Chapter 2 #2
Like Paige, Shane was an only child, and both sets of parents had passed away years ago.
Shane had a few aunts, uncles, and cousins, but they all lived over three hours away, and he rarely saw them, even though he kept in touch with them via phone calls, emails, and social media.
Paige didn’t even have that, but after her arrival in Hazard Falls, it didn’t take long before the men and women who worked at the Triple-R accepted her as part of the family.
At first, Seth had been interested in getting Paige into his bed, but after Shane and Tuck squashed that idea, she became like a sister to him.
Sometimes, it felt odd since he wasn’t close to his two half-sisters at all.
The oldest was ten years younger than him, and he hadn’t seen them in almost twelve years.
They lived in Oregon with his father and their mother, who’d disliked Seth from the get-go.
The feeling was mutual, and he moved out as soon as he turned eighteen and graduated from high school.
His biological mother had suffered from mental health issues and committed suicide after his father filed for divorce when Seth was seven.
Even as a young child, he sensed that her erratic manic/depressive behavior was not normal, but he’d loved her.
However, he barely remembered her now, and didn’t even have any photos of her since his wicked step-monster, Stacy, threw everything out when she moved in, refusing to allow anything in the house that had belonged to “that woman.”
As for his father, Seth only spoke to him on birthdays and holidays now, and the conversations were always the same—short, boring, and strained.
Stacy was the complete opposite of Paige, who made sure no one forgot about Arianna’s mom.
Pictures of Sarah were mixed in with all the recent family photos, which included Paige, and everyone at the ranch fondly remembered her.
Seth often thought the two women would’ve been good friends if they had ever met.
After putting Ashley in her playpen, Paige turned to him. “Just ask Marla or Al if they’ve got a box about this big.” She gestured with her hands, and he estimated the size to be about sixteen squared inches. “And then grab three rolls of Happy Birthday wrapping paper and a big bow.”
Marla and Al Oberman owned both the Stop & Go—a combination grocery and general store—and Al’s Hardware & Gear. The businesses filled a full block on Main Street, with indoor walkways linking the sections so customers could shop it all without ever stepping outside.
“Is that it?”
“No. The Anbesol wasn’t a red herring. We need that too.”
He chuckled. “Okay. Anything else?”
Staring up at the ceiling, she sighed. “Probably, but I can’t think of anything else right now. This pregnancy fog sucks.” She waved him off. “That’s it for now. I’ll text you if I think of anything.”
“No problem.”
Fifteen minutes later, he parked in front of the Stop & Go, surprised and pleased to see a familiar-looking, beat-up red Ford Ranger a few spots down. Maybe he’d get a second chance to hook up with Shylo after all.
He climbed out of the vehicle, strode into the grocery store, and headed straight toward the customer service desk, where he found Marla. Her face lit up when she saw him. “Hey, Seth. How are you?”
“Good, Marla. You?”
“Couldn’t be better. What can I get you?”
“Paige needs a big box for one of Shane’s birthday presents.”
The older woman pointed toward the stockroom at the rear of the store. “Theo just finished restocking, so there should be a bunch of folded ones back there. Take whatever you need.”
“Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Grabbing a cart, he headed to the stockroom where he found a perfect box.
That it had a diaper company logo stamped on all sides was even better.
Sticking it up in the cart, he returned to the aisles.
Even though he knew where everything was by heart after shopping there for years, he walked up and down the aisles as if he were searching for something and couldn’t remember its location.
No one needed to know he was looking for someone.
In the third aisle, he found the teething medication Paige needed.
He was halfway through the aisles when he found Shylo in front of the shelves of ramen noodles.
He’d lived on that stuff once—cheap, quick, and enough to get by.
Working at the Red River Ranch had broken that habit fast. Now, he made good money, ate breakfast with the Wilsons and the other hands, and had a functional kitchen in the bunkhouse if he wanted to cook.
But he still remembered what it felt like to fill a cart with those packets and hope they lasted.
Glancing into Shylo’s cart as he approached, unnoticed, he took stock. Bread, peanut butter, jelly, milk, cereal—all the cheapest brands. No extras. Only what was needed for survival.
Yeah, he knew that life.
Pair that with the condition of her pickup, and it wasn’t hard to figure she had little to her name. He wondered where she was going after Hazard, given she’d said she was only passing through.
Pasting on a flirtatious smile, he gently nudged her cart with his own. “Hey there. We ran into each other again. It must be fate.”
She startled, took a step back, then glanced up and down the aisle. They were alone. “Are you following me?”
His eyes widened at her accusation. “No! No, sorry. It really is just a coincidence. My boss’s wife forgot a few things on the list she gave me for Walmart earlier. Since this store is a lot closer to the ranch and has what she needs, I came here.”
Some of the tension eased from her body. “Oh. Sorry, I didn’t mean—”
He held up a hand. “It’s okay. You don’t know me, and yet we crossed paths twice in the past two hours. I get it.” They assessed each other for a moment, then Seth asked, “Did you stop at the auto supply place and get the coolant?”
“Uh... not yet. It’s on my list of things to do.”
He gestured to the items in her cart. “Are you staying in Hazard for a few days?” It was a fair guess, or somewhere close by, because the half-gallon of milk would need refrigeration.
“Yeah.” She tucked some stray black strands of hair behind one ear. “I... uh... think I might.”
It sounded like she didn’t have any immediate plans to be anywhere else, and his curiosity grew. “It sounds like you have an East Coast accent. Where are you from?”
“Um... West Virginia.” Her gaze returned to the ramen noodles, and he felt dismissed as she selected a few packages. “Sorry, I’m in a hurry. Thanks again for your help earlier.”
She spun her cart around and walked away from him, but that just piqued Seth’s interest. He wasn't used to women brushing him off or playing hard to get. Although he didn’t quite think she was doing that.
Either way, he wanted to get to know her, but she seemed spooked at the moment, so he didn’t pursue her.
He had a feeling he’d get another opportunity soon.
“Have a nice day, Shylo,” he called out.
Her back stiffened slightly, and she didn’t turn around, but when she reached the far end of the aisle, she finally acknowledged him with a wave over her shoulder. “Thanks. You too.”