Ordered By The Mountain Man(24)

His words hit home with me. “Oh, that’s what this is about? You’re mad I brought Delta out here to do the job you never wanted?”

Mason shrugs.

“You’re a fucking wreck, and I can’t fix you. Can’t fix this. I can’t bring them back.”

“I’m not asking you to fix a goddamn thing.” Mason runs his hand over his jaw. “I just don’t know what I want. And I can’t go until I have some plan. I was never the outdoor guy you and dad were. Fuck, I lost your pole on the boat yesterday. Who fucking does that? I’m good at getting drunk and getting laid, and not much else.”

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I tell him plainly. I see that he’s upset, but shit, I can’t make him grow up. That’s something he has to do on his own.

“Give me another chance,” he says. “Let me fucking get my shit straight, okay?”

I clap him on the back, giving him a quick nod. “I know that today you were just trying to fuck with me, but I mean it: don’t fuck around with Delta,” I tell him. “You do that, and it’s over between you and me.”

“Roger that.”

“Good. Now I’m gonna go find my woman before she runs away because of you.”



Out on the deck, I can’t find Delta anywhere. I head around to the front office, and hear the phone ringing. Answering it, I’m surprised at who’s on the line.

Dammit, not part of my fucking plan.

After taking the call, I drop the phone into the receiver, annoyed, but understanding that plans in the Alaska wild change. Emergencies arise, and life happens. I was just really hoping to seal the deal today.

Stepping outside the lodge, I see Dirk’s wife Sally carrying a basket of produce in her arms. I ask if she’s seen Delta.

“She went over to the barn,” Sally says. “I told her to stay close to the house if she was alone. Also, really quick? I wanted to ask if you’d like me to remove the stuffed animals in your room?”

I must look confused because Sally adds, “Because Delta is vegan, I thought the animals might upset her.”

I wave her off. “It’s just dead animals; they’re all over the lodge. I don’t think one bedroom is gonna make a big difference.”

“Okay, well … I thought I’d ask.”

“Thanks,” I tell her, just glad that Sally told Delta to stay close to the lodge. Wandering off alone in the Alaskan wilderness is a bad idea. I have no problem with her wanting to explore, but she’d need me by her side with a gun in my pocket before I’d let her go anywhere. Besides that, we’ve been doing construction out in the woods—a crew has been here recently, laying foundation for a new outbuilding—and I know there are holes being dug on the outskirts of the property. Someone could get hurt if they weren’t careful.

I walk around to the back of the property, toward the big red barn. This lodge is special, not only because we offer so many unique hunting and fishing trips, but also because the food is fantastic. Trey makes sure of that, and that’s saying something out here in Alaska. Raising our own cattle, chickens, and hogs means we have local, organic food.

Delta may have had a meltdown over the meat last night, but at least it was all free range and grass fed. She may think I’m some fucking hillbilly, but I’m not an asshole who doesn’t appreciate where my food comes from. If she could just calm down for a hot minute she might see that.

Our garden is also expansive and the women who visit value all the work we put into it. Delta will appreciate it, too, if she gets a chance to see that sure, we have some differences, but they aren’t enough to keep us from being happy as a couple.

“Delta?” I call, stepping into the cool barn.

She doesn’t answer, but I see her on the hay-covered floor of the barn, patting the back of a piglet who has nuzzled up to the gate. Walking toward her, I can’t help but smile. She’s so fucking gorgeous—and, sitting there with her long blonde hair flowing around her shoulders, she looks like an angel.

“Her mama just had a litter,” I say, resting my hand on the gate.

“I see that,” Delta says. “Did you name them yet?”

“Uh....” I’m not sure how to explain that you don’t fucking name your dinner.

“I think she looks like a Skylar.”

“Skylar?”

“Mmhm.” Delta scratches Skylar’s ears.

Ignoring the whole naming issue, I sit next to her, my back against the gate. “Sally told me you were out here. Wanna talk about why you ran out of the lodge?”

“Seriously?” Delta scoffs, shaking her head. “You know, you could just come with an apology, that would fix an awful lot.”