Taming the Mountain Man (Tamarack Ridge Romances Book 3)
Taming the Mountain Man
Tamarack Ridge Romances Book Three
Jeanette Lewis
Taming the Mountain Man
Tamarack Ridge Romances Book Three
by Jeanette Lewis
JeanetteLewisBooks.com
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Do not upload or distribute in any form, anywhere.
Copyright © 2018 by Janet K. Halling.
Cover by Novak Illustrations
Edited by Jenna Roundy
Published in the United States of America
Contents
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Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
About the Author
Books by Jeanette Lewis
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
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Introduction
By Taylor Hart
I met Jeanette Lewis at a writing conference several years ago where—over lunch—the Christmas in Snow Valley anthology was born. We both share a love of small towns and I have to tell you, Tamarack Ridge is one of my favorites. It’s a place of adventure, good neighbors, and, of course, romance!
When I read Jeanette’s Tamarack Ridge Romances, I imagine myself strolling down Main Street or stopping by Fred’s for a burger and fries. Maybe I’ll meet a mysterious mountain man with tales to tell.
Jeanette Lewis has a fresh writing style that lets you get lost in the story and love the characters! So kick back, put your feet up, and enjoy Jeanette’s newest Tamarack Ridge Romance – Taming the Mountain Man. I know I will!
All the best,
Taylor Hart
Author of the Last Play Romances
Chapter One
“It’s not you, it’s me.”
In one quick yank, Jennica Waverly pulled her hand out of Josh’s grasp. “Did you really just give me the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ excuse?” she said.
“Well, yeah.” Josh gave her a sheepish grin, flashing the dimple in his cheek. The adorable dimple she’d kissed dozens of times. “I know it’s a little cliché, but it’s true.”
“In what way?” Jennica glanced around the restaurant where they sat at a table for two.
“I’m not ready to settle down yet,” Josh said. He reached for his glass and took a long drink of water.
“I’ve never said anything about settling down,” Jennica protested.
“I know, but I’ve been getting hints.” Josh’s face flushed in the candlelight.
Jennica’s stomach took a tumble. Maybe she had said a few things about the future, but didn’t everyone, especially if you’d been dating someone this long? “We’ve been dating seven months,” she blurted.
“I know. That’s why I wanted to have this talk,” Josh said.
Jennica’s hands went clammy and she buried them under the snowy-white tablecloth. This was not happening. When Josh had said he wanted to go to dinner and talk, she’d been thinking of a very different kind of talk. One that usually ended with a man getting down on one knee and a piece of jewelry that rhymed with bling.
“I think you’re great,” Josh continued. “I just …”
“Just not great enough to move forward,” Jennica finished for him.
He gave her a helpless shrug. “Like I said, it’s me, not you.”
“Sure.” She clenched her fists under the tablecloth, digging her nails into her palms. Her eyes stung and she blinked quickly, determined not to cry.
They sat for a moment in miserable silence, and Jennica stared at her plate, still almost full of prime rib and roasted sweet potatoes. Her stomach dropped again as her appetite vanished. He couldn’t have at least waited until they’d finished dinner?
“I’m sorry,” Josh said finally. “I didn’t think you’d be this upset.”
“I’m not upset,” Jennica said. To prove it, she scooped up a large bite of sweet potatoes and shoved them in her mouth.
Josh’s face fell into an expression she’d never seen there before—pity. “I’m really sorry,” he said.
The sweet potatoes were sticky and thick. It was like chewing Play-Doh, and she would know. She’d eaten a few handfuls of the stuff as a kid. Jennica resisted the urge to spit the potatoes into the linen napkin on her lap and forced herself to swallow instead.
“I hope we can still be friends,” Josh offered lamely.
Friends. This wasn’t just not about taking that crucial step forward to engaged couple; Josh wanted to take a step back—to friends.
The sweet potatoes put up a fight and it felt like she had a billiard ball stuck in her chest. Jennica swallowed hard, and finally, the bite moved painfully down. She took a sip of water, clenching her fingers around the crystal goblet so Josh wouldn’t see her hands shaking.
Okay, so maybe she’d gone a bit overboard. When he’d suggested dinner at Starlane Resort, her mind had leapt to all kind of conclusions. It was fancy, a tourist destination in Webster Canyon, not far from Great Falls, Montana. There were hotels, restaurants, shops, and a spa. In the winter there was skiing, and in the summer, an alpine slide. Among locals, Starlane was a popular place for weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, and parties.
Jennica looked around the restaurant where waiters in red vests moved among tables set with china and candles. A pianist played softly in the corner, and from their table, she and Josh had a spectacular view of the mountains out the floor-to-ceiling windows. This was the kind of restaurant where marriage proposals happened.
