Chapter Two
LEVI
I woke to the sound of muffled squabbling and the sweet smell of frosting. For a solid five seconds, I forgot I’d fallen asleep on my own couch with a family of three under my roof. Then a twin’s voice rang out—loud, shrill, and definitely not my usual morning soundtrack.
“Mom! He’s hogging all the Pop-Tarts!”
Blinking against the morning light, I pushed myself upright. My back complained about the couch cushions, and I glanced around, already a little disoriented. My usually quiet living room felt like it had shrunk overnight, now filled with energy I’d never invited. Or at least, never intentionally invited. Tessa, that brat, apparently had other plans for me.
Another voice rose from the kitchen area. “Mom, these are the best kind! Strawberry frosted! I call dibs!”
Rolling my neck to ease the stiffness, I stood and padded into the kitchen. Sure enough, eight-year-old Connor and Cody were perched at my small dining table, each with a half-eaten Pop-Tart. Between them, Mindy was attempting order—though the way her ponytail skewed sideways suggested it hadn’t been going well.
“Good morning,” I said, rubbing a hand over my jaw. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
Mindy shot me a quick, apologetic smile. “Morning, Levi. Sorry if we woke you. The boys discovered your Pop-Tart stash.”
“I’m not sorry,” Cody muttered, mouth full. “They’re so good.”
I had to swallow a grin. “I see that.” I turned toward Mindy. “You don’t need to apologize. My place might be small, but we’ll manage.”
I still wasn’t fully over the fact that my sister had impersonated me on a dating app—Mountain Mates—and effectively catfished Mindy and her kids into relocating to Montana. Part of me was furious. Another part—the part currently noticing how pretty Mindy looked in a simple sweatshirt—couldn’t help but wonder if Tessa’s meddling might have had some twisted logic behind it.
Mindy brushed a lock of auburn hair off her cheek and glanced at the boys, then back at me. “I know you said the Pop-Tarts are no big deal, but I’d hate to let them skip a real breakfast.” She bit her lip, considering. “Would you mind if I cooked? I can whip up pancakes, maybe sausage?”
“You cook?” I asked, more surprised than I intended.
She lifted an eyebrow, half-amused. “I do. Believe it or not, cooking is kind of my stress relief. And I have plenty of stress right now, as you might imagine.”
A laugh escaped me before I could tamp it down. “Sure. I won’t say no to a home-cooked meal.”
“Thanks.” Mindy exhaled, like she was relieved I’d agreed. Then she turned to the twins. “Boys, two Pop-Tarts max. Then we’re switching to real food.”
Connor made a face but nodded. Cody shrugged good-naturedly. “If it’s got syrup, I’m cool.”
I found myself smiling as Mindy rummaged through my cupboards and fridge, looking for pancake mix and anything else she might need. It was disorienting, sure, having them here, but not entirely in a bad way. A part of me liked the unexpected bustle in my usually silent mornings.
Within minutes, the kitchen smelled like sizzling sausage and sweet batter. Mindy hummed under her breath as she worked, occasionally shooting the boys a mild warning glance if they teased each other too loudly.
I figured I might as well help. Sliding up beside her at the counter, I grabbed a spatula. “Want me to flip those pancakes?”
She appeared startled for a second but smiled gratefully. “Sure, thanks. My arms are busy with the sausage. Watch the edges, the heat’s a bit high.”
I nodded, enjoying the simple act of cooking alongside someone else. For years, my routine in the morning had been coffee and a piece of toast—when I even bothered. It felt oddly comforting to share a pan of pancakes with a mother and her two kids, albeit a mother I barely knew.
“Levi, do you own that Skyline place all by yourself?” Connor piped up suddenly.
“Sure do,” I replied, flipping a pancake. “Took a while to get it running, but it’s all mine.”
Cody’s eyebrows rose. “You must be rich.”
I coughed a laugh. “Not exactly. More like extremely busy.”
Mindy glanced over her shoulder. “Being the person in charge of anything takes time and dedication. I’m sure it must be a lot of work.”
I shrugged. “It can be. But it’s good honest work.”
Her expression shifted, something like admiration flickering in her eyes. Then the timer on the sausage beeped, and she turned to grab them from the skillet. “Breakfast is ready, guys. Clear the table if you can tear yourselves away from the Pop-Tarts.”
