Page 17 of Cuddling Carly

“I am?” The old-timer looked at him, scratched his white-stubble covered jaw, and said, “I’ve been called man a thing, son, but ain’t no one ever called me that!”

“Well, you are. She talked about a town called Mountainville the other day.” He pulled out his phone and did a quick search. After a few moments of reading the results, he looked up at Sam and said, “I should have known. It’s a town for people like her and me.”

“Where’s it at?”

“Here in Texas. The Davis Mountains.”

Sam nodded. “She’s not answering your calls and texts because she’s embarrassed. But that don’t mean she doesn’t want to talk to you. If I were in your shoes, I’d go to this Mountainville and let her know how much she means to me.” He held up a hand, as if holding off what he knew was coming. “And before you say the ranch needs you, me and the other fellers can take care of it for a few days. I can even hire some temporary hands if I need to. But some things, son, are more important than work. And love is one of ‘em!”

Wade grinned. “Sam, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re not just an old sun-weathered curmudgeon. In fact, I’d suspect you’re actually a hopeless romantic.”

The old man matched Wade’s grin. “There are worse things to be, I can promise you that. I have a lot of experience with the ladies, and don’t you forget it, sonny.”

Wade laughed. He didn’t doubt what Sam said, either. Something told him the guy had a lot of stories and one day, hopefully, he’d hear them.

But right now, he had to go to Mountainville and get his babygirl.

He studied his phone. “Says here I need to apply for entry. They do a background check and all.”

“Can’t take long, if Carly is already on her way.”

That was true, Wade thought—if that’s where she was going.

Right now, it was the best possible guess. His gut told him it was the case, too, and he trusted his intuition.

He looked at the time and then back to his friend. “Too late to leave today, even if they approve me fast.”

“Yeah. Can’t do much for Carly now. But that gives you time to pack and prepare for tomorrow.”

Wade agreed. There was a lot to do.

It looked like he was going on a trip to Mountainville.

Chapter Eleven

Eeriness hung heavy all around Carly as the strange and scary man walked slowly and clumsily down the rock-strewn trail.

He staggered and skidded a few times but stayed on his feet. Though words were coming out of his mouth, Carly couldn’t make out what the guy was saying.

If he was saying anything at all. Maybe he was just groaning.

“Sir, do you need help? I can call someone.”

She was freaked out, but if this guy was stranded or having some sort of medical episode, she couldn’t just leave him there. Not that she could really leave, anyway. With her car still hissing and popping as the last bit of smoke poured from the engine, driving away wasn’t an option.

“Sir?”

The man didn’t answer but simply stopped, stood up as straight as possible, opened his mouth, and then vomited out crimson red blood.

More came out his ears and eyes.

“Oh my goodness! Sir!”

She ran toward the man, not knowing how she could help him, but knowing she had to try something.

On her way, she had a sobering and terrifying thought: what if someone or something had hurt him and they were up in those rocks, waiting to make her their next victim?

Was it a human? Or a mountain lion, perhaps?