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I should call my brother and let him know there will be a plus one.
I pull out my phone to text him, and stare down at the screen. I’ve already missed two calls and there are three texts waiting, though that’s really nothing new. We talk a million times a day.
Wayne: Hey, what do you want to drink tonight? I was thinking of some kind of holiday martini, but I know you don’t like gin.
Wayne: Never mind, Bodie said you liked tequila. How did I not know you liked tequila?
My heart jumps in place. How did Bodie know I liked tequila?
Wayne:Problem solved. We’ll see you tonight.
We’ll see you tonight?My mouth goes dry. What the hell? Maybe it was a typo, or he meant‘we’as in the family. Yeah, he probably meant it like that.
I hope he meant it like that, because one thing I’m sure I can’t handle is seeing Bodie, especially with some other guy standing next to me.
Chapter Two
Bodie
I stand behind the kitchen counter mixing liquor and soda into a punchbowl with a few cherries and a sliced lime, though I’m not sure if I want to be here. I know I should be. Wayne hates doing this shit alone. But if I were thinking about myself, I think I’d be back in the Springs, looking over paperwork that needs finishing after the holidays.
Wayne stands on the opposite side of the counter, laying out his version of snacks onto a platter. I’m all for a healthy snack, but carrots and salsa for a Christmas party don’t sit right with me. “Thanks for helping out, man. I appreciate it.”
“Ah, glad to be here. You’d do the same for me.” I keep my snack thoughts to myself. Wayne and I have been best friends since grade school. I was there when his parents died, and I watched him take on the role of caregiver with Poppy. Aside from a few estranged family members that keep their visits surrounding holidays, I’m all he has.
“You ever think about moving back out here?” He adds a bowl of guacamole to the tray. “You still dress the part.”
I stare down at my cowboy boots. I’m made fun of quite a bit in the city for dressing like a‘redneck,’but it’s all I know, and I work best when I’m comfortable. “To what end? I spent years here trying to make it work. I never wanted to leave, but you know me. I’m always looking for the next challenge.”
I grab a carrot from the tray and take a crunch filled bite, allowing myself a second to choose my words carefully. How do you tell someone that you’ve thought about it a million times, but you don’t feel like you fit in the Rugged Mountain tapestry? In my heart, I’m a businessman who was raised on a farm. I can’t be myself on a tractor or working out of a tattoo shop, but I also don’t want to insult those who do. We all have a path in life. Mine just drove me to the city… even if I miss all the other good things my mountain home has to offer.
“Besides, all you ranchers need bankers. Who’s going to loan you money when everything goes to shit, or you need a new barn built? It’s good to have someone on the inside who knows that you’ll pay your debts rather than someone who’s never been up here and is only coldly running the numbers. Essentially, what I’m saying is you can all thank me later.” I laugh and grab some solo cups from the cupboard behind me.
“Seriously, man. The town is changing. Opportunities are growing here every day. I mean, look at the lodge that was just built. It’s massive and will drive a lot of interest and work to the area. With your background, I’m sure they would love to have you.” He shoots me a grin as though he just thought of the perfect bait for his hook. “Plus, your reputation still proceeds you around here. I think we still have some teachers who use you as one of the examples on what the local kids can do with their lives.”
Well played, Wayne. That praise lure does look really appetizing.
“They need everything right now, including the general manager for the whole thing. If you’re looking for the next big opportunity, being able to put your stamp on the biggest thing to hit Rugged Mountain in decades sounds like a challenge to me.”
A job like that up here would be a game changer. When you grow up with the woods, the mountains, the lakes, the streams, with the small-town life surrounding you, it becomes a part of you and every second you’re away from it is like a lie you’re telling yourself. It would really be the perfect combination of both of my dreams.
“I thought Henry was going to be in charge?” Henry is the guy who owns Rugged Mountain Ink and most of the land out here on the mountain. He’s an old-timer now, but the guy literally moved mountains back in his day.
“It’s temporary. He’s been actively looking for someone for a while now. I could call him and get you a meeting. You know his family, and you’re one of the smartest guys around. I’d be shocked if at the very least he wouldn’t interview you.”
For a second, I let myself fantasize about a life back here on the mountain. I may not be a natural rancher, but just like everyone who grew up here, a cabin and few horses still pull at your heart strings… but this isn’t something I should be dreaming about just yet. I swallow hard and nod, carrying the punch bowl into the living room. “It’s a thought. What about you? What are you doing lately?”
He draws in a deep breath. “What isn’t going on? I talked to Mullet down at the bar a few weeks ago. I’m thinking about buying the place, maybe breathing new life into it.” He tips his head to the side and laughs. “Oh, did you hear about the massive bear that’s coming into town?”
“Massive?”
He nods and laughs. “Supposed to be hibernating, but a few shop cams caught him in town last week going through trash bins. Not safe to have an animal that big so close to people.”
I miss news like this. Bears getting into cars and raccoons destroying attic wiring. It’s so much better than the violence in the city. That said, I realize that’s not the reaction Wayne is looking for.
“So, when was the last time anyone saw him?”
“Mrs. Robinson said she saw him up on old Mill Road yesterday. We’re going to send a group of guys out to look for him, hopefully scare him off before he gets too comfortable.”
