“You want me to rip it off the board?” Caden asked.
I glanced at my bike, still laying on its side. There was no way I’d ride it into town with the seat looking like it did, and I’d let Caden borrow my truck since I had his up on the rack at the garage.
“Yeah, and if you see Ruby, tell her I’ll be stopping in at the merc on my way to the garage in the morning. There’s no fucking way I’m going to let her fuck around with my life.”
“I think I’ll leave out the ‘fucks,’ but I’ll tell her, bro.” Caden disconnected.
Didn’t I have enough problems in my life without having to deal with Ruby and the curvy brunette? Women… they’d never brought me anything but trouble. The sooner I got both Ruby and my new neighbor out of my life, the better off I’d be.
CHAPTER 2
EDEN
I was still rattled from my run-in with my new neighbor when I entered the Nelson Mercantile the next morning. My grandfather said the merc was the heart and soul of Mustang Mountain, and its owners Ruby and Orville were the best source of information for anything and everything around town. I hadn’t expected to need help so soon after moving in, but I’d also expected the cabin to have running water. So far, the only water I could get was through the old-fashioned spigot outside.
Hoping Ruby or Orville could recommend a plumber, I headed to the counter at the back of the store, where an older woman stood talking to a couple of customers. Her eyes lit up when she saw me approach.
“Good morning. You must be Leroy Sugarman’s granddaughter. Can I get you a cup of coffee, hon?” She offered a comforting smile and turned toward the coffee machine.
“I’d rather have tea if you’ve got something herbal,” I piped up before she automatically grabbed the carafe of coffee.
She turned around with an even bigger grin splitting her lips in two. “A tea drinker, that’s refreshing. Let me get you a mug of hot water. I highly recommend our huckleberry tea. It does have caffeine, but it’s amazing.”
“That sounds wonderful. Thank you.” I slid onto a stool at the counter, figuring the best way to get information would be through a conversation.
“I’m Ruby and I knew your grandfather well,” Ruby said as she reached for a mug. “It about broke my heart to hear he’d passed. I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you.” I hadn’t spent much time with my grandfather since he and my mom had a falling out when I was a kid. Then he showed up in Asheville, his body so eaten away by cancer that he hardly had any time left at all.
Hearing that Ruby knew him well ignited a curiosity that begged to be satisfied. Hopefully, I’d have the chance to learn all about the life he had in Mustang Mountain while I was here. I had so many questions, and my mom hadn’t been willing to provide many answers.
Ruby set the mug in front of me, along with a dish holding a few huckleberry tea bags. “How have you been settling in? I heard you brought a trailer carrying some goats. It’s all anyone’s been talking about in here for the past couple of days.”
My eyebrows lifted. I hadn’t expected to be a topic of conversation so soon after my arrival. “Oh. I keep a few goats to make soap and other body products.”
“Bring in a few samples. I love to stock items made by local artisans.” Ruby leaned toward me. “I’m assuming you’ll be interested in joining our local small business association if you’re an entrepreneur.”
“I’d love to.” I’d been part of an organization like that back in Asheville and it had been a big boost to my business, at least until things went south and I’d jumped at the chance to move away. “Where can I find more information?”
She grinned and handed me a paper cup with a lid. “Our meeting starts in about ten minutes. Transfer your tea into that to-go cup, and we’ll walk over together.”
“Um, okay.” It didn’t seem like turning her down was an option, so I poured my tea into the paper cup and made sure the lid was on tight.
Ruby rounded the counter and handed me a big box of muffins. “You don’t mind carrying this over to the meeting, do you? The best way to meet people in town is to get involved. Our next big event is the Harvest Festival in October. We could really use some help.”
She kept up the conversation on our short walk to City Hall. By the time we entered the building, I’d somehow agreed to help out with the kiddie carnival during the festival. Ruby convinced me it would be a great way to showcase my business since I could bring a few of the goats into town and set up a milking demo.
“You can set the muffins down there.” Ruby nodded to a table in the back of the room that already held a variety of baked goods and a big coffee urn. “I need to go check in with a few people, but feel free to take a seat anywhere.”
“Thank you.” I set the muffins down and turned around, so busy thanking my lucky stars for running into Ruby on my first venture into town that I wasn’t paying any attention to my surroundings.
“Hey, watch it.” The man in front of me jumped back, almost avoiding the splash of hot tea that spilled from my cup.
“I’m so sorry.” I apologized to the front of his flannel button-down shirt as I reached for a stack of napkins. It wasn’t until I pressed the wadded up napkins against his chest that I looked up at him. My heart froze.
“You again.” My new neighbor snagged the napkins from my hand. “I don’t need your help.”
A current of electricity shot up my arm from his touch. I pulled back and tried to force my heart to resume a slow, steady beat.
“I said I was sorry. It was an accident.” I bit down on my lip as he tossed the damp napkins into the trash.
He lifted his head, meeting my gaze. Dark green eyes, the color of the pine trees at the top of the mountain, stared down at me. Mesmerized, I studied the flecks of lighter green and even a few shades of brown that rimmed his pupils.
“First my motorcycle seat, now my shirt. You seem to have a knack for ruining things, Eden Sugarman.” His lips twisted into a scowl.
The need to defend myself against the grumpy mountain man rose. “I said I’d repair your seat.”
“It can’t be repaired. It needs to be replaced.” He stepped around me and filled a paper cup with coffee.
“Then I’ll replace it.” Somehow. The move had wiped out my savings, but I had a good feeling about Mustang Mountain. At least I had until I met him.
“Great. I’ll bring over the receipt when I order a new one.” His lips flattened into a tight line. It was probably the closest he could get to a smile.
“I see you met Shaw.” Ruby came out of nowhere and put a hand on the man’s shoulder. “He’s our Mountain Man of the Month for September.”
Shaw tensed and took in a measured breath. “Ruby…”
She ignored the growl in his tone and linked one arm with Shaw and one with me. “Don’t let him scare you away, Eden. He’s all bark and no bite.”
Looked to me like Shaw was all bite, but I didn’t plan on finding out. Based on our short interactions so far, it would be in my best interest to stay as far away from my new neighbor as possible.