Page 4 of My Mountain Man Valentine

Her blue eyes flicked around the room, lingering on the walls of maps. Today she wore a stylish white parka paired with fitted black snow pants—definitely more fashionable than practical for a Montana winter. She radiated the same glammed-up vanity she always had, but I couldn’t deny she looked camera-ready, as if every movement was a shot for her followers.

“Well,” she said lightly, tapping her long, manicured nails on my desk, “I’m planning a new winter campaign formy channel. Thought we could partner up like old times. You know…extreme sports, behind-the-scenes glimpses of the rugged Montana wilderness.” She shrugged, as though this was the most natural suggestion in the world. “My audience loves a real adrenaline rush. Especially if it’s fashion-forward.”

I gave her a measured look. “I’m not interested in being your social media spectacle again, Angelique. I’m busy guiding real customers. Making sure they’re equipped with the gear and skills they need to stay safe. I’m pretty sure they’d agree with me that staying alive is more important than what they’re wearing.”

She pursed her glossy lips into a pout. “Come on, Ryder. Don’t be such a sourpuss. Our last collaboration might’ve ended…well, explosively, but think about the exposure we gained. I already have thousands of new followers, and people are eating up your tours from what I’m hearing.” She took a step closer, lowering her voice. “Plus, we have history. You can’t ignore that we make a good team on camera. And we did once in person, too.”

I felt my jaw tighten. History was one way to put it, but I doubted she remembered the heartbreak or the public humiliation as clearly as I did. “I have my own ways of marketing,” I said evenly. “I don’t need your brand of drama.”

Her gaze flickered with something akin to annoyance. “Don’t be so sure. A small-town guide business can only go so far. Wouldn’t you like to expand, get new equipment, or hire extra help? One viral video could do wonders.”

I rose from my chair and gestured toward the door. “I appreciate the offer,” I lied, “but I’m happy with what I have right now.”

She studied me with a calculating expression. “You’re making a mistake.” Then her pout transformed into a sugary smile that never reached her eyes. “But I’ll let you think about it.If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I’m staying at The High Country Lodge.” She turned to leave, pausing with her hand on the doorknob. “Don’t wait too long, though. I’m on a tight schedule.”

With that, she slipped outside. A blast of cold air whooshed in after her, carrying the faint scent of her floral perfume. I stared at the closed door, my gut roiling with unease. Angelique never took no for an answer—this was just her first attempt at drawing me back into her spectacle. If I refused, she’d find another angle to push. She might even try to sabotage me by posting negative stories about my tours or stirring up rumors in town.

I ran a hand over my beard, mind racing. “Damn it. I can’t let her drag me down again,” I muttered. The last breakup had been humiliating enough. My name and face had circulated through her curated feed as if I were some unfeeling villain. The fiasco had strained my friendship with Levi further—his bar had been the backdrop for our blowout—and it had left Tessa with a front-row seat to my personal drama. Not exactly the impression I’d wanted to make on her.

Tessa Voss—I felt a pang of…I didn’t know what, at the thought of her. Where Angelique was flashy, Tessa was quietly luminous—someone who could make a bookstore feel like the warmest place on earth. She was also Levi’s younger sister, someone I’d known since we were kids. In the past year or two, my perspective of Tessa had shifted. She wasn’t just my best friend’s kid sister anymore; she was an intelligent, caring woman who’d weathered unimaginable loss and got her family business back on its feet.

I sighed and returned to my desk, flipping aimlessly through the day’s schedule. The idea of Angelique lingering in Hope Peak, determined to dredge up the past, set my teeth onedge. If she threatened my business or stirred up rumors about me, I could handle it. But I worried what she might do if she decided to target Levi or even Tessa in some twisted attempt to get my attention. That was the last thing I wanted.

I found my gaze drifting to a photograph pinned above my desk: Levi, Tessa, and me from years ago, arms slung around one another after a successful day of skiing. Tessa had a shy grin, her cheeks flushed from the cold, while Levi’s boyish smirk reminded me of the adventurous risk-taker he used to be. A flicker of nostalgia warred with the guilt I felt for letting our friendships drift apart.

Even so, they were still the people I cared about most. An idea began to form in the back of my mind, one that made me chew on my lower lip in hesitation. What if Tessa could help me fend off Angelique’s meddling? If I showed the world—Angelique especially—that I’d moved on and was in a solid relationship, maybe she’d back off and leave me alone.

Except, Tessa and I weren’t in a relationship. And if I asked her to pretend we were, I might be crossing a line—especially since it would bring Levi’s inevitable disapproval, given how over-protective he’d become of his sister. But the alternative was letting Angelique paint me as free game, likely dragging me into her influencer chaos.

