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The girls step out of our lodge with bags full of photos, shirts, and one has a tumbler with our Greene Mountain Bungee logo on it. All in all, a good morning.

“Enjoy the rest of your bachelorette party,” Julian says as they leave. “And be safe.”

“We got room for one more,” Talia says, trying one last time.

Abby leans into me. “Let’s see how she likes going over the bridge with no bungee cord.”

“I’m good,” Julian says, waving. “Have fun!”

I help the drunk girl to her feet and wish them a fun time. They invite me as well, but I have to finish up here.

We don’t have any more bookings for the day—late autumn is always a slow time of year—and there are some dark clouds coming in, so I let Julian leave early, and tell him I’ll finish up on my own.

I give my nephew one last big hug and see them off.

It’s quiet and peaceful on the bridge, but my blood keeps boiling thinking about those outsiders trying to take over our town.

I know Abby was an outsider once too, although that’s different. She came here to start a new life and to integrate into the town. These people are trying to take it over.

I’m so distracted with these angry thoughts while sitting on the edge of the bridge with my feet hanging over that I don’t notice a man approaching until he’s only a few feet away.

“Hello,” he says in a deep masculine voice. “Are you open?”

I turn and my heart flutters when I see him.

Wow.

He’s hot.

Like, really hot.

He’s tall and sturdy with broad shoulders and a nice smile. I swallow hard at the sight of his thick beard and wavy black hair. His eyes are bright green and full of something I can’t seem to get enough of as he watches me curiously.

See, this is the type of man who belongs here. Scuffed-up jeans, boots that have seen miles of mountainous trails, and an old henley shirt with the sleeves pushed up his thick tattooed forearms.

“Yeah,” I say, looking into those gorgeous eyes. “Wanna jump?”

He stares at me for a moment and then that sexy mouth curls up into a smile.

“Absolutely.”

CHAPTER TWO

Ivy

“Have you ever jumped before?” I ask as I force my eyes onto the padded ankle cuffs and not on the delicious mountain man standing over me.

Focus, girl. Focus. You’re not going to get a date if he lands in the damn river.

“No,” he says as he watches me strap his ankles together, “but I’ve always wanted to try. I just came to do the hike when I saw it and thought, why not?”

“Just warning you,” I say as I make sure the ankle cuffs are nice and tight, “do it once and you’ll be hooked.”

I look up at him with a grin.

God, those green eyes. They give me shivers with the way he’s looking at me. My heart has been a steady pounding drum in my chest ever since I caught a glimpse of him. Now that I’m up close next to his hard body, it’s beating into overdrive.

“I think I already am hooked,” he says, those lips curling into a smile.