Chapter 3
Annie
I don’t want to take off his flannel. I stall for as long as I can, standing in the bathroom with the faded fabric pressed to my face, breathing in Garrett’s scent until my head spins.
Woodsmoke, pine, a hint of something I can’t name…
something that makes me feel safe, wanted, and a little bit turned on.
I hug myself in the mirror, grinning like an idiot, hair a tangled mess, cheeks still pink from laughing and, yeah, a little from the way he looks at me.
I glance at my phone; it’s almost dead, with zero bars, and for once, I don’t care. I’m not itching to text anyone. I don’t want to scroll or check my notifications. I want to stay in this bubble, in this shirt, in this moment.
But unfortunately, reality hits. I sigh and peel it off, folding it neatly, giving it one last squeeze before I change into my own dry clothes, making the spell break a little. I’m just Annie again. Except I’m not. Something is different, and I know exactly who to blame.
When I step out, Garrett is still in the kitchen, wiping down the counters. He looks up, and for a split second, I see something soft come across his face, then it’s gone, replaced by that unreadable grumpiness.
“I guess I should head back,” I say, secretly hoping he will ask me to stay.
Instead, he grabs his keys. “I’ll drive you. Roads will be slick. No sense risking it.”
I follow him outside. The fall air is crisp, washed clean by the rain. The world feels new, and so do I.
He helps me up into the truck, his hand warm as it guides me. I try to keep calm and play it cool, but inside I’m a mess. Every brush of his fingers sends sparks up my arm. I catch his scent again…leather, cedar, something dangerous that makes me feel safe, wanting to stay forever.
We drive through the country backroads, headlights cutting through the misty fog.
Of course, Garrett doesn’t talk much. He stays focused on the road, his jaw set, but I can see him glancing my way every few minutes, like he’s making sure I’m really there and not just some figment of his imagination.
It’s a different kind of silence, though.
It’s comfortable, not awkward. I’m used to people just filling the gaps, half-listening or not even listening at all, waiting for their turn to talk.
With Garrett, it’s different. He’s quiet, but he pays attention in a way that’s rare and real.
Those glances mean more than a hundred empty words.
He cares if I’m okay, and what I say matters.
For the first time in a long time, I feel seen.
And I didn’t realize how much I needed that until now.
As soon as we enter back into town, my stomach rumbles loudly.
“Damn, city girl.”
I laugh, completely mortified.
“Would it be weird if I asked you to get dinner with me? As a thank you?” I glance over at him, all of a sudden feeling nervous.
“The Cozy Corner’s open. Best pie in town.”
I smile, inwardly jumping up and down like some schoolgirl with a crush. Fully expecting him to shut me down right then. “Correction, Grizzly Adam’s…best cinnamon rolls in town.”
He raises an eyebrow. “You sure you’re the kind of girl who hangs out in diners?”
I grin. “I’m the kind of girl who loves food. Give me all the greasy fries, and I might even try the pie. You know what…pie is non-negotiable.”
He laughs. It’s real and genuine, a low rumble that makes my heart skip. “The pie at The Cozy Corner is the best thing in this town, with the cinnamon rolls coming in at a close second…you’ll see.” This time he gives me a wink. And I literally melt into a puddle, right there in his truck.
“Okay. We’ll see.” I want to ask him a hundred questions: what he does all day, what he really thinks about living out here alone, if he’s ever been in love. Instead, I just enjoy the ride, the way his presence calms my nerves instead of making them worse.
When we reach The Cozy Corner, it’s glowing with warm, yellow light; the bright neon sign hums as blue and pink reflect off the glass.
The place looks like it’s been here forever, with its worn-out red booths, linoleum floors, and the smell of fried food and strong coffee seeping through the cracks in the walls.
Aubrey, the waitress, is perched on a stool at the counter, flipping through a magazine. When she sees us walk in, her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Well, well, well…look at you, Garrett Hall! I didn’t know you had it in you to bring a girl into town.”
He grumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. “She got lost. Thought I’d better feed her before she starves.”
I roll my eyes, sliding into a booth. “Ignore him, Aubrey. He’s secretly a knight in shining armor. He just hides it under all the flannel and grumpiness.” I say with a wink.
Aubrey grins. “Well, I just knew there was a heart in there somewhere.” She sets down two mugs. “Coffee?”
“Please,” I say, and Garrett just nods.
She turns to me, lowering her voice like she’s got a juicy secret. “Are you new to Crystal Falls?”
“Just visiting,” I say, but the words taste sour already.
She winks. “Stick around. This town could use some fresh faces.”
When she leaves, I lean across the table, chin propped in my hand. “So, tell me something real about the mysterious mountain man himself. What’s your worst habit?”
