Page 1 of Kissing the Wrong Mountain Man

1

Schapelle

In my twenty-nine years, I've made plenty of questionable life choices.

But this?

This one might take the cake.

Nerves skitter in my belly as I step into the banquet hall at Cedar Crest Haven Lodge, my friend's engagement party in full swing.

It's a beautiful space, restored to its full glory after the earthquake. Guests mingle by massive windows that offer a breathtaking view of the California mountains bathed in the apricot glow of dusk, while others cluster around high tables and burgundy Chesterfield sofas. A jazz singer, accompanied by a small band, croons in the corner.

Gripping my purse, I glance around the room, searching for two people.

No, not my recently engaged friends, Sabra and Reece, although I am eager to offer them my heartfelt congratulations. Theirs is a fairytale, friends-to-lovers story I will definitely be using for inspo in one of my future books.

My two targets are both men.

The first is Owen. My ex. Two months ago, I told him I was pregnant. He flatly said he didn't want the baby, ended things, and my string of bad relationships, and even worse decisions when it comes to men, got that much longer.

I spot him talking to some mutual friends. It's funny. I spend so much time writing about falling in love and being in love that it's surreal to be on the fallingoutof love side of the equation.

But I am.

Oh, I amsodone with him.

My pregnancy surprised both of us. I was on the pill, and after eighteen months of dating, we hadn't even talked about moving in together, much less starting a family.

But it's thewayhe reacted that sealed the deal for me.

You want to shirk away from your responsibilities and not be a father? Fine. That's on you. But don't tell me I'm ruining my life, will end up alone because no man would possibly want me, and then bombard me with texts saying I should 'get rid of it.'

Screw you, Owen.

Even though I'm not showing yet, I slide my hand protectively over my belly and silently tell my precious baby,This may not be the way I planned it, but I will love you and protect you and give you the best life I can. It's you and me against the world, bubba.

I snag a glass of juice from a passing waiter and flick my eyes over to the long, polished bar that stretches along one wall, buzzing with people laughing and chatting.

I squint, searching for my second target. His name is Magnus, and he's a good friend of Sabra's. When she told him about my situation, he was furious on my behalf. So furious, he was the one who came up with the idea to be my fake boyfriend for the night to get back at Owen.

I was skeptical at first and asked Sabra what was in it for him. She told me he was a huge fan who'd read all my books, gay, and about to audition for the lead in a romcom, so he was looking to get in some 'straight practice,' as she put it.

I know, I know. It's crazy.

And immature.

And impulsive, since I only agreed to it this morning and don't even know what the guy looks like, other than he'll be the tallest person in the room.

But what better way to get wild and out there ideas for my writing than to launch myself headfirst into the next adventure? An author's most valuable asset is their individuality. Five million copies sold proves it's a solid strategy.

"The second you see him, you'll know," Sabra assured me. "He's a mountain of a mountain man, even if he'll be wearing a suit for the occasion and not his usual flannel. He'll tower over everyone else. Neatly-trimmed beard. Brown hair.Veryattractive. He could be on the cover of one of your novels."

So here I am. About to pretend I'm dating a gay guy to get back at my ex. My one final silly, and slightly petty, move before I settle down for a life of responsible motherhood.

Then, as if on cue, he comes into sight, and time seems to slow down.

Sabra was right, Magnus easily looms over the crowd, his height making him impossible to miss. He's standing at the end of the bar by himself. His broad shoulders and solid body seem almost too large for the suit he's wearing, the navy-blue fabric hugging his physique in all the right places.

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