Page 1 of Married in Misty Mountain

Chapter One

Shenna

“I’m so sorry, dear. This just isn’t going to work out.”

Hank, my sweet, paternal boss, gently takes the broom out of my hands.

I stand forlorn in a pile of broken glass and spilled beer, my third major screw-up in as many weeks in my brief employment at the Rusty Elk Tavern.

The local bar and restaurant, with its homey feel and clientele— dedicated locals and wealthy tourists alike—is the only job where I can earn nightly tips. I need every last dollar if I’m going to make a life of my own, far away from my parents.

“I understand, Hank,” I say, reaching for the broom. “But at least let me clean up before I go.”

The grimace on the older man’s face broadcasts the truth of the matter. Hank is worried I’m going to cut myself on broken glass and end up needing stitches. Again.

“No, no. Dr. Ried’s on vacation this month, and I don’t want to have to take you to the vet’s office for antibiotics this time.”

I can’t tell if Hank’s joking or not with that crack about bringing me to the veterinarian.

On the other hand, I cannot afford a visit to a real doctor. Dr. Ried at the Riverbend Clinic was nice enough to stitch me up for free the last time I had an accident at work.

“Okay,” I say, looking down and biting my lip. I refuse to cry. The tears make my colored contacts shift around; on top of that, crying dislodges my fake lashes.

“I feel awful about this, Mildred, but you’re becoming a liability at this point,” Hank says as we both watch a large group of tourists get up from their table and leave, evidently feeling as if they’ve waited too long for the drinks I just spilled.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. My name’s not Mildred. It’s Shenna. I’ve been lying to everyone in Misty Mountain about my real identity, for reasons you’ll soon understand.

“You’re right. I should just get out of everybody’s way. I knew Misty Mountain was too good to be true,” I mumble, leaving Hank to clean up and heading toward the break room, where I untie the stubborn knot at my lower back and toss my apron into the laundry bin. My quick exit is blocked by Clara, Hank’s wife, who has followed me down the narrow hallway.

“Mildred? Are you okay?”

I wince at the older woman’s gentle demeanor. Yet another person I’m lying to. Why is everyone here so understanding when I fail? I’m built to withstand anger, impatience, and frustration. Kindness is too much for me to bear.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.”

“I just came from closing up the cafe. Need a pick-me-up?”

She holds out a small cardboard box labeled Pine and Petal Cafe. Inside is one of Clara’s house-made chocolate croissants.

“Yes, please,” I say, my stomach rumbling as I take the box gratefully.

“Hank told me what happened, and I’m really sorry. Is there anything I can do?” Clara asks.

What I wish everyone would do is give it to me straight. I have no marketable skills except for eating Clara’s delicious baked goods. I devour it in about ten seconds and am oddly comforted now.

I give a hopeful smile, though I know I’m about to get shot down. “Is the Pine and Petal hiring?” I ask, referring to Clara’s pride and joy down the street from The Rusty Elk.

She shakes her head sadly. “I’ve got all the help I need.”

I nod and change out of my work shoes, slipping into my sandals that I kept in the locker. “It was a long shot.”

When my car broke down in Misty Mountain over a month ago, I felt good about this place. It’s a lesser-known ski town without the high cost of living or celebrity status of an Aspen or Jackson Hole. I thought I could start over where no one knows Shenna Blake. I thought I could reinvent myself as Mildred. I know—not the most convincing name for a woman in her early 20s, but I panicked when being interviewed for my first job outside of the “compound.” I had to say anything other than my real name.

But despite my disguise and my fake identity, I can’t reinvent everything about myself. Once a klutz, always a klutz.

I blink back tears that automatically form in response to Clara’s sympathetic look.

“Where will you go?”

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