Page 4 of Courage of the Mountain
A shadow passes over her face, and I know she’s thinking about the roadside bomb that almost took his life. Haydenwanted to be in the military until retirement, but his career was cut short. My best friend didn’t know what to do with himself after his surgeries and an honorable discharge. Seems like he still doesn’t.
“Did you say you own Between the Covers now?” I ask, hoping to change the subject to something lighter.
In an instant, Lily’s face brightens as she beams up at me with pride. She’s so damn beautiful and radiant in this moment. I remember the little girl who always carried a book with her wherever she went, and a fierce pride rises to the surface knowing she’s doing something she loves.
I hope Hayden has been supportive of her, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been too wrapped up in his own shit to worry about Lily. She’s perfectly capable of handling anything, I already know that. But she doesn’t have to do everything on her own. I’ll make sure of it.
“Yes!” Lily exclaims, breaking into my thoughts. “Can you believe it? It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and now it’s all mine.” She holds out her arms, gesturing to the store around her. I want to pull her into my arms and taste her smile.
“I absolutely believe it,” I tell her with a grin. “You always loved books, and you have a good head on your shoulders. It doesn’t surprise me at all that you’re a business owner.”
Her eyebrows are raised nearly to her hairline as she stares at me. “Really?” she whispers.
“Of course. It’s amazing that you’ve managed to make your dreams a reality. You must be so proud. I know your grandma would be, too.”
When her eyes fill with unshed tears, I want to punch myself in the nuts for bringing up her grandma. Of course, it still hurts. From what I can tell, Hayden hasn’t processed the loss, so I can’t imagine he’s been much of a comfort in the years since her passing.
“Thank you, Heath. That means a lot to me.” The curvy goddess blinks a few times, clearing the tears before they have a chance to fall.
The way she soaks up my praise makes me think no one’s told her how amazing she is in a long time. Damn. I really need to catch up with my best friend. He hardly ever talks about Lily, which, now that I think about it, tugs at my heart. Ideally, he’ll be back in town soon so I can say all of this to his face.
“So, um, anyway,” Lily says, clearing her throat. “You mentioned a cookbook?”
I nod.
“Right over here.” She leads the way, and I follow like the lovesick puppy I don’t want to admit I am. “I suggest starting with the basics. Pasta dishes are a good go-to, and casseroles are nearly fail-proof. But… you probably don’t eat carbs.” Her eyes dart to my chest and arms before returning to the bookshelf. She likes what she sees? I’m a filthy motherfucker for wanting to show her more.
“I enjoy carbs as much as anyone,” I tell her. “Thank you for the suggestions.”
She rings me up for the book, blushing when I hand her my card, and our fingers touch. I swallow the urge to wrap my hand around hers and tug her close enough to kiss.
Instead, I gather my purchase and wave at my best friend’s little sister. That’s all she is. That’s all she can be.
“Heath?” she calls out when I’m halfway out the door. I turn and look at her over my shoulder. “I’m really glad you’re back in Hope Mountain.”
And just like that, my resolve to keep her at arm’s length crumbles to the floor. I can’t help the cheesy grin spreading across my face. “Lily? I’m really glad I’m back here, too.” I give her a wink and then get the hell out before I do something trulyinsane, like throw her over my shoulder and take her to our new home.
Seriously, what has gotten into me today? How can one woman rattle me to my core? One thing’s for sure; my return to Hope Mountain just got a lot more interesting.
3
LILY
Ire-read the last paragraph of the romance book I started when I got home from work. Thankfully, I don’t have to travel far, as I live in the apartment above the bookstore. I haven’t been able to concentrate on anything since Heath showed up a few days ago, not even reading.
Books have always been an escape, especially romance books. They provide a way to travel to a world where fairy tales exist, good triumphs over evil, and true love wins. Who couldn’t use more of that in their lives?
Unfortunately, seeing Heath again has reignited my ridiculous crush on him. As if he didn’t already take up enough real estate in my mind. Only now it’s worse. Now, when I’m reading my steamy books, I have a more accurate picture of him.
He’s older, with a few lines at the corners of his eyes, but they make him more distinguished and mature. Something about Heath being a decade older than me makes me feel… safe, I guess. Then again, Heath has always put me at ease.
Growing up, it was just me, Hayden, and our grandmother. She had to work a lot to provide for us, and Hayden got a job as soon as he could to pitch in. Hayden and I did a paper route together on the weekends, even though I was technically tooyoung. He said if I helped him, we could do twice as much in the same amount of time.
One day, I was out on my Saturday morning paper route when the chain on my bike came off. I remember the pedals jerking as I tried pushing forward, and then I teetered to the side and crashed into a tree. I looked around for Hayden, but he was already several blocks ahead of me on the other side of the street.
Heath happened to be out on a morning run around the neighborhood when he came across me with my tear-stained face and bloody knee. He cleaned me up, fixed my bike, and walked with me until we caught up to Hayden. I was eight, and he was eighteen. Even though I wasn’t aware of any romantic feelings at such a young age, I was always drawn to him. When my brother and Heath joined the military a short time later, my feelings only grew stronger.
Hayden often brought Heath along when the two had leave from the Army. While Heath was born and raised here in Hope Mountain, his mom left right after he graduated high school. I don’t think he’s ever met his dad, but it’s clear his relationship with his mother is rocky at best.
