Page 1 of Cider for the Mountain Man

Chapter one

Valerie

The harvest festival is bustling, just as it is every year.

The smell of apple cider fills my lungs with every breath as I drift through the event’s setup. The whole town will begin trickling in an hour to enjoy it. Right now, everyone is busy setting up their stalls, putting the final touches on everything, and preparing for a fun-filled day.

Unlike the vendors setting up around me, I’m not here to sell anything. I’m just a volunteer trying to make myself useful. My goal was to hunt down the man running the show, but the view has distracted me before I can make myself known.

Something about pumpkins and fallen leaves makes my chest warm and gooey. It's my favorite season, and even if the air is a little chilly, nothing could make this day better.

That is, until I see the man I'm supposed to find.

He’s the festival’s real main attraction—or the main reason I keep finding excuses to show up every year. Caden McGivens stands in the middle of chaos, clipboard in hand, brows furrowed so deep it makes him look like he's mad at the entire world instead of feeling the excitement in the air like everyone else.

Behind the scowl, I know better. Underneath all that flannel and responsibility, Caden is this town's biggest softie with a matching heart. He just gets extra grouchy when stress levels spike. Case in point—the glare he’s currently directing at three vendors actively setting up a fire hazard with extension cords.

I can't help but flinch when he barks a reminder about the importance of safety and how many kids will be sprinting around.

Eventually, I'll have to stroll up to him and ask what I'll be doing this time around. Every year, it's always something different. While most people just place themselves somewhere to stay out of his path, I personally want to use whatever excuse I can to put myself beneath his heated gaze.

While I uselessly enjoy the view from a respectable distance, a few other familiar faces notice me. They call out their greetings, making me jump as if caught with my hand in the cookie jar.

With the commotion, it doesn't take long for Caden to take notice of the disturbance. He turns my way, and when he spots me, I can’t help but notice his frown deepen on his handsome face.

Ouch. Then again, he’s not a man who smiles too often to begin with.

I don't even know how well he remembers me, but catching me slacking off right at the start can't be a good way to begin the morning.

I perk up with a smile as I gather the courage to head his way, secretly hoping the curve is enough to earn forgiveness.

Just as I enter his space, I breathe in deeply. Filling my lungs with the scent of sweat and pine needles, I inwardly groan at how nice he smells. He’s like a bear who has spent too much time rubbing up against a tree. Is it a special kind of cologne, or does he drag down the scent from the mountain?

A sudden wave of butterflies goes off in my stomach the second he looks down at me. Up close, the size difference is impossible to ignore—he looms over me, towering over a good foot taller, filling my entire view.

His brows draw together as he studies me, as if I'm just another problem on his clipboard to be solved.

"Hi Caden." My voice cracks on the first syllable of his name, and I swallow thickly, hoping he hasn’t noticed. "Don't know if you remember me, but—"

"Valerie," he rumbles, making my entire morning all in three syllables. "I was wondering when you'd show up."

He was? The realization hits like a shot of adrenaline, sending blood rushing to my cheeks.

I volunteer all over town just hoping for a glimpse of him, and half the time he isn't even there. Today is usually my one guaranteed chance. He not only remembered my name but was actually expecting me to show up as usual? My heart is doing backflips.

"Where would you like me?" Managing to ask such a simple question, I twist my fingers and tangle them nervously in front of my chest.

This is my one shot to be near him, and I can't blow it just because I turn into a tongue-tied mess around attractive, burly men. Once the festival gates open, he’ll be far too busy to give me a second glance.

He drags his eyes down at his board and flips through the pages. He makes a pencil appear from behind his ear and taps it against the sheet. "Game corner could use some help managing. You know how to paint faces? The ladies said they were running a few bodies short."

I haven't painted a face in my life, but I nod anyway. If that's where he needs me, I'll learn on the fly. Seeing his frown soften, even just a little, makes the upcoming disaster worth every second.

"Head on over there, and tell them I sent you. They'll get you situated." He scribbles on his sheet, mumbling something to himself. "Find me if you need anything."

It's a shame I can't ask for all of the things I really want, so I give him an energetic nod and a salute. It's silly enough to warm my skin, but I secretly hope it'll brighten his day, even a little.

But then Caden looks down at me once more, his brows furrowing as if he doesn't understand what he's looking at.