Mountain Man’s Merry Grumpmas (Mountain Man Christmas #7)

Chapter 1

Chapter one

Monroe

Alittle bell tinkles as I push through the door of The Reading Grounds in Duhring Park. The smell of coffee and pastries hits me, and I'm salivating like Pavlov's dog within seconds.

"There she is. Clarence, over here!"

I swivel my head toward the sound of Cora's voice, and a huge grin breaks out across my face as she waddles toward me, carefully maneuvering her round belly around chairs.

"Clarence?" I ask.

"The bell." Cora points above my head. "'Tis the season. Don't you watch Christmas movies at your little remote cabin in the woods?"

"No. I usually pretend it's not Christmas while I'm there," I admit.

"Oh my God. You are more adorable in person than I could have imagined.

" Cora wraps me in a big hug, and I laugh as her enormous pregnant belly keeps us awkwardly far apart.

She pulls back and gives me a once over, and I turn in place letting her admire my outfit.

I love a retro-look. I don't have enough tattoos or the right hairstyle to be considered full-on rockabilly, but I definitely covet the clothes.

I shrug off my faux-fur, leopard print, fit and flare coat, brushing away the few snowflakes that managed to stick around.

"I don't think I have ever received such a nice welcome." I grin at my new friend, who I've only talked to over the phone.

"Good lord, Cora. Let her sit down. She needs to get up the mountain soon to beat the storm." Addy waves us over.

I give Addy a big hug and then look around at the coffee shop in awe.

It's like a color explosion in here, cozy and fun.

Huge bookcases line the walls, stacked with reading material for all ages, as well as bins of art supplies.

Any wall space not taken up by books features gorgeous paintings and framed sketches.

Neat little signs indicate the genre of books on each shelf, and I can't help but notice a hot pink bookcase labeled with chili peppers closer to the register.

"Miranda will hook you up with some reading material for the weekend," Addy says with a nudge, following my gaze, and my cheeks heat.

"Hmm, I might have to take her up on that," I admit with a smile.

"We all do," Cora says, and then points down at her belly in exhaustion. "It's partly how this happened."

Addy laughs. "I don't think you and Foster needed books to make that happen."

"Um, is it rude for me to ask when you're due?" I can't help but stare at her belly, which moves violently while she sits there. It's like the baby is trying to punch through to the other side.

"No, it's not. It is rude that this guy is taking so dang long to get here already!" she yells at her stomach and then rubs it lovingly. "Sorry, baby. Mama needs a snack."

"I'll get it." Addy puts her hand on Cora's arm to stop her from getting up. "Monroe, do you want coffee and a treat?" Addy looks around quickly like she's making sure nobody is listening to us and then leans in with a whisper. "Don't tell Mrs. Katz, but Miranda's cakes are the best in town."

I laugh, delighted by the two women who have become fast friends of mine over the past month.

My best-friend, Stella, recently married the mountain man of her dreams, whose two cousins live in Duhring Park.

When Stella's new husband, Porter, found out I stay in a cabin just north of Passion Ridge each year, he connected me to his cousin Danny and his wife, Addy.

Addy looped in her sister-in-law, Cora, and we've texted nonstop for the past month.

I usually drive up the east side of Passion Ridge, through Festival Valley, but this is well worth the extra twenty minutes to come up the other side and stop here instead.

I give Addy my coffee order, then pull out my cell to let Stella know I've made it to Duhring Park. I'll lose reception as I get higher up the mountain, so I promised Stella I'd text her in town and then call on the landline when I get to the cabin.

Cora fills me in on her one-year-old son, Sawyer, and his progress walking, and then she asks me about my crazy work schedule.

"I work from home, but I have a hard time taking a break.

My commitment has led to some solid promotions and more responsibility, which is exhausting to be honest." I laugh self-consciously when Cora nods sympathetically.

"It's fine. I always take this whole week off, so I'm looking forward to completely unplugging for a few days.

" What I don't say is that I'm considering trying something new and getting out of finance altogether.

Another thing for me to process this weekend.

"Working from home can be a lot. I still do some minor marketing consulting with a company in the city, but now my focus is on our cabin rentals at The Hollywood.

Maybe next year you can stay with us for a few days before you head up the mountain.

We always do a Nightmare Before Christmas themed cabin this time of year for those who are not into all the Christmas cheer. "

I grin. Cora and her husband, Foster, run the multi-generation family business, which rents funky-themed cabins to tourists. "That sounds like a blast."

Addy comes back carrying drinks, while another woman with pink ombre hair brings us plates of dessert. If I could make literal heart-eyes at her vintage apron, I would.

"Monroe, this is Miranda," Addy says, as she passes out the hot drinks. "She's the owner of The Reading Grounds, and everybody's best friend here in Duhring Park."

