by Elle Linder
Despite their rough start, he wouldn’t mind getting to know Julia better during her short stint in Idaho. Then again, he had been a jerk to her. Could she see past the callous attitude of a man dressed in flannel and a beanie? A man who lacked style and flair and millions to blind her to his imperfections?
A woman like her? Not likely.
Brook Trout Resort sat on the southern inlet of Lake Brooks—two hours north of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. It was a tranquil and idyllic setting for tourists and heaven on earth for the locals, with spectacular views of pine trees and natural falls cascading over a rocky precipice. The air was so clean and fresh it could make the lungs of an outsider sting.
Managing the resort for Becky was Julia’s way of helping her favorite aunt. Becky had always lent an understanding ear to Julia and could give her a stomachache from laughing. Becky was both wise and a wiseass, a black sheep who went against the grain and swam against the tide.
Of the three Godfrey sisters, Becky had been the most independent and successful, a true inspiration to Julia when she’d opened Azure Inn and Spa four years ago. When scared out of her mind with the whole process, Becky had held her hand all the way from Idaho. Late night phone calls. Early morning texts. Afternoon emails. Weekend words of encouragement. Helping Becky now was the least she could do.
Julia entered her suite, instantly in awe of the welcoming room. It was perfect, complete with a gas fireplace and jacuzzi. While she unpacked her toiletry bag in the bathroom, she admired the granite tile floors and concrete counters. It matched the resorts modern yet rustic charm. Becky had told her about the remodel, but Julia had never thought she would have incorporated such luxurious finishes, like white down comforters and pillows.
The rich, dark plank walls and plaid carpet made the room cozy, while the decorative trout pillow added a fun, whimsical touch to the bed.
After Julia hung her garment bag in the closet, she pulled out her designer blouses and dresses, hopeful that the wrinkles would fall out. Otherwise, she would need to find a reputable dry cleaner in the small mountain town. Next, she placed her suitcase on the folding bench and removed her shoes, lining them up perfectly on the floor of the closet. Once she had finished organizing her clothes, Julia went to the window to take in the view.
A faint amber glow behind the mountain peaks gave off enough light to show the purest of snow and a smattering of pines and cliffs. Julia pulled out her phone from her back pocket to text Lauren.
Julia: I’m settled in my room.
Lauren: Glad to know you’re alive and that lunatic didn’t kidnap you! LOLOL
Julia: I’m alive and well. This place is amazing, you need to come out!
Lauren: Yes! Just tell me when.
Julia: When. ;-)
Julia sat on the loveseat across from the fireplace. She took out her iPad to scroll through the notes regarding her objective for the resort. During the call with Becky, she had learned her priorities were to build up the events side of the business and get the resort running more efficiently, starting with the staff. From what Becky had told Julia, neither Erika nor Calvin were multitaskers and both lacked independence. Then she saw a note about Luke Hamill, resident lumberjack and available, she had forgotten seeing.
Why had Becky told her that the grounds manager was available during their call? Probably her way of piquing Julia’s interest. Piqued she was not. Now having met him, she had no interest in the rude, crude jerk.
Some welcome this had turned out to be.
The Peak Bar & Grill was quiet, as Luke had expected for a late Sunday evening. He made his way to his stool at the end of the bar. It was a favorite hangout for locals who wanted to unwind after a long day of hunting, fishing, and working. Similar to the resort, The Peak was rustic inside and out. On the bar side, it had a dance floor and small corner stage for amateur night and karaoke. A dozen or so stools lined the bar, with the best bartender in all of Idaho, Bruce Patrick, standing watch.
Luke’s irked expression could be spotted a mile away. Instead of bourbon, which Luke preferred when he wanted to relax, Bruce set him up with a shot of Crown. To call it good, Bruce added the house IPA, no questions asked.
The two had been friends since Luke crawled into town three years ago after his divorce, a bruised and battered man. Like any respectable bartender, Bruce could read his customers and would serve them what they needed. And tonight, his good friend Luke needed a shot before his usual IPA.
