Page 100 of Wrecked on the Mountain
"Right, ladies. Enjoy there and I see your table's ready. Best view in the house."
Piper gleams at me, sipping her drink as Charlie leads us to a corner booth with massive windows overlooking the towering mountain outside. We sink into the seats opposite each other, and there's already a small plate of appetizers waiting.
"Oh! You have to try there," I say excitedly, pulling the plate closer. "These are the fancy cheese things from Bear Paw Café that I've become completely addicted to."
Piper pops one of the cheese bites into her mouth, her eyes still tracking the bearded mountain man across the room like a heat-seeking missile.
"Mmm, oh my. Theseareincredible," she says, chewing thoughtfully. "But tell me… does your Jamie have any single friends who look like that specimen over there? Because I'm suddenly very interested in extending my visit."
"Down, girl," I laugh.
"Evening, Brooke!" Sienna calls out from her table near the fireplace, raising her wine glass in greeting as her daughter Maisie finishes what appears to be a very elaborate drawing of a castle. "How's our favorite doctor?"
"Perfect, thanks!" I wave back, feeling that familiar warmth spread through my chest.Our favorite doctor.
Piper's eyebrows shoot up as we settle into our booth. "Our favorite doctor? Brooke, how long have you been here? A month?"
"Four weeks tomorrow," I correct, taking a sip of my cocktail that tastes like lemon, lime and honey. "But you know how small towns are. Everyone knows everyone."
"No, I don't know how small towns are," Piper says, still looking around like she's landed on another planet. "I know how Chicago is. Where you can live in the same building for five years and never learn your neighbor's name."
Frank Barrett shuffles past our table, tipping his worn baseball cap. "Brooke, you tell that boyfriend of yours he still owes me a beer."
"I'll make sure he knows," I promise, grinning as Frank continues toward the bar.
Piper stares after him, then back at me. "Okay, what the hell? The entire town treats you like family."
"Yeah. They do," I say, and the truth of it hits me square in the chest. "Look around, babe. This isn't just a bar… it's the town's freaking living room!"
She giggles and holds the straw to her lips.
"Everyone comes here. Everyone knows everyone's business, everyone helps when things go wrong, everyone celebrates when things go right." I catch myself sounding like Jamie, but it's true. "It's nothing like home."
Charlie appears with menus, but I wave them away. "Two of the tavern burgers, loaded fries, and whatever dessert you're pushing tonight."
"Woman after my own heart," Charlie says approvingly. "I'll put that right in."
When he's gone, Piper leans across the table, her expression somewhere between amazed and concerned.
"Well, Brooke, after spending the day with you, I have to say… you're glowing. Like, literally glowing. I haven't seen you this happy since..." She pauses, thinking. "Ever, actually. Not even in med school when you were at the top of every class."
"That's because this is different." I gesture around the tavern, at the couples sharing quiet dinners, at the group of grumpy guys arguing over their pool game, at the general sense of contentment that permeates everything. "In Chicago, I was always chasing something. The next surgery, the next promotion, the next crisis to solve. Here, I'm just... living life. Taking it day by day, doing the things that make me smile."
"And Jamie?"
His name alone makes me smile so wide my cheeks hurt.
"He's been... incredible. These past few days especially, since I met his family and we watched the sunrise together." I trace the rim of my glass, remembering the way he looked at me whenhe said those three perfect words. "He's been trying so hard, probably because he knew you were coming. Like he needs to prove something."
"Prove something? What would a man like that need to prove to anyone?" Piper asks, brows knitting together.
"He's mentioned an ex-fiancée," I say, lowering my voice even though everyone in the tavern would know his story anyway. "Rebecca. She left him three days before their wedding, apparently."
Piper's eyes widen. "Holy shit. That's brutal."
"Right? I think that has something to do with it, but he kind of shuts down whenever we talk about it." I take another sip of my cocktail, the sweet burn coating my throat. "I know he had a tough time in the military too. Three tours offshore. But he's so focused on the community and the rescue station, he sort of just... gets on with it."
"Classic avoidance issues," Piper observes, her psychology degree showing. "Throw yourself into work so you don't have to deal with feelings."
