Page 38 of Hard Knock Hero

“It’s a legend. I like it either way. But the best part is the romance.” Her cheeks were rosy from our hike, but they were getting even pinker as she spoke. “In some versions of the story, a stranger came to Hartley to warn them. He was a soldier who’d been wounded in France and was on his way home to some other remote Colorado town. He’d seen the bad guys on the road and heard what they were planning. He helped defend the townspeople here, and he fell for one of the young women. They were the ones who made the final attack on the enemy camp. The two of them, together.”

“It’s a good story,” I said. “Far-fetched, though.”

“I don’t know. I think it could’ve happened. But this place, right here, is where I fell in love with Hartley.” Jessi’s eyes were on the cabin, a soft smile on her lips. I was watchingher. She unstrapped her snowshoes and laid her poles aside. I did the same, and we brushed snow off a flat rock to sit down.

“It had nothing to do with Jeremy,” she explained. “Scarlett brought me up here and told me the legend. After I got out of the hospital and was trying to decide whether to stay or go, I came up here a lot. It became my refuge, too. I realized what I had to do. I wasn’t from Hartley, but this town was my home, and I didn’t want to leave.”

“You decided to stand your ground.”

“Yep.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“So you could walk into my diner?”

“No, I’m glad you did it foryou.”

Her smile drooped. I wasn’t sure why. I hoped I hadn’t offended her by what I’d said.

Jessi got quiet, so we stared at the view. We could see for miles and miles. The canyon was a ribbon through the valley. I could barely make out the repair trucks near the bridge. Most of the highway was invisible from here, creating the illusion that this valley was cut off from the rest of the world. Carved out of the surrounding rock. Despite the high altitude, my lungs filled with the clean, dry air. A calm feeling settled over me. This place was a little wild. A lot rugged. I feltfree.

And damn, I wanted to hold Jessi’s hand.

Because this was her spot, and she’d shown it to me. Shared this with me. There were probably a thousand corners of Colorado that looked like this, but this one was hers.

Right now, it felt like mine, too.

I tugged off my glove. Held out my hand. She side-eyed me, took off her glove. Slid her cold hand into my warmer one. It felt just right.

“What do you think about when you’re up here?” I was enjoying the comfortable quiet between us. But I liked her voice, too. I wanted more of her stories.

“Well.” She closed her eyes and smiled. “If I tell you, you have to tell me something too.”

“Deal.”

“I have this idea.” She blew out a breath. “There’s a ranch downhill, closer to the road. The owners closed it up a few years ago. You probably noticed businesses shut down around Hartley? It was part of the same thing. The town has had ups and downs. But recently, people have trickled away from here again as opportunities dried up and other Colorado towns seemed more promising.”

“Not you,” I pointed out.

“True. But anyway, that ranch is in the perfect spot for a bed and breakfast. There could be a real restaurant, too, with French food and pastries.” Her eyes twinkled, her smile infectious. “Hiking trails lead up the mountainside, and in the summer, there’s a creek and a waterfall. It’s incredible. The view from the ranch is almost as good as up here. The other side of the mountain is national forest, and there are no other neighbors.”

“Sounds like an exclusive resort. Throw in a spa, and you’re talking five stars.”

She wrinkled her nose. “That wouldn’t feel like Hartley. I would want it to be rustic, butrealrustic. Not the fake kind that costs an arm and a leg. Except it probably would cost that much to buy this land and build it.”

“I like how you described it. I love good food, but five-star resorts aren’t my thing, either. Seems like you’ve put a lot of thought into it.”

“Just daydreaming.”

I rubbed her palm with my thumb. “My mother built her catering company out of nothing. Why not you? It would take a lot of work, but it sounds worth it.” Our knees brushed, and Jessi didn’t pull away.

“You don’t have to give me a pep talk. Right now, I’m just trying to get by with the diner day by day. This place is a pipe dream, and that’s okay. I have to be practical. Dreaming isn’t enough to make something real.”

“But the fact that you’re showing me means that you want to make it real.”

“Maybe.” She closed her eyes. “No, I do. I really do.” When she opened her eyes again, the dark blue reflected the periwinkle sky. Her gaze fixed on me. “Since that first time Scarlett brought me, I’ve never come here with anyone else. Until now.”

“I’m glad you brought me.” My thumb traced the ridges of her knuckles.

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