5. Paige
CHAPTER 5
PAIGE
The morning sun feels kinder today, its warmth settling on my shoulders as I walk hand-in-hand with Sadie down Main Street. It's such a nice day out. We parked at one end of the street and decided to walk up one side and down the other. She skips beside me, her little pink sneakers lighting up with every bounce.
We've just stopped at the Merc for some groceries, and she proudly picked out a glittery notebook and a sparkly pen that she insists is for "official magic business." Her chatter is endless on the way back to the car, stories about dragons and rainbow clouds rolling from her like sunshine. She's happy. And somehow, that makes the day feel lighter, too.
Kody stayed behind at the ranch to help Shane with some fencing. I told him we'd be fine on our own for a little morning adventure. Plus, he filled me in on Sadie's idea of getting chickens and apparently he and Shane will have a talk about it.
I think part of me wanted to see how it felt—doing something normal again, just me and Sadie. Like we are any regular mom and daughter out for a Saturday stroll. It's easy to get lost in the possibility because Sadie is so easy to love. But I have to remind myself this is all temporary, though my heart doesn't listen.
We're heading back to the truck, bags swinging from my arm, when I spot Miss Ada sitting on her front porch. She's always out this time of day, usually sipping tea and waving at everyone who walks by like she's the town's official greeter. Since I moved to town, she has been nothing but nice to me. Whenever I come to town to grab groceries or see the doctor, she chats and greets me with a hug. But today, her tea sits untouched, and she's not smiling. There's a stillness about her, a heaviness that sets off every alarm in my gut.
Sadie waves enthusiastically. "Hi, Miss Ada!"
Ada startles, then quickly dabs at her cheeks and forces a smile. "Well, hey there, sugar!"
I slow down. Something feels off. Was she crying?
"Everything okay?" I ask gently, stopping at the edge of her porch.
"Oh, just a little mix-up with the bank. Nothing to worry about," she says, waving a hand like she's swatting a fly.
But I see the crumpled paper in her lap. The tight way her fingers twist the edge of her skirt. That kind of worry doesn't come from nowhere.
"Miss Ada," I say softly, stepping up the porch steps. "Are you sure? You don't look like someone who just had a mix-up."
She sighs, and for a second, her eyes shimmer again. "I'm sorry, hon. I didn't mean for you to see me like this. Just got myself a little worked up, that's all."
"Tell me," I urge gently, crouching beside her rocking chair.
"Miss Sadie, there are some beautiful wildflowers just over there by the tree. Will you pick me a bunch for my dining room table?" Miss Ada says.
I get it. She doesn't want little ears to hear what she’s going to say. So when Sadie looks at me, I nod and smile. Sadie runs off to pick flowers, but is still in clear view of us both.
Miss Ada presses her lips together, then leans closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A man came by this morning. Said my loan was up for review. Told me if I didn't sign some paperwork today, I could lose the house."
My stomach twists.
"Did you sign anything?"
She shakes her head, eyes shining. "I told him I needed to think. He didn't like that. Told me it was a one time offer. But this house, Paige, it's been in my family for three generations. My daddy built it with his own two hands. My husband put that swing up for me the week after we got married. I can't just... I can't lose it."
I reach out, covering her hand with mine. "You're not going to. I promise you that."
Ada's lips tremble. "You think you can stop them?"
"I think I can try. And I won't be alone. You know the town will help, too."
Her fingers tighten around mine, a flicker of hope in her tired eyes. "I don't want to be a burden."
"You're not," I whisper. "You're the closest thing to family I have in town."
Over the next few minutes, she lets me take photos of the papers the man gave her. Then she goes over some other info that I take down on the notes app on the phone Kody got me right after we got married. She gives me her bank info and everything else she remembers from the encounter.
After making her promise not to sign anything and to call me or Kody if the man shows up again, I give her hand a quick squeeze and steer Sadie back toward the truck. But my mind is already racing. My heart is thudding so loud I can barely focus on the drive back to the ranch. This town may be quiet, but underneath, something's stirring. And I don't like the feel of it.
Back at the cabin, I find Kody and Shane still outside near the barn, sleeves rolled up, both of them sweating under the afternoon sun. I call them over, while Sadie runs to grab Bear-Bear and sits and writes in her new notebook on the porch. Once she is focused elsewhere, I tell them what happened with Miss Ada.