Miranda laughs and then shrugs. "I run the smutty book club once a month.

It has made me very popular around here.

" She winks and puts a slice of frosted cake down on the table in front of me, as well as a glazed fruit tart in front of Cora.

Bypassing the fork entirely, Cora lifts the tart and takes a large bite.

"Oh my God, I love you so much." Cora lets out a blissful sigh and then takes another bite.

"She's talking to the tart, not me," Miranda says, and we all laugh as Cora nods and then goes back to sweet-talking her dessert. " Are you in town for the holidays, Monroe?"

"I rent a little cabin up the mountain, so I'm just passing through. Wanted the chance to meet these ladies in person on my way up this year." I pause and take a bite of the cake, closing my eyes when the cream cheese frosting and apple cinnamon flavors hit my tongue. "Oh my God. This is amazing!"

"Thank you." Miranda grins. "My brother Jeremy helped make it last night.

" She glances up as an older woman at the front door calls her name.

The woman is wearing a sweatshirt that reads DP Construction in large bold lettering over the top of, what looks like, an enormous.

..penis. I do a double-take, assuming I'm seeing things when Miranda waves the woman up to the counter without batting an eye.

"It was nice to meet you, Monroe. Stop by the front on your way out, and I'll pack you something sweet to take up the mountain."

"Thank you, Miranda." I thought Maple Ridge was friendly, but this place may take the cake. Pun intended. I savor another apple-cinnamon bite while Addy explains more about their town.

After a large coffee and lots of hugs goodbye, I'm driving up the circuitous path around the mountain.

I look out at the gray clouded sky and wonder if I'm going to make it to the cabin before the snow starts coming down in earnest. Tiny little snowflakes fall, but nothing is sticking yet.

I pat the steering wheel of my minivan, which is well past her years doing road trips, but I can't bring myself to trade her in.

"It's going to be a white Christmas this year," I say out loud, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach caused by the holiday season.

I haven't enjoyed a Christmas since my mom passed away almost fourteen years ago.

I shake my head, trying to rid myself of the loneliness that follows every time I think about her and all she's missed out on.

Spending Christmas alone, like the grinch I am, is the only way I want to get through this time of year.

The alternative is spending it with my dad, who is remarried to Jennifer going on ten years now.

We get along just fine, but I can't imagine spending the holidays with them.

Jennifer has three grown kids of her own, and they come to Christmas each year with their families.

They have their own holiday traditions, from what I gather via the pictures they all post online each holiday season.

It would almost be like spending the holidays with strangers.

I blow out a hard breath, trying to break free from the melancholy of the season.

My reception gave out a while ago, so I start to hum to myself.

I glance into my backseat at the box of provisions I picked up before meeting the girls in town.

The internet is truly amazing. I was able to pre-order at this adorable general store in Duhring Park, and now I'm stocked up on cookies, frozen pizza, and the ingredients for a weekend full of margaritas.

Miranda also slipped me a box of some kind of treat, and pile of steamy romance books from the top shelf.

It's going to be a great weekend, I tell myself, practicing the skill of manifesting my own destiny with a positive mindset.

After another fifteen minutes, I'm somewhat excited for my weekend again.

I pull into the little dirt driveway, and the tiny cabin comes into view.

The door is freshly painted with a nice blue color, but otherwise, everything looks the same from a distance.

When I get closer, however, my stomach drops.

Smoke is coming from the chimney, and a black Lexus sits on the side where I usually park my van.

I stop near the front door, turning off the engine as I stare at the cabin and double-check the address. Yep. I'm at the right place, but nobody has ever been waiting for me.

"Are you doing turndown service these days, Mrs. Wingingham?" I muse out loud, picturing the eighty-year-old woman with a feather duster. And then I'm startled into silence when the front door opens, and the sexiest man on the face of the planet fills the doorway.

His blond hair is longish, like he hasn't had a haircut in months, but it's grown out in a way that suggests the last haircut he had was expensive.

His bright blue eyes burn with an intensity so potent I briefly wonder if his name is now lasered into my soul.

He's muscular and thick. I love a set of arms that look like they could lift my curvy ass without a problem.

What? Where the hell did that come from.

Time to stop eye-fucking the stranger, Monroe.

I shake my head, remembering to close my mouth as I get out of the van. When I approach, the man glares at me.

"Whatever it is, I don't want it."

"Excuse me?" I stop short at his abrupt tone.

"Ma'am, I'm here so I can be alone. Leave."

"Ma'am?" I bristle. I'm clearly still a Miss. Who the fuck does this guy think he is? His rudeness is the wake-up call I need to stop drooling over his sexy ass and start telling him how this is going to go.

"You leave, asshole. This is my cabin."