Also, breakups … apparently.
The glow of candlelight caught the flecks of gold in Josh’s green eyes and made his pale lashes shine. He was clean shaven and kept his blond hair so short that it felt like stubble under her fingertips when they kissed. She’d thought those kisses meant something to both of them. Obviously not.
Jennica put her napkin on the table next to her plate. “I’m ready to leave.”
Josh’s gaze took in her nearly full plate and he scowled. “But we’re not finished with dinner.”
“You dump me and then expect me to sit here and finish dinner like nothing’s happened?” Jennica asked.
His eyebrows slanted together. “I didn’t dump you. Like I said, I still want to be friends.”
Jennica shoved her chair back. “Friends is a long way from where I thought we were going,” she said. “I’m going to step outside; I need a minute.”
She hoped he’d follow her and maybe her reaction would make him reconsider, but Josh only nodded and did that half-rise from his seat some men did when a woman stood up. The bare minimum in a show of manners. By the time she’d threaded her way through the restaurant, his attention was back on his Applewood grilled salmon and honey-glazed vegetables.
Jennica hurried through the lobby and into the chilly air. It was early March, and Starlane’s ski slopes were going strong. Tourists and locals crowded into the square in front of the restaurant, where the Beatles blasted from speakers mounted to streetlights that held flickering bulbs meant to look like candles. The ice rink at the center of the square was packed and people spilled out from the shops lining the perimeter—gift shops, ski equipment, books, a specialty chocolate shop, a deli, and two different art galleries. Starlane was about halfway between Great Falls and Tamarack Ridge, and many of the kids Jennica had grown up with got their first jobs here, working either in the shops or as housekeepers in the hotels.
Jennica shivered. She’d checked her coat in the restaurant and in her hurry had forgotten to grab it. Her knee-length black dress had cap sleeves and a deep V-neckline—not exactly cold weather appropriate. And her high heels weren’t great for the cobblestone sidewalks either.
But then, she hadn’t expected she’d be out wandering Starlane’s streets on her own tonight. At the very least, she thought she’d still have a boyfriend, if not a fiancé, by the end of the night. A fiancé who would hold her coat while she slipped it on and offer her a strong arm to steady her footsteps as they browsed the shops. She probably wouldn’t have even felt the cold; such was the bliss of new love.
Except Josh just wanted to be friends.
Jennica ducked her head and fought back tears as humiliation burned in her chest. How had she misinterpreted Josh’s signals so badly?
If she could, she’d take off running and go all the way back home to Tamarack Ridge, where she could crawl in bed and hide under the covers and never come out again. The thought of the ride home was agony. All that time alone in the car with Josh after this?
She wouldn’t do it. She’d call an Uber and Josh could wonder what had happened to her. She’d been out wandering for ten minutes; if he were going to come find her, he would have. Clearly, he was more interested in his dinner.
Jennica reached for her purse to get her phone, and her heart sank when she realized she’d left it in the restaurant, hanging over the back of her chair. She whirled on her heel to go back and stumbled into a broad chest. Whiskers brushed against her forehead as her cheek met soft fleece, releasing a whiff of sawdust, laundry soap, and a spicy cologne. As she put up her hands to stop the collision, her palms slid over the fabric, her fingertips registering the hardness of the muscles beneath.
“Jennica?”
The voice was familiar. Jennica took a step back and looked up, taking in Jack Hale’s face through tear-filled eyes.
He was taller than her by several inches, broad-shouldered, and firmly muscled. His dark brown hair fell past his shoulders and his thick beard fanned over his collarbone, covering the top of his black jacket. His eyes were deeply amber, the color of rich honey, and even in the dim streetlights, Jennica caught the glint of adventure—of campfires and autumn leaves, sunsets and a rich sweetness that left her breathing hard.
Jack bent his head to get a better look at her face. “Are you crying?”
“I’m okay.” Jennica pressed her fingertips to the skin below her eyes, fighting to regain her emotional balance. “Sorry for nearly running you over.”
Jack Hale was a friend of the Ramsey family, the owners of TR Outfitters in Tamarack Ridge and Jennica’s employers. She’d worked behind the counter at TR’s since her junior year of high school, and Jack always stopped by several times a month for supplies or to see Colton. Aside from general pleasantries, though, he’d never seemed to pay much notice to Jennica.
But he seemed to be noticing her now and his eyes were shadowed with worry. “Why are you out here without a coat?”
Without waiting for an answer, he peeled off his black fleece and draped it over her shoulders. It was soft and she sighed in relief as the warmth seeped into her skin.
Jack was still waiting for an answer.
