Page 7 of Spooking the Mountain Man
"I should get to work," Callum says, draining his coffee cup. "I've got a tree removal job on the other side of town."
"Oh." I try not to let my disappointment show. "Will you be gone all day?"
"Probably. But I'll be back before dark." His blue eyes meet mine across the kitchen. "You'll be okay?"
The question is casual, but there's an intensity behind it that makes my pulse quicken. Like he's really asking if I can handle being alone, if I trust him to come back.
"I'll be fine," I say. "I might walk into town, check out the bookstore. Maybe grab lunch at that little cafe."
Callum nods, but I can see him mentally cataloging my plans. "Keep your phone on you."
"I will."
"And if anything feels off, anything at all, you call me immediately."
"Callum, I'm just going to look at books and eat a sandwich. What could possibly—"
"Promise me." His voice drops to that growly tone that makes my stomach flutter. "I need to hear you say it."
The intensity in his expression catches me off guard. This isn't just about Halloween pranks or small-town safety. This is about something deeper, more personal.
"I promise," I say softly, and Callum's shoulders relax slightly.
"Good girl."
We both freeze.Good girl.Like he's proud of me for following his instructions. Like I've pleased him by being obedient.
Derek used to call me names too, but they were always cutting, designed to make me feel small and stupid. This is different. This makes me feel safe.
Callum's face flushes, and he grabs his work gloves from the counter. "I should go."
"Callum, wait."
But he's already heading for the door, leaving me alone in the kitchen with my racing heart and the echo of his voice saying "good girl" in that rough, approving tone.
I spend the morning puttering around the house, doing laundry and trying not to think about the way Callum looked at me when I came downstairs in my pajamas. But by noon, I'm going stir-crazy, so I change and walk into town.
Darkmore is exactly as I remember it – small, quaint, and decorated within an inch of its life for Halloween. Orange and black bunting hangs from every storefront, carved pumpkins line the sidewalks, and there are fake spider webs draped over the old-fashioned streetlights. It's like stepping into a Hallmark movie, complete with the smell of cinnamon and apple cider drifting from the bakery.
The Cozy Corner Bookstore is exactly what its name suggests – a tiny shop crammed with books and overstuffed armchairs, presided over by Mrs. Peters, who taught me fourth grade and apparently never forgot a single student.
"Kelly!" she exclaims when I walk through the door. "I heard you were back in town. How are you, sweetheart?"
"I'm good, Mrs. Peters. Just visiting for a few weeks."
"Well, you picked a good time. The whole town's gearing up for the Halloween festival this weekend. Are you planning to come?"
"Maybe." I hadn't really thought about it, but the idea of getting dressed up and pretending to be someone else for a night sounds appealing.
"You should! There's going to be a costume contest, and a haunted walk through the old Pioneer Cemetery. Very atmospheric." Mrs. Peters leans closer and lowers her voice conspiratorially. "Though between you and me, some of the teenagers have been taking the Halloween spirit a little too far lately. Mrs. Hawkins found her garden gnomes arranged in some very inappropriate positions, if you know what I mean."
I bite back a smile. "Teenagers will be teenagers."
"True enough. Well, you browse as long as you like, dear. I'll be in the back if you need anything."
I wander through the narrow aisles, running my fingers along the spines of well-loved books. The romance section is tucked away in a corner, and I find myself gravitating toward it without really meaning to. There's something comforting about the promise of happy endings, especially after the last few months.
I'm flipping through a book about a grumpy mountain man who falls for a city girl when my phone buzzes with a text.
