Chapter 8

I'm in a trance as I move on autopilot through the kitchen, making coffee, slicing thick oat bread for toast. As the early morning light streams in across the counter, the house is nearly silent, yet I can sense Kara"s presence in the bedroom.

I can"t believe this goddess appeared in my life. Can"t believe I"m falling for her so hard. The connection between us is frighteningly immediate. Like a light switch being turned on.

Not to mention, it genuinely feels like she"s giving me a purpose in life. I"ve always thought of myself as an accidental…well, not a playboy, but I"m in an extremely privileged position where I don"t need to work a traditional job.

My "work", such as it is, involves maintaining my section of the forest and my house, garage, and shed. Patrolling the trails. Helping neighbors whenever they need it, of course, because that"s just what you do. And staying involved with the Old Hemlock Valley Council to make sure that things keep running smoothly.

But my main focus is and always has been the forest. Which means I really am a forest ranger. How strange that having Kara bestow this unofficial title on me makes me feel more grounded. My purpose was always there, I just needed someone to hang a sign on it for me.

As the coffee brews, I turn my phone on for just a few seconds and do a search.

Forest Ranger, n.: A person whose job involves protecting the forested area. Someone who enforces laws and rules relating to camping, hunting, and fishing. Someone who clears dead trees, replants new growth, and preserves the natural environment.

I blow out a breath. Yep. That"s me.

I flick the phone back into airplane mode and drop it in the charger. Even as a kid, I was always the one who grabbed an ax to clear dead branches. Who nurtured the saplings. Who marked the trails in treacherous areas every spring.

My head jerks up as Kara slides into a seat at the kitchen island. I pour her a cup of coffee, my heart already racing from seeing her beautiful smile. "Sorry to interrupt," she murmurs softly. "You look like you were miles away."

Returning her smile, I realize I"ve been in the best mood of my life ever since she appeared. "I was just thinking about how you called me a forest ranger. Then I realized I was the one who set up the volunteer schedule for the group of us who drive past the trailhead daily." Leaning down, I give her a slow, deep kiss. "Ever since you"ve given me my job title, I honestly feel more centered. Thank you."

"Were you always the tree hugger in your family?" she asks, grinning.

"The forest was just what I gravitated to. Jonah was destined to be a medic. Josh was born to be a woodworker. My cousins have all fallen into the roles they are perfectly suited for."

"Which is how you ended up as the guy who picks up stray girls you find lurking in the woods?"

"Guess so," I chuckle as I set fried eggs and toast in front of her, then bring over a dish of sliced fruit for us to share. As I sit down with my own eggs and toast, I slide my chair closer so that our knees can touch. "Did you sleep well, gorgeous?"

"Yes. It was amazing." She looks up at me through long, dark lashes. "I haven"t been sleeping well for weeks, ever since I realized that Brad was up to no good. Then not at all after I realized that he was after me. Having you right beside me is like having my own personal bodyguard."

"Are you sure he"s after you, though?" I hate seeing her face droop into a frown.

"He screamed at me for ages when I suggested keeping the app fair for everyone," she whispers. "I wasn"t focused on the money."

Her eyes meet mine. "I should"ve known he was sketchy. He started ranting about his "family"s" money, and I don"t think he meant blood family, if you know what I mean. I didn"t even know there were people like that in Kingsville."

The thought of Kara having anything to do with the mafia, even second hand, makes my shoulders tighten and my fists clench. "Did he lay one single finger on you?" I watch her eyes carefully, knowing already she tends to downplay what has happened to her.

"No. Just screaming. And a lot of threatening. But that was before I locked him out of the data, so…"

I hate to ask, but I have to. "What do you think he would do if he caught up with you?"

Kara looks up at me with fearful, haunted eyes. "Get the passwords out of me any way he could? He wants that app online immediately. He"s made a lot of promises to a lot of people. It sounds like I only knew a tiny fraction of what was going on behind the scenes. Money laundering, and…who knows what all else."

It breaks my heart that Kara presses her lips into such a straight line, as if she refuses to look sad. She"s far too stoic for such a lovely young woman. She shouldn"t have to be that strong alone.

"Baby," I murmur softly, reaching out to thread our fingers together. "I"m no security expert, but I think you did everything right."

"Except my car and phone and everything are at the bottom of the mountain. If he tracked those, it would lead him to this vague area."

"But then you could have hitched a ride south, or gotten on a plane, or?—"

"He knows I don"t have any money."

"Does he know your entire family history? Every single one of your friends?"

She shrugs. "It"s just me and a handful of friends from college. We haven"t been super close over the past few years, but yeah… I suppose I could be staying with a friend of a friend, or whatever. And he knows that I was a waitress, so I could"ve looked for work anywhere in the country."

"Well, there you go." I squeeze her hand, then release it so that she can dig into her eggs before they get too cold. "I"ve already got people in town watching for him. I doubt that he"d hike through the forest on his own. Plus, nobody here has seen you. They couldn"t even respond to a description no matter how much he threatened them, right?"

Kara brightens. "You"re right!"

"So your mission today, should you choose to accept it, is figuring out whether you"d like to go for a walk or a drive this afternoon, a little light relaxing, and then later maybe we"ll make dinner together?"

Her lovely blue eyes glow as she stares at me, slowly nodding and biting her lip for a moment. She hesitates before saying, "A girl could get used to this mellow country life."

My heart pounds in my chest as if it"s trying to escape, but I try to keep my expression calm as I smile gently.

"Shh, that"s my master plan," I whisper, picking up my fork. "Don"t tell anyone, though."