Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
ERIN
“ Y ou’re changing the sign!”
I grin up at the man who’s screwing in the new sign.
Welcome to Bitterroot Valley, Population 8,746.
“The population changed again,” he calls down to me, and I nod.
Yeah, I am one of the new residents who has changed the population from 8,731. I moved here in December, and since then, three babies have been born, along with a couple of new families that moved to town.
Just in the past four months.
“How often do you change it?” I call back.
“Once a year, when it’s warm enough to climb up on a ladder without freezing to death,” he informs me. I nod, look at the sign once more in satisfaction, and then keep walking, on my way to work.
It’s official. I’m a citizen of Bitterroot Valley, Montana. I mean, sure, I’ve technically been that since December when I came here with all my cousins for a vacation and decided to stay, but it feels extra official now, and I couldn’t be happier. I knew as soon as we landed here that this was my home.
With a little more bounce in my step, I make my way down the sidewalk. It’s finally springtime, which means that the bitter cold from winter seems to be over. We still have a little snow on the ground, and I’ve been told that the mountains will have snow until early summer, but it’s finally warm enough to walk to my job at Bitterroot Valley Coffee Co.
I love my job. I’ve met so many people already, thanks to the coffee shop. I have my regulars who never miss a day, and the best part is, I’m still meeting new people all the time. I’ve never really considered myself to be a social butterfly, but I admit that it was hard to move away from my huge, loud family to a place where I knew absolutely no one. But I’ve started to weave myself into the community, and it’s only made me love this little town more.
Not to mention, my new friend, Millie Wild, works with me. Actually, she worked there first and helped me get the job. We became fast friends, and now I can’t imagine my life without her. We’re roughly the same age, and it’s as if we’ve been friends forever.
I tip my head back and take a deep breath, pulling in the crisp spring air, and smile.
Yeah, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
Before long, I’ve crossed the imaginary line from residential to downtown blocks, and I walk into the warmth of the café. The smell of freshly ground coffee meets me, along with a wave from Millie.
“Good morning.” I grin at her and walk behind the counter, hurrying to the back to stow away my things. Once I’ve grabbed an apron and tied my hair back, I return to the counter and take in the number of people already sipping coffee, having conversations, or typing away on their computers all over the space. “It’s busy in here for a Thursday morning.”
“I know,” she replies with a sigh and wipes her forehead with the back of her hand. “I should have asked you to come in earlier.”
“I totally would have. Why didn’t you?”
She turns and gives me a grin. “I know how much you like to sleep in. Besides, it’s not normally like this, especially in the middle of the week. Anyway, there seems to be a lull now. How are you?”
“I’m great. ” I tell her about the population sign change, and she laughs, shaking her head at me. “What? It’s a big deal.”
“You’re just so cute. I love how much you love living here, Erin. It reminds me to be thankful for it, too. I guess I forget, since my family has been here for more than a hundred years.”
“It’s my home.” I shrug a shoulder, but I mean it with every fiber of my being. The bell over the door jingles, and Millie grins.
“What do you want?” she demands, her voice full of humor.
“An oil change,” her brother, Chase, says with a grin as he saunters in. “And maybe a haircut.”
“You won’t get either of those things here,” Millie replies, rolling her eyes. She reaches for a to-go cup to start making her brother’s favorite coffee.
“How’s it going, Erin?”
“I’m great, thanks. And you?”
Chase smiles and leans on the counter. I’ve met two of Millie’s brothers so far, and they’re both gorgeous. Chase has a smile that could likely melt all the snow on the ski mountain. Not to mention, he’s a cop, and that uniform is hot.
“I can’t complain.”
“Have you arrested anyone today?”
Chase shakes his head mournfully. “So far, everyone has been law-abiding. Well, except for Mrs. Wilburn, who refuses to drive the speed limit on her way into town.”
“Is she a speeder?” I ask.
“No, she won’t drive above twenty-five,” he says with a pained expression. “ Anywhere. So, she backs up traffic and they call me.”
I press my lips together, trying not to laugh, but I can’t help it.
“It gives you something to do,” Millie says as she passes her brother his coffee. “Do you want a muffin? Jackie Harmon brought some fresh huckleberry-lemon ones in this morning.”
“I don’t pass up Jackie’s muffins,” Chase says with a nod. “I’ll take two.”
