Chapter 24: Take Me To The River: Chapter 24

Today, we are on the road to Billings. We’re going to get Emelie’s stuff, and I’m grateful her ex won’t be there, as I want this to be as easy for her as possible. We got up early and had breakfast in town, before heading out.

After breakfast, Emelie hesitated getting in the truck, and when I asked her why, she said she wanted to stare at the view for a bit. So, we leaned against my truck, and I held her in my arms, as we stared down Main Street at the mountain we call home. It was a great start to the day.

I haven’t been to Billings in years, not since before my parents died. I’m not looking forward to my trip to Montana’s largest city. Cities, in general, set me on edge, but I’d do anything for my girl, and that includes visiting Billings. Hell, I know I’d move here, if it meant I got to keep her.

It’s like she knows how I feel about cities without me even saying it because as soon as we hit the city limits, she scoots even closer to me on the bench seat and plasters herself to my side.

‘I don’t want to be here anymore than you do, and I can’t wait to get back to our mountain.’ She sighs, as she rests her head on my shoulder.

I give the top of her head a quick kiss.

‘I can’t wait to have your stuff at the cabin, knowing you’re coming home with me.’

She giggles then, and that’s the best sound in the world next to hearing her laugh.

‘I know, but I’ve told you already you’re stuck with me. But I’ll prove it, don’t you worry,’ she reassures me again.

As we get off the interstate, she gives me directions to her apartment. It’s in a decent part of town and has some security, so I’m happy she’s been taken care of that way, at least.

‘Do we need to stop by your work to get anything?’ I ask, making sure to cover all our bases. With everything in me, I don’t want us to forget anything on this trip, so we can be done with these people.

‘Nope, I didn’t keep anything at work. I always felt I could be there today and gone tomorrow.’

I follow her to her second-floor apartment, and she uses her key to open the door. She takes one step in and freezes, and I’m instantly on guard. I move to her side, ready to throw her behind me if needed.

My eyes scan the place, and it’s trashed. Not just stuff everywhere, but open pizza boxes and food containers, dirty dishes, and an overflowing trash can, and dirty clothes on every surface, including the floor. It smells just as bad as it looks.

‘It wasn’t like this when we left. I had everything done, so we could come home and enjoy a day to relax, before going back to work.’ She says in shock.

I already knew this isn’t something my Little One would be okay living in. She’s always picking up after herself and me at the cabin and making sure everything is in order. All the stuff I used to do and had a hard time handing over to her at first because I wanted to take care of her, but I know she needed something to do.

‘I know this isn’t your doing,’ I say. We step in and close the door behind us. But I close it harder than needed because if anyone is here, I want them to know.

Sure enough, out walks a paper-thin blonde, who looks like she just woke up.

‘Chris, is that you, baby?’

I don’t even have to look over at Emelie to know she’s tense and pissed.

When the blonde finally sees us, she gives a little screech and pulls her robe closed over her barely their pajamas.

‘What the hell?’ She says.

‘I could say the same since this is mine and Chris’s apartment. You must be Roxy,’ Emelie says.

The girl has balls. She stands straight up and looks over at both of us.

‘Yes, Chris told me to meet him here, and that your two were over.’

‘Oh, we are over. Chris is in jail on the other side of the state for what he did to me.’ Her words make Roxy’s eyes go wide.

‘He’ll be there for a few months, too. So, unless his daddy takes care of the apartment, though after finding out what he did, I doubt he will. And I doubt you’ll be here much longer.’

‘What happened? Last I heard about you was the text you sent, and then Chris called a few hours later said you broke up, and he was coming back early and for me to meet him here. Then, he said some storm happened, and he was stuck, and asked for me to wait for him here.’

Even I can tell her story isn’t adding up, but I want to get us out of here and avoid as much of a fight as we can.

‘Go pack, Little One,’ I tell her. She walks past Roxy to the bedroom, as Roxy starts telling the story from finding her texts.

Then, I follow her to help pack her clothes in the duffel bag. She has two suitcases and two duffels packed, and by that time Roxy is done telling the story, even though I want to take them to the truck, I don’t want to leave her alone.

‘It’s okay. Take those to the truck, as I don’t have much more here,’ Emelie says, as she wraps some photos in the newspaper.

‘Okay, I’ll bring up the boxes,’ I head out of the door.

I tried to get her to let me buy boxes, bubble wrap, and anything else she might need, but she said outside of tape and a few boxes she didn’t need anything. Though I thought she was wrong but figured I could go out and buy more if needed. Seems like the few boxes we did buy will be too many.

I grab the boxes and hurry back up to the apartment, but I’m greeted by Roxy, as soon as I walk in the door.

‘She’s just getting her stuff from the bathroom.’ She points down the hall.

Her robe is now open and much more skin is on display than when she first walked out earlier. I try to walk down the hallway to bring Emelie the boxes, but Roxy gets in my way.

‘So, you are like a real live mountain man? Like from the TV shows?’

‘I don’t know what TV shows you mean,’ I say, staring over her head towards the hallway.

That’s why I don’t see her move to press her boobs up against my arm. Her touch makes my skin crawl.

‘I’m sure you have a lot of pent up… frustrations, living out in the middle of nowhere on your own,’ she purrs.

God, does this shit really work on those city boys? If so, at this rate, the whole world is in trouble.

‘None that a homewrecker like you could help me with. Now, get off me, before I dump your ass in the trash pile you have made of this place.’ I growl, and she shoots off me like I was on fire.

‘Well, I never!’ She shrieks.

‘And I’d never touch someone like you. I’m not a cheater, and anyone who lets Emelie go for the likes of you is a fucking moron.’ I turn and stomp back down the hallway to find Emelie.

She’s in the bedroom with stuff piled on the bed, and a smirk on her face.

‘You hear all that?’ I ask.

‘Yeah, I saw her make her move on you, just as I was walking out of the bathroom.’

I say what’s on my mind without the filter I should have used.

‘She’s going to make someone a trophy wife someday. If her story is true, this mess is from her and not Chris, so all she has going for her is how easy she is.’

With that, Emelie starts to laugh, and it’s just what I need.

‘You are perfect.’ She smiles at me.

‘Far from it.’ I shake my head.

‘Perfect for me, and that’s all that matters.’

The look on her face proves what she’s saying is true. I clear my throat, as the emotion starts to take over. I want to get her home, and I want her out of this place. She’s too good to be standing in a shit hole like this.

‘What else do we need to pack? I can’t wait to get you home to our cabin,’ I say.

Our cabin.

When she said that just yesterday after our trip into town, I didn’t think it would have made me as emotional as it did. But of course, it did. I don’t ever want to go back to living in the cabin without her by my side.

Even though I loved my years of solitude, just one day with her, and I knew there was no going back. I don’t want to be alone again, not when I can have her and the family we’re going to build.

It’s time to get started on that.