Their Love Nest

1. Char

ONE

The gas gaugeneedle inches lower and lower, leaving me anxious that at any moment, my car is going to sputter out and die, leaving me stranded on the side of this rural backwater road.

I am grateful Savvy and Hunter insisted I come out here as I make a new plan for my life. The old diner where Savvy used to work, with me as the manager, just went out of business. Without family to fall back on, I feel like Savvy and her new husband are my guardian angels.

I reach the end of the road, and the car’s engine is turned off, thankfully because I wanted it to, not because I’m out of gas. Hunter says he has a jerry can full of fuel for me to help me get to the next gas station, when I texted showing my concern about how I couldn’t even afford an extra gallon at the nearest filling station.

The sun shines on my face as I step out of the car and take in the fresh forest air. I’m incredibly jealous of what Savvy has up here. I’d never let her know it, but her whole fairy tale of getting swept up by a hot, sexy mountain man is something I wished would happen to me. But lightning never strikes twice. I’ll have to find my own, one way or another.

Hunter and Savvy have this lovely little cabin in Evergreen Valley, one that’s rapidly expanding. Hunter has talent as a carpenter and is putting it to use on their home, and the growing little family they have going: something I’m reminded of as Savvy comes out onto the porch, a spring in her step, and a bit messy herself. Being a new mother will do that to anyone.

I’m then hit with the sweet smell of barbecue, my stomach rumbling. A diet consisting of ramen and peanut butter sandwiches will do that to you. I’m feeling a craving for meat at that moment.

“Char, you made it. Your car didn’t break down!”

Savvy rushes out, not too fast, and wraps her arms around me.

“Thankfully. Although, I think making even one wrong turn could have changed that.”

She looks me over, likely seeing my tired eyes and complete lack of makeup. “You look rough as hell, girl.”

“Thanks, I didn’t need you to point that out.”

She shakes her head, giving me that usual sassy glare.

I pause. “Sorry, it’s been really hard. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I know you mean well.”

Savvy and I have a lot in common. We come from broken homes with controlling parents who expected respect while never doing anything to earn it. I tried to look out for her when she first started at the diner, and I think I may have come off as slightly abrasive. But that’s in the past now, and she’s quickly become my best friend.

“Don’t worry about it. I know everything’s been rough for you, Char.” She smiles, giving me a sisterly side hug. “Hunter’s out back. As I’m sure you can smell, he’s got some brisket smoking.”

“Oh Lord, I can definitely smell it. How much longer do I have to wait? It reminded me of how hungry I am.”

She pulls out her phone briefly. “From when he last told me, it’ll be ready in about an hour. Got some macaroni and potato salad if you really can’t wait.”

I smirk. “Taking the diner’s secret recipe with you, huh?”

“A good recipe is a good recipe. No matter if it comes from a greasy spoon or a five-star restaurant.”

I hear another vehicle rumbling up behind me. Savvy”s made a lot more friends besides me since she’s moved out to Evergreen Valley, mostly through Hunter, but I wasn’t expecting to meet any of them today.

My eyes roll over the big green pickup truck behind me. It’s taken a lot of off-road wear and tear, from what I can gather, but hearing its engine suggests that it”s taken care of where it truly counts. Not that I was any sort of truck aficionado or anything, but anyone who rolled up to the diner in a pickup that was looking pristine and off the lot usually ended up being a problem customer, so I’d developed a bit of prejudice against that type.

When I see who steps out from the driver”s side, prejudice is the last thing on my mind. A chestnut-haired, barrel-bodied individual steps out—and man, what a man. He’s got those big blue eyes, a soft gaze, and a square jaw with a sexy little bit of stubble. I’m smitten as I see him, and suddenly wish I”d went all out and gotten made up.

“You didn’t tell me there would be company,” I whisper to Savvy.

“I didn’t say there wouldn’t. Bear’s good people. Don’t worry about it so much.”

Bear? If I was left alone in the woods with either a man or a bear, one look at this sexy fella and I know what I would choose.

