Unexpected Second Chance For Love (Wildwood Falls #8)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The front door slammed behind Payton as she shrugged out of her coat and slipped out of her sturdy work boots.

“Payton—door!” Griffin yelled from the kitchen.

It was a constant battle between her and her oldest brother. Payton didn’t mind the door slamming when she entered, but it drove Griffin up the wall.

Her other brother, Owen—the middle child—was much more chill, thankfully. He and his girlfriend, Victoria, were the only reasons Payton had hung in there this long. But it was time.

She needed her own place.

At twenty-two and freshly graduated from college, she wasn’t ready to buy a home and rentals were hard to find in Wildwood Falls, Montana. She should know—she’d been looking all summer. August had turned into September, which became October—and Payton was no closer to her own place than she’d been at graduation in May. It was discouraging.

She entered the dining room, which was set for five—Griffin, Sarah, Owen, Victoria, and her. The odd one out. The only single sibling who spent all her time with her coupled-up older brothers. She was young and should be sowing her wild oats—not eating a sensible six o’clock supper nightly.

She slid into her usual chair next to Sarah as everyone else besides her and Griffin were already seated. Griffin arrived a moment later with a large casserole dish full of some kind of chicken concoction. It smelled amazing, so she wouldn’t be rude and fuss over the 1950s throwback. The three siblings took turns cooking and tonight was Griffin’s turn.

She knew that he and Sarah had grown up cooking simple meals for Sarah’s younger brother when Sarah’s mom hadn’t been around. They often made those meals for the family these days out of nostalgia. Payton’s own mom was a domestic goddess--until she died when Payton was a teenager.

They’d done the best they could keeping the household running, despite their dad being overwhelmed with grief. His death two years ago was what prompted Griffin to return home. It was hard to believe it had been two years already. It seemed like yesterday.

In the past two years, Payton had watched both her brothers find their happily ever after. When would it be her turn? She’d never even had a boyfriend. A few unimpressive kisses were all she could report for her lackluster dating life. She was ready to be swept off her feet.

“Everything ok, Payton?” Owen asked.

She snapped herself out of her daze to meet his eyes and answer honestly. “I’ve been better.”

All eyes turned to hers and she felt herself flush. Maybe she shouldn’t have admitted that to her family. Four pairs of concerns eyes studied her in silence.

Sarah reached out to touch her hand. “We’re here for you, Payton. No matter what it is—you can tell us.”

Now the moment felt bigger than it should have been. They were acting like she was going to announce something truly awful. Not the simple fact that, at twenty-two, she’d decided it was time to move out.

“I’m alright—really. I didn’t mean to worry you. It’s just that--“

“Who’s the guy?” Griffin demanded.

Sarah speared him with a look that clearly communicated silence. Griffin sat back with arms crossed and waited.

“There’s no guy, Griffin.” Payton added an eye roll to emphasize the ridiculous assumpton. That was Griffin, though—protective older brother to a fault.

“Then what is it?” Owen leaned forward, arms on the table. He looked ready to do battle for her, as well. She appreciated his gentler approach to the older brother role compared to Griffin. She and Owen were the closest, after all. Griffin had left for college when she was ten and he’d been away from home a lot until recently.

Payton took a deep breath before making her announcement. “I’m moving out.”

Everyone gasped and Payton wondered for a moment if she’d said something more dire than announcing a move. She replayed her statement in her mind, but it sounded the same as she’d thought.

“Where?” Griffin was the first to speak. Of course he was.

“I’m not sure, yet. I’ve been looking for rentals…”

“What’s wrong with our house?” Owen asked. “You’re not happy here?” He glanced at Victoria, who looked guilty. She’d just moved in with them over the summer.

“No! I’m not unhappy.” Payton met Victoria’s eyes. “It’s nothing to do with anyone or anything specific. It’s just that I’m ready to be on my own. Have my own space.”

Griffin sat in stony silence and Owen also seemed too stunned to speak. Payton pushed away the guilt that clawed at her. She had every right to want to move out. It was time.

Sarah was the first to break the silence. She was always the one to mediate and smooth over any disagreement. “That’s completely understandable. Where will you live?”

Payton was grateful that Sarah refrained from adding the commentary that rent was expensive in their small town since many locals maintained rental properties for the frequent tourists. Finding a permanent, affordable rent was near impossible. Which Payton had discovered. She may not know where she’d live, but she knew she needed to find something before she lost her mind.

“I haven’t figured that out yet. The rental market is competitive. I’m sure I’ll find something soon.” She wasn’t sure about that at all, but didn’t want to admit it.

Sarah and Victoria murmured agreement. Even Owen offered his support. Griffin was the lone holdout.

“I don’t know about this, Pay,” he said, reverting to her childhood nickname. “It’s harder living on your own than you realize, plus it’s expensive.”

