Chapter 2
TWO
Rune
I hate frozen meals. I hate them more than anything. Unfortunately for me, I’ve never been great in the kitchen. I spent most of my life learning other skills—like how to shoot a gun, how to fight, and how to parachute out of an airplane.
Those were all useful when I was in the military, but now that I’m out, I’m finding that they don’t come in handy too often in civilian life.
These days, I manage the Wolf Valley Lumberyard.
It’s long days out in the forest or in my office.
Again, I don’t need my skills for that either, but it’s kind of been a dream job so far.
I’m surrounded by nature, and I’m in charge.
I spend my days alone for the most part.
I have people under me, but they’re busy with their own stuff all day.
I bought a cabin a few miles south of the lumberyard, and I split my time between work and home.
I only come into town for groceries and other supplies, and I’ve worked it out so I only have to make the trip twice a month.
I come down, stock up on TV dinners and the essentials, then I’m good for two weeks.
I glare at the now-familiar rows of frozen meals.
I’ve tried every single one of them in the last six months, and I know which ones are good and which ones suck.
Right now, none of them sound appetizing.
Still, they’re better than trying to cook something for myself or driving into town for takeout every night.
Opening the first cooler door, I grab four lasagnas, two Salisbury steaks, and some pot pies. I’m reaching for the chicken Alfredo when I see someone heading my way out of the corner of my eye.
I look up and lock eyes with an angel.
My breath stalls in my lungs, and I freeze in place, watching as she walks right up to me.
She’s fucking gorgeous. Strawberry blonde hair, brilliant green eyes, curves for days. My fingers itch to hold her, a reaction that I’ve never had before in my life.
My angel is wearing a pretty green dress. I frown, wondering where her coat is. It’s cold outside, and she should be wearing more than that swatch of velvet. I’m about to shrug out of my coat and wrap it around her when she stops right in front of me.
“Hi,” she says, squaring her shoulders. “I’m Jem.”
I bite back a smile. Damn, she’s adorable. A tiny pixie who looks like she’s headed into battle.
“Rune.”
She stares at me, clearly trying to work up the courage to say something.
“Can I help you, Jem?”
She nods. “I need a date for this wedding.”
My mouth drops open. Of all the things I thought she might say, that wasn’t even on my list. No one has ever asked me out before, and I’m not sure how to react.
“You’re asking me out?” I blurt out.
She blushes as she nods. “It’s in a few weeks, a month.”
“You don’t have a boyfriend?”
Her smile dims.
If someone hurt her, then maybe I’ll be able to use some of my skills in civilian life after all, I think.
“No, I don’t date. I haven’t…” She trails off, then clears her throat. “I refuse to be the token single friend at another wedding.”
“So don’t go,” I suggest.
What the hell are you doing? I scream at myself. Date her! Marry her!
“That’s not an option. She’s my friend, and besides, I’m the maid of honor.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. So… will you be my date?”
“Why me?” I ask, needing to know why she chose me.
“Well, I need someone no one knows, or they’ll realize that this isn’t real.”
My stomach sinks at her words, and I lean back on my heels. “I’ll, uh, I’ll have to think about it.”
“Oh, okay.” She deflates before my eyes. “Here’s my number.”
I watch as she scribbles her number on a piece of paper and hands it to me. I take it and shove it into my pocket.
“I’ll see you,” she says softly, then turns and heads toward the front of the store.
I watch her walk away and wonder what the hell I’m going to do. I want to help her out, but I want to date her too, and I don’t think I can handle that it would all be fake to her.
I grab the rest of my groceries and head up front, too. There’s no sign of Jem, and I hurry to pay and then go out to my truck. I drive back to my cabin, her phone number burning a hole in my pocket the whole way.
What the hell am I going to do?