“I’ve got this,” I assure Millie and, with tongs in hand, gently place the enormous muffins into a bag for Chase. When I pass the bag to him, his fingers brush mine, but there’s no spark there.
Too bad. Chase is definitely a sexy guy.
“Well, ladies, it’s been real. Call if you need anything. I’m walking down the block to check out the new restaurant going in.”
“What kind is it?” Millie wants to know.
“Italian,” I reply before Chase can. “I walked by last night and spoke to the owner. It’s called Ciao. I guess it’s a sister restaurant to one of the same name in Cunningham Falls.”
“That’s kind of cool,” Millie decides. “Do you know when it’s opening?”
“I didn’t ask. Do you know, Chase?”
“Next month,” he confirms with a nod and sips his coffee. “It’s always good to have something new come in. Well, I’m out of here to keep order in our little town. Have a good day.”
Chase walks out, and I grab a rag to wipe down the espresso machine.
“Do you have a crush on my brother?” Millie asks without hesitation. “If you do, it’s okay, but I saw the way you two kind of flirted and smiled at each other, and I just need to know so I don’t roll my eyes incessantly whenever you flirt with him.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No, definitely not. Don’t get me wrong, he’s really handsome, and who doesn’t love a man in uniform?”
“I mean, usually, yeah. But he’s my brother.”
I laugh again. “No, there’s no spark there. But it’s fun to flirt a little, you know?”
“Sure, I get it. I’ve had to deal with friends or just people I know crushing hard on my brothers all my life, so it’s nothing new for me. I guess that happens when you have four of them, and they’re all, from what I’m told, hot. ”
“I’ve only met two of them,” I remind her. “But yeah, Chase and Brady are both hot as hell, so I get it. Also, I grew up surrounded by a family of beautiful people, and I guess it just doesn’t make me go all stupid and gooey, you know?”
“I get that,” she says with a nod. “I guess it’s the same for me. I wish you could meet Ryan, but he’s never in town.”
“He doesn’t live here?”
“He has a house here, but he travels a lot for work. We haven’t seen him in a couple of years. And then there’s Remington, the oldest. Getting him off the ranch for anything is like trying to pull teeth out of a shark. He’s as dedicated as it gets to that place. But I’ll take you out there sometime because it is kind of cool.”
“But you don’t live out there.”
“Are you kidding? Hell no. It’s way too far out of town for me. I want to be where the action is, and I’m not really needed out there. I do spend a few days there in the spring, when it’s time to brand and castrate the calves.”
I turn and blink at her. “That sounds…horrible.”
Millie chuckles and tucks her dark hair behind her ear. “I’m just used to it. Been doing it all my life. Anyway, that covers everyone in my family. Tell me about yours.”
I open my mouth, but then a group of about eight people hurry inside to order coffee and food, and we’re busy for the rest of the morning.
Since Millie has the early shift at the coffee shop, she gets off work early, and I stay by myself for the last two hours to close on my own. On our off days, the other two girls, Candy and Marion, who happens to be the owner, work the same shifts.
At first, I was surprised that there were only four employees, but given that the café is closed on Mondays, it works out well for us. We all get along and keep the place running smoothly.
I enjoy the couple of hours by myself in the afternoon. By then, things are usually pretty quiet in here, so I can clean and mop without too much interruption.
Until he comes in. Every single day. Right about… now.
The bell over the door dings, and I glance up to see my least favorite customer walk through the door. He’s tall, probably in his mid to late thirties, and always wears a baseball cap. Today, he’s in a denim shirt with the sleeves rolled just below his elbows, with dark blue jeans and boots. And my, oh my, how he fills out those jeans. Not to mention the way his muscles bunch in his forearms when he reaches for the wallet in his back pocket.
Everything about him screams cowboy, that’s for sure.
And he’s handsome as hell. Just looking at him makes my blood heat.
I mean, if you like the grumpy, surly type.
“Hello.” I greet him with a forced smile as I lean the mop against the wall and walk behind the counter. I’ve never asked his name because he’s never been talkative enough to make conversation. “What can I get for you today?”
“Coffee, black,” he says. He always orders the same thing.
“Sure. We have huckleberry-lemon muffins today. I have three left, if you’d like one. They’re popular.”
I smile, but he doesn’t smile back. He does, however, eye the last of the muffins in the case.
