Page 7 of My Mountain Man Valentine

I slid into the driver’s seat and let the engine rumble to life. Moonlight glittered on the snow, lending Hope Peak a kind of hushed magic. I allowed a slight smile, remembering how Ryder’s eyes had searched mine. One thing was for sure: fake or not, this Valentine’s Day was shaping up to be anything but ordinary.

As I pulled away from Caroline’s house, that thought settled like a spark of warmth in my core. The old Tessa might have backed down, letting fear and uncertainty keep her locked in the bookstore until the rush of Valentine’s Day passed. But thenew Tessa—the one who craved even a hint of adventure—was finally ready to take a risk.

Chapter Four

RYDER

I woke the next morning with a peculiar blend of adrenaline and uncertainty coursing through my veins—like standing at the edge of a ravine, deciding whether to leap. Ever since I’d left Tessa’s bookstore the day before, my mind had been spinning with her hesitant but determined expression. I couldn’t blame her for needing time to think; asking someone to pretend they’re your girlfriend wasn’t exactly standard procedure. But I also knew it wasn’t just about Angelique anymore. A deeper part of me wanted the excuse to spend time with Tessa, to see if what I’d felt around her these last few

months could turn into something real.

Outside my cabin window, the early sun struggled to break through the lingering clouds. I trudged into the small kitchen, my breath puffing in the cool morning air. The woodstove had gone out overnight, so I knelt and coaxed fresh kindling into a spark before adding a couple of split logs. Soon, warmth radiated through the space, chasing away the last remnants of the Montana dawn chill.

My phone buzzed on the counter, startling me. I picked it up to see a text from Tessa:

Hey, can we meet this morning? I’ve made a decision about…your proposal.

So, she’s decided? Swallowing down a surge of anticipation, I typed back quickly:

Sure thing. Where should we meet?

Her answer came almost immediately:

The Velvet Book, if that’s okay. I open at nine, but I can step away for a few minutes around 9:30.

Meeting at her bookstore felt fitting, as the store was a safe place where she’d feel comfortable.

Sounds perfect. See you then.

I set my phone aside, hoping like hell she hadn’t decided no, and if she’d decided yes, I needed to be ready for whatever conditions she laid down. Angelique might have sparked this entire fiasco, but the plan involved more than just shutting my ex down now.It meant weaving my life together with Tessa’s, even if it was a temporary performance. If I wasn’t careful, I might forget that it was all pretend.

Pouring myself a quick cup of coffee, I scrolled through my emails and reservations for my afternoon tours. A small group from Bozeman wanted a short cross-country skiing session, nothing too intense. Easy enough. I’d meet them at noon, guide them around the gentler, groomed trails near the base of Hope Peak, and be done by late afternoon. That left plenty of time to talk with Tessa first.

Still, my concentration kept slipping. I caught myself wondering if Tessa had spent half the night awake, sorting through pros and cons. Levi’s reaction when he inevitably found out. The possibility that everyone in town might gossip. And—my pulse quickened—the chance that Tessa and I might discover something real between us.Focus, man, I scolded myself, chugging the last of my coffee and forcing my thoughts back to practical matters.

I arrived on Main Street at 9:25, easily snagging a parking spot in front of The Velvet Book. The frosty air stung my cheeks as I stepped out of my truck, my boots crunching on the thin crust of snow. Through the window, I spotted Tessa helping a customer at the register. Even though I couldn’t hear a word, her polite smile and gentle demeanor were obvious—she looked calm, collected, and quietly radiant.

The bell over the door jingled when I walked in. She glanced up, offered me a quick, tentative smile, then turned back to finish speaking with the customer. I hovered near a display and let my gaze drift over the neat rows of paperbacks as though I were another shopper.

In less than a minute, the customer left, and Tessa motioned for me to follow her toward the reading nook inthe corner. Strings of fairy lights twinkled around a poster advertising new romance novels, and the air smelled of coffee and vanilla.

“I can spare about ten minutes,” Tessa said softly, glancing toward the front to ensure her part-timer was stationed at the register. She tucked a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear. “After that, I need to get back to the counter for the mid-morning rush.”

“Sure,” I replied, my voice lower than usual. “No rush. Well…some rush, I guess, but…you know.”

She managed a small laugh. “Right.” Sliding into one of the armchairs, she took a breath. “So, I’ve thought about what you asked me yesterday.”

My heart thudded. “And…?”

“I’m going to help you,” she said, the words coming out in a gentle rush. “I’ll do it…be your pretend girlfriend to keep Angelique off your back…but we need some ground rules.”

A wave of relief flooded me. “Name them,” I said, curious as to what she had in mind.

“First,” Tessa said, tangling her fingers together in her lap, “we set a clear timeline. I’m not dragging this out for months. Once Angelique leaves town or loses interest, we’re done.”

“Agreed,” I said instantly. “I only need enough time to convince her I’m off-limits. And I doubt she’ll hang around longer than Valentine’s Day, anyway.”

Tessa nodded. “Second, I won’t outright lie to Levi if he confronts me directly. If he asks, point-blank, I’ll have to admit we aren’t really together. But until that happens, if it ever does, he can assume whatever he wants.”

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