Page 24 of Mountain Boss

Then I started to picture her in a tool belt.

In only a tool belt.

And I had to turn away.

Now, I’m back at my kitchen window, about to head to the Food Hall for lunch, but I can’t bring myself to exit the house and interrupt whatever Courtney is doing.

She slowly moves up the stairs to her door, like she’s being extra careful with her steps, then she props the box between her hip and the doorframe as she reaches for the handle.

After she goes inside, I wait.

I wait five minutes, but she doesn’t come back out.

We didn’t discuss any sort of schedule, other than when to start. But it’s safe for her to assume that the lunch break starts at noon.

I would’ve thought she’d like to partake in the included lunch, but maybe she’s feeling shy.

I could keep her company.

I roll my eyes at my horny inner voice.

I’m not asking the girl to sit with me.

Chapter 19

Courtney

Steam whistlesout of my kettle as the light on the base turns off.

I lift the pot carefully and add the hot water to a bowl already containing a square of hard ramen noodles covered in the powdered flavoring.

Once it’s full, I place my plate over the bowl, sealing in the steam. Then I pour the rest of the hot water into my coffee mug, the instant coffee already scooped into the bottom.

The one cup I had from Big Joe this morning is not going to be enough to get me through the day.

I blow on the surface of the hot coffee as I wait for my lunch and take in my newkitchen.

It didn’t take long to set up.

I put my food away in the small cabinet above the sink. And on the end of the counter next to the sink, over the first washer, I lined up my kettle, my toaster, and my stack of dishes for one, with my set of silverware sticking out of my old cracked mug that isn’t good for liquid but is good for storage.

It looks a tad meager, but it’s not like I need a second plate for my pretend friends.

My first sip reminds me that I still haven’t eaten today, and the next four minutes are going to feel like forever. So, I take the peanut butter out of the cupboard and use my spoon to scoop some out.

There’s no fridge in here, but maybe we’re allowed to use the fridges in the Food Hall? If we are, then after payday, I’ll get some sandwich stuff. It’ll be a splurge, but it will be nice to not eat the same thing for every meal.

When four minutes pass, I lift the plate off my bowl and daydream about sandwiches and sturdy chairs as I sit on my hard bunk, eating noodles and mumbling curses about my dark-haired, dark-eyed boss.

Chapter 20

Sterling

“So…”Fisher starts two seconds after I sit on the bench across the picnic table from him.

I hold his gaze as I lift the burger to my mouth.

He’s worked for me too long—for years, like all my guys—so my stare rarely works as a deterrent anymore.

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