“I’ll take them.”
“All of them?”
He levels a look at me, and those eyes—brown? No, too light to be brown. Hazel eyes—stare into my soul. “Yes. All of them.”
“Okay. You must be hungry.” I happily ring up the muffins and coffee into the computer, and while he does his thing with his credit card, I bag up the treats and pour his coffee. “It’s sure a nice spring day out there today. You know, for as cold as it got this winter, I’m surprised by how quickly it’s warming up. Still plenty of snow in the mountains, though.”
“Hmm,” is all he says in reply as he taps the screen on the computer, finishing the sale.
“Okay, well, here you go. I hope you have a nice afternoon.”
“Yeah.” He grabs the brown paper bag and his coffee and turns to go. “You, too.”
The door closes behind him, and I let out a long breath. I can usually get a smile out of people, especially if I meet them more than once, but this guy is impossible.
Grouchy cowboy.
I shake my head and get back to work. Before long, it’s time to lock the door and set the alarm, which Marion put in just this past winter, and set off for home. I like to walk through town, taking the long way back to my place. I found the cutest apartment above the garage of an elderly guy in town. I like to take him soup and a cookie from Mama’s Deli just down the street. He always tells me that I shouldn’t bother, but I can tell by the way he lights up that it’s his favorite part of the day.
I never see anyone come to the house to visit him, and he reminds me of my grandpa back in Seattle.
“Hello, Erin,” Jeannie, the manager of the deli, says when I walk in. “I have his favorite today. Beef with barley.”
“Oh, that’ll make his day.” I smile at the other woman as I pull out my credit card, but she shakes her head.
“It’s on me today. It’s Mr. Sherman’s birthday.”
My mouth drops. “It is ? Well, shit, I didn’t know that.”
“Of course, you didn’t. How could you?”
“How do you know?”
Jeannie sighs, then shrugs. “I never forget a date, and my parents must have mentioned it at some point. Before he died, my dad and Mr. Sherman were friends.”
“Jeannie, does Roger have any family here? I never see anyone come to see him.”
“No.” Jeannie shakes her head as she adds an extra cookie to the bag. “Roger and Sue never had any kids, and Sue’s been gone, jeez, twenty years now, I guess.”
“That’s so sad. He’s a really nice guy.”
Jeannie looks over at me in surprise and then laughs.
“What? He is.”
“Well, he may be nice to you , but he’s always been kind of a grumpy old man. He’s your typical get off my lawn type of guy, you know?”
I shake my head. “No, I’ve never seen that side of him. That’s so funny. Hey, throw in a chocolate cupcake, and I’ll pay for it.”
“That’s sweet. I even have a candle you can have.”
“That’s awesome. Thank you. Well, I’d better hit up one of the shops for a gift for him on my way home. Thanks, Jeannie.”
“You’re welcome, honey. Go enjoy that weather.”
I nod and, with the hot soup and cookies in one hand, set off across the street to a shop that sells both women’s and men’s clothes, and find Roger a nice scarf. It’s blue and will be handsome on him.
With that finished, and content because they offered to gift wrap it for me, I hurry home and make Roger’s house my first stop, before going into my apartment.
“Hello?” I call out as I open the door. Roger told me a while ago that I didn’t have to knock, since I come over so often. “It’s just me.”
“Oh, hello, dear.”
He says it that way every day, as if it’s a surprise to see me, even though he sees me every day. His eyes light up when he sees the wrapped box in my hand.
“You didn’t tell me that it’s your birthday.” I set the bag of food on the table and hold the wrapped box out to him. “But thankfully, I have my ways of finding things out.”
“It’s just another day,” he begins, but I shake my head.
“No, sir, it’s your birthday. You’ve been incredibly kind to me since I moved here, and you’re one of my closest friends. I celebrate my friends on their birthdays.”
His eyebrows pull together as he stares down at the box, and then he looks up at me with soft brown eyes.
“Thank you,” is all he says.
“You’re welcome.”
“Now, since it is my birthday, I’d like you to stay for dinner. Jeannie always packs enough soup for two.”
“It’s your favorite today,” I inform him. I don’t personally love beef with barley, but for Roger, I’ll choke down a small bowl. “What did you do today?”
“I took my morning walk,” he says as I bustle about his kitchen, pouring our soup and getting us settled at the table. “They changed the sign again.”