The twins grumbled theatrically but complied. Soon, the four of us sat around my small table—pancakes, sausage, fresh fruit, and coffee for Mindy and me. The boys, predictably, poured half a bottle of syrup on their plates, but Mindy didn’t seem too concerned.
“This is way better than Pop-Tarts,” Cody admitted.
“So your mom’s a fancy ad exec who can also cook like a gourmet chef? That’s not fair,” I joked lightly. “About the best I can do is heat a frozen pizza in the oven. I may run a bar and grill, but let’s just say there’s a reason I hire my cooks and keep out of the kitchen.”
Mindy cracked a grin. “Aw, you’re sweet. I’m glad you like the flapjacks. And I’m not that fancy; I just hustle because I’ve had to.”
She said it with enough casualness that I picked up on subtext: she probably had a lot more to her background than she wanted to share in front of the kids. Part of me burned to ask more—but maybe not over breakfast with the boys listening.
“So, you do marketing from home?” I asked, pivoting to a safer question.
“Yes, sometimes from home. I used to work in a corporate office, but once the kids started school, remote gigs became appealing. Less commute.” She paused. “I’m hoping to land something local, but until then, I can consult or freelance. I don’t want to mooch off you.”
I waved that off. “You’re not mooching. Tessa…” My jaw tightened at the mention of my sister. “Well, you got stuck in this situation same as I did. Of course this is the week Tessa’s out of town. She and her boyfriend, Ryder, who also happens to be my best friend, are off sunbathing in the Florida Keys. But when she gets back, she’s going to have some explaining to do.”
Mindy sighed. “I still can’t believe she used your profile on that app. She was so convincing.”
“I know,” I muttered, frustration coiling in my chest. “She’s determined I need a family. Guess she decided to skip a few steps and pick one out for me.”
Connor and Cody snickered in amusement.
“That’s kind of messed up,” Connor said, mouth full.
“Super messed up,” Cody echoed.
Mindy shot them a look. “Chew first. Manners.”
Then she turned to me. “I’m sorry. I know you’re angry with her.”
I huffed. “Furious, actually. But Tessa’s got a weird knack for seeing things others don’t. She’s always been a good judge of character, so…” My gaze flicked to Mindy, and I cleared my throat. “Anyway, let’s just say she crossed a line, but I can’t deny you and the boys seem like…” I stopped, unsure how to phrase it. “Seem like decent folks.”
Mindy’s lips curved in a small smile. “We appreciate that, Levi. We’ll try not to trash your house in the meantime.”
Cody and Connor looked across the table at each other and grinned, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
After the meal, the boys helped gather plates—well, Mindy insisted, and they carried them to the sink in half-hearted protest. I noticed how comfortable they already seemed here, bickering about who got to wash or dry. A pang of something unfamiliar tugged in my chest. Was it possible I liked having them around?
When the dishes were done, Mindy hopped onto a stool. “So, game plan for the day? The kids start school tomorrow, but we’re free today if there’s something you’d like us to do to help around the house.”
Connor groaned. “We didn’t come here to do chores.”
Cody rolled his eyes. “Maybe Levi wants to build a snow fort. Did you see all that snow outside?”
I raised my palms in mock surrender. “Snow fort? Not sure I have the skill set.”
Mindy laughed. “Let’s see if you can keep up with these two. And me,” she teased.
“Hey, I’ve lived in Montana for years,” I retorted with feigned indignation. “But sure. Let’s do it.”
Outside, the sky was clear and bright despite the chilly air. The mountains surrounding Hope Peak loomed in the distance, capped with fresh powder. My backyard wasn’t huge, but it opened into a wooded area with plenty of space. The boys raced ahead, flinging handfuls of snow at each other.
Mindy and I trudged through the drifts side by side, breath visible in the cold. She was laughing under her knitted cap, her cheeks flushed. Every once in a while, she’d glance at me, her eyes dancing with amusement. I couldn’t help but notice how the winter sunlight highlighted subtle copper strands in her hair.
“Alright, kiddos,” Mindy called. “Operation Snow Fort: Who’s in charge of the design?”Connor waved an arm. “Me! I watch all those building shows. I’ve got ideas.”
Cody smirked, rolling a snowball in his gloved hands. “I’m more about offense. We need a stockpile of ammo for when Mom and Levi get lazy.”
