Jonesy let out a guffaw as the lines around his eyes and mouth deepened. “You just name the place and time.”
My lips twitched at my favorite regular’s antics. He’d been in here daily since I started, and Elsie had become part of the package deal when she got to town. I had other daily visitors, but they didn’t stay as long, most getting a coffee before heading to work or school. I liked being able to count on having Jonesy and Elsie to keep me company.
That spot between my shoulders started to itch. The telltale sign that someone was watching. My gaze instantly swept the room and collided with steely gray eyes. Something about them was cold. Too cold.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to move behind the counter and ignore the stare. I was on edge. Anyone glancing my way would have me on alert.
Hanging up my coat, I shoved my purse into the cabinet. I turned around to get the register sorted and there he was, those gray eyes just as assessing as before.
My palms dampened, but I forced myself to smile at the man while taking in everything I could about him. Dark brown hair. Pale skin. Probably in his late twenties or early thirties. He wore a name-brand jacket and had a nice watch—money but not gobs of it.
“How can I help you this morning?” I greeted.
The man returned my grin, but his expression had an edge. “Tell me what you recommend.”
I didn’t want to take my eyes off the man, feeling like he might strike if I did. But I flicked a quick glance at the bakery case. “If you’re going for savory, you can’t go wrong with the cheddar and scallion biscuit. If you’re in the mood for sweet, I like the orange-cranberry scones.”
“Sounds amazing. I’ll take one of each.”
I nodded, moving to grab the tongs so I could get his items.
“You from here?” the man asked.
I couldn’t help the tension that swept through my muscles. It had taken me so long to get used to the tourists’ and locals’ curious natures and remind myself that they only wanted to make conversation, not uncover all my secrets.
“Been here almost five years now.”
The man grinned again, but I didn’t see an edge to it this time. The curve of his mouth read genuine. I gave my head a little shake. John’s letter was making me lose it.
The guy handed over a twenty. “You’re a local, then. My buddy and I are here to do a little hiking and exploring. Any places you recommend?”
A tourist. The tension bled out of my shoulders a fraction as I made change. “There’s a company in town called Vacation Adventures. They have a whole slew of guided trips you can take.”
“Sounds awesome. I’ll have to check it out. Thanks…”
“Aspen,” I filled in.
“Thanks, Aspen. I’m Steven.”
“Nice to meet you.”
He took the plates from me. “If these taste as good as they look, I’m sure I’ll be back.”
I chuckled. “I’ve been warned.”
As he stepped away from the counter, a woman in her sixties took his place. I fought the groan that wanted to surface as I struggled to keep my smile in place. “Good morning, Ms. Peabody. What can I get you today?”
She looked around the café before her gaze settled back on me as if hoping some juicy piece of gossip would land in her lap. “I’ll take an Earl Grey tea and a bran muffin.”
“Coming right up.” I poured the hot water into a whimsical mug that fit with the rest of the décor of The Brew. I’d convinced the owner, Sue, to let me redecorate with a minimal budget. Cady and I had a blast hunting for finds at garage and estate sales and giving the place a new coat of paint. The result was an almost Alice in Wonderland look, full of color and life.
I handed Ms. Peabody her breakfast and took the exact change she gave me. There was never a tip from her.
“Did you hear that SAR rescued a man off the mountain the night before last?” she asked.
A shiver ran through me as I thought about how cold it had been. “No, I didn’t.”
Ms. Peabody let out a little huff, but I didn’t miss the glee in her eyes. “Tourist, of course. Decided to go hiking in the snow. Got hypothermia and scared his poor wife to death. They’re staying at my B&B, naturally.”
I tried to stifle my laugh. She’d said it as if that garnered her some sort of prize. But I guessed when gossip was your currency, it did.
The bell over the door rang, and I glanced up to greet the newcomer. The words Welcome to The Brew died in my throat. Piercing blue eyes met mine. His light brown hair looked more than a little wild, and stubble dotted Roan’s jaw. He carried a large bag of something, and I knew it had to be heavy because I saw his muscles bulging, even under his jacket.
Ms. Peabody pursed her lips and hurried to a table as Roan strode toward me. He had the kind of energy that ate up space and made everyone sit up and pay attention.
“Hi,” I greeted. Unfortunately, it sounded more like a rush of air than an actual word.
“Brought you some deer feed but didn’t see your car.”
There were no pleasantries with Roan, just straight to business. I admired the authenticity of it in a way. “My station wagon’s at the mechanics’.”
“Good.” Even the word sounded like a grunt.
“Thanks for the food. You can put it in the back if you want.”
Roan jerked his head in a nod and then followed me down the hall to the storage room. I opened the door and flicked on a light. “Anywhere’s good.”
The shelves were packed full of non-refrigerated supplies, so there wasn’t much room. But Roan slid by me and dumped the food in the corner. As he stood, we nearly came nose-to-nose.
I sucked in a breath. That faint sandalwood scent was back. It swirled around me in a tempting tease. Up close, Roan had an otherworldly beauty with a sharply angled jaw and haunting eyes. A faint scar bisected one of his eyebrows, and I had the bizarre urge to trace it with my finger.
Roan’s gaze dropped to my lips. “I can load it into your car later.”
I forced myself to take a step back. “That’s okay.”
“It’s heavy.”
“I know, but I’m used to lifting heavy things.” Hay and feed were never light.
Roan scowled. “You could hurt yourself.”
I rolled my eyes. “Or I’ll just get a workout in.”
Roan opened his mouth to argue, but Zeke yelled from the kitchen.
“Got customers.”
And the cook wasn’t about to deal with people if I was around.
I hurried out of the storage room. “Thanks again.”
Roan simply grunted.
I wondered if I could decipher what each one meant if I studied them hard enough. My lips twitched at the idea.
Roan hovered by the bakery case as I slipped behind it. He looked unsure, uncomfortable.
My brows pinched. “Did you need something?”
He shook his head jerkily. “You got a ride home?”
I felt something squeeze deep in my chest. “I’m picking up my car at three.”
Roan frowned. “Gonna take longer than that to fix it.”
“Jim isn’t fixing it today. Just doing an assessment.”
That frown deepened. “It’s not safe to drive.”
“It’s safe enough for now.”
Roan simply stared me down.