at 4P.M.today. Needs
personal concierge. You are
best one. I know it’s your day
off but it should just be a few hours
for tonight.
She sighed. Shit. She wanted just one day to collect herself. It was already two o’clock. So much for moving up. She showed Rylee her phone, and her friend frowned and pulled her in for a side hug.
“Okay. So you still have to do the lower-level stuff, but once a management position opens up, you’re ready. You’re next in line. That’s huge.”
Rylee was right. That was what Presley had been working for. So why the hell wasn’t she more excited?
Another notification buzzed on her phone. It didn’t make any sense.
“I’m getting a notification that Hot Mountain Man is going live. I’m tagged specifically.”
Rylee bolted upright. “Open it.”
Presley rolled her eyes. “It’s not Beckett. For one thing, he would never refer to himself as that. Second, he hates the idea of being live.”
“Well then, let’s see who the copycat of his moniker is.” Rylee pressed the notification for her and Instagram opened.
When the little circle on the top of her feed showed “Hot Mountain Man is live right now,” Presley clicked it herself.
She sucked in a sharp, painful breath when Beckett’s face filled the screen. The Wi-Fi cut right at that moment, freezing his face in an almost smile. Freezing her heart and maybe even time.
The video resumed. Rylee squeezed the hand not holding the phone.
“I don’t know if this was the best idea, but it’s a start,” Beckett said into the camera.
Several comments popped up.
You got this, Mountain Man.
I want you, Hot Mountain Man.
Go get your girl.
Beckett stared at the camera, leaned back against what looked like a brick building.
“Ollie, that’s my niece. You guys have seen her on the lodge videos. Anyway, she showed me how to do this live thing and I started a new account just to use the nickname y’all are so fond of. Jilly said she told our lodge followers I was going to do this so thanks for being here and supporting me. Ollie told me not to mess this up, so I’m going to do my best. I don’t know if Presley will see this, but I tagged her. God, that sounds weird. The internet is weird, but I’m grateful for it right now.” He paused.
“He doesn’t know how to see who’s listening,” Rylee whispered.
Beckett ran his hand through his hair. “I know there’s lots of comments, but if I try to answer them, I’ll mess it up. Presley, if you’re, I don’t know, listening.”
His face scrunched adorably. “One sec, my sister is texting. Come on, Jilly. You knew I was doing this.” His finger reached for the screen and then his lips formed a perfect O.
“Jilly says Presley’s listening. I’m not sure I completely understand the internet but I’ll trust my sister.”
He dropped his hand, stared at the camera like she was right in front of him. “Presley. I’m an idiot. I let you go without saying goodbye.I couldn’t face it. I’m a coward. How do you say goodbye to the person who you want to say good morning and good night to every day for the rest of your life? You don’t. You head up a mountain and hide until your brother hauls your ass back and tells you to smarten up.”
His smile made her insides go squishy. She wasn’t alone, if the comments were any indication.
“I did. I’m smarter now than I was five days ago when you left. I’m here. I’m in Great Falls. I’m coming to you because I didn’t know how else to show you that I’d do anything for you.”
