Chapter 2

Chapter Two

A rcher

I push open the door to the Copper Country Café, and the bell above my head jingles in a way that makes me feel like I never left. The warmth of the place hits me, cozy and familiar, like a worn-in flannel on a cold mountain morning. I've walked through this door a thousand times, but today it feels different. Like something is waiting for me, though hell if I know what.

The smell of coffee and bacon hangs thick in the air, wrapping around me like a second skin. I close my eyes, letting the scent settle deep in my bones. It's one of those smells that makes everything feel right in the world. Solid. Dependable. The kind of smell that reminds me why I've stayed in Copper Mountain all these years while everyone else dreams of bigger, flashier places.

My brothers are already in the back corner, their usual spot. They've claimed it like some kind of throne room, a little slice of territory that the rest of the cafe knows to avoid. I can see Creed, King, and Barron from here, their heads bent low as they throw back coffee like it's the lifeblood of the Steele family. Creed's lounging with that cocky grin on his face, the one that says he's always got the upper hand, even when he doesn't. King is tearing through a stack of pancakes like he's racing the clock, and Barron, well, he's doing what Barron does best—scowling like the world owes him something.

I stride over, sliding into the booth beside Arrow. He doesn't bother looking up, just keeps scrolling on his phone, his lips twitching as I take my seat. "Late again, bro," he says, voice low with amusement. "What, you sleep in or something?"

I snort, grabbing the coffee cup already waiting for me. Betty knows me too well. "Had an early call," I say, grinning as the bitter heat of the coffee slides down my throat. "Job out at the old inn."

That gets a reaction. Knox's eyes flick up from his own phone, and Cruz raises an eyebrow like I just told them I'd seen a ghost. "That place?" Knox's voice rumbles low, with that hint of disbelief he gets when he thinks someone's lost their mind. "Thought it was falling apart."

I shrug, nonchalant, though I can already feel the gears turning in their heads. "It is. But someone bought it. I'm supposed to check the wiring tomorrow."

Creed leans forward, his smirk spreading across his face, that predatory look in his eyes that says he's about to stir shit up. "Someone, huh? And by someone, you mean a woman?"

I roll my eyes, but I can't keep the grin from tugging at the corners of my mouth. Damn vultures, the lot of them. The moment they get wind of a woman in my orbit, they circle, ready to pounce. "Didn't say that."

Creed snickers. "Didn't have to." Judge, sitting across from me, lobs a sugar packet my way, a knowing grin on his face. "That look on your face says it all, broski."

I open my mouth to protest, but before I can get a word out, Betty sweeps by, apron strings flying as she drops a plate of biscuits and gravy in front of me. "Mornin', sweetheart," she says, winking like she's known me my whole life. Which, let's be honest, she has. "Heard you got a new job on the books."

Betty is the glue that holds this place together, and if she weren't here, the cafe would feel hollow. She's been watching over us Steele boys since we were in diapers, and now she acts like we're her responsibility, even though we're grown men. I can't say I mind. There's something comforting about the way she fusses, like we're still those scrappy kids running wild through town.

"You still single, hon?" Betty asks, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she leans on the counter. "Hate to see a handsome boy like you wasting all that potential. I've got a niece you should meet."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Thanks, Betty, but I think I'm good."

That sets my brothers off. Barron, who's been scowling the whole time, slams his fist on the table, making the plates jump. "Come on, Arch. Betty's niece might be your last shot. You're what, pushing thirty now?"

I lean back in my seat, arms crossed over my chest, my grin lazy and unbothered. "I'm twenty-eight, and I'm not in a rush. You boys might be scared of settling down, but I'm doing just fine."

Betty pats me on the shoulder, her warm hand lingering for a second before she bustles off to take another order. "That's what they all say, sugar. But one day, you're gonna meet a woman who makes you forget all about that ‘no rush' nonsense."

I shake my head, my brothers snickering like they've got some secret I don't. But Betty's words stick in my head, even as I stare out the window, my gaze drifting to the mountains that rise behind the town. The inn. The woman. I haven't even met her yet, but this job feels different. Feels like more than just fixing some wires.

"Looks like Archer's got something on his mind," King says, dragging my attention back to the table. He's licking syrup off his fingers, his plate already clean. "You thinking about that inn or the woman who bought it?"

Creed's smirk deepens, and he leans in like he's about to get to the bottom of my thoughts. "I'm guessing it's the woman."

I roll my eyes, but hell if I can deny it. The idea of meeting her, seeing what kind of person buys a place like that, it's got me curious. She's got to be tough, or maybe just a little crazy, to take on that kind of project. Either way, I can't help but wonder what she's like.

Arrow looks up from his phone, finally joining the conversation. "You planning on sticking around long enough to find out?"

The question hangs in the air for a second, and I take a long sip of my coffee, letting the warmth spread through me before I answer. "I'm not planning anything. Just taking the job."

"Yeah, sure," Cruz mutters under his breath, his grin barely contained. "That's what they all say."

I toss a crumpled napkin at him, shaking my head. "You all need to chill. It's a job. Wiring, maybe a little electrical work. Nothing more."

But as I say the words, even I don't fully believe them. There's something about the way Betty winked at me, the way she said one day. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it's just my brothers getting in my head, making me second-guess myself. Or maybe... maybe this job really is different.

I glance out the window again, my eyes tracing the outline of the mountains in the distance. Tomorrow, I'll meet her. The woman who decided to take a chance on that old, rundown inn. And as much as I try to shrug it off, the anticipation builds, gnawing at the edges of my usual calm.

I've never been one to chase after romance. The Steele brothers have a reputation for being bachelors, and I've worn that badge without hesitation. But lately, I've been thinking. Not a lot, just enough to make me wonder if maybe, just maybe, Betty's right. One day, huh?

Barron's voice cuts through my thoughts. "You gonna sit there staring into space all day, or you gonna tell us what you're really thinking?"

I smirk, leaning forward as I plant my elbows on the table. "I'm thinking I've got better things to do than sit here listening to you all bust my balls. I've got work to do."

Creed shakes his head, chuckling under his breath. "Work, huh? Is that what we're calling it now?"

I don't take the bait. I just down the rest of my coffee and stand, ready to leave the cafe behind. But as I walk out, the bell jingling overhead again, I can't shake the feeling that tomorrow isn't just another job. Tomorrow, something's going to shift. I can feel it in my gut.

Maybe it's nothing. Maybe it's just a woman who needs her wiring fixed.

But maybe… maybe it's more than that.