Page 5 of Grumped By the Mountain Man

“Exactly,” Cali says, slurping the last of her latte and dribbling a few drops onto her white blouse.

Now, she looks as nervous as I felt a second ago when I wondered at her psychic abilities.

“Are you okay?”

Before she can answer, Emmy emerges from the kitchen still in her apron. It barely fits over her belly now. She looks adorable and once again I’m reminded of my round stomach, though that’s due to too many coffees and desserts courtesy of Emmy.

“Another latte?” she asks.

“I better cut myself off,” I say, getting to my feet. “Wait, actually can I get a box of those cinnamon rolls and a caramel frappe to go?”

What better way to thaw a grizzly grump than with sticky cinnamon buns?

“Jaxon acts all tough but I know that’s secretly his favorite coffee drink. Or at least it used to be.” I look to Cali for confirmation.

“It is.” She smiles. “He won’t admit it though. He especially likes double whipped cream.”

“Double whipped cream it is then, Em.”

Emmy’s amber eyes cut to Cali who quickly stares into her empty mug.

“You’re going to Jaxon’s cabin?” Emmy asks, slowly turning to me.

“Yeah, he invited her over to snap a few photos for her website,” Cali says quickly.

“I think it’s a truce,” I say perking up by the second. Maybe Cali’s right and Jaxon’s mood has nothing to do with me. “Maybe he finally wants to talk after all the weirdness at the wedding.”

I fluff my hair, checking my reflection in the shiny glass of the pastry display. I wouldn’t admit it in front of Cali in case I skeeve her out, but I put extra effort into my appearance today. I’m wearing an emerald green top that I know suits my freshly washed, red hair beautifully. I’d used the same shampoo and conditioner Jaxon had complimented me on once. Hibiscus and coconut. Sure, squeaky clean hair would probably make my beachy waves go limper faster, but the burst of the tropical smell every time I move my head was worth it.

But would Jaxon notice if he barely noticed me in my sleek bridesmaid dress? I’d been done up to the nines and I don’t think he looked at me once.

“Oh,” Emmy says, busying herself with a bakery box and the cinnamon rolls.

I stop fooling with my hair to look at her. “What do you mean, oh?”

“Nothing,” Emmy shrugs, setting the box on the counter and whipping up my caramel frappe.

I knew my bestie better than I knew myself and her oh’s never meant nothing.

My gaze flickers to Cali, who quickly scoops up our dirty mugs and gets to her feet.

“What’s going—” Before I can finish, a horn sounds and I turn to see a yellow taxi idling by the front doors. I know it’s waiting for me as Maya called the company an hour ago. I didn’t want to bother my brothers by asking for a ride seeing as they were working so hard on the lodge’s extension. I couldn’t say I trusted myself to drive across the winding roads to Jaxon’s cabin either. The hairpin turns make me queasy.

“Em—”

The horn sounds again as Emmy rests my drink down beside the cinnamon rolls.

Flustered, I scramble to pull a bill from my purse but Emmy shakes her head.

“It’s on the house.”

“Why?”

“It’s time I paid you back,” she shrugs simply with a grin.

***

Payback? For what?

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