“I’m here on a date,” she finally said. “But we got into a fight and I needed some air, so I left and forgot my coat … and my purse in the restaurant.”
“A fight?” Jack exhaled, his breath misting in the night. “Man, that stinks. You gonna be okay?”
Jennica managed a shaky laugh. “There’s a loaded question.” Her mind spun and she looked around. Jack seemed to be here alone. He lived on the outskirts of Tamarack Ridge, but still much closer to Jennica’s house than the resort. “Hey, could I get a ride home?”
His eyebrows went up as he buried his hands in the pockets of his jeans. Under the black jacket, he wore a dark gray button-up of heavy-duty fabric—a work shirt. “Sure. I’ve been talking to the owners of the Four Seasons Gift Shop, but I’m ready to leave at any time.”
“Talking to them about what?”
“It doesn’t matter.” Jack shrugged. A small spot of color appeared on his cheeks above his whiskers. “They said no anyway, so … whatever.” He cast a quick glance back toward the restaurant. “Wanna grab your stuff?”
He obviously didn’t want to talk about it. “Sure,” Jennica said, switching gears. They began walking, side by side, but not touching. Jennica noticed that where she usually had to weave her way around people, Jack didn’t. He was tall and big. People moved for him, not the other way around.
They stepped inside the heated foyer, where couples sat waiting for tables. The maitre d’ looked up with a curious glance. “Table for two?” she asked.
“I’m here with someone,” Jennica said. “I just need to get my things.”
The maitre d’ nodded toward the dining room, where the muted sounds of piano music, muffled conversation, and the clicking of silverware against china drifted out.
“I’ll wait here,” Jack said. He stuffed his hands back into his pockets and leaned against the wall.
Jennica nodded and hurried toward the table where she’d left Josh, noting that she’d been gone about fifteen minutes and he hadn’t moved. He sat calmly, chewing methodically on a piece of salmon. He looked up when she approached and gave her an annoyed frown. “All better?”
“Not really.” She plucked her purse from the back of the chair by the long leather strap. “I found a ride home. Guess I’ll see you around.”
For the first time, a flicker of unease played across Josh’s face. “Wait? A ride home with whom? Whose jacket is that?”
Jennica had forgotten she was still wearing Jack’s fleece. It was much too big and the warmth enveloped her, bringing a strange sense of calm, and courage. “None of your business,” she said, enjoying having the upper hand. “Anyway, I think it’s better if I don’t see you for a while.”
“Jennica.” His tone became wheedling. “Don’t do this. All I said was I wanted to be friends, to slow down. I didn’t say it was over.”
“I know.” She nodded. “But you don’t really have to say it. Slowing down is always the first step to the end. So how about we cut to the chase?”
He raised his hands and let them fall limply onto the table. “Who are you going home with? Is it someone safe?”
The scent of the jacket, of Jack, hovered in her awareness, sending a wave of heat washing over her. “Someone from home,” she said. “It’s fine. I’ve known him forever.”
“Him?” Josh frowned. “A single guy?”
She managed a small smile. “Yeah. But we’re just friends.”
Without waiting for an answer, she threaded her arm through her purse strap and marched across the restaurant toward the coat check, thanking the universe for the sudden appearance of Jack Hale. She could deal with the emotional fallout later; there was nothing like making a good exit.
Jack pushed off the wal
l when she reached for foyer. “Everything okay?” he asked, following as she went to get her coat.
“Yep.” Jennica nodded, surprising herself at the lightness in her voice. She shrugged out of the black fleece and offered it to Jack. “Thanks for lending me this.”
“No problem.” He draped the jacket over his arm and reached to grab the back of her coat and hold it for her while she slipped her arms into the sleeves.
Jennica’s heart shivered.
“My truck’s over on the east side,” Jack said as they left the building.
They walked around the skating rink and between the buildings that made up the resort toward the parking lot.
“You saved my bacon,” Jennica finally said. “I was thinking of getting an Uber, but I’m not sure they even go to Tamarack Ridge.”
“Uber?” Jack asked.
“You know, the car sharing app?”
He glanced at her and shook his head. “Never heard of it.”
“Are you serious? There are lots of different companies, but Uber’s the one I know best. You can ask for a ride and someone comes to pick you up.” She dodged a pile of slush.
“You’d get into a car with a total stranger?” Jack asked.
“Well …” Jennica hesitated, realizing for the first time how weird it was. “The drivers are screened and have to pass background checks … things like that.”
“You sure?” Jack asked. She realized she wasn’t, and he must have interpreted her silence correctly, because he gave an annoyed huff. “What happened to don’t take rides from strangers?” he demanded. “That was the number one rule when I was a kid.”