“I saw it! I was so excited because I’m one of the new people they added.”
“Too many people moving into our town,” he grumbles as he sits at the table with me. “Now, you, I don’t mind, but we have too many move-ins trying to change our town. Make it bigger and what they think is better. If they want Bitterroot Valley to be like California, they should stay in California.”
“Maybe you should run for mayor. Or city council.”
Roger scoffs as he takes a bite of his soup. “Been there, done that. Many years ago. No one wants to listen to the opinions of an old man.”
“I do. Here, open your present.”
I notice the slight tremor in Roger’s hand as he tears the wrapping paper. I’ve noticed the tremors getting worse for a while now. When I first moved in, he didn’t have any shaking at all, and now his right hand is never still.
If he was my grandfather, I’d ask him if he’d been to the doctor, but he’s not my grandpa. And it’s none of my business.
“Now, what did you do here?”
“It’s just a scarf,” I say with a smile. “I thought you’d look handsome in it on your morning walks. Until summer, anyway.”
He immediately wraps it around his neck and smiles over at me like a kid at the best birthday party ever. “I love it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I spend a few hours with Roger, helping him plan some gardens for his backyard, and we even watch an episode of an old TV show that he likes. After surprising him once more with the cupcake and the birthday candle, I head over to my apartment above the garage.
It’s just a one-bedroom space with a tiny kitchenette, but it’s what I can afford without dipping into my trust fund.
And I’m determined not to dip into that at all if I can help it. My dad was so mad at me when I wouldn’t let him buy me a fancy house on the ski mountain or in a gated community. But I didn’t want that.
I want this, to live within my means, in the community.
I want to do this on my own.
And, speaking of my parents, it’s time for my weekly video call with them. So, I change into comfier clothes and settle on the couch with my phone.
Mom answers on the first ring.
“There you are,” she says with a smile. “I wondered if you were going to call tonight.”
“I’m only a half hour late,” I reply and shake my head. Then I look closer. “Mom, do you have pink in your hair?”
“Yep.” She turns her head so I can see it more clearly. “I used to put colors in my hair all the time before I had you girls, and I’ve decided I want to do it again. How are you, baby girl?”
“I’m great. I am sorry that I’m late. It’s Roger’s birthday, so I spent some time with him after work.”
“Is it wrong that I kind of love that you’ve befriended an old man in this new town of yours, and I don’t have to worry about some man your age?”
“It’s not wrong. Roger’s sweet. Anyway, what’s Dad up to?”
“I’m here,” I hear him say from somewhere else in the room. “I’m coming.”
Suddenly, they’re both on the screen. Dad might have a couple more gray hairs mixed in with the dark brown, and I’m sure that’s all thanks to me and my move to Montana.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“You look good,” he says. “Are you exercising?”
“Of course.” I can’t help but laugh. Leave it to my dad, the former professional quarterback, to worry about that. “It’s even warm enough to start walking to and from work again. I’m on my feet all day. What’s new with you guys?”
“There’s always something going on with the family,” Mom says. “You know how it is.”
“Yeah, everyone’s been great about texting me updates. But what’s new with you ?”
They look at each other, and I frown.
“Are you getting divorced?”
Dad laughs, and Mom just stares at me in shock. “What? Why in the world would you ask something like that?”
“I’m as obsessed with your mother as I was the day I married her,” Dad assures me.
“You look…serious. Is Zoey okay?”
“She’s great,” Mom says. “Dad and I are thinking about selling the house and moving into something just a little smaller. We’re empty nesters, and we don’t need this huge house anymore.”
My heart pings at the thought of them selling the house I grew up in. All of my firsts live in that house.
“At least it’s not divorce,” I reply with a forced smile.
“But it makes you sad,” Mom guesses correctly. “I know you.”
“It makes sense for you. If that’s what you guys want to do, I say do it. Buy something fancy and modern, but a little smaller. I can’t wait to see it.”
“Zoey had a harder time with the idea,” Dad says. “In fact, there were tears and threats.”
“She’ll get over it.” I sigh and then yawn. “You don’t have to save my old stuff. Donate it or toss it.”
“That’s my sentimental girl,” Mom says with a laugh. “I miss you, baby.”
“I miss you, too. When are you coming to see me?”
Dad’s eyes narrow. “Maybe sooner than you think.”