Page 4 of Taught By the Mountain Man

But he’s looking at me with — hope? Interest?

My jaw drops.

This is impossible.

Right?

“Would you,” Barrow says, then stops, seems to give himself a little shake, and starts again. “I mean, if you’d be interested in coming to a school social function with me, I’d love it.”

I should say no.

I should quit the Snowpack Cafe, run into the woods, and never return.

I should definitely not interpret Barrow saying he’d love it if I was his date as him saying he loves me.

And yet.

“I’m in,” I hear myself say, and find myself happily drowning in the beautiful smile that breaks like sunrise across Barrow’s face.

Barrow

Later that night, Sugar curls up on my lap as I scroll aimlessly on my laptop. She purrs softly, a soothing rhythm that calms my frayed nerves.

“Can you believe it, Shug?” I murmur, scratching behind her ears. “I’ve got a date for the Meet ’n’ Mingle. And not just any date—Star.”

Sugar flicks her tail, unimpressed. I chuckle, but inside, I’m a mess of nerves and excitement. Star is nothing like the women I used to date back in Boston. She’s quiet, guarded, but there’s a spark in her—something raw and real that I can’t get out of my head.

Moving to Heartwood was supposed to be a fresh start, a way to escape the noise and anonymity of city life. I wanted simplicity, a chance to connect with people in a way I couldn’t back in Boston. But even here, it’s hard to shake the loneliness.

Sugar nuzzles my chin, a reminder that I’m not completely alone. “Think she likes cats?” I ask her.

Sugar only purrs in answer, which I decide to take as a yes.

Star

The idea of going to the Meet ’n’ Mingle with Barrow should thrill me, but all I can feel is dread.

As I close the Snowpack for the night, my mind drifts back to high school — to James. I’d been so naïve, so desperate to be seen, that I’d fallen for his sweet talk. I thought I was special. Instead, I became a punchline.

I haven’t trusted a man since.

Barrow’s different. I know that much. But knowing and believing are two very different things.

When I lock up and step outside, the crisp mountain air fills my lungs. For a moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like to leave Heartwood behind—to move to a city where no one knows my past and where people, maybe, are kinder.

But then I think of Barrow’s smile, the way he looks at me like I’m someone worth knowing, and my resolve wavers.

Maybe, just maybe, he’s not like the others.

The days leadingup to the Meet ’n’ Mingle feel like I’m balancing on a high wire without a safety net. Every passing moment is a test of my resolve not to back out. Ruby’s relentless teasing doesn’t help.

“You’ve got this,” she says one afternoon while I wipe down the counter at the Snowpack Café. “You’ll sweep him off his feet.”

I laugh hollowly, shaking my head. “Right. Because I’m so good at sweeping people off their feet. I’m not even good at existing in social situations, Ruby.”

Ruby leans on the counter, her silver-streaked curls bouncing as she waves off my protests. “Star, you’ve got charm, whether you believe it or not. And Barrow? He’s already hooked. Trust me.”

I want to believe her, but doubt has taken up permanent residence in my brain. I’ve spent so much of my life expecting the worst from people—especially men—that I can’t help but assume Barrow will come to his senses and decide this whole thing was a mistake.

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