“I have a budget that I plan to stick to. And I need to do this—for myself.”

Griffin grunted and resumed eating as if he’d decided the conversation was finished. She loved her oldest brother—really she did—but his descent into paternal concern at times tried her patience. He acted like her father—as if he had some responsibility to her that she didn’t expect of him. No amount of reasoning ever changed his mind. So she’d stopped trying.

Whether or not she had his support, she was moving forward with her plan.

* * *

Payton walked into her sister-in-law’s coffee shop, Jitters, for her usual morning coffee. Sarah was busy behind the counter and offered a wave over the heads of the customers who waited in line. Payton returned the greeting before she turned to review the bulletin board of community events and announcements.

This had been her morning ritual since May, yet it hadn’t produced a single successful lead on an apartment. Her eyes drifted over the usual assortment of colorful posters and typed flyers. Her gaze caught on an index card tucked into the corner of the board with messy handwriting.

Room for rent.

Payton snatched the card and read through the offer.

Studio suite available immediately—includes kitchenette and private entrance. Must be non-smoker and comfortable around animals. Contigent on background checks and references. Serious interest only.

Payton fingered the card as if it were a hundred dollar bill. This was the answer to her dilemma. She pocketed the card with a plan to call the contact as soon as she’d picked up her morning coffee. Please let this work out.

“Your usual?” Sarah asked as Payton reached the front of the line. Her usual was a plain coffee—no cream or sugar. All of a sudden, it sounded boring to her.

“No, today I’ll try your daily special.” It’s time to live a little.

Sarah gave her a curious look, but fulfilled the order and soon Payton held a pumpkin spice latte. She took her first sip and wrinkled her nose. Pumpkin spice might not be for her. It wasn’t terrible so she’d finish it. Caffeine was critical in whatever form it took. At least she’d stepped out of her comfort zone.

Once on the sidewalk on Main Street, she pulled out her cell phone and juggled her coffee and the index card as she dialed the number. Nerves fluttered in her belly as she waited for an answer. Each ring amped up her anxiety another notch. What if the apartment was already taken?

“Hello.” A gruff voice answered and Payton shivered involuntarily. Something about the voice went straight to her gut, setting off a wave of butterflies that was distinctly not anxiety. It felt deeper, more intimate somehow.

“Hello?” the voice repeated.

“Oh!” Damn her daydreaming. “Hi, I’m interested in the apartment for rent.”

A heavy sigh came over the line. “I said serious offers only.”

“I am serious!” she insisted.

“How old are you?” The man didn’t even apologize for his rude question. No matter, she wouldn’t be living with him—he was just the landlord. Be polite.

“I’m old enough to have a job and need an apartment,” she replied. Her response wasn’t as nice as she’d hoped, but Payton wasn’t one to back down from anyone. Least of all a man who thought she was too young to be serious. She had that problem her entire life and was sick of it.

Another heavy sigh. “I’ll need a background check, references, and a deposit. Your daddy willing to pay first and last month’s rent?”

Payton’s blood boiled at the assumption she wasn’t independently applying for this apartment. “My daddy’s dead,” she said bluntly. “It’s all me. So, you better get used to it.”

Dammit. She couldn’t resist that dig, but she’d probably just cost herself an apartment. The only one that had been remotely affordable for her.

To her surprise, a laugh greeted her statement. It sounded rusty, like his vocal cords hadn’t laughed in a very long time.

“I see,” he replied. “I have someone coming this morning, but I have time at 2 o’clock today if you want to swing by to see it.”

Competition. Of course Payton wasn’t the only one interested in the only affordable rent in town. “Yes, I’ll be there. What’s the address?”

Rather than providing a street address, as she expected, he rattled off directions to a place she was all too familiar with—the Rolling R Ranch. Everyone in Wildwood Falls knew that ranch and the Rainger family who ran it.

Payton wracked her brain to place the voice. There were five siblings—Payton had gone to school with the twins Breanna and Brooke and their sister Kayla. She knew Liam as he was friends with Owen. So this wasn’t him. The only other brother was Austin—her teenage crush who she hadn’t seen since she was eleven years old. It couldn’t be—Austin hadn’t been home in well over a decade.

“Are you still there?” the voice asked and Payton jumped. She’d been so lost in her own thoughts she’d forgotten that he was awaiting her response.

“I’m here. I have the address—see you this afternoon.”

They disconnected the call and Payton stood in stunned silence. Who was this man renting a room on the Rolling R? For a wild moment she thought maybe it was a trap of some kind. Or a joke. The Rainger family didn’t need extra income so why would they be renting a room? She quickly texted Breanna to ask as it was better safe than sorry. A response pinged a moment later. Breanna confirmed her brother had what she called a harebrained scheme and was looking for seed money—hence the rental.

At least Payton knew she wouldn’t walk into a dangerous situation this afternoon. What she still didn’t know was—which brother?