Bear looks my way, and we soon meet eyes. I’m feeling horrendously inadequate right now. Where did I get off not getting my makeup done and not putting on my best clothes? A ratty old T-shirt and rattier old jeans are not what I’m supposed to be wearing when I’m face-to-face with the man of my dreams.

“Good afternoon, Savvy.”

“Same to you, Bear. Dirt roads treat you okay?”

He approaches us, his eyes still locked on me. “About as good as it could treat anyone. And still better than some highways I’ve driven on.”

Savvy chuckles. “As a city girl, I can tell you all about it.”

“And who is this beside you, Savvy? The one staring at me like a deer caught in the headlights, but with a charming pink hue to her cheeks?”

The hue turns redder when he says that. “Um, uh...” I stumble through my words.

Savvy, the wingwoman that she is, stops me from making too much of a fool of myself. “This is my friend Char.”

“Char, huh?”

“It’s short for Charlene,” I say, eloquence continuing to evade me.

“Char’s a cute nickname.”

I swallow, and continue to stare at him, a nervous wreck. “Are all your new friends this lovely, Savvy?”

“Lovely, huh?” He strokes his stubble. “No one’s ever called me that before, but I’ll take it as a compliment all the same.”

Savvy shakes her head. “Hunter’s friends are nice enough. But I’m guessing you’re going to find Bear nicer than the others.”

“Savvy!” I hear from the other side of the cabin. “Nate’s, uh... doing some business. And I don’t think me handling it is the most sanitary thing right now with me cooking.”

My friend chuckles. “I gotta go do the mommy thing. You two can keep talking. I don’t think you need me here to chaperone.”

Savvy takes off, leaving me alone with this big bad Bear, who wants to eat me in all of the best ways. I think I could have done with a chaperone for a bit longer, but I’ll survive.

“You’re Hunter’s friend?” I ask, pacing around, nervous, and not wanting to blow it any more than I had already.

“I’d like to think I’m Savvy’s too. And a lot of other people.” He starts to slowly walk to the side of the cabin, and I follow his direction. “And maybe I’d like to be more, with some more recent acquaintances.”

“You don’t fool around, don’t you?”

“Hey, when something you want is right there in front of you, don’t ask too many questions. You take it.”

We moved toward a wooden... porch? Platform? It’s expertly crafted: no surprise, given Hunter’s expertise as a carpenter, but I couldn’t decipher its purpose just by looking at it. It has a ring of bench seats and an entrance and railings.

Bear kneels down, running his hand over some of the rougher joints. “Yeah, another layer of weatherproofing and this’ll be built to last.”

“You know what this is?”

He nods. “I’m helping build it, so I hope I do.”

“I’m at a loss.”

“It’s a gazebo.”

I shrug. “Don’t gazebos have ceilings?”

“It’s a mid-construction gazebo. Kind of the reason I’m here; gonna help Hunter get the support beams up and finally put on the roof. Should see the work he’s done. It’s pretty much art.”

“That’s sweet of you. Helping him with this.”

“Why wouldn’t I help him? He’s the closest thing I have to a brother.”

“No actual blood family?”

“None left in this time zone. Family’s what you make of it anyway.” He pauses from his woodwork examination and flashes me a playful grin. “Why? Looking to start one?”

I freeze, slightly panicking. “What? Right now?”

“Yeah, right now. I’m going to bend you over something and take you right in front of Savvy and Hunter.”

I audibly swallow.

“I’m kidding. Sorry if that was too much, too fast,” he says, pushing his mess of hair out his eyes.

“No, no, it’s fine. I’m just nervous. I didn’t exactly put myself in the ‘meeting a new guy’ mindset, coming up here.”

“You’re fine just the way you are, Char.”

I lean against the half gazebo, and look toward Savvy and Hunter. The former had just finished her cleanup, and I saw them chatting away, laughing and smiling with one another.

Jealousy is poking at me again. I want what they have so damn bad.

Bear was joking about the whole fucking-me-over-a-railing-right-then-and-there thing, but truthfully? I don’t think it’d take much convincing for me to go along with something so crazy.

Especially with a man like him. A tender sweetness, but an undeniable strength at the same time.

He’s just the perfect guy, and here I am, attached my lowest point.

Life’s a bit too cruel sometimes.