CHAPTER1
“How’s itgoing with the demolition, Grimm?” Molly McKinnon appeared in the doorway of the room Grimm had been assigned after he’d moved from the B&B in Eagle Rock to the lodge.
“Almost done with this room.” Mike “Grimm” Reaper grabbed one of the thin slats on the wall and pulled it hard, popping it free of the square nails that had held it in place for over a hundred years. “It’s too bad the walls were damaged so badly in the mine explosion. I feel like I’m destroying history.”
Molly nodded. “I know how you feel, but the damaged rooms have to be inspected and proven structurally sound. And while we’re at it, we’ll bring all the wiring and plumbing up to current code.” She crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. “It’s going to be good. We’ll preserve as much of her historical glory as we can.”
Grimm pulled the last slats loose and tossed them into the wheelbarrow. “What’s next?”
Molly grinned. “Dinner. Our new chef has been experimenting with recipes.”
Grimm frowned. He was typically a steak and potatoes kind of guy. Fancy foods were hit and miss. He liked what he liked and rarely strayed from the norm. “Are we the guinea pigs?”
Molly laughed. “Yes, we are—lucky us. Dezi was top of her class in her cooking school. We’re lucky she decided to come home to Eagle Rock to work at the lodge. You’re going to love her.”
Grimm frowned. He hadn’t loved any female in a long time. That once-bitten analogy had stuck with him for the past seven years. He wasn’t likely to change his mind anytime soon. No matter how good she was in the kitchen.
“Molly!” a deep voice boomed in the corridor. “Are you coming? Dezi’s got dinner on the table. The guests are fed, and she’s waiting on us.” Parker Bailey appeared in the doorway beside Molly and slipped an arm around her waist. “I’m starving,” he said and dropped a kiss on her lips.
Grimm’s frown deepened as a tug of something he didn’t want to identify pulled at his chest. Molly and Parker had been through a lot together and had come out stronger for it. Their love for each other was apparent to those around them. That was how love should be, Grimm thought. Not that he was in the market for it.
He'd come to Eagle Rock and the Lucky Lady Lodge to pound nails, not to find a woman. He’d come for the peace and quiet and the lack of any real responsibility other than for the work he’d been hired to do along with his other teammates. They were in the process of restoring the old lodge following a massive explosion inside the mountain the lodge perched on.
“I was just gathering the last of the crew. Can’t have anyone missing Dezi’s inaugural dinner at the Lucky Lady.” Molly smiled up at Parker. “Have you tasted the bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin?”
“Mum, no,” Parker nuzzled her neck. “But you had me at bacon.” He grabbed her hand. “Come on. I’m so hungry I could eat the whole hog.” As he hurried down the hall, Molly in tow, Parker called over his shoulder, “Don’t be too long, Grimm, or there won’t be anything left.”
Grimm shook his head. Molly and Parker had taken on a herculean task of restoring the Lucky Lady Lodge. After nearly dying in the explosion, Molly had taken a shine to the grand dame and was pouring her heart and money into bringing her back to life.
Portions of the lodge were closed to the public—the parts Grimm’s team had been hired to tear down and rebuild.
The team of five members, all former special operations men, had seen enough action, extracted VIPs, been responsible for the lives of entire villages and risked their lives more times than they could count. They’d come to Montana to do something completely different from what they’d done on active duty.
Restoring the old lodge would be therapy for the lingering PTSD each man harbored within. They’d be tearing down the battered and ruined walls and rebuilding them to something solid and safe.
It was a metaphor for what Grimm secretly hoped to accomplish with his life. As it was, he didn’t know how to be a civilian where he didn’t duck each time a truck backfired or constantly scan the shadows for bad guys looking for their chance to put a bullet through his head.
Grimm pushed the wheelbarrow out of the lodge to the large waste collection bin that was already half full after being emptied that morning.
After dumping the load, Grimm left the wheelbarrow next to the bin, brushed his hands across his dusty jeans and headed into the lodge, hoping to grab a shower before he joined the others in the dining room.
“Oh, good, I need a taste-tester.” Dezi Thomas, the petite brunette with an infallible smile and dark brown, almost black eyes, appeared in the lobby carrying a covered basket. He’d seen her around but hadn’t been formally introduced. She made a bee-line for him, her short legs moving fast for not running.
Grimm frowned. “I’m not a guinea—”
She plucked a morsel out of the basket and popped it into his mouth before he could tell her to fuck off. Then she had the nerve to smile. “What do you think?”
He wanted to tell her he thought she was out of her mind and shouldn’t be shoving food into strangers’ mouths, but he couldn’t. The explosion of flavor on his tongue sent a moan of pure pleasure up his throat.
Her grin broadened. “Good?”
He chewed and swallowed. “Holy hell. What was that? And do you have more?” His stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn’t stopped for lunch.
She held up the basket full of the incredibly delicious appetizers. “You guys work hard. I wanted to ensure you got plenty of protein while making it fun and tasty. And I might have gone a little overboard on the bacon for this meal.” She grimaced. “Bacon-wrapped chicken bites, dredged in brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Sweet with a little bite and completely satisfying as an appetizer.”
“Brown sugar and cayenne?” He licked his lips, still feeling the warmth of the pepper. “Wow.”
“You like the combination?” she asked.