Page 8 of Connecting with the Mountain Man

It’s infuriating.

But I swear I can tell it’s him before he even opens his mouth. My whole body goes on high alert, like some kind of Silas-tracking device. Years of sharing the same building, brushing past him in the hall, and listening to him argue with Luke have apparently tuned me in to his exact frequency.

Silas Matthews. Walking thunderstorm. Moodiest man on the mountain. The bane of my existence.

But today?

Today something’s…off.

It’s not the way he moves—because Silas always moves like he owns the place. Long, confident strides. That heavy, mountain-man presence trailing behind him like thunderclouds.

No, it’s his face.

His jaw is tight. Tighter than usual. A muscle ticking near his temple, like he’sgrinding his teeth.

And his eyes.

Normally, those sharp blue eyes latch onto mine the second he walks in, ready to poke fun or give me hell aboutsomething.But today, they barely flick over me. Like I’m part of the furniture.

“Morning, Eden. Came back to fix the leak.”

That’s it. No teasing. No smug tilt of his mouth. No snarky comment about how the place still smells like burnt hopes and dreams.

Just… nothing.

“Yeah, sure.”

I don’t even know why I bother answering. He doesn’t stop. Doesn’t wait for permission. Just brushes past me, all big and brooding, without a glance in my direction.

And that—that—feels worse.

It’s not like Ilikewhen he teases me. God, no. His stupid little smirks. The way he throws those half-insultingcompliments at me like he’s tossing crumbs to a bird. “Nice scones, Eden. Almost burnt, just the way you like them.”

Ugh.

Ihateit.

But this? This weird, silent, no-eye-contact version of Silas?

I hate this more.

I watch his back as he heads toward the kitchen, my stomach twisting in ways I can’t explain. Like maybe I poked the bear one too many times. Or maybe Iwantedhim to say something.

Anything.

But no.

I’m left standing there like an idiot, gripping the counter so hard my knuckles ache.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Is this because ofRuggedRoots? Is that why I’m spiraling—because one guy I’ve never evenmetdecided I wasn’t worth sticking around for?

And now Silas Matthews can’t even be bothered to throw one of his usual grumpy comments my way?

God, I can’t do this today.

Iwon’tdo this today.

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