Chapter 2
CLAIRE
It had been almost eight years since I'd stepped foot in Mustang Mountain.
As I drove down Main Street, it seemed like both nothing and everything had changed while I'd been away.
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel of my small SUV as I passed the community center, then pulled into a spot in front of the hardware store.
Memories from the past bubbled up. When I was younger, Aunt Lois used to take me out to breakfast at the cafe on Saturday mornings, then we'd spend hours at the library.
My older brother Tanner never wanted to join us, and my younger sister Sadie was too little to be interested in books.
Spending time with Aunt Lois each week had given me something to look forward to.
And now she was gone.
Guilt for not coming back to visit before she passed made my chest tighten. It was too late to make things right with Aunt Lois. The least I could do was wrap up her estate, even if I wasn't sure what I was going to do with the house and land that she'd left me.
I squinted as I got out of the car. The sun reflected off the fresh snow and made the whole world seem brighter. Or maybe the years I'd spent in Seattle had made me more sensitive to the light. Either way, I wished I'd thought to bring a pair of sunglasses with me.
"Good morning, miss. Is there anything I can help you with?
" An older man in coveralls stepped out from behind the counter as I entered the hardware store.
I didn't recognize him, which made me hopeful that he wouldn't recognize me either.
My family didn't know I was back in town yet, and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.
"I bet you're here to get new glass for that window." Torin's voice came from my left. "I can show you where to find everything."
The older man nodded and returned to his spot behind the counter while I stared up at Torin Thompson for the second time in less than twenty-four hours.
"Are you stalking me?" I asked, only half teasing.
He let out a soft laugh. "No. I guess I just keep showing up in the right place at the right time."
Last night I'd been tired and irritable after my long drive. Finding out my key didn't work hadn't helped. By the time Torin had shown up, I was pissed, sore from being stuck in the damn window, and not in the mood to make small talk with someone from my past.
Then he'd been so nice to me, which I hadn't expected. It threw me, and I would have done or said anything to get him out of the house so I could catch my breath. But now, facing him in broad daylight, I took a moment to appreciate how much he'd changed since high school.
His eyes held the same quiet intensity I remembered and made it seem like he noticed everything.
He’d grown into a man with broad shoulders, sun-tanned skin, and thick forearms that hinted at years of hard work.
Dark stubble shaded his jaw, and when he shifted his weight, his flannel shirt pulled across his chest in a way that made it hard not to stare.
"How's your hand?" he asked.
"It's fine." Honestly, it still throbbed from where I'd sliced it open on the glass last night, but I wasn't about to admit it. "Thanks again for your help."
"It was nothing." He offered a tentative smile and gestured to an aisle on my right. "Can I show you where to find the glass so you can get that window fixed?"
Nodding, I stepped aside so he could lead the way. He'd been two years ahead of me in school, closer to Tanner's age than mine, so I didn't know him very well. But he'd always struck me as someone who played by the rules, so it wasn't surprising to find out he'd gone into law enforcement.
And he looked a whole lot better in a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt than he had in his uniform last night. I followed behind, past shelves packed with paint and every kind of glue imaginable, until he stopped in front of bins of large glass panes set along the back wall.
"Did you measure the size you need?"
"Yeah." I pulled a piece of paper out of my purse and handed it to him.
"You're lucky. The pane you need is a standard size." He passed the paper back to me and picked up a large square of glass from one of the bins.
"I can get that." I held out my hands.
He shook his head. "I'll carry it to the car for you. Don't want you to cut yourself again."
"That's not necess—"
"Claire?"
I spun around, almost smacking into a tall wall of muscle, also known as my brother Tanner.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Tanner looked from me to Torin and back again, his mouth set in a firm straight line.
I glanced at Torin. The easy smile he’d been wearing a second ago was gone, his shoulders set a little tighter as he lifted the glass pane. Something about his reaction to Tanner made my stomach twist.
"Tanner, hey." I offered an apologetic smile. "I got in late last night and haven't had a chance to call you yet."
"Yeah, looks like you've been real busy." His eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Hey, Tanner. Good to see you." With both hands full, Torin lifted his chin in a greeting. "I'm going to take this up to the register for you, Claire."
