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I think I scared Maxine. After I suggested something about helping her, she ran off into her bedroom and hasn’t resurfaced.
She did make me curious about her work. All that talk about “bedroom scenes” had me walking in the dark until I got a WiFi signal. Knox, my closest neighbor, lives two miles away and doesn’t mind me occasionally siphoning some of his internet connection. He’s always got the goods as he works as a hiking guide and needs to be reachable for last-minute bookings. I often thank the heavens above that my hiking schedule is less open to changes. People need to book my services at least a week in advance.
Does Maxine write about hiking guides? I shake my head. She can’t, as she writes historical romances. Or did they have hiking guides back in the day? Hell if I know.
My thoughts about Maxine’s stories stop in their tracks when I hear a loud voice. “Stop right there. I have a gun, and I won’t think twice about using it.”
It takes my brain two seconds to realize I haven’t run into some crazy lunatic roaming the mountain. “Knox, it’s me.”
My neighbor jumps out from behind a tree and points his flashlight at me. “Jeez, man, what are you doing out here this late?”
I smile sheepishly. “Looking for some WiFi?”
Knox lets out a big laugh. “You better come in then.”
I follow him to his cabin. During the off-season, he’s one of the only people I occasionally talk to, except for the cashier on my weekly supply run. No matter how much I appreciate living in an isolated part of the woods, I enjoy talking with an actual human being from time to time.
Knox motions to his couch for me to sit and pours us a glass of whiskey.
“Thanks.” I knock the liquid back in one swallow.
“Wow, man, you’re going for it tonight. Did something happen? Is Cooper okay?” Knox looks worried.
I shake my head and put him at ease. “Nah, everything’s fine. Max arrived at the cabin.”
“Oh, right, that guy you rented your spare room to. Is he causing you trouble already?”
“Not him. Her.”
Knox almost chokes on his drink. “Shit.”
“Yeah. Apparently, Max is short for Maxine. She’s sweet, kind, talented, and extremely good-looking.”
“You’re telling me you’ve got a hot girl in your cabin right now, and you came to me instead of getting to know her?”
“Uh-huh.”
He frowns. “And you need WiFi because...?”
I put my glass down and sigh. “She’s an author, and I want to read one of her books.”
Knox gives me an incredulous look. “Let me get this straight. You left this woman alone and risked getting attacked by a bear so you could download a book?”
I laugh. “I know. When you put it like that, it sounds crazy.”
“Just how hot is this girl?”
“Think curvy body, plump, innocent face, long hair, an ass to die for...” I sigh. “I swore off women, but she’s not some random attractive chick, Knox. There’s something about the girl. I haven’t stopped thinking about her since she stepped foot in my cabin. We connect, you know? I think she could be the one.”
You’ve got it bad, man.” He rummages through a drawer and hands me a small device. “Here, my mother left this for me the last time she came to visit, even though I don’t read. Maybe you can get some use out of it.”
I push the power button, and the ereader comes to life. There’s only ten percent of battery left, but it’s enough to search for Maxine’s books, buy them, and download them.
Knox looks over my shoulder. “Are you sure about this?”
“I’ve got nothing to lose,” I say with a shrug of the shoulder.
“I’m not so sure about that. What if the book sucks, but she catches you reading it and asks you what you think?”
I shake my head. “I won’t let that happen. Worst case, I’ll lie to her and tell her it’s the best book I’ve ever read. Anyway, thanks again for the WiFi. And the ereader.”
A laugh escapes from deep within his throat. “That eager to get out of here, huh? You can’t even spare another five minutes to talk to your friend?”
I arch an eyebrow. “I can stay and talk if something is bothering you.”
Another laugh fills the room. “I was kidding. Anyway, let me give you a ride home. It doesn’t sit well with me to have you hiking back in the dark. If anyone should know that’s a dumb idea, it’s you.”
I nod. “Thanks.”
I know he’s referring to my accident last year when I got my shoulder crushed after saving a tourist who fell down a cliff. The guy was stupid enough to go out at night and wander off the trail, but I couldn’t leave him there. Even stupid people deserve to live. Still, thanks to him, my medical bills racked up fast, and my hard-earned savings were gone before I could blink. I’m now slowly recovering financially, but I’m far from where I need to be, hence renting out my cabin so I can survive until the hiking season starts up again.
“Wouldn’t it have been easier to ask Maxine for a book instead of heading out after dark?” Knox asks me as we get in his truck.
“I don’t want her to know I’m reading her stuff.”
“Fair enough.”
Knox doesn’t press. He and I have this understanding where we simply let each other be. We’ve both been through enough to know the value of keeping things to ourselves.
The ride back home only takes a few minutes. As soon as Knox has turned the car around and his taillights have disappeared into the distance, I head inside. I take off my boots, glancing around the cabin. Maxine is probably sleeping. Apart from Cooper’s soft snoring, the place is completely silent.
I throw another log on the fire and plug in the ereader. While it’s charging, I make myself a cup of coffee with a splash of whiskey in it. My father always makes it that way too. It’s his signature drink after every family dinner.
I settle on the couch, put my drink on the wooden side table, and check the ereader’s battery status. Twenty percent charged. Good enough for me.
My finger hovers over The Earl’s Naughty Christmas Proposal, one of Maxine’s highest-rated novels. Am I really going to do this? I let my gaze flick to her bedroom door. Everything is as silent as it was fifteen minutes ago. She’s probably sleeping, so there’s no way she’ll catch me with one of her books.
I can’t believe I’m about to read a romance novel for the first time in my life, but I can’t contain my curiosity. Chances are I’ll read the first chapter and skim the rest, looking for the juicy bits. All I’m interested in are Maxine’s words and descriptions, not some sappy love story. Those are all fake anyway.
Cooper stirs in his sleep. I take a sip of my coffee, then dive into chapter one. I can’t wait to find out what naughty things Maxine made these characters do to each other.