Harry's Hope: Mountain Men of Cupid Lake, #2

By Kate Stone

Harry knows he can never love, not with the guilt he carries. He doesn't deserve it.

 

When Sara comes to Cupid Lake to escape the pain and isolation of caring for her mother through the very end, something in Harry changes. She knows the guilt of watching someone slip away while you are powerless to help. 

 

After they meet at Kane and Chloe's wedding he is obsessed with her. No matter what his head tells him about not deserving love, his heart has another plan. 

 

Can they be together, or will the dangers of living on a mountain keep them apart - permanently?

 

Will he have the courage to set aside his pain and love her, or will he return the engagement ring and cling to his guilt?

 

Hold onto your hats because this mountain man instalove novella will take you for a ride!

 

Harry's Hope is the second book in Kate Stone's Mountain Men of Cupid Lake novella series. Love conquers all in this hot romance that has no cheating and no cliffhangers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kate Stone
• Release date: Jun 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201658083

Book preview

Harry’s Hope

by

Kate Stone

Copyright 2020, Kate Stone

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, transmitted, or distributed in any printed or electronic form by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of Kate Stone, except in the case of brief quotations embodied within reviews and other non-commercial uses allowed by copyright law.

For permission requests, email

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

For Mr. Stone, who makes all my dreams come true.

Contents

Chapter 1 – Sara

Chapter 2 – Harry

Chapter 3 – Sara

Chapter 4 – Harry

Chapter 5 – Sara

Chapter 6 – Harry

Chapter 7 – Sara

Chapter 8 – Harry

Chapter 9 – Sara

Chapter 10 – Harry

Chapter 11 – Sara

Chapter 12 – Harry

Other Books by Kate Stone

About the Author

ABOUT THIS BOOK

Harry knows he can never love, not with the guilt he carries. He doesn't deserve it.

When Sara comes to Cupid Lake to escape the pain and isolation of caring for her mother through the very end, something in Harry changes. She knows the guilt of watching someone slip away while you are powerless to help.

After they meet at Kane and Chloe's wedding he is obsessed with her. No matter what his head tells him about not deserving love, his heart has another plan.

Can they be together, or will the dangers of living on a mountain keep them apart - permanently?

Will he have the courage to set aside his pain and love her, or will he return the engagement ring and cling to his guilt?

Hold onto your hats because this mountain man instalove novella will take you for a ride!

Harry's Hope is the second book in Kate Stone's Mountain Men of Cupid Lake novella series. Love conquers all in this hot romance that has no cheating and no cliffhangers.

Chapter 1 – Sara

I smiled and took Mary’s outstretched hand. The elderly woman returned my smile and placed her other hand over mine. We’re so happy to have you here, Sara. Welcome to Cupid Lake.

Thank you, Mrs. Silvestri.

Mary, please. She glanced at her husband, a portly and happy-looking man. We’ve been coming to this restaurant for thirty years. You guys are family to us.

Well, thank you, Mary. I hope I can be part of the family here, and I hope to see you and Bob soon.

Oh, you will, Bob said. Can’t miss the Saturday morning brunch special!

Mary regarded his frame and said, You could probably stand to miss it. Bob bellowed laughter and planted a kiss on her cheek. Mary rolled her eyes and looked conspiratorially at me. I laughed and waved as they walked out of the saloon style doors.

I see you’re already stealing my favorite customers. I turned to see my new friend Chloe smiling at me, hand on her hip in mock anger.

Everyone’s so nice here. I was worried no one would like me.

What? Why?

Oh, you know. City girl moving to a small town.

Chloe laughed. I think you’ll find we don’t quite fit the typical small-town stereotype.

The door swung open and a tall, well-muscled man in overalls and knee-length rubber boots walked in carrying a large cooler. A brimmed fisherman’s hat completed the image, and the stunning beard he wore served as the delicious looking icing on the cake. The man made a show of looking around and said loudly, Excuse me? I’ve got a delivery for the manager. Anyone seen her? Short girl, pretty, but kinda mean?

Chloe threw her hands in the air and marched over to him, turning to me as she walked, "Well, we mostly don’t fit it. Then, turning to the fisherman, she said, Kane! Are you serious? Take those to the back!"

Ah, her boyfriend. Well, his delicious beard still looked delicious, just not mine to enjoy. Kane pretended not to notice Chloe, scanning the restaurant and repeating Hello? Hello? until Chloe began pushing him out the door. He looked down and jumped as though startled. Oh! There you are, I didn’t see you down there.

Oh my God, get out of my dining room! You smell like the lake.

You love when I smell like this, Kane said, grinning mischievously as he leaned down for a kiss.

Chloe slapped him lightly and kept pushing him toward the door. To the back! she said. Kane looked at me and winked as he allowed Chloe to push him out the door. Just before they turned the corner Kane playfully smacked Chloe’s butt, earning another slap.

I smiled wistfully at them. That kind of love... Well, maybe someday I’d find it. I had the odd boyfriend here and there but with my mother’s illness I could never find time for anything serious. Her illness took all my time while she lived and now that she was gone I wasn’t ready to open my heart to anyone. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

The floorboards creaked behind me, drawing my attention back to the dining room where an older man with kind eyes approached the counter. Chloe’s father, William, the owner of Frenchie’s on the Lake and as of nine o’clock this morning, my new boss said, The show will be much more exciting in the kitchen.

He waved a server to cover for me and led me to the back where we could hear Chloe’s voice over the hustle of the busy service. Kane, dammit, go stand by the door or I’ll throw you out myself. I walked in to find Kane laughing and backing into the corner by the back door. Chloe turned to me and rolled her eyes before smiling and shouting, I’ll come talk to you after this rush. Then she turned to the grill. As William promised, the show did indeed become more exciting.

Chloe’s