Love at First Bite (Love at First… #1)

Chapter 1

Iwas late.

Again.

But then again, I was always late.

I scanned the busy coffee shop and smiled the moment I spotted my friends. More than friends, they were all I had as family.

Rosie, Ember, and Abby were sitting at a table in the back patio area of Pine and Grind, our small mountain town’s local coffee shop.

Ember’s light blue eyes lit up the moment she saw me.

She waved, and I pointed at the menu, letting her know I would join them as soon as I got my coffee.

She nodded, and my other two friends smiled in my direction.

The line moved faster than expected, and my attention jumped up to the menu. I took a deep breath, loving the touch of cold and cinnamon swirling in the air along with the coffee. What could I say? It was officially my favorite time of the year.

Everyone was back to school, and the high temperatures were finally dropping. I contemplated the new fall drinks and chewed on my bottom lip. I was a creature of habit, my abuela used to say before she passed away. I always ordered the same thing until October first.

“Next!” the girl at the counter called out, and when my eyes connected with hers, I smiled.

“Well, this is my lucky day!” I grinned at Candy Kane, not only one of my favorite baristas but someone I had gone to high school with.

“They’re waiting for you.” Candy pointed towards my girls. I giggled.

“I know.”

“School crazy already?” she asked, making small talk despite the long line behind me.

“Believe it or not, it is.”

“And the school year just started!” Candy laughed. I nodded, unable to wipe the smile off my face.

I loved teaching, and I loved my class so far. Even if it felt like they were a little more rambunctious this year compared to last.

“How are things at your uncle’s store going?” I asked.

Candy loved the coffee shop but had been working at Rusty’s Hardware, our Moonlit Pines’ very own home improvement store her uncle had been running forever now.

He was ready to retire, allegedly, and since his kids didn’t want it, he had offered to hand over the reins to Candy.

A challenge and project she was more than ready for, but for whatever reason, her uncle hadn’t let go of the reins just yet.

“They’re going.” She shrugged. “But he isn’t letting me be in charge yet. So, for now, I’m here and there.”

“I’m sorry. I bet that’s exhausting.”

“Kinda, but I don’t mind. I love it here.” She smiled. “So, what can I get you?”

“A caramel latte with oat milk, please,” I ordered.

“I got you. Would you like it hot or cold?”

“Cold, please.” Soon enough, Moonlit Pines would be too cold to enjoy anything over ice. I didn’t care what Ember said. She might drink iced coffee year round, but that was not for me. I paid for my drink and waved goodbye before I moved to the end of the counter and wait for my name to be called.

I loved our small mountain town.

It was quiet and happy. Slowly coming back to life after the economy took its jabs at it. It was a good place. People looked out for one another for the most part even if they gossiped just as much.

I picked up my drink and headed to the patio tables outside to sit with my besties.

Our little group made no sense, but that didn’t make us any less family.

We were misfits of our own who somehow came together in high school.

I had been shy and introverted, usually always in the library.

Especially back then. Rosie had been in drama, and Ember had been a cheerleader, while Abby had been all about art.

Somehow, we’d become not just friends but best friends and had figured out a way to stay that way even after we graduated and each of us went in different directions.

Ember and I left for college, Rosie travelled, and Abby had stayed home.

When we returned one by one, each of us for a different reason, our little group picked up where we had left off. Except now, we were grown up, able to drink, and had adult money. Kinda.

“Hey!” Roise smiled. Her dark red hair was piled high on top of her head. On me, that would have looked like a disaster. But on Rosie? She looked ready to walk down a couture runway. “You’re late,” she pointed out with a playful wink. It was a running joke between us. I winced.

“I know. I’m sorry!” I bent to hug Abby and then Ember before taking my seat next to Rosie. “Work was crazy today, and then I got suckered into joining a committee for career week.”

“How are the little hellions this week?” Abby asked. I rolled my eyes.

“You would think that cooler weather would chill kids out. It feels like this year, it gave them an energy boost and somehow recharged their batteries.” I joked. Sorta.

“You love it,” Ember muttered with a knowing look, and I nodded.

“I do.” And I did. I loved my job. I was a fourth-grade teacher at Moonlit Elementary, my very own alma mater, and there was hardly a day I didn’t enjoy even when curveballs were tossed my way. I sipped my drink and happy danced in my seat before I dug into my purse for my trusty notebook.

“Oh, man,” Ember groaned. My lips twitched into a small smile even though I knew they were all about to gang up on me.

“She just sat down, and the notebook’s coming out already,” Abby teased.

“Drink your coffee,” Rosie said, picking hers up, too. “There is no rush today, is there?” she asked, her eyes focused on me.

“No.” I shook my head. “You’re right. It just feels like I’ve been rushing around all week.

” I set my notebook on the table and sipped my coffee.

Ember pushed the chocolate chip cookie towards me with a silent offer I was more than happy to take her up on.

The girls started talking until their attention moved to me.

“How’s that new principal doing?” Ember asked. I felt her and Rosie’s eyes on me.