Luke lifted the glass and threw it back. Bruce had seen him like this before and knew to let him drink half his beer before talking to him.
Fifteen minutes later, Bruce approached Luke. “Damn, man. I haven’t seen you in here on a Sunday evening or dragging your ass like this since you moved to town. Who is she?” Bruce asked with his hands splayed out on the highly polished wooden bar.
Luke stared him in the eyes. “Gimme another.”
With that, Bruce poured him another shot and busied himself with mundane bar duties like drying glasses and slicing lemons. Luke wouldn’t be in the mood for talking until further notice.
In between serving customers and taking calls, Bruce watched his friend. He looked like a man bent out of shape over a woman, but what woman? If a woman in town had his buddy turned inside out, he would know about her. The population of Faithful Falls was less than five hundred. If a woman had just sauntered into town, he hadn’t seen her yet.
The bar phone rang. “The Peak, Bruce speaking,” he answered.
“Hey, it’s Calvin.”
“Calvin, what can I get you?” Bruce saw Luke lift his head and turn his way slightly as if dialing into the call.
“I need two cheeseburgers, fries, and…man, I don’t know if you have this. A kale salad?”
“Kale salad? I don’t have that.”
“I didn’t think you did. What kind of salad do you have?”
“Buffalo chicken with blue cheese and grilled chicken Caesar.”
“Okay, hold on. Hey, Julia!” Calvin hollered on the other end. “They have buffalo chicken with blue cheese or grilled chicken Caesar.” Bruce listened with great interest now. Julia? “All right. She’ll have the Caesar, but can you put the dressing on the side? Oh, and if it comes with croutons, she doesn’t want them. Not even on the side.”
“Dressing on the side and no croutons? Somebody’s picky.” Bruce sighed, shaking his head. Then he caught Luke nodding as if he agreed, but maybe the Crowns and beer were making him act weird. Either way, Luke’s reaction gave Bruce pause.
Was the salad for the woman who had his buddy messed up? Had to be. Nobody from this area would request dressing on the side and no croutons—she had to be from out of town.
“Yeah, she’s a little picky, but if dressing on the side and no croutons helps her maintain her body, give her what she wants,” Calvin whispered.
“Who the hell are you talking about?”
“Julia Greene…the new resort manager. She got in today and, man, I hope she never leaves.”
“You little shit.” Bruce chuckled. Everything made a lot more sense as he eyed his buddy wallowing in his IPA. “Your order will be ready in fifteen minutes.”
“Thanks!”
Bruce put the receiver down and passed the order through the window to the cook. Then he returned to the bar and stared at Luke. How was it a woman who had just arrived in town had Luke drinking more than usual? The way Calvin talked about her, she sounded like a goddess, but why would that turn his buddy into a drunk at the bar?
The time had come for him to do a little digging. “Can I get you another beer?” he asked Luke.
Luke shook his head.
“Something to eat?”
Again, he shook his head.
“Who’s Julia?”
Luke glowered at him.
“Okay, good talk.” Bruce stepped away from the bar.
Several minutes passed before Luke looked less threatening, so Bruce took a chance and stepped back into the lion’s den.
“Spill it, buddy.”
“It’s stupid and that pisses me off,” Luke grumbled, staring into his beer.
“Most stupid things piss most people off.”
“I’m a dick.”
“Won’t argue with that. Who were you a dick to?”
“A woman.”
“That’s never a good thing. Especially if she’s cute,” Bruce prodded. But according to Calvin, Julia Greene was more than cute.
“Nah, not cute at all. Fucking gorgeous…and I had to be a dick.”
“So don’t be a dick.”
“It’s too late. She seems like a one strike and you are out kind of woman.”
“That’s rough. The next time you see her, try being nice.”
Luke looked up at Bruce and nodded. “I might be able to do that.”
“Sure you can.” Bruce slapped him on the shoulder as he walked to the kitchen.
