Page 12 of Forever with the Mountain Man

Callie sits back in her chair, clapping her hands together. A huge smile crosses her face. “Good riddance, Tim,” she mutters, referencing my ex. She never liked the way he treated me. “Okay, this is getting good. Go on.”

Remembering a picture is worth a thousand words, I unlock my phone, scroll to some of Fierce’s most recent, G-rated pictures, and hand her my phone. “Just take a look for yourself.” (I keep the NSFW ones in a special folder marked “.” For my hungry eyes only.)

Flipping through his photos, she covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes rounding. “This guy is gorgeous and sexy AF! And where did you say you met him? Mountain what?”

“Mountain Mates Dating Site.”

“Girl, I’m all over this. Does he have any brothers?”

“Six, actually.”

Her eyebrows shoot skyward.

I sigh. “I’m falling for him, and I know he’s falling for me.”

She stares at me blankly. “But have you met in person yet?”

I shake my head.

Callie leans forward. “Okay, I get that he’s total eye candy. But what if you meet in person and the chemistry’s not there? You know, the pheromones are all off. Shit like that happens sometimes. I read about it in Cosmo recently.”

“That would suck.” I frown.

“Don’t look sad. I don’t mean it like that. I’m just saying you owe it to each other to meet up in person before your hearts get any deeper in this.”

I nod, pausing. “Thanks to my editor, that’s happening tomorrow.” I exhale sharply, my cheeks burning. I still can’t believe it.

“Oh my God. How exciting!” A little puff of air escapes her thick lips, a juicy shade of hot pink, thanks to her lipgloss. “What are you going to wear? How are you going to do your makeup?”

“I haven’t thought about any of that yet.” I shake my head.

“Girl, what are you doing this afternoon?”

I shrug.

“Okay, let me rephrase that. Here’s what we’re doing this afternoon. We’re giving you a makeover.”

“But I don’t have the money for that,” I confess, looking down, my cheeks burning.

“Okay, you and I both know your closet is filled with beautiful clothes that you never wear. You’re always tromping around in jogging suits, no offense.”

She’s not lying. Between freelancing from home and the breakup six months ago, my self-care and fashion sense have been in the dumps lately.

“And there’s always my closet, too, Sis.” We’ve always been the same size, which has meant a lifetime of swapping outfits. “And those fantastic thrift shops on Geary and Haight. Besides, I still owe you a Christmas gift and a birthday gift for last year. So, we’re going underwear shopping at Victoria’s Secret, too.”

“You don’t have to?—”

“Girl, you cannot meet that delicious-looking man wearing the ratty-ass Grandma panties I know you’ve got on right now. Probably with holes at the waistband.” She frowns, and I shift in my seat uncomfortably. Callie’s been on this high horse ever since seeing a pile of laundry on my bed. In the context of my mountain man shepherd, she has a point.

“But what about my editor and the not falling in love part?”

“Okay, the man you just showed me looks like the country version of Henry Cavill. I’m sorry, but your editor has to take a backseat.”

I press my lips firmly together.

“When’s the last time you saw a guy like that walking around the city?”

“Never.”

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