Romancing the Grump (Appies, #4)

by Jenny Proctor

“Nathan, right? I think we met last fall?” His eyes dart my way just long enough for me to know he heard me, but otherwise, he doesn’t respond. “I’m Gracie’s friend?” I say, trying again. “Gracie, Felix’s girlfriend?” Still no acknowledgment. Is this guy actually for real? “As in…your teammate, Felix? The goalie?” Finally, Nathan stops and turns to face me, forcing me to stop or run smack into him. I plant my feet, willing my ankles not to wobble in the heels that really do not like the uneven gravel-strewn surface of the Summit parking lot, and breathe in a deep breath of Nathan-scented air. If I’m trying to keep my cool, that was a very bad move, because Nathan smells heavenly. Like clean laundry and fresh cedar. My eyes track upward, skimming over Nathan’s dark joggers and the light gray thermal that’s stretched across his chest, clinging to the dips and curves of his muscles like it was painted onto him. His long, light brown hair is knotted at the back of his head, and freckles dot the fair skin on his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. His face is locked into the same frown he was wearing when we first made eye contact. Still, there’s some sense of recognition in his blue eyes, so at a minimum, I know he remembers meeting me. He and Felix are friends. Good friends. He had to have heard I was moving to Harvest Hollow and joining the Appies’ legal team. But then, maybe he doesn’t know. Could that be why he’s frowning? He’s just confused about what I’m doing here? Oh, n...