Chapter 5 #2
The conversation switched to the upcoming football season and the team West would field.
As she listened, Paisley thought how nice it would be if she could be a part of this group of women.
They had shown up to welcome her today and had been open and friendly.
They didn’t possess any agenda. She was used to anyone trying to befriend her actually wanting something from her.
That’s why she had kept to herself for so many years.
To be honest, Paisley didn’t even know if she knew how to make a friend, much less be a friend to a group such as this.
“Okay, announcement time,” Darby said. “Not that everyone here hasn’t guessed, but I’m pregnant. I didn’t just come back from Europe with extra pasta and gelato weight.”
Everyone offered congratulations, and again, Paisley thought about how Kelby had just given birth and now Autumn and Darby were also pregnant.
She thought of how she would love to have a child.
Boy or girl. It didn’t matter. She would go to their games.
No, coach them. Read to them. Color with them.
Build a fort and teach them to ride a bike.
To have gone from never even thinking about having a family to suddenly desiring one was a pretty wild turn.
She would really need to get hold of her emotions and think this through.
With the pizza consumed, Kelby said, “I need to get back and nurse Kate. I’m sure West has been reading the sports section to her.
” She looked to Paisley. “We’re so happy you took the job at HHS.
I know you’ll make friends with others at the high school, but we’d love to have you as part of our group.
No pressure. You’ll be busy with your team, but I hope you know we’re here for you, Paisley. ”
Kelby looked to the others. “Let’s make sure to give Paisley our cell numbers.”
She already had Jen and Darby’s, but she added Kelby, Summer, and Autumn to her very short list of contacts.
Autumn said, “You’ll need to get a new lineup of people. Doctors. Dentists. I can help steer you toward the right ones since I work at Triple H.”
“You’ll want to get your hair cut at The Style Shack. Betty Jo is terrific and reasonably priced,” added Summer.
“Thanks,” she said, feeling good about her start in Hawthorne. “I appreciate the kindness you’ve all shown me by turning out today.”
“I know Mom and Dad will have you over soon,” Autumn said. “Dad always invites new teachers for a home-cooked meal before school starts. Mom is the city’s librarian. If you’re any kind of reader, she’ll be able to point you in the right direction.”
“Actually, I read quite a bit,” Paisley said. “I spent a lot of time on buses and airplanes, traveling with my teams. My Kindle is probably my best friend.”
“What do you like to read?” Summer asked eagerly.
“Just about anything. I’ve been on a crime kick lately. Drawn to crime novels and true-life accounts about crimes.”
“I never edited any crime novels,” Summer said. “A few mysteries, but mostly women’s fiction and romances.”
Autumn wrapped an arm around her sister’s shoulder. “Summer is writing a romance series set in a small town in the Texas Panhandle. It’s wonderful.”
“Is that why you came home to Hawthorne?” she asked. “To be a writer?”
“It is. They say write what you know. Being immersed in a small town again has helped me to remember a lot of the little things which make small towns so special.”
“I’ve never read a romance,” Paisley admitted. “Maybe I’ll start with one of yours once you’re published. Well, I better bring my stuff in now.”
“You want some help?” Darby asked.
“No. I don’t have much. Thanks for the offer, though. And thanks to everyone who stopped by and fed me delicious pizza.”
Jen laughed. “I know you must think that’s all Hawthorne has to offer, but there are other food places. Dizzy’s Diner is my favorite, but if you’re a barbeque fan, you simply have to eat at Barbeque Bliss. There’s also a burger joint. A sports bar. A nice steakhouse.”
“I guess I’ll need to try all of them since I don’t cook.”
As they all went out the door, Autumn said, “I’ve been learning how to cook with Eli.”
Summer added, “I’m also learning how. Chance is great at making breakfast foods. You won’t find a better omelet or French toast than what he makes. We’re both working our way through his family’s cookbook, though.”
Kelby said, “We’re getting together next weekend. We try to do so a couple of times a month. We’d love to have you join us.”
Though she was reluctant to commit, a deep yearning suddenly filled Paisley. These women were offering her friendship. They didn’t have to do so. They didn’t want anything from her. They were just nice people in a small town, welcoming a newcomer.
“I’d like that. Text me the details, Kelby. And what I can buy at the store to bring.”
“Will do.”
Everyone went to their cars, and Paisley made two trips, bringing her things inside. Jen had given her the choice of two different bedrooms, both equal in size.
Jen gave her a key and said, “The bathroom across from your bedroom will be yours. It’s also the one guests use.”
“You want me to keep things out of sight because of that?”
“Not really,” her roommate replied easily. “I don’t have guests over often. Make it your own.”
Paisley gave her roommate a warm smile. “I want to thank you for taking me in. If I would’ve gone to an apartment, I think I might have been a little lonely. I don’t need to be your best friend. You already have that in Summer, but it’ll be nice to have someone to chat with when we’re home.”
“Warning. Do not say anything to me in the morning. Not until I’ve had at least one cup of coffee.”
She laughed. “Oh, you’re one of those people, Jen.”
“The way you say that, I’m guessing you’re a Sally Sunshine in the mornings, Paisley.”
“I usually wake up pretty happy. I am an extremely early riser, however. I’ll be very quiet, though. I won’t disturb you.”
“I get up about six-thirty. Have a couple of cups of coffee and scroll through my phone. Do half an hour of yoga. Then shower and dress and head to the Sutherlands’ place.
I don’t have to be at work until nine. I usually leave there around five-thirty, so that puts me home a little before six.
You can let me know if you want to cook together any night.
Maybe we could even come up with a schedule if we want to eat together a couple of nights a week.
Or you can just do your own thing. I’m happy either way. ”
“It’s hard for me to say what my schedule will be once school starts. Even then, it’ll change once the season starts. I’ll have games a couple of nights a week. Some weekend tournaments. In these few weeks before school starts, I’m wide open to do whatever.”
She hesitated. “Except for tonight. I’m going to have dinner with Sawyer Montgomery.”
Jen eyed her with curiosity but didn’t press her about any details. “That’s great. Sawyer’s a nice guy. He’s the person everyone seems to depend upon, and yet I can’t help but think he’s a bit of a loner.”
That was an interesting tidbit.
“I’m glad he reached out to you, Paisley.”
“I think it’s the basketball connection,” she said. “Both of us having played in college. Okay, I’m going to go and unpack. I just wanted you to know how grateful I am to be renting a room here.”
“I know you’re a long way from Vegas, Paisley. I hope you’ll find a home in Hawthorne.”
She excused herself and went to her bedroom.
Closing the door, she unpacked the little she had, putting things in drawers and hanging a few items in the closet.
She definitely would need to do some shopping.
While she didn’t think she would need to dress in anything but athleisure wear at school since she was the PE teacher and coach, Paisley figured if she did socialize a little bit, she’d need more than her T-shirts and jeans.
Reaching for her phone, she ordered a few things online since it was next to impossible for a woman her height to find anything in a brick-and-mortar store. She changed the shipping address on her accounts at three different places, two clothing stores and one which sold shoes.
After she took her toiletries to the bathroom and filled the medicine cabinet and a drawer, she returned to her bedroom, needing downtime after all the socializing she had done. Paisley had talked more today than she usually did in a week.
And she still had dinner with Sawyer Montgomery to go.