"Thank you," I called out as he walked away. Tanner had always had that effect on people… making them want to leave.
"So you're hanging out with Thompson now?" Tanner asked.
"No. He was just helping me pick up the glass I need to fix a window at Aunt Lois's place."
Tanner’s lips curled down at the edges. "It's your place now, isn't it?"
"I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it." Aunt Lois's house had been in the family since the Hollisters had arrived in Mustang Mountain. Selling it wasn't an option unless I sold it to someone who shared my last name.
"We could use some of that acreage. Has Dad talked to you about that?"
Only every chance he got. Which was why I hadn't wanted to tell anyone I was back. "Like I said, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet."
"Mom and Dad don't know you're in town, do they?" Tanner cocked his head, studying me.
"I figured I'd get settled before I stopped by the ranch." That was a lie, and we both knew it. I was just trying to buy myself some time.
"Well, I suppose they'll be expecting you for Sunday dinner now that you're in town. We can talk about the house and the land then." Tanner touched the brim of his hat and gave me a genuine smile. "I'll see you on Sunday, Lil Bit."
A mixture of anger and irritation swirled together in my gut at the sound of his old nickname for me. "Don't call me that anymore," I ground out.
It was too late. He'd already turned the corner and was heading toward the door. I closed my eyes long enough to take in a deep breath, then made my way to the checkout counter.
"You're all settled up. Torin took care of it," the man behind the register said.
"Oh, thank you." I could see Torin through the front window standing next to my SUV with the Washington plates. One click of my key fob and the tailgate opened. While Torin slid the wrapped piece of glass inside, I met him by my car.
"Did you get everything settled with Tanner?" he asked without looking up.
"Hardly. He's not the kind of guy who settles easily." That was one way to describe my big brother. There were several other adjectives I could use but didn't want to draw attention for shouting out four-letter words on my first day back in Mustang Mountain.
Torin laughed and the sound made me smile.
"What's next on your to-do list this morning? I grabbed the rest of the things you need to replace that pane. I'm off this morning and would be happy to follow you home and take care of it."
I pulled my purse open, looking for my wallet. "What do I owe you for everything?"
He waved me off. "Don't worry about it."
"No, really." I folded a few twenties together and tried to hand them over.
"I don't want your money, Claire. If you really want to pay me back, buy me a cup of coffee at the Merc." He glanced across the street at the big sign for the Nelson Mercantile. "I bet you haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Aunt Lois's house had been sitting empty for months.
I'd hired a service to come in and clean out the cabinets and refrigerator shortly after she passed, but everything else was exactly how she'd left it.
The only thing I'd been able to find in the cabinets was a box of tea. I didn’t have anything against tea, but the thought of a good cup of coffee made me want to take Torin up on his offer.
"I should get back and fix the window. I'm meeting with the attorney this afternoon and want to take care of it before I have to leave for that appointment."
Torin continued like I hadn't just politely turned him down. "Ruby's got these new cinnamon rolls. The frosting has some kind of maple bourbon flavoring. I could probably eat half a dozen of them all by myself."
My stomach rumbled at the mention of food. I'd been surviving the past few days on gas station snacks and a wilted salad I'd grabbed from a greasy diner on my way in.
"Come on. Let's get something in your stomach, then I'll follow you back and fix that window so you make it to your appointment in time." He nudged his chin toward the Merc.
I tried to come up with an excuse, but the promise of hot coffee and a homemade cinnamon roll won out. "Fine, but it's my treat."
"Whatever you say." Torin put his hand at the small of my back then must have thought better of it and tucked both hands in his pockets.
We waited for a few cars to pass before crossing over to the Merc. Walking through that door meant I was committing to a lot more than just a cup of coffee. It meant I was letting everyone know I was back. Mustang Mountain lived for gossip and Ruby Nelson was usually at the center of it all.
It was time to stop hiding. Time to stop trying to outrun my past.
The front door creaked as Torin held it open. As I stepped inside, the scent of strong coffee wrapped around me like one of Aunt Lois's hugs. Whether I liked it or not, I was home, and everyone was about to know it.