Rugged Loner: A BBW & Mountain Man Romance (Heartland Heroes: King Mountain Book 3)

Chapter 1

Jessica leans in as I wipe down the bar of King Tap with a rag. Her eyes sparkle the way they do when she’s genuinely excited. “It’s going to be incredible, Marian. We’re so proud of you!”

“We sure are,” Ana agrees, moving her drink aside. “I can’t wait to see it all come together. Everyone is going to love your photos!”

The door swings open, and Reggie Flagg walks into the bar. He pauses a moment, his eyes finding mine, and he waves at me. I memorize the warmth of his smile as I smile and wave back, glad that no one can hear how strongly my heart is beating in my chest.

“Looks like your number one fan is here,” Ana teases, her voice low. It’s not very crowded tonight, which makes it easy to hear other people’s conversations.

“Hush,” I mutter, but I’m smiling. I watch Reggie stride over to join Daryl. Waylon, Lucas, and Nathan are already sitting, a couple of pitchers of beer on the table. It’s Tuesday night, which means they’re all here to catch up on mountain business. Waylon owns the bar, and no one in their right mind would challenge Waylon over using King Tap as an unofficial office for mountain business.

“Girl, you’ve been mooning over that man for as long as I’ve known you,” Jessica says, not unkindly. “And if I’ve noticed, so has he.”

“Everyone knows,” Ana agrees and nods. “Reggie’s been crushing on our Marian just as hard. Rumor has it there’s a betting pool for when you two will finally get together and who initiates the date.”

I stare at Ana, wondering where she heard that. Probably from her fiancé, Daryl. This is the first I’ve heard of it—and there’s not much I haven’t heard about in here.

I bite my lip and wipe the bar down again, even though it’s spotless. The thought of Reggie and me, something real...I’ve spent many a night fantasizing about that. But the damn man never asks me out on a date.

“Reggie’s not just being friendly, you know,” Jessica insists, leaning on the bar and forcing me to meet her eyes. “He’s got that...what do you call it? A smolder.”

Ana nods, her earrings glinting under the bar lights. “Definitely a smolder. The man could start a forest fire with the intensity of how he looks at you.”

I wipe down the counter, trying to appear nonchalant. “If he’s interested, how come he’s never asked me out?” I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve asked myself this question. It’s also not the first time I’ve asked Jessica and Ana this question.

“Maybe he’s just as scared as you are,” Ana suggests. Her sympathetic smile is meant to be reassuring. “These men up here,” Ana says, her eyes warming as she looks over at Daryl, “they have a tough exterior, but they’re really just soft teddy bears inside.”

Jessica chuckles and glances over at Lucas. “Just don’t let them hear you say that.”

“I’m not that foolish,” Ana laughs.

I glance around the bar to ensure no one is waiting for fresh drinks. Waylon doesn’t mind if I talk to customers, which technically Jessica and Ana are, even if they’re married or almost married to men who live and work up here. But Waylon does mind if customers are neglected.

As I’m opening my mouth to say something, the door to the bar creaks open, and I watch my parents walk in. My stomach tightens as I watch them look around the bar, disapproval tight on their faces.

“Speaking of awkward situations,” I mumble, glancing back to the mirror behind the bar to make sure my makeup and hair are okay, even though I wouldn’t have time to do anything about either.

“Mom. Dad.” I say, looking at them and wondering what prompted this surprise visit. I’m surprised they even remembered the name of where I work, much less decided to walk into a mountain bar like this. “It’s nice to see you. This is a surprise.”

“Well,” my mom says. “We were overdue for a visit, so we thought we’d come over for a few days.

Ugh. I love my parents…when they’re not trying to tell me how they think I should live my life.

My father’s gaze sweeps over me, and I can almost hear his thoughts. “Marian, are you sure about working in…a bar?” he asks, saying the word “bar” like it’s a dirty word. “Surely you’re ready for a real job by now.”

I straighten, forcing confidence into my stance. “Bartending is a real job, Dad. I’m happy working here. Besides, I work on my photography.” The moment I mention photography, I regret it. My parents have never once shown any support or encouragement for what I want to do. Instead, they expect me to live my life the way they lived theirs, without ever asking what I want to do with my life.

“Photography,” my dad scoffs, glancing around King Tap with thinly veiled disdain, “is a hobby, not a career.”

My cheeks burn, but I hold my ground. “It’s more than that for me.”

Jessica and Ana exchange looks, and I know they’re as uncomfortable as I am. I don’t mention the exhibit—their absence will be a relief, sparing me the sting of their disapproval.

“Your father and I just worry about you, that’s all,” my mom says, her voice softening, but the underlying message is crystal clear: I am a perpetual disappointment.

“Thanks,” I manage to say, though gratitude is far from what I feel. I appreciate the effort she’s making, even if it’s a tiny gesture. “But I’m doing fine. Really.”

“Would either of you like something to drink?” I offer, hoping to steer the conversation to anything else.

They pause as they look at the bottles behind the bar and the beers on tap, then glance at each other and shake their heads. They’re dressed for the country club they belong to, not for a rugged mountain bar. It doesn’t take a genius to see this isn’t the kind of place they usually frequent.

“Actually, I’ll have a tonic water and lemon if you have that,” my mom says.

Thankful for something to do, I grab a glass and make sure it’s smudge-free. As I pour, I sense Reggie’s eyes on me from across the room. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I imagine that he’s looking out for me and making sure I’m okay.

My mother takes a sip of her drink and pushes it away. “So, Marian, when are you planning to settle down?”

And the hits keep on coming.I sometimes feel like I should start every conversation with my parents: ”No, I haven’t found a real job or a boyfriend.”