Before I even finish the story, Shane is swearing under his breath. "That developer's been circling people like buzzards," he mutters. "He already tried to buy her house once. She told him to go to hell. Last month, he forced Kara out of her store. He's also made a few threats to the Mustang Mountain Riders."
"The who?" I ask.
"The motorcycle club Courtney's husband belongs to. They protect the town, and last year they battled a rival MC that was trying to take over Mustang Mountain with drugs and other illegal things," Shane says.
I nod. "Now they're trying to push Ada out with paperwork."
Back inside, Kody lets me borrow his laptop. It's slow and a little dusty, but it still boots up. Kody leans against the counter, arms crossed, watching me like he doesn't know what to make of me just yet. I settle into research mode, fingers flying across the keyboard.
At the spa, I used to manage all our administrative paperwork: billing, contracts, and vendor negotiations. I got good at spotting the hidden lines, the fine print, and the traps buried in legalese.
It doesn't take long to trace Miss Ada's loan. The lender? A predatory company with ties to a developer that's been gobbling up land all over the region. They hide behind shell companies and bait elderly homeowners with vague threats and one-day-only offers.
"He's not building a resort," I mutter. "He's buying a town."
Kody steps closer, eyes scanning the screen. "You sure?"
I click open a few documents. "Positive. Look here at this clause. It jumps the interest rate after twelve months. And this one? Waives the homeowner's right to dispute the terms."
"That's illegal, right?"
"Shady, at the very least. But if we can prove this is a pattern, we might be able to stop it."
That evening, we sit out on the porch after we get Sadie to bed. The sun is dipping low, painting the sky with oranges and golds, and a warm breeze carries the scent of pine and distant grilling meat. I show Kody everything I've found, flipping through tabs and notes on my screen. His eyes stay on me more than the laptop.
"You're amazing," he says suddenly.
I freeze. "What?"
"Watching you do this. The way you see through the bullshit, how focused you are. You don't look like someone who's not just surviving anymore."
I glance at him, heart thudding. "No?"
He leans forward with a smile. "You look like someone taking her life back."
It hits me in the chest. Not just the words, but the way he says them—like he means every damn syllable. Like he sees me in a way no one else has in a long, long time.
I feel my breath hitch, emotions rising faster than I can push them down. "I don't know what I'm doing half the time," I admit. "But I do know this town and these people deserve better."
Kody nods, his gaze softening. "They're lucky to have you."
"And what about you?" I ask before I can stop myself.
His brow furrows. "What do you mean?"
"Are you glad you did this?" I whisper. "Married me?"
He hesitates for a beat. Then, "Yeah. I am."
The truth in his voice, the raw honesty of it, is overwhelming.
And I don't know what possesses me next. Maybe it's the weight of everything, or maybe it's the fact that he sees me... really sees me.
I kiss him.
It's soft and cautious at first. A brush of lips that could still be passed off as a mistake if we needed it to be.
But he doesn't pull away. His hand comes up warm against my cheek, anchoring me there like I belong. The kiss deepens, but we don't rush it. When we finally break apart, I'm breathless. A little dizzy. A lot changed.
"Well," I say, voice shaking. "That was probably not part of the contract."
He smiles, that slow, quiet kind of smile that makes my knees weak. "No. It wasn't."
We don't say anything more. We don't need to.
Later that night, we're in the living room. I've spread out papers across the coffee table: printouts of Ada's records, lender information, notes scribbled on sticky notes. Kody helps me organize them, his eyes serious. Every time our fingers brush, something buzzes through me like a low current. With each touch and glance, it feels like the world is shifting slightly on its axis.
We talk about how to approach Ada. Carefully, without scaring her. I want to bring Ruby in too. And Orville—he's got roots in this town deeper than anyone. With him being the mayor, he needs to be aware of this. If we can show them the pattern, get their backing, we can build a real case.
"I'll drive you to the records office in the morning," Kody offers. His voice is steady, sure. Like it's not even a question.
My heart squeezes. "Thank you," I say, barely above a whisper.
We move to the kitchen to clean up what we said could wait earlier. He rinses plates while I dry. The rhythm of it feels natural, easy. When our hands brush over the dish towel, we pause. Neither of us says a word.
When I look up, his eyes are already on me.
There's something in them I haven't seen before. Not just affection. Not just care. Something deeper. Something that makes my breath catch in my throat.
Pride. Admiration. And maybe... something more.
And I realize something, too.
I'm not just the woman who moved in to survive.
I'm becoming someone stronger.
Someone who fights back.