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Chapter one

Cody

Holy fuck! Everything was delicious. Made with butter, sugar, and bacon grease. Oh my god, bacon grease. Everything was better with bacon grease. I’d been on a diet for so long that I’d forgotten what flavor actually tastes like.

Today was Tuesday. I had a love-hate relationship with Tuesdays. After moving into my cabin, high up in the Kodiak Mountains a few weeks ago, I’d been forced to accept the fact that at some point each week I needed to trudge down the mountain and into Wattle Creek to stock up on supplies.

So far, no one has recognized me, and if they had, they had the decency to keep walking. Not once had I been asked for a selfie or an autograph. No one had asked me how I was doing or looked at me with pity-filled eyes.

This morning, feeling like I needed a change, I stepped into Rosie’s diner, the scent of bacon wrapping around me instantly.

A gorgeous woman with tits stretching the fabric of her blue, pin-striped uniform greeted me with a warm smile.

“Hey there. You eating?” she asked, her voice soft.

I nodded mutely, unable to find words.

“I’ve got you,” she invited, waving a menu and leading me to an empty table tucked against the wall.

She waited until I was seated before offering me coffee.

“Yes, please. Black,” I replied, finally finding my voice.

“Back in a jiff. Take your time.” She indicated the menu before heading back toward the counter, my eyes tracking the bounce of her ass.

I shook my head. The last thing I needed to do was check out a waitress like she was on the menu.

I took a minute to look around the diner. It was busy. Busier than I would’ve expected for a Tuesday. People chatted over coffee, shared stacks of pancakes, and shook hands enthusiastically. Brightly colored prints hung on the walls above the booths down the other side. There was an old jukebox in the corner, which I was sure was more for nostalgia than music. The floor was a black-and-white checkerboard pattern, but it was the staff who intrigued me most. One more than the others. She smiled widely and appeared to love her job. I’d never seen her before, but that didn’t mean much. This was my first time here, but when she glanced over in my direction, I knew I’d be back.

A moment later, she appeared beside my table and filled a mug with dark coffee. I could smell vanilla and something sweet that had my jeans feeling a little more snug than they should.

“What can I get you?” she asked, notepad ready.

“Um, what’s good here?” I replied with a shake of my head, feeling ridiculous.

“You look like a Sunrise breakfast kinda guy,” she commented, summing me up.

“What exactly does a Sunrise breakfast guy look like?”

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to slap myself. I hadn’t had to flirt in so long, and I had no game. Even though I didn’t want to flirt, I found that I couldn’t help myself.

She looked me up and down unashamedly. “A guy who knows what he wants,” she replied, holding her own.

“Sounds like me,” I confirmed, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I’ll take that.”

“Good call. Won’t be long …”

“Cody,” I offered.

She nodded, and I didn’t miss the way her eyes sparkled. They were this intense shade I’d never seen before. A mix of blue and green that made them almost hypnotic.

“Won’t be long, Cody,” she repeated, letting my name fall from her lips.

I watched until she walked away, stopping to chat with other customers, refilling coffee mugs, and offering them a generous and honest smile as she went. It was clear everyone adored her. She set them at ease with her friendliness and openness. She was the opposite of me. I was an ogre. I lived alone on the top of the mountain, only venturing out when absolutely necessary. If I knew how to cook or could keep a plant alive for more than a week, I doubt I’d ever come down.

The moment she set my plate down, one loaded with scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, hashbrowns, sausage, and biscuits smothered in thick, delicious gravy, I groaned. I hadn’t eaten like this in years. I usually stuck to high-protein, low-flavor egg white omelets, but there was no way I was giving this up.

“This looks amazing,” I admired, picking up my fork.