***
In all of Luke’s thirty-eight years of living, it had been rare for him to have gotten bent out of shape over anything. He steered clear of most women. Drama and whiny prima-donnas who cried over spilled nail polish didn’t interest him. A serious man, he only wanted a serious woman. The Marines had given him enough excitement and terror during the day that at night, he just wanted a warm, delicious body with brains. A nice rack would be icing on the cake.
During the short time he had spent with Julia, he had noticed a few things. First, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Second, he loved the unique combination of intelligence and sass she had. Third, she was nice but also strong, like most one strike and you are out women.
Julia Greene had stripped him of his prowess in thirty minutes. That made him a goner.
Bruce returned to the counter with Calvin’s to-go order just as he blew through the door. The boy operated on turbo all day long.
“Hey, Bruce… Hey, Luke.”
“Right on time as always,” Bruce said, setting Calvin’s order on the bar.
Calvin put two twenties on the counter. “Keep the change. It’s Julia’s treat.” He waggled his eyebrows. “I already got her eating out of my hand,” he bragged, slapping Luke on the back.
“Do that again and I will break your arm,” Luke growled.
Calvin put his hands up in surrender. “Damn, what’s got you all bent out of shape?”
Luke stood, then placed several bills on the bar. “I’ll see ya,” he told Bruce and headed for the door.
“No man likes to be slapped, young Calvin. And Luke, well, he really doesn’t like it.”
TWO
The Mountain Man
“What time does Luke usually arrive? I need to ask him some questions about sites on the property for weddings,” Julia asked Erika just as Calvin approached the counter.
“He’s usually here around eight, right, Calvin?”
“What’s that?”
“Luke. Isn’t he usually here around eight?” Erika repeated.
“Yeah, unless he had a slumber party for two.” He winked, clacking his tongue.
Julia’s eyes widened.
“But I don’t think that happened last night. He left the bar alone shortly after I arrived to pick up the food.”
“The bar? Huh.” Julia acted indifferent, keeping her eyes on the document she held, but now, her curiosity was piqued. If Luke had a drinking problem, she needed to know about it. All morning she had kept an eye out for him and wondered, foolishly it seemed, if he was okay. A hangover on a Monday morning didn’t mean much to her, but if it were a regular occurrence that interfered with work, they would have a big problem.
“Yeah, he didn’t seem like he was in a good mood, but he gets that way sometimes.” Calvin shrugged.
“Well, I’ll ask him about this later. I’ll be in the office if anyone needs me.”
***
There was not a thing wrong with Luke, other than he felt like a chump and wanted to avoid Julia. The more time that passed, allowing her to forget the deplorable way he’d behaved the first time they met, the better. He had plenty of work to keep him busy down in his office. He could go a week without stepping foot into the lodge, and that seemed like a good plan.
Last night he had crashed hard, thanks to the two Crowns and a beer at The Peak. But it was the massive hard-on he’d woken with after dreaming of Julia that had forced his hand—in more ways than one—and kept him as far away from the lodge as possible. He needed time to deal with family issues anyway, and Julia needed time to settle into her new temporary job.
And hopefully forget what a jerk he had been to her.
Just as he was going over the maintenance schedule for the week his phone pinged. “God, leave me alone!” He grabbed his cell phone and shook it in the air.
A text from his ex-wife Renee was never good and the very worst way to start the day, but he opened it anyway. For Luke, sticking a key in a live electrical outlet would be similar to communicating with Renee. She had a short fuse and could turn volatile in an instant. After years of dealing with her, he was numb to her drama. Seventeen years of taking her shit, and he still didn’t know how to stop.
Renee: Brice needs new shoes and Heather asked to get her hair colored. I need $150.
Luke: No
Renee: Of course, be an asshole to your kids!!!
Luke didn’t respond; the moment Renee started calling him names, he always ended the communication. However, his moments of peace never lasted long. Eventually, she would call.
Friday afternoon, the sun’s rays filled the lodge with warmth through each of the two-story picture windows. It was a glorious sight Julia looked forward to each afternoon. Seated in her favorite club chair near the fireplace, she had the perfect view while on the phone with Becky.
