Page 11 of The Mountain Man’s Unexpected Bride (Mountain Man Sanctuary #5)

Brock

I t took us two days to locate the missing hiker and then another half day to return to the house. No, not the house — home . My luxury cabin in the woods got upgraded from house to home the moment I chose Savannah to be my fiancé.

I'm weary, tired, and dirty when I go inside. Everything is eerily silent, and I grow anxious as I search each room for her, the woman I love. She's nowhere to be found, and I start to panic. There's no note telling me where she went, and her clothes and suitcase are gone.

There's a notification sound coming from my phone, and I worry that something might have happened to her. Yes, I'm ignoring the fact that she packed everything she owns and left me. There's a new message from an unknown number.

Unknown Number: Hi, this is Sam Bower from Over the Roast at Woodland Falls. Just to let you know Savannah is safe.

Me: I'll be there as soon as I can.

Unknown Number: Well, you've got a lot of explaining to do, Lucy.

I put down the phone so I can shower and change. Throughout my trek in the woods with the SAR team, I kept going over everything that's happened between me and Savannah, and I understand now how deeply betrayed she must feel.

My cowardice put us in this precarious situation, and I'm not sure if I can ever make it up to her. There's one thing I do know, and that is that I love her and will do anything to make sure she's happy. I go into my room and get the one thing I bought without her knowing.

I put the little velvet box in my pocket and run out to my truck so I can drive over to Woodland Falls.

I'm distracted throughout the drive, my thoughts on what to say to this smart, sassy woman that I love.

I park in front of the shop, and immediately I can see Savannah waiting tables inside the establishment.

My beautiful princess is so resourceful, she's already got a job. Too bad I'm taking her home with me after we talk. I go inside and get a nod from a woman behind the counter. I'm guessing that’s Sam, the owner. I make a beeline for Savannah, and she almost drops her tray in surprise.

"Princess, we need to talk."

"I'm busy, Brock."

"I'm sure you can take a break. Please, this is important."

"What's important to you might not be important to me."

She sidesteps me and delivers the coffee she's carrying to a customer who's trying to catch our conversation. I frown at them, and they go back to their e-Reader.

"Please, Savannah. I'll stand in the middle of this shop all day if I have to."

She rolls her eyes at me and goes to exchange some words with Sam. She gives her what I imagine are words of assurance, and Savannah walks over to me.

"Let's go outside. We can take a walk in the park."

I like this new take-charge kind of attitude she's found, and I follow her outside of the coffee shop. We walk silently for a few minutes, then reach the park. There's a beautiful gazebo in the middle with some benches to sit on.

When I take her hand to walk over there, she pulls it away. It breaks my heart to be rejected this way, but I understand her position. So I put my hands in my pockets, refraining from reaching out to her, which is pretty much all I want to do right now.

The gazebo is much prettier when we get close to it, and it will make a beautiful backdrop to my proposal. Savannah is still angry at me, though, so I need to be strategic about this whole thing.

"Would you sit for a minute? I…"

"You hurt me, Brock."

"I was a coward, Savannah. I developed feelings for you so quickly, and there was this stupid contract hanging over my head like a guillotine waiting to behead me.

I should have told you about it immediately, but watching you come out of your cocoon and start experiencing life to the fullest was a beautiful thing to behold. "

"Why did you even agree to such a thing?"

"I'm ashamed to admit that the only reason I signed the contract was because it was temporary."

Her face goes red, and she immediately tries to get up and leave, but I gently put my hand on her shoulder.

"Please, hear me out."

She nods and places her hands on her lap. She's got her fingers interlaced as if in prayer, and I see that her eyes are teary.

"My father did not agree with my career choices. Up until his death, he tried to get me to work for his real estate company. In his will, he made some demands in exchange for me and my uncle receiving our inheritance."

I run my hand through my hair, and I'm sure it's sticking up as if I'm a madman. Savannah does not seem impressed by my words.

"I don't need his money, but my uncle worked hard for his seat at the head of the company. Except he won't be able to get it until I get engaged. I'm not sure why my father worded it that way, perhaps he thought once I was engaged, even if only temporarily, I might change my mind about marriage."

"The thing is, Savannah, and this all comes down to you and who you are, he was right. I fell in love with you. With your zest for life and your curiosity. With how you treat others and are trying so hard to put your past behind you."

"You changed everything for me, princess. I love you. Please, come back to me."

I bring out the ring and get down on one knee in front of her. She puts her hands over her mouth, muffling her gasp of surprise.

"Will you marry me, Savannah?"

She gets up from the bench, tears streaming down her beautiful face, and I just know what the answer will be, and I'm not going to like it.

"I'm sorry, Brock."

All I see is her back as she runs back to the safety of the coffee shop where she now works.

I'm still on bended knee and at a loss for what to do.

I close the ring box and put it back in my pocket.

I love this woman, and I'm more certain than ever that we will make our life together.

All I need to do is get her to forgive me.

It takes me three months of having coffee every single day in Woodland Falls until Savannah finally starts to let me in again. It became a routine where I’d stop by during her lunch hour, and we'd have lunch together.

Savannah's whole demeanor has changed in those three months. She's now self-assured, quick to laugh, and always making friends. I'm almost regretting that she'll have to leave Woodland Falls, but not enough to keep me from asking her to marry me again.

This time, I do it publicly, during our lunch. I bring in a dozen red roses and get down on one knee. I offer her the ring, and this time, there's a smile on her face.

"Will you marry me, princess?"

"Yes!"

I hurry to put the ring on her. It's a simple band with a beautiful round diamond that sparkles like Savannah's eyes are sparkling right now.

Getting up, I hold her hand and give her a soft kiss on the lips.

Everyone in the coffee shop, which is uncharacteristically full of patrons, cheers as we smile and cry at the same time.

"I love you, Savannah."

"I love you, too, Brock. I'm ready to be your wife."

"We're going to have an amazing life together, you and I, princess."