I snatched my keys from the desk and shrugged on my coat. I needed air. With Angelique’s perfume still lingering in my office, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Outside, a sharp breeze cut across my face, clearing some of the fog from my thoughts. The sun was hidden behind pale clouds, but it cast enough light to turn the snow a bright white. I crunched across the short path that connected my office to the main road, heading toward my truck.

A few passersby in puffy coats and knitted hats waved as they hurried along the sidewalk. That was the charm of Hope Peak—you couldn’t walk more than a block without seeing someone you knew. I paused for a moment, gazing down the street that led toward the downtown area, where Tessa’s bookstore nestled in the row of old-fashioned storefronts. The Velvet Book. She’d inherited it after her parents’ plane crash—a tragedy that had reshaped all our lives in different ways.

“Is this a terrible idea?” I asked myself under my breath. Probably. But the more I considered the possibility, the more it seemed like my best shot at shutting Angelique down. I couldn’t exactly trust anyone else with a fake dating arrangement—some random woman from town would either say no or end up complicating everything. Tessa, though…She was kind, reasonable, and I already trusted her enough to know she wouldn’t manipulate me the way Angelique had.

My only real fear was how Levi would react. He’d hate it, no question. He already thought I lived too close to the edge, risking life and limb on half-frozen slopes or sheer cliffs. But if I was honest, I wasn’t sure it was just my need to keep Angelique at bay that drew me toward Tessa. Something about her gentle presence, her quiet strength, made me want to be around her. Even if it was only an act.

I climbed into my truck, turned the ignition, and let the engine warm up. My phone buzzed with a text message from one of the local outfitters. They wanted to partner on a multi-day tour next month, which should have been good news. But instead of feeling relief, I just felt restless. Angelique’s sudden reappearance had me rattled. I couldn’t focus on anything else until I had a plan.

“Okay, talk to Tessa. Propose a fake relationship. Sounds easy enough,” I muttered to myself, though my pulse gave anervous thump at the thought of it. Tessa would probably think I was crazy, or at least desperate. But maybe she’d understand I was trying to keep drama out of both our lives. The memory of Angelique’s meltdown behind Skyline Bar & Grill burned fresh in my mind—an entire crowd gathering, phone cameras rolling, Tessa among them, wide-eyed. I never wanted to see that look on Tessa’s face again.

Easing the truck into gear, I drove through the winding streets of Hope Peak, passing cozy cabins and older houses with steep roofs laden with snow. The mountainous skyline dominated the horizon, hazy gray clouds hugging the peaks. I recalled the days when Levi and I used to run up those trails, itching for that adrenaline rush. Now, Levi had grown more cautious, avoiding joining me for hiking or climbing expeditions even when I knew it was his day off from the bar. Meanwhile, I’d kept climbing mountains, teaching others how to hike them, but still admittedly enjoying the rush I felt every time I reached the top of another peak.

The bookstore was only a few blocks away, but I decided to take a longer route, circling around the outskirts of town to gather my thoughts. What if Tessa said no? That was a real possibility. She wasn’t exactly the daring type, and this plan might feel too risky or just plain silly. I imagined trying to explain it—Hey Tessa, I have a self-absorbed ex who might ruin my life again, so can you please be my pretend girlfriend for a couple of weeks?The notion sounded ridiculous. But the stakes were high, and I couldn’t ignore the flicker of excitement that came with the idea of spending more time in Tessa’s company.

Eventually, I found myself parked outside The Velvet Book. The street was quiet for a Saturday afternoon, though a couple of bundled-up locals strolled by with shopping bags. The storefront glowed from within, strings of fairy lightsilluminating the rows of books beyond the glass. My heart gave a small, unsteady jolt. I wasn’t afraid of heights, of avalanches, or even of my wilder stunts—but the thought of this petite, pretty brunette turning me down gave me a strange twinge of dread.

Steeling my nerves, I stepped out of the truck and walked toward the door, leaving footprints in the fresh powder. The brass bell jingled as I entered, and warm air, tinged with the smell of paper and brewing coffee, enveloped me. My gaze landed on Tessa almost immediately—she stood behind the counter, sorting through what looked like a stack of new arrivals. She looked up, and her brown eyes widened in a flicker of surprise.

“Ryder?” she asked, setting down the book in her hand. I noticed the faint pink in her cheeks, though whether it was from the cold air that had swept in or something else, I wasn’t sure.

I forced a small grin. “Hey, Tessa. You busy?”

She shook her head, fidgeting with the pile of books. “No, not really. What’s up?”

I took a moment to inhale the comforting scents of The Velvet Book. This place had always felt a world apart from my own, like the hush of a library where stories could take you anywhere. Right now, it felt like a refuge from the swirl of complications in my mind.

“I was hoping we could talk,” I said, trying to keep my tone casual. “Maybe somewhere less…public?” I nodded toward the few browsers wandering among the shelves.

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