Page 5 of Enticed by the Mountain Man
He replies almost at once.
Connor: Stay alert. Trust Graham.
I stare at the last part and feel something pinch in my chest. I type back before I can overthink.
Me: I do.
Down the hall, the cabin is quiet. The counter holds two mugs upside down, drying on a towel. Graham isn’t here. Through the window, I see tracks in the frost from the porch to the workshop.
I scribble a note and leave it on the counter:I’m going into town for a few things. Need groceries. Will be back by noon.
The road into Pine Hollow winds between tall pines and scrubby maples. The town spreads around a square with a green, a gazebo, and a ring of shops that look unchanged. I park near Dottie’s general store and cafe. The bell above the door rings as I push in.
Dottie stands behind the counter with her hair pinned up and a pencil behind one ear. She looks up, squints, then grins.
“Well, I’ll be. Maeve Prescott.” Her voice turns loud enough for everyone to hear. “Get in here, girl.”
I laugh and let her pull me into a hug over the counter. She smells like White Diamonds. “Hi, Dottie.”
“You here visiting your brother?” she asks, already reaching for a menu.
“Connor’s still deployed.” I set the menu aside. “I’m around for a few weeks. Maybe longer.”
Dottie’s eyes soften. “Coffee and some breakfast?”
“Yes, please.”
I slide into a booth. Two elderly men by the window nod in greeting. One of them says he remembers me from the Fall Festival years ago. I remember him, too, handing out apple slices to impatient kids.
Dottie brings coffee and a plate of cinnamon toast without asking. “You always liked this,” she says. “You were a skinny teenager who needed to eat more. Now you’re a grown woman who still needs to eat more.”
I take a bite. It’s so much better than anything I’ve ever made for myself. “Thank you.”
The bell rings again. Annie from the bakery down the street steps in with two boxes cradled in her arms. She wears a dark sweater and a bright scarf. Her cheeks are pink from the cold. She sees me and smiles widely.
“Maeve. You’re back.”
“Hi, Annie.”
She slides the boxes onto the counter. “Apple tarts for Dottie. She insists mine sell better in her cafe than in my own display case.” She leans on the counter and studies me. “How long are you in town?”
“Not sure yet.”
“Need a part-time job?” She says it in a casual voice that feels sincere. “Mornings at the bakery can get busy. No pressure.”
I blink. “Maybe. Thank you for the offer.”
“Think about it.” She glances at Dottie. “I’ll come by for coffee later.” She squeezes my shoulder and heads out, calling goodbye to the men by the window.
Dottie sets down a plate with eggs and ham. “Can’t run on toast alone.” She lowers her voice. “Are you staying with Graham or in your brother’s cabin?
Warmth climbs into my face. “With Graham.”
Dottie’s mouth tips. “He’s a good man. Stubborn as a tree stump, but that’s a different problem.”
As I eat, people filter in and out of the store. A woman with a toddler asks about knit caps. Two high school boys come in arguing about a basketball game. The town hum is steady and comforting. No one looks at me like I’m a problem. No one seems to know why I left the city. Relief sits in my throat and makes it hard to swallow.
After breakfast, I go up and down the aisles, grabbing some food for the cabin. The aisles are narrow and unorganized. I fill a basket with pasta, rice, canned tomatoes, oatmeal, tea, soap, and matches. Dottie rings me up and adds a small discount withoutmentioning it. She slides a paper bag across the counter with two wrapped cookies. “For later.”
