CHAPTER 1
Clara
“He’s not going to like these apples,” I moan, rummaging through the basket of apples in front of me.
“He won’t get better apples than ours this late in the season,” my boss, Romy tuts. Romy is a very cool boss. She’s in her mid-thirties, but with her long blonde hair and TV fitness instructor physique, she passes for much younger.
Me? I’m about to turn thirty, don’t remember the last time I did a sit-up, and my dark blonde hair could probably use some highlights and a volumizing shampoo.
“If he has a problem with the apples, tell him to come into Star Falls and tell me to my face he doesn’t like my produce,” she says.
“You know he doesn’t come into town,” I sigh, inspecting an apple that looks perfect to me, but I know he’ll find something wrong with it.
“What’s up with that?” she asks. “It would make all our lives easier if he just came into the store. The phone calls I have with him once a week about what he wants are…” She pauses as she searches for the word.
“Painful?” I suggest, because that’s exactly how it feels talking to him when I deliver his groceries.
“Exactly.”
“I don’t know what his deal is. He’s just a grumpy recluse, I guess. I don’t think he ever leaves the mountain. He’s a total jerk, but he’s not… bad looking.”
Romy’s dark eyebrows shoot up into her blonde hair. “Nowthat’sinformation you didn’t give me earlier. Your grumpy, reclusive mountain man Knox is also a total babe?”
My lips press together. Knoxisa total babe. He’s rugged and sexy, tall, dark, and incredibly handsome. His hair is always kind of hanging into his eyes, and his chest is so broad he probably couldn’t even fit through the market door. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t come in here. He won’t fit!
Or it could have something to do with his sexy, intense but very weird dark green eyes. They kind of glow sometimes, and I’ve wondered if he has some kind of vision impairment or something.
But he has a truck that’s always parked outside his cabin, and he has no problem noticing the tiniest bump or scratch on a cucumber.
I’ve been delivering his groceries for nearly a year, and in all that time, every conversation we’ve had has been about the quality of produce.
“Maybe I should do the deliveries today,” Romy muses.
“No!” My stomach churns at the idea of her going in my place. I don’t know why. It’s not like Ienjoygetting accused of harming vegetables.
She gives me a look.
“I mean, it’s fine. I really don’t mind.”
Romy looks out the window onto the main street of Star Falls. “You know, I’m not even sure you should go today. The weather woman said there was a blizzard on the way.”
“Not due until tomorrow,” I tell her, watching the little flurries flying down the street. “But I should get going. He gets mad when I’m late.” I carefully select a few more apples and add them to the carton.
“Drive safe,” Romy says. “And while you’re up there, ask him if he’s single. I could use a winter fling with a sexy mountain man, even if he is a major grump.”
“Wait, what?” An apple bounces to the floor, which will now not be making it into Knox’s delivery.
Romy lets out a sigh. “Yeah. Me and Gordon are separating.”
“No! What happened?” Romy and Gordon always seemed so in love. I went to their wedding just over a year ago. It was at a fancy hotel in Crater Lake, and it was like a fairytale. I went home and cried because it was so perfect and I didn’t think I’d ever find a love like they had, and now they’re gettingseparated?
“He didn’t love me anymore,” she says simply. “Not sure he ever did.”
“Oh, Romy! I’m so—” I go in for a hug, but she steps back.
“Save your pity,” she says, waving her hand. “If you really want to help, hook me up with your sexy mountain man.”
I let out a laugh, but I have absolutely zero intention of setting Romy up with Knox.