He hesitates, then shrugs. “I don’t answer questions.”
I laugh. “Oh, come on. Not even just one little fact?” Giving him my saddest puppy dog eyes, I add, “Please…”
He gives me a look, still grumpy, but not so cold now. “Fine.”
“Yay.” I do a little happy dance, clapping while bouncing up and down in my seat.
He just rolls his eyes, fighting a smile. “I hate wearing shoes in the house. Drives me nuts. And I can’t stand people who say they’ll do something and then don’t.”
I nod, smiling. “That’s two. You’re an overachiever.”
He shakes his head, and this time, he can’t help it; the corners of his mouth twitch up on the sides. “What about you, city girl?”
“Hmm…” I think for a second. “I forget to eat when I’m stressed. And I talk too much. And I… kind of hate being alone.” I didn’t mean to say the last one, but I did, and it’s out there now, hanging.
He goes quiet, searching my face. “Most people do. They’re just better at pretending.”
A comfortable silence settles between us. Aubrey brings burgers and fries, and I immediately dig in, closing my eyes. “Oh my god. I needed this.”
I look up and notice Garrett watching me with heavy-lidded eyes, like he’s imagining things he shouldn’t. I feel it everywhere, that low heat, the kind that has nothing to do with how good the food is.
“Good?” he asks.
“Incredible,” I say, then lick salt from my fingers, my body suddenly becoming all too aware of him.
He shifts in his seat, and I can see the muscle in his jaw tick. “You always moan over your dinner?”
“Only when it’s worth it.”
He stares at me, unblinking, and for a second, the air feels charged…in the way that if I lean across this table, I know he’ll meet me halfway.
I giggle, hoping to break the tension, nudging his foot under the table. “You’re easy to read, you know?”
He arches an eyebrow. “Am I?”
“Totally. You pretend you don’t care, but I see right through you.”
He snorts. “You don’t know a thing about me.”
I grin, leaning closer. “Maybe not yet.”
We take our time eating, talking about everything and nothing.
He tells me about what it was like growing up in Crystal Falls, how his dad taught him to use a saw before he learned to ride a bike, and how he built his first birdhouse at the age of six.
Afterward, he was hooked. I tell him about city life, about my loud neighbors and the sweet old lady who bakes bread every Friday and sometimes brings me a loaf when I’ve had a bad day.
Aubrey brings pie…apple, of course, with ice cream melting down the sides. I groan at the first bite, closing my eyes. “I’m not leaving. I’m moving in. Someone call my boss and tell him I quit.”
Garrett watches me, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You’re something else, Annie.”
I look at him, all serious now. “Is that good?”
“Yeah,” he says, voice low. “It’s good.”
We sit there for I don’t know how long. The diner has emptied, leaving us and Aubrey, who keeps refilling our coffee cups and giving Garrett knowing looks. The lights get softer as the music hums in the background. I let my foot drift over to his under the table, and he doesn’t pull away.
We’ve both lost track of time, but I know it’s late. “We should probably go. I don’t want Savannah sending out the search party.”
Garrett stands, pulling out his wallet, but Aubrey waves him off. “You’re good, sugar. First date is on me.”
“It’s not a date,” he mutters under his breath, but I catch his eye, and we both know she’s right.
The car ride feels different this time…more familiar, like we’re not just two strangers anymore.
When we pull up at the inn, Garrett puts the truck in park but doesn’t move. I notice his knuckles are white from gripping the wheel. For a moment, I think he’s going to say goodnight, and I feel a flash of panic. I don’t want this night to end.
But then he turns. “Annie?”
I barely have time to respond or even breathe before his mouth is on mine…
hungry, rough, desperate. I kiss him back, fisting the front of his shirt, trying to pull him closer.
He tastes like coffee, cinnamon, and something I know I’ll never get enough of.
His hands come up and cup my face, thumbs stroking my jaw, holding me like that until I’m dizzy with want.
He pulls back, breath ragged, eyes searching mine. “Let me take you out again. Tomorrow.”
I nod, grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. “Try and stop me, Grizzly Adams.”
He softly kisses my lips once more, slower this time, like he’s memorizing me. “Night, city girl.”
I hop out of the truck, and I literally feel like I’m floating on air, my lips tingling, heart hammering, already counting down the hours until I get to see him again.
Savannah’s waiting at the desk, eyebrows up…
I guess she had a front-row seat. “Holy shit…was that…were you…?” I keep walking, waving her off, too high on adrenaline to care.
Best. Night. Ever.
I collapse on my bed, replaying every second in my head. I’m already hooked, and I don’t even care how obvious it is. For once, I want it all.