Page 7 of Beastly Mountain Man

That seemed sensible.

Gas plus live flame was not a category in which I believed enthusiasm should outrank experience.

Once, several years ago, I had responded to a dripping bathroom faucet by deciding I was an intelligent adult with internet access.

Forty minutes later, I had needed an emergency plumber and three towels from my downstairs neighbor.

I had learned from that experience.

Mostly.

I picked up the welcome folder from the dining table and flipped to the property contacts.

Lucky’s number was exactly where Deb had said it would be.

This was a legitimate cabin problem.

In fact, the resort had specifically instructed me to call.

Professionally speaking, I was being responsible.

Personally speaking, I was about to see Lucky again.

I pressed Call, smiling because this time I had a perfectly good reason to bring him back to my door.

Chapter Two

Bear had been home for less than twenty minutes and had already carried one work glove into the living room, abandoned it beside the couch, and stretched across the rug as if the day had exhausted him personally.

I left the glove where it was.

My house was warm after the cold outside, the heat from the woodstove settling into the pine floors and the heavy beams overhead. Dinner could wait another ten minutes. I’d changed out of my work jacket but still had on the charcoal henley and canvas pants I’d worn up on the ridge, and I was standing at the kitchen counter debating whether leftover stew qualified as enough effort when my phone rang.

Bear lifted his head.

“Don’t get excited. Nobody’s calling for you.”

The number wasn’t one I recognized, but the local exchange looked familiar enough that I answered.

“Lucky Ramsey.”

“Hi. It’s Caprice Calloway.”

I smiled before I could help it.

“Everything all right?”

“Yes. Technically. I think.” Her voice carried the same quick confidence I remembered from the cabin, except there was amusement tucked into it now. “I’m invoking our agreement.”

That got my attention.

“What happened?”

“Nothing yet, which is exactly how I’d like to keep it. There’s a card beside the fireplace that says it uses a built-in gas starter and advises inexperienced guests to contact Property Management before attempting first use.”

“That’s right.”

“I am inexperienced, I have read the instructions, and I’ve decided that guessing my way through gas and live flame would be an unnecessarily dramatic end to an otherwise very nice evening.”