A Spring in Her Step (Seasons in Montana: Spring)

Chapter 1

1

M ia Thompson rushed around her house, grabbing items she would need for the day.

“I’m late, I’m late, I’m late,” she chanted.

She picked up one of her shoes off the floor and tried to put it on while she hopped across the floor to the other. Once she got to it, she put it on in a hurry before snatching her purse off her bed. Then she rushed out the door, locked the handle from the inside, and slammed it behind her.

She pulled the handle to her car door, and it was locked. Of course it was. It was always locked. So she reached into her purse to fish out the keys, only for them not to be there.

“Oh no. No, no, no!”

She dropped her head back and let out a loud sigh. Walking back to her front door, she tried the handle, but it was locked. She peeked through her window and saw her keys sitting in the little tray next to the door.

Mia rushed across her drive and through the patch of grass between her and her neighbor’s house before going up the steps two at a time.

Her neighbor’s lawn was impeccable. Being spring, the grass was green and fresh flowers had been planted in the pots. Her own yard left something to be desired, as she hadn’t had the time to take care of it.

She’d think it would be better, considering her best friend was the landscaper for the Wintervale Resort, the local resort in their small town.

She pounded on her neighbor’s door and, after a moment, it swung open to her best friend’s smiling face. Jackson Blake.

He wore a pair of jeans and a polo shirt with the logo of the resort embroidered on the chest. His dark hair was styled, and it looked as if he was also on his way out the door.

“Lock yourself out again?” he asked.

“Ugh. Yes. Can you let me in?”

Jackson had a spare key for when Mia repeatedly locked herself out. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t hidden a key in a fake rock or something, but she felt safer giving it to Jackson than to have it readily available for anyone outside.

Not that there was a lot of crime in Wintervale. There was hardly any. But it was a tourist town, so many people passed through. Since Mia lived alone, she didn’t want to take the chance of someone having access to her house.

Jackson walked over to her front door and unlocked it before turning around to smile at her.

“I’m waiting.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “I don’t have time for this, Jackson.”

“Hey. We had a deal. You promised you’d be better about not locking yourself out. And if this is the only way I can help you remember, then you cannot get out of it.”

Mia put her hand on her hip and frowned at him. His boyish grin and the glint in his eye made it hard for her to pretend to be annoyed, so she couldn’t refrain from cracking a smile.

“All hail superhero Jackson. His services have saved me once again from distress. Your subject is most grateful,” Mia deadpanned, adding in a few extra words and saying it with a bored tone.

Jackson’s smile widened. “I don’t appreciate the sarcasm, but I do appreciate the flourish.”

Mia bounced up onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek before rushing into her house and snatching her keys off the table. Then she locked her door and waved as she rushed to her car.

“Thank you!”

He waved and watched her back out of her driveway. Once she drove down the street, she could see his retreating back as he went back to his house and disappeared inside.

Jackson Blake.

Her best friend.

The love of her life.

If only he felt the same way.