Page 8 of The Mountain Man's Determined Bride

“No, you don’t…” but this time Luke placed a hand on her shoulder, keeping her seated on the couch.

“Yes I do. Just sit will ya? I’ll bring our dinner in the living room. Besides, it’s more comfortable in here anyway.”

Morgan sat back on the couch and closed her eyes, still a little shaken from that horrible flashback. It was his fault. She knew him showing up here would bring back too many memories. Horrible memories she only wanted to forget. She’d been so angry with him that day and had locked herself in her room. Uncle Bill even tried to talk to her but it didn’t matter. She knew what she saw and it was over. She’d stayed awake all night thinking and come morning had decided she needed to go away.

So, how is it that after running away for six years, I’m stuck in the one place I tried so hard to leave? With him of all people.Is it karma?She hated the thought.

* * * *

Luke dished up two plates with a stack of mashed potatoes covered in beef and noodles. It smelled so good his stomach growled. The food he cooked never smelled or looked this good. It got him by but Morgan had always been the better cook. After finding a large serving platter down in one of the kitchen cabinets, he’d boiled water for cocoa. Placing both plates and drinks on the tray, he carried everything in to the living room. Should he dare get his hopes up she might be coming around. At least she hadn’t yelled at him yet.

When he walked around the front of the couch, she as leaning back with her eyes closed. Was she sleeping again? She might need the sleep but she also needed to eat.

“Okay, here’s our supper. I made some hot chocolate too. I know you like it.”

After placing the tray on the coffee table, he handed her the plate and sat her hot chocolate on the end table closest to her.

“Hope that’s enough for you. I wasn’t sure how hungry you were.”

“Starved actually. I’m sure I’ll be able to eat it all. Thanks.” She took her first bite and sighed. “Oh that’s so good.”

She had such a beautiful natural smile.

“You did a great job. These beef and noodles are awesome.”

“Thank you. You did pretty well yourself, these mashed potatoes are actually good. No lumps.” She smiled sweetly at him right before she stuffed another huge bite in her mouth.

Finally, it felt like she was her old self again, teasing him and being her general happy self.

“Why thank you ma’am. I’m not totally inept at cooking you know.”

“I didn’t mean for it to sound like that Luke, I never thought you were. Just surprised is all. Guess a lot has changed in six years.” She didn’t look up, just kept her eyes focused on her plate. Those usual avoidance issues rearing their ugly heads.

“Yeah a lothaschanged Morgan, but not everything. You’re still the same.” He took a bite and set his plate on the floor in front of him. He crossed his long legs as best at Indian style as he could and waited for her to look at him. Took her a minute but she didn’t disappoint.

“I’m not the same.” She shook her head and a shadowed glaze took over her face. “Not at all.” He could see tears hovering in the corners of her beautiful green eyes; he felt bad for wanting her to talk.

“I think you are. You’re still beautiful as ever. When you smile it lights up the room. You’re a wonderful cook too which hasn’t changed.”

“Just stop Luke. I don’t want to talk about any of this. I don’t want to rehash the old times or how I’m feeling or even what I’m dreaming. You don’t need to worry about me, I’ll be just fine.” She stopped eating then, put her plate back on the coffee table and grabbed the blanket to wrap around herself.

“Iamworried about you. It’s that haunted look you’ve had on your face since you woke up. What was that dream about anyway that it spooked you so much?”

“It’s not really important.” She shook her head.

“If it’s got you this upset, itisimportant. Please?” Hesitation was evident in her features.

“It was about the day I was supposed to meet you here at the cabin six years ago but I said I don’t want to talk about it.” At this point, she’d gathered her legs up in front of her so she could rest her forehead on her knees. He assumed it was to enable her not to have to look at him. However, that subject was one he was anxious to talk about whether she wanted to or not.

“Well since you brought it up…what I don’t understand is why you never showed up. I waited there most of the day for you. I tried calling hundreds of times and stopped by almost as many. Bill said he had no clue what was wrong and that you wouldn’t come out of your room.”

Luke had positioned himself a little bit closer to the couch while she wasn’t paying close attention. He didn’t dare touch her but continued to talk while she was pretending not to listen.

“Tyler didn’t even know what was going on when I called him, said he hadn’t been in touch with you in a few weeks, he’d been too busy at work. I tried for two days straight, callingandstopping and on the third day when Bill answered the door, he said you were gone. He asked me to come in and I told him everything that happened.”

“You actually told him you were cheating on me?” She looked at him now with a shocked expression.

“What? I never cheated on you!”Is she nuts?“What are you talking about?”