I sigh, shifting from one foot to the other behind the bar. I glance away, unable to meet her probing stare. Across the room, Reggie leans back in his chair, laughter etched on his face as he chats with the others. His eyes catch mine again, and a crazy, reckless idea surges inside me.

“Actually,” I blurt out before I can stop myself, “I have a boyfriend.”

Teresa and Ana whip their heads toward me, the shock on their faces mirroring that of my parents.

“Really now?” My father’s tone is thick with skepticism, but boy, do I have his attention.

“Uh, yes.” My heart races, pounding against my ribs like it’s trying to escape. I motion for Reggie to come over and mouth the words “help me.” He tilts his head, then says something quick to Waylon before pushing back his chair and striding over.

“Reggie,” I breathe as I reach for him, pulling him into a hug that sets my nerves on fire. “Please play along. I just told my parents you’re my boyfriend,” I whisper, kissing him on the cheek.

“Sure thing,” he murmurs and wraps his arms around me in a strong embrace.

At that moment, something clicks in me and says, “Yes, this!” but I push the thought away because I have to stay on my toes with my parents.

Reggie shifts so that he’s standing next to me, and he casually drapes his arm over my shoulder and pulls me close to him.

“Mom, Dad. This is my boyfriend, Reggie Flagg.” The words almost freeze on my lips. If this isn’t the craziest thing I’ve ever done, it’s damn well up there in the top five.

“Mr. and Mrs. Hanley,” Reggie says, his voice smooth and steady. If he’s wondering what the hell is going on, he’s not showing it at all. “It’s a real pleasure to meet you both. Marian didn’t tell me you were coming for a visit.”

I catch the flicker of surprise on my parents’ faces—they clearly assumed I was still single, which…until about ten seconds ago, I was. I can almost hear the cogs turning in their heads, quickly assessing Reggie and deciding if he meets their standards or not.

“Reggie,” my dad extends his hand, and I can tell he’s giving Reggie a death grip, but Reggie doesn’t flinch in the slightest. “Marian hasn’t mentioned you.”

“Everything is new between us.” Reggie looks at me and smiles, and I swear I’d fall ass over teakettle if he weren’t holding on to me. “We’re very happy together, aren’t we, sweetheart?”

I blink rapidly as I look at Reggie, barely comprehending just how committed and smoothly he’s playing along.

Teresa and Ana haven’t moved, their eyes still locked onto us. Teresa’s head gives a slight shake, her lips curling upward into a grin. She’ll have questions, a whole interrogation ready for when we’re alone. But she and Ana both have a glint in their eyes that says they’re enjoying the show.

I lean into him, just a fraction, allowing myself this small indulgence. It’s funny how pretending Reggie is mine for these few minutes blurs the lines between the farce and the fluttering hope inside my chest. It feels right, this closeness, and I wish it were under different circumstances, that all of this was real.

Reggie looks down at me, hazel eyes gleaming behind his glasses, waiting for me to play my part.

“Absolutely,” I agree, the word barely a whisper. My heart thuds against my ribcage, betraying the calm I’m trying to project. It’s damn hard to remember this is fake when the weight and warmth of his arm around my shoulders feels so comfortable and natural.

“We should probably get going,” my father says. His words are casual, but I know they’ll have plenty to say about Reggie later.

“Of course,” my mom replies, her eyes dancing between Reggie and me. “The drive here is taking its toll. We need to rest up for an early dinner.”

“It was wonderful to meet you,” Reggie says smoothly.

My fingers trail off Reggie’s as we break our staged embrace. Our hands linger for a brief moment, but then it’s gone. My father nods, a gruff sound escaping him as he turns toward the door.

“Goodbye, Marian,” my dad says coolly.

“Bye, Dad. Bye, Mom.” The words tumble out in a rush, relief flooding through me as they push through the swinging doors.

I pivot back to face Reggie, and the kind look in his eyes almost makes me cry with happiness. He’s patient and caring and helped me out of a jam. I don’t like lying to my parents, but I can only take so much “get a real job or get married” that I snapped a little.

“You are a lifesaver,” I say, my voice low.

“Anytime.” He raises an eyebrow and smiles. “Okay. I should head back to the guys. We’re not quite finished with everything tonight.”

“Of course. Sorry to interrupt your meeting. Thanks again for bailing me out.” I suddenly realize the weight of what I’ve roped Reggie into. “I’ll call you later?”

“I’ll look forward to it.” With a last nod, he strides away, leaving me keenly aware that now I’ve had a taste of being close to him, I deeply miss not having him touching me.

“Girl, what have you done?” Teresa’s voice cuts through the lingering tension, her words laced with mischief.

I lean against the bar and momentarily put my head in my hands. What have I unleashed in my heart? I glance up, but the bar is thankfully quiet. Everyone has what they need, which is a relief. It means I can exhale and wrap my mind around what happened and why it felt so…good. Why it felt so “and why haven’t we already done this?”

“Earth to Marian,” Ana chimes in, her grin wide.

I shrug, trying to appear nonchalant, but I can’t shake the warmth of Reggie’s touch or the way my stomach knots with the what-ifs. “I don’t know,” I admit, leaning against the bar.

“Reggie Flagg, huh?” Teresa nudges me, her elbow sharp against my rib.

“It’s not real,” I whisper, but it feels like another fib.

“Yet you wish it was,” Ana observes, her gaze soft.

“Maybe,” I concede, allowing the truth to seep out.

“Keep dreaming, sweetie,” Ana chuckles, patting my hand.

“Because sometimes,” Teresa adds, winking, “dreams do come true. We both know.”

Could my dream of being with Reggie possibly come true?