Chapter 1
Annie
Of course I’m happy for my friends and everyone who has found love and happiness. I’m just a little bit sick of feeling like the side character in a romance movie. My best friend moved back to town, fell in love with one of the Kingsley brothers (the hottest family in town), opened up her dream shop and has been wildly successful.
I meet the internet famous Christmas Elf, she is in town for all of two minutes and she snags herself a Kingsley brother and practically farts rainbows now, all happy and snugly with her new little family.
And what do I get? I lived in this same small town my whole life. I still live at home with my parents. My dad was the school principal. I’m overweight. I like to read. If this was a fairy tale then I’m the ugly step sister. I’m a friggin dwarf while Sleeping Beauty has guys kissing her in her sleep. I’m Bell if there is no castle and there is no Beast.
Valentine’s Day is coming up and this one is feeling extra hard. I’m used to having nobody. One single rose from my dad to remind me how alone I am. A pity rose. And this year I get towatch my friends be gloriously happy and pretend it doesn’t hurt like hell that nobody has ever picked me.
“You’ll help, won’t you Annie?”
“What’s that?” I look up at Ireland Fox. Ireland is the kind of girl everybody loves and every girl wishes she could be. Shinny hair, curves in the right places, a megawatt smile. She’s beautiful. She’s actually nice. And she is the most organized person I know.
“With the Valentine’s Day Festival.” Ireland smiles at me with the patience of a teacher helping a small child. “We’re auctioning off men and women this year, but we might need a little help convincing the single men in town.”
“Oh.”
“Everybody knows you, Annie. You could convince them it’s for a good cause. So if you could round up some men for us, that would be great.”
That’s me. Little miss helps a lot.
“Oh. Sure, I guess I can help.” I wish they would realize how much it sucks to be alone on Valentine’s Day. But that just shows how long I have been alone. It’s just assumed, just accepted as the normal. Annie is single. An old maid. Nobody has ever wanted me.
After our little meeting, I let out a dramatic sigh to my best friend Erika. “Honestly, I’d rather skip the whole thing.”
Erika looks surprised. “You don’t like Valentine’s Day?”
Erika is totally in love with Carter Kingsley. But surely she should remember what it feels like to be single.
“I just want what you have with Carter. It would be nice to be with someone on Valentine’s Day for once.”
“Maybe you need to get away? Maybe go on a trip and meet some new people?”
I know my friend wants the best for me. But I like my little town. I wish my life could change while staying in this place that I love. I’m not big on new places or travel. I’m much happier curled up with a book.
“I’ll just get through this Valentine’s Day and then I’ll think about it.” Erika gives me a sad look before she has to race off to meet her boyfriend. When you're single and it’s Valentine’s Day, people in love sure can be annoying. Even when it’s my best friend.
The men in this town are all pretty good looking, if you like the gruff, grumpy mountain man type. They are all hard working, good mountain people. But the thing with mountain men is that they aren’t great at communication. There are a lot of grunts and shrugs you have to deal with.
After putting a poster up in the grocery store, and getting a yes from Benson at the hardware store, a maybe from the artist, Rock, I know I need some single guys. And I know just where to find them.
“What’s up, sweet little Annie May?” Jasper is the owner of the only bar and hotel in town, he’s a bit of a ladies man and he can always make me blush with his mock flirting.
I explain what I’m there for and Jasper shakes his head. “This town and their festivals. Well, it’s a no from me but you're welcome to ask around.” And then he leans forward on the bar, his voice dropping to a whisper. “The Kingsley cousins are in the back corner.”
I let out a small gasp. The Kingsley cousins are the dark side of the family that produced Erika’s boyfriend, and out townmayor. The oldest of the cousins lives high up in the mountains and I had heard rumors that his brothers might be back in town.
“Which ones?” I ask.
“All three.”Jasper keeps his voice low. “I’d avoid that corner if I were you.”
I nod solemnly. I think it started as a joke. To speak in whispered tones about the Kingsley cousins. But when something is around long enough, it becomes real.
This is a small town where everybody knows everybody's business. And I grew up hearing about the Kingsley brothers. The richest family in town whose ancestors founded this town. Kingsley Park.
The story goes that old man Kingsley had two sons. One good and one bad, but both set to inherit. Until one day there was a big fight and the bad brother disappeared into the hills while the other, good brother became town mayor.
