Page 2 of The Maverick of the Mountain
She smiles brightly after taking a deep breath and sighing. Messy strands of red hair fall on either side of her face, and the rest of it is pulled up in a messy bun. Jade, her name tag reads, and is apt given her startling green eyes framed within round, oversized glasses.
The door jingles behind me as I step forward. “Just one.”
A strange feeling rises in my chest as I hear two large boots thud behind me. Something’s urging me to look. It’s visceral. Primal. But I’m able to ignore it.
I can’t ignore his scent, though. He smells heavenly. Mountainly? Conifers and columbines. Something I can only describe as… spice. Whatever it is, it’s disconcerting how worked up I am over it.
“I’m Jade, and I’ll be serving you today.” She tucks one of her stray, red curls behind her ear. “Booth okay?”
I swallow, rubbing the goosebumps flaring across my arms. “Sounds great-Actually,” I burst out as red-hot heat spreads across my neck. Is he staring at me? Is he… no. “You don’t happen to have a spot by the window, do you?”
Jade glances toward the front of the restaurant and then back at me. “It might be a few minutes, but I think a table will be opening up.”
“Sure, I can wait.”
Jade smiles at me before turning her attention to the man behind me.
“I’ll grab your order, Maverick. Just a moment.”
“Actually,” the man rasps. “I think we might take that booth.”
Goosebumps flare again. Tingles—everywhere. That’s a voice. Deep and gruff. I feel it as much or more than I hear it. And I’m already imagining the face it might belong to. Bearded… of course. Ruggedly handsome. A tall drink of?—
“We’re going to get cake and ice cream,” a little voice responds, catching me off guard.
“I didn’t see you there, Dora! That sounds lovely. Come this way.”
He grunts, and my chest rattles as he takes a step, his thick arm brushing against my body as he moves past me. “Thanks, Jade.”
I surreptitiously glance at the pair. The little one’s wearing a bright pink ballerina outfit and the man… Dear lord. Consider me burned toast because I’m charred and smoking as I stare at the behemoth moving through the restaurant, bending low to guide his little girl around tables.
Those last men have nothing on this guy. I’m not even sure this man is human. Do they really come in that size? Tree trunk limbs. Boulder body. The man is built like a mountain. And as he moves through the restaurant, it seems like I’m not the only one in awe of his size.
One kid, his face covered in ice cream, stares agog as he hangs off the back of his chair, clutching his melting ice cream cone. A younger girl cries before folding herself against her mother, who scowls momentarily before giving the mountain of a man an approving look.
I’m with you, ma’am. This man is mancandy incarnate, and I’ve only seen him from the back. I might have to wear shades to see him from the front. Unfortunately, I can’t see him from this angle unless I move a few feet aside and openly gawk. It crosses my mind, but I calm myself down. He’s with hisdaughter,for god’s sake. He’smarried.Ugh. Go figure. The first time I have had this kind of visceral reaction, and it’s with someone completely off limits.
Jade returns a few minutes later. “Table’s ready for you.”
She guides me to a small table at the front, next to the window. I slide onto the chair, completely oblivious to the restaurant decor as I stare at the mountain range in the distance. “This is perfect. What mountains are those by the way?”
Jade slides the menu in front of me as I set my camera down on the table. “Whispering Winds.”
Immediately, I feel my cheeks flush. Yup… that makes sense.
Jade snorts. “Don’t worry. I asked Marge that same question. Sat right here too. She still gave me the job, so… it all worked out.”
“Thanks,” I mutter, glancing at the menu.
“First time in Whispering Winds?”
“I’ve passed through a couple of times on my way to the Cherry Ridge Farm. I’m here for a wedding in a few days.”
“Guest or the photographer?” She nods at my camera, and I smile.
…Until Mackenzie jumps to mind.
“The latter.” I try not to sound too grim, but from the expression on her face, it seems I wasn’t all that successful.