“Ammo, huh?” I said, raising a brow. “We’ll see about that.”
For the next half hour, we all dove into the snow with determined energy. Connor outlined a rough shape, and we packed snow walls as best we could. Cody occasionally lobbed a snowball at me or Mindy, forcing us to retaliate. Laughter rang out across the yard.
At one point, I found myself braced behind a half-finished wall, trying to shape the snow. Cody sneaked up behind me and launched a handful at my back. I whirled, feigning exaggerated outrage, scooped a big chunk of snow, and chased him. The kid shrieked, half-laughing, half-panicked, until I dropped the snow lightly on his head.
“Mercy!” he yelled, flailing. “I surrender!”
Connor took that moment to pounce, tackling me from behind. I staggered, arms out, and ended up half-falling into a snowdrift. Mindy, who’d been piling snow neatly, turned just in time to see me sprawl into the fluff with both twins piling on top.
“Mom, we got him!” Connor crowed triumphantly.
I let out a mock groan, playing along. “Two against one? That’s not fair.”
Mindy’s laughter was bright and genuine. “Boys, be nice. Levi has to be able to walk tomorrow.”
Despite my best efforts, a grin tugged at my face. The chaos was…fun. I’d always assumed a family’s presence in my house would drive me nuts. Yet as Cody scrambled off, I caught Mindy’s eye and felt a burst of warmth that had nothing to do with the layers of clothing I wore.
Eventually, the twins scampered off to gather more ammo, leaving Mindy and me alone for a moment. I stood, brushing snow off my coat.
She looked at me, still smiling. “You survived. Guess we know who’s on top in that wrestling match.”
“Barely,” I joked. “They got me good.”
Her laughter subsided, and for a second, we just looked at each other. My chest gave an odd flutter. Suddenly, I remembered how furious I was at Tessa for orchestrating this entire scenario—but I also recalled how Tessa always said she had a feeling about things. Could she have known I’d actually enjoy Mindy’s company? Or find her as attractive as I did? Then again, she was a beautiful woman. Any warm-blooded man would think the same.
Before I could dwell on it, the boys returned, brandishing snowballs. “Truce, truce!” Mindy announced, raising her hands. “We still have to finish the fort!”
“Right,” I agreed, stepping back into the rhythm of packing snow.
After another hour in the cold, we called it quits. Our fort was crooked but impressively tall in a few spots—enough to satisfy Connor’s ambitions. Once inside, Mindy set about making hot cocoa for the boys. Steam curled from their mugs as they sipped; cheeks rosy.
I hung my coat by the door, then caught Mindy’s eye. “So, you’re really going to start looking for jobs around here?”
She nodded, raking her fingers through her damp hair. “Yeah, I want stability for the twins. And it seems quiet, but maybe that’s what we need. I can’t keep uprooting them.”
A flicker of curiosity stirred in me. “What about their dad?”
Her gaze lowered. “He…things ended badly before the boys were even born. The pregnancy came as a surprise, and he basically checked out. I never wanted the boys to feel unwanted, so I’ve done my best to give them as much time and attention as possible when I don’t have to work. It’s why I haven’t…you know…really dated, since they were born.”
I exhaled. “The guy was a fool.”
Mindy offered a small, grateful smile. “That’s kind of you to say. I just do what I can.”
An unexpected rush of protectiveness flooded me. I wanted to tell her that any man who didn’t appreciate her was missing out. But I wasn’t sure how far to push that sentiment. Instead, I cleared my throat. “Well, for what it’s worth, you’re managing amazingly. And if you need help with job leads, I have some contacts in town. Not exactly the corporate scene, but hey.”
She brightened. “Thank you, Levi. That means a lot. And I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”
Outside, the sun was dipping, casting a golden glow through the window. Connor and Cody, worn out from the fort-building, were sprawled on the rug, sipping cocoa and plotting their next adventure. It was a strangely comforting scene—like my house was meant to have life in it, not just me rattling around alone.
I felt that same flicker of inner conflict: anger at Tessa for forging all those messages, yet a grudging awareness that maybe she’d had a point. I liked Mindy—her warmth, her humor, her easy way with the boys. And as frustrated as I was by the deception, I couldn’t deny my sister’s meddling had led to…something.
At least, I thought, glancing at Mindy’s soft smile, something that might actually be worth it.