Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Madison took her time strolling along Main Street, balancing the warm takeout container in one hand while taking in the quaint, almost aggressively charming town.
Flower boxes overflowed with bright summer blooms, American flags hung from lampposts, and the storefronts displayed a mix of hand-painted signs and modern touches—a boutique, a hardware store, a coffee shop housed in an old church with a giant steaming mug on its sign.
Every few feet, someone nodded or smiled at her, and she smiled back.
“Evenin’,” an older man said as he tipped his baseball cap.
“Good evening,” Madison replied.
She stepped into Turner Books and perused the display of beach reads. A woman greeted her. “Hi, I’m Paige Turner, the owner. You must be Madison.”
“How did you—”
She chuckled. “Small town. What can I help you find?”
“I think I found it.” Madison picked up Catherine Coulter’s latest FBI thriller. “I haven’t had time to read a good book in a while.”
With book in hand and after a nice conversation with the owner, she set off for her new home away from home to eat the now-cold barbecue.
Another man, pushing a stroller and holding an ice cream cone, gave her a friendly “How’s it going?” like they knew each other.
Madison managed polite nods, but inside, she was reeling. She’d spent fifteen years in Washington DC, where random street greetings weren’t exactly standard protocol. Minnesota lived up to the “Minnesota Nice” moniker, but small-town MN was even friendlier than Minneapolis.
Her phone dinged in her pocket. Eve.
Did you make it to town? Or did you turn around the second you saw the Welcome to Deer Creek Falls sign?
Madison smirked and typed:
I’m here. No turning back now. Currently adjusting to the fact that everyone in this town makes eye contact. It’s unnatural.
Another ding.
You’ll get used to it. Just embrace the small-town charm. Maybe you’ll even find yourself a nice rugged outdoorsman at the bachelor auction. ;)
Madison snorted, typing quickly.
You mean rugged like a lumberjack? Or rugged like Garrett growling at me because I exist?
I’m just saying, you could bid on him. He’s a catch. Kind of. If you like your men emotionally unavailable and allergic to change.
Wow. What a glowing review. I’ll rush right over to place a bid.
DO IT. Think of it as a business investment.
Madison texted back:
Oh, so I bid on him, win, and then use my “date” to pitch cider? Bold strategy.
I fully support it. Besides, if he gets mad, what’s he going to do? Fire you? You don’t even work for him.
Eve had a point. Technically Madison volunteered her time, helping her brother out when needed since stepping away from all things military last year.
Wait. How did you know Garrett was roped into the bachelor auction?
Three dots appeared, then disappeared.
Are you kidding? Mason heard all about it, and in turn, so did I. We’ve been laughing non-stop!
Madison chuckled and shook her head as she turned toward the lake and made her way back to the condo. She couldn’t wait to dig into her barbecue.
Bid on Garrett at the auction? Yeah, right. That would be a disaster waiting to happen.
But the more she thought about it, the more mischief ignited in her chest. Maybe she’d just attend the auction. Purely for the entertainment value.
And if Garrett ended up being completely mortified?
Well. That would be a bonus.