Worth The Risk: A Silverthorne Is For Lovers Novel

Winnie

I’m exhausted and a little punchy. I’ve been here at Thistle and Sage since way too early this morning working on all the food for the festival tomorrow. Anna took care of everything we needed in the shop today so I could focus on tomorrow. She has a real knack for baking and is going to start helping me out in the kitchen more. I let her go at four so she could get some rest before working in the booth all day with me tomorrow.

I let out a long and tired sigh and swipe the loose hair out of my face. It’s been a long day. I’ve had that thought most days over the last four months, but after the events of last night and this morning I can feel my anxiety bubbling near the surface and keeping it at bay is really zapping my energy.

I finish wiping down the counters and grab my things to go. I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket and pull it out to see Mare is calling me. Probably to check in on me. I haven’t had a chance to update her on Rhett being back in town. She’s the only one who knows about what happened four years ago.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working until 8 tonight?” I ask when I tap the screen to answer.

“I am, but I’m between surgeries so I wanted to call and check on you. I also have to tell you something.” I frown. That usually comes with either bad news or gossip and her tone isn’t very gossipy. I lock the front door and start my walk home.

“I’m fine. Really. It was a shock but it was for the best. I really don’t think I could have listened to him talk about his peach crop one more time. He made it sound dirty…” I shiver. “Anyway, what do you have to tell me?” She laughs.

“He did talk about peaches a little too sensually.”

“Entirely too much.” I laugh with her. “Now what’s the thing?”

“Well I’m not sure how you’ll react but I heard a couple of the nurses talking this morning and they were talking about Rhett.” She pauses. “I guess he’s back in town…” She trails off.

“Yeah, I know.” I think about his twinkling eyes last night and our short conversation. “I guess he’s taking over for Coach Reynolds at the high school,” I inform her.

“What? When did you find this out and why didn’t you tell me?”

“I just found out last night after we got off the phone.”

“Did Colt tell you?” I roll my eyes.

“Colt? Why would he tell me? He has no idea that I would even care.” I grumble. “Not that I do,” I add.

“Oh knock that shit off, Win. It’s me.” I sigh.

“I shouldn’t care. I didn’t think I did anymore. Then I saw him.”

“Wait. You saw him? Where?”

“Listen, last night was a long one.” I continue to tell her all about our encounter last night. She laughs a little too hard when I tell her I’m sporting a bruise on the side of my face from the swinging door.

“So, he’s back for good then?” she asks me as I turn the corner to my house. There’s no car parked in front of the Miller’s’ house tonight and I’m grateful. It’s been for sale for a little over a month and there has been a lot of foot traffic. I’m not a huge fan of change, I really don’t like when I have zero control over said change. Like my new neighbor. I just hope whoever it is turns out to be nice. The Millers were elderly and had a golden retriever that I loved. They would sit outside and talk to me while I worked in my garden or on something for the house. There was always something to do and never enough time to do it.

“I mean, he made it sound that way, but who knows?” I’m on my front porch now and turning my key in the door.

“I’ll see what else I can get out of the nurses.” I laugh at that.

“Don’t scare them too bad.” She scoffs.

“Me? Scare them?” I laugh harder at that. I hear the click and push it open. I can feel my shoulders relax as I walk into my home. I’ve turned this space into my safe haven. My sweet little cottage is still a work in progress, but so am I. Seeing the potential shine through even when it’s covered in a layer of ‘geese wearing bonnets’ wallpaper is a metaphor I like to apply to myself. Working on this place has become a form of therapy for me.

“So, we’re on for next weekend? You’ll come out with me?”

“Yes. I may regret it but I think I need to get out. Meet someone.” She gasps.

“Winnie Parker. Are you looking for a one night stand?”

“I didn’t say that…but maybe…? I don’t know.” She giggles.

“Well you don’t have to decide right now.” I consider that.

“True. I downloaded my dating app.”

“You did? When? You just broke up with Sam last night…oh…”

“Oh? Oh, what?” She chuckles softly.

“You are still into him.” My face screws up on it’s own.

“Sam? I think I was already over him when everything went down last night.”

“Not Sam, Winnie.” Oh, that him.

“Then who?” I know exactly who she’s referring to, but I don’t want to admit it. It’s been a long road to recovery and one slip may have me back under the spell that is Rhett Holloway.

“Fine. We won’t talk about it.”

“There’s nothing to talk about, Mare.” I look down at my shirt. “Uhg, hold on. I’m a mess.” I have various baking ingredients all over me so as I’m passing through the kitchen on my way to the laundry room I tap the speaker icon and set my phone down and pull my shirt over my head.

“Just know whenever you want to talk about it, I’m here. No judgment,” she offers. I lean back against the sink and contemplate telling her how terrible it was that it wasn’t terrible to see him. How when he put his hand to my cheek, my stomach flipped like there was a full on cirque du soleil performance going on in there.

“I know you are. Thank you and I love you. It’d been a long time and regardless of if I’m over him or not, I’m sure he’s moved on from me. I’ve seen it.” I hear a beeping and shuffling.

“My pager just went off, I have to go, but I’ll see you tomorrow at the festival! Make sure you hydrate! Night, Win. Please text me or call if you need me.”

“I will. Thanks for the reminder. Night, Mare. Go be a badass!” I can hear the smirk in her voice when she replies.

“When am I not?” I laugh and tap my screen. I turn and decide I probably should hydrate. I’m not good at remembering to drink enough water during the day. I always end up drinking so much at night that I have to get out of bed at night to pee. I reach for a glass on one of my open shelves that I installed myself.

Only when I’m reaching for my glass, I notice that there’s a light on in the house across the way. Huh, someone must have left it on when they showed it today. I feel my head cock to the side. I squint my eyes to get a better look and rear back when I realize there’s someone standing at the window. I shriek and drop to my kitchen floor. The cold floor reminds me that I’m still shirtless and chose to wear a black lacy bralette this morning, because I need to do laundry. Whoever is over there just got a free show tonight. I lay on the floor for a few minutes and cover my face with my hands, mortified.

I’m not one to be ashamed of my body or shy away from a bit of skin, but for all I know the little old man moving in next door now thinks his neighbor is a lady of the night, trying to seduce him away from his wife. I laugh a little at how ridiculous that sounds and feel a little better. They probably couldn’t see very clearly anyway.

On the other hand, if they did happen to see me, I don’t think I can stand up. What if that’s my new neighbor? On the off chance they are still standing there, I slowly crawl on my hands and knees into my laundry room. I’m just clear of the kitchen windows when I hear my doorbell. No. I whine. Surely this is not the person that just saw me shirtless. Do I have to answer? My doorbell chimes for the second time. Again? I throw on the first thing I find—a faded old comfort sweatshirt. I stand and stumble through the house to the front window to see who’s ringing my doorbell, praying it’s not the person that just got the free show.