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, really. You know, I never thought of myself as the fatherly type, but ever since you told me…” he shrugged. “Well, that’s changed. I’ve grown rather attached to the idea.”

  “Even though you hardly know me?” I asked, biting my lip.

  “I know what I need to, Emmy. You’re going to be an amazing mother.”

  “Thank you,” I said, squeezing his hand tightly. I let out a breath and said, “Is it true? Is Antonio really dead?”

  “He didn’t survive the crash.”

  I closed my eyes as relief washed over me - but only partially.

  “And,” Graham continued. “With Liv’s help, they managed to find his associates in town, and I’m confident they messed with the wrong sheriff. Teddy is going to nail those bastards, I’m confident of it.”

  “Yeah, he’s not corrupt, that much I know.”

  “I’m positive they’ll never bother you again. Them or your father.”

  I opened my eyes in surprise. “My father?” My voice cracked.

  “Yeah, he’s in custody. He’s unharmed, though,” Graham explained quickly. “He was with the Lombardos. It was his idea to capture Liv.”

  A lump formed in my throat, and I stared at my hands, not sure what to say. “Oh.”

  “He’s going away too, Emmy. They all are.”

  Teddy wouldn’t let them get away with this. He couldn’t be bought by anyone. My father would go to prison for kidnapping.

  “And Liv is fine?”

  “Why don’t you ask her yourself,” Graham said, winking at me. “She’s in the waiting room. I can grab her if you’d like.”

  I grabbed both of his hands. “Please don’t leave.”

  He leaned down and kissed me. “I’ll never leave you again, Emmy. You or our child. Just promise me you won’t leave.”

  “I won’t. I was stupid before.”

  “Nah, you just didn’t know me. But hopefully you do now. And whatever you don’t know, I’m happy to tell you. I’m an open book, Emmy.” He spread his arms wide.

  “Thank you.”

  “I know it’s early, but I have to say something.”

  I tilted my head to the side and stared at him, waiting for him to speak. When he didn’t, I said, “Out with it, Graham. Don’t keep me waiting.”

  “I just, well, I love you.”

  My heart skipped a beat, and my belly filled with butterflies. “I love you too.”

  “Good,” he said, kissing me again. His hand rested on my belly, and in that moment I knew.

  I knew my dreams were about to come true.

  We’d be a family.

  And we’d never be alone again.

  Epilogue

  EMILIA

  Eight Months Later

  “Where’s that munchkin! I need to squish his face.” Liv’s voice echoed through the foyer as she entered the house. She saw me sitting with my son and she smiled brightly. “There he is!”

  Nicholas Graham Harvey was born a few days prior - a healthy eight pounds four ounces and a head full of dark hair. Liv had come to see us in the hospital and every day since, even though she was ready to pop with her daughter any day now.

  “I can’t wait until our kids can play together,” she squealed, swooping Nicholas into her arms. “They’re going to be the best of friends; I just know it!”

  Her eyes fell to my hand, and I tried my best to cover it - but it was too late. She gasped and let out a screech. “You’re not? Are you?”

  “Am I what?” I laughed, knowing full well what she was talking about.

  “Where’s the lucky bastard? I have to congratulate him for getting to marry my best friend.”

  “Oh, Liv…” I rolled my eyes at her theatrics, though my smile was so big it hurt my face.

  “Let me see the rock,” she ordered. With a fake put-upon sigh, I held out my hand. “Jesus, that thing is huge!” she exclaimed, releasing my hand and encircling my son with both arms again. “And when were you going to tell me?”

  “When I asked you to be my Matron of Honor, of course,” I teased. “I had an entire event planned and you ruined it.”

  “I’ll pretend to be surprised,” she promised, rocking Nicholas. “But yes, I’ll be your Matron of Honor. Did you really think you’d have to ask?”

  “God, I love you,” I said. “And I love being home.”

  “There he is!” Liv handed Nicholas to me and rushed to the doorway, where Graham was standing with a confused look on his face.

  “She knows we’re engaged,” I called out over her squeals.

  Liv hugged Graham, nearly plowing him down with her big belly. “Congrats, Graham! You’re marrying the baddest bitch I’ve ever met.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Graham said with a chuckle, entering the room. He headed over to me and his son, giving us both a kiss on our foreheads before sitting down beside me on the couch. He draped an arm over my shoulder, and I leaned into him.

  “So, how did he ask?” Liv said, taking a seat across from us on the ottoman.

  “When we brought Nicholas home, he had the house decorated and ready for me. A meal on the table with champagne and everything, though I didn’t have any.” I laughed. “Breastfeeding and all that.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t think about that,” he said sheepishly.

  I patted his thigh. “And during dinner, he got down on one knee and just asked me.”

  “So sweet,” she giggled. “In your brand-new home and everything.”

  I took Graham’s hand in mind. “Yes, it was perfect. The perfect way to start our life together as a family.”

  “Speaking of which, when do I get a tour of the place?”

  “Whenever you want.”

  Graham and his brothers had bought a large plot of land just outside of Liberty, splitting it up in four patches. Each of the men would get their own section of land to build on. Our house was finished first, as we were in a hurry to set things up for the baby. It was finished days before the birth of our son and still had the “new house smell” about it.

  It was my dream home and was large enough to accommodate several more children. A large dining table filled the dining room for when the family came over - which they did often. A guest quarters for his mother that I was sure she would utilize frequently was near the baby’s room. She was set to arrive later that week to help with the baby - her first grandchild.

  The flooding had done some extensive damage to the town of Liberty, but the Harveys, along with several others, were helping with the rebuilding efforts. Our house had been finished in time, but it had taken nearly double the time because we were all so busy in town helping with the relief efforts. It would take time, but the town would come together, and things would be back to normal soon.

  “And when do you start grad school?” Liv asked. “Aren’t you worried about keeping up with it while caring for a baby?”

  I’d just been accepted into Utah University for my graduate program in counseling, and I was set to start the following semester.

  “Next September. And good thing I’m not alone,” I laughed. “Nicholas has uncles and an Aunt Liv who I’m sure would love to babys
it when I need help.”

  “Well, yeah, of course,” she scoffed, waving a hand. “Baby playdates at my place.”

  “I think we’ll manage,” I said, glancing between Graham and my best friend. “Because I’m not alone. My family will help me.”

  “Yes, yes we will,” Graham said, leaning over to kiss me.

  And I knew I’d never be alone and on my own again.

  Did you enjoy Emily and Graham’s love story?

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  Baby for the Mountain Man (Preview)

  As I watch the single daddy with his baby...

  I decide I don't care about the dark rumors of his past.

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  People say he's rude and barbaric.

  But I see a tortured man, broken and compassionate.

  He's hurting - and I'm all too familiar with that feeling.

  I know there's much more to him than meets the eye.

  But can I ever melt the ice around his broken heart?

  Baby for the Mountain Man is a steamy standalone mountain man suspense thriller romance, and part of the Mountain Men of Liberty series. Each book can be read as a standalone. Transport yourself into charming and magical small town of Liberty, Utah as we follow four bad boy, rugged and possessive mountain daddies in their quests to find lasting love on the mountains.

  Prologue

  Leah