“He’s okay.” I shrugged, not really knowing what to say about the guy. “He’s not the worst. Just…” My voice drifted off to nothing. I wasn’t sure how to explain it.

“What?” Abby asked, setting her phone down on the table, her attention on me.

“New,” I decided to go with. All three of my friends’ eyes widened then turned confused. “Very new,” I added. “I mean to Moonlit. He moved here from Seattle.” As if that would explain it all.

“Big city,” Ember noted, and I nodded.

“Yeah, and I feel like it might take him a little bit to get used to living in a smaller town.” I could see their understanding.

“A mountain town,” Rosie observed, and the three of us nodded.

“Especially with a place like Moonlit,” Ember added.

“Everyone knows everyone’s business mostly. It is tight knit,” I mumbled with a grin.

“That’s a very nice way to describe living with nosy people,” Abby said and sighed. “But he’s not a jerk, right?”

“No! Not at all.”

“I heard even if he was, he’s a hot jerk.”

“Hot jerk, huh?” Abby repeated. I made a face. “I haven’t seen him. Is he hot, Tabby?”

“Maybe? I don’t know. He's not my type.” I shrugged.

“What is that? Fictional?” Abby responded way too quickly.

“Good one!” We all started to laugh.

When we calmed down and a comfortable silence settled between us, I spoke up, excitement about the holiday planning prickling through me. “Okay, so, now can we talk about it?” My feet bounced with excitement.

“Talk about?” Ember asked slowly, obviously pulling my chain.

“Halloween Book Club!” I pointed out and immediately noticed it.

Something is up. The three of them looked at one another in a way I had only ever seen them do once. For prom our senior year.

We’d planned on ditching it, but at the last minute, they’d all wanted to go. It had been the only other time where the three of them ganged up on me. I’d hated it. And I really wasn’t enjoying how whatever was happening felt now. My stomach tightened, and I sat up straighter.

“What’s up?” I looked at each one.

“It’s just…” Abby started to say then looked at Rosie, as if silently asking her for help.

“Halloween Book Club is fun,” Rosie said, and I blinked.

“It’s the best,” I argued.

Our little group loved the end-of-the-year holidays, and we did something for every one to make sure we didn’t spend it alone like me; or at least had something to look forward to if we got stuck having to spend anxiety-ridden time with our families like Abby.

Halloween was the kickoff to these activities. We’d done a Halloween-themed book club get-together for the last five years, followed by Friendsgiving, an ornament decorating dinner, a New Year’s slumber party, and ending with a Secret Cupid for Galentine’s Day.

It was fun.

It was our tradition.

And even though I was the biggest scaredy cat in the world, our kickoff for spooky season was something I looked forward to every year.

We chose a book, usually some kind of romcom that revolved around the season that we read through the month of October at our own pace.

I had a list of possible book titles in my notebook.

Then we got together at my place, where I hosted a dinner consisting of food themed from the book and even did a craft while we talked about the story.

“It is. It’s a lot of fun,” Abby agreed, reaching for my hand. “But we were talking and thinking—“

“We? You mean you guys?” I gently pulled my hand away from theirs.

“You know it wasn’t like that.” Rosie tossed her arm over my shoulders and pulled me closer. “We were just talking about how the brewery is going to do a haunted house in the parking lot—“

“A haunted house.” I swallowed. An ugly sinking feeling made my stomach drop.

“One that will lead right into the brewery for a masquerade party Halloween night.”

“Masquerade party,” I repeated. I schooled my features so my face wouldn’t give away how disappointed I felt. How much this didn’t call me. Crowds and drinking. People literally trying to scare you? It sounded like the worst!

“Yeah! You dress up all sexy, wear a cute little mask, get jump-scared a couple of times, and then go party!” Ember explained.

I smiled gently. I wasn’t sure if I was selling it, but I could tell by the way they were looking at me that this was something they really wanted to do.

And I didn’t. The whole idea sounded horrible.

“Dress sexy?” I ignored the heat that started to rise up the back of my neck. I glanced down at myself for a split second. I was the least sexy person in the world!

“Come on, why not?” Abby asked. “I mean, if you have it, flaunt it. And, babe, we all have it!” I glanced around at my best friends.

They were all beautiful.

Gorgeous in different ways. Abby with all her curves and lush lips.

Rosie with her thick red hair and eyes that practically glowed.

Ember with her almost snow-white hair and princess features.

But me? I was wearing a shirt that said ‘Read’ that I’d paired with a flowy floral skirt.

I was not sexy. I didn’t know how to do that.

Never had. I was maybe cute on a good day.

“What would we wear?”

“Ooo! We could dress up with a theme!” Abby suggested.

“What about witches? Because we’re bad ones!” Rosie said, and we started to giggle.

“So…” I looked around at my girls. “You guys really want to do this? Instead of our book cub?” I asked

“We could still pick a book to read in October,” Ember tossed in, and the other two nodded.

I could tell by the way they were looking at me with their hopeful, expectant faces that they really wanted to do this. It’s like prom all over again.

“Right.” I nodded. “Okay, umm… sure. Sounds fun,” I said, not meaning it.

Not even a little bit.