“So how do you like my improvements to the resort?” Becky inquired.
“It’s beautiful, it really is. It’s like a whole new resort. I’ll have to tell my customers about it.”
Becky gasped. “You weren’t before?”
“Oh, come on. It was awfully dated. Californians wouldn’t have been impressed, but now you should be proud. It’s amazing.”
“Well, thank you. I am proud, and I think I could get top dollar for it.”
“You’re going to sell it?”
“I don’t know...I’m getting old. And this leg injury has made me think about retirement. Are you interested? I’d sell it to you for a fair price,” Becky asked in a very serious tone. It gave Julia pause.
“You can’t be serious! I already own a business.” Julia laughed out loud. “What would I do with a resort while living in L.A.?”
“I’m very serious. Just move to Idaho. You’d have a handsome lumberjack to help you run the place,” Becky enticed.
“Is that right? What handsome lumberjack? I’ve seen a rude, angry mountain man in a knit hat, but a handsome lumberjack? Nope, none up here.”
“Luke is so handsome, just admit it.”
“Not from what I could tell with the scowl on his face. Do you know he was checking me out on my first night here?”
Becky cackled like a sinful, wicked witch.
“Stop laughing! He was so unprofessional.”
“You loved it, little girl.”
“Whatever. I haven’t even seen him since the day I arrived. I figured I was going it alone up here in the woods.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious. I haven’t seen him.”
“Hmm…strange. I’ll give him a call,” Becky said.
“It’s your resort. Do whatever you think is best.”
After the call ended, Julia sat for a bit longer in the quiet lobby and replayed Becky’s words. Buy the resort? Insanity. It had to be the meds she was taking for her leg. And handsome lumberjack? She rolled her eyes. More like a creepo mountain man. Clearly, her aunt didn’t understand her taste in men. A luxury car and a quarter-million annual salary were required to meet her basic expectations.
Walking back to her
office, she stopped to take in the spectacular view. The lake shimmered with the light bouncing off the cobalt-blue water. The reflection cast a romantic essence. A glass of wine and a man to kiss would complete her enjoyment of the picturesque scene. A small curve in the corner of her mouth formed as her musings sparked tingly love-feels, but black smoke interrupted her fantasy.
“Erika, come here please,” Julia called over her shoulder.
“Sure.” Erika walked out from around the counter and stood beside Julia, who didn’t take her eyes off the smoke.
“Do you see that? Is it on the resort’s property?” She pointed out the window toward the charcoal swirls floating above the pines.
“Yup, that’s Luke. His office is in a log cabin down there. During winter, he has a wood stove to keep him warm. He says the cabin reminds him of Alaska.”
“Oh, so he is at work?” And here she thought he might be an absentee employee.
“Mm-hmm, but he usually stops in a few times a day. It’s weird we haven’t seen him all week.” Erika shrugged.
“I’m sure he’s just very busy. Let’s get back to work on those documents.” Julia put her arm around Erika.
As they walked back to the front desk, Julia looked back at the smoke. Why hadn’t Luke been up to the lodge?
Was it something she had said?
Had she pissed him off?
Was he avoiding her? That would be juvenile, and he didn’t appear at all immature. But she had only met him once, and judging him by his burly physique alone was unfair. Unless he was just a big, immature lumberjack.
THREE
Venturing into Town
Monday arrived, marking the end of Julia’s first complete week running the resort. Only fifteen more weeks before she would return to Los Angeles and her life. The countdown was on, and she was like a kid counting down the days until Christmas. Already, after only one week, she felt alone, miserable, and bored.
Then there was the MIA grounds manager who seemed to have fallen off the planet. Julia still wondered if it was something she had said. What kind of professional was he, avoiding the boss? If what Erika said was true, Luke should have stopped in the lodge a few times a day. But in the last week, he hadn’t been in once. Whatever his beef was, he needed to get over it already.