Page 53 of Buckled in Barbwire

She mumbles something under her breath while pinning a glare on the vaulted ceiling. “Is there a town nearby?”

For whatever reason, I like that she asks me rather than find out for herself. “Hacken isn’t too far away. Ten miles or so.”

“Is that truck ours to use?” She swats in the general direction of the driveway.

I nod at the hook by the front door. “Want me to take you somewhere?”

“Nope, I’ll manage on my own.” She begins backing away. “You’ve done enough already.”

“Too much,” I mumble absently.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m about to give that phrase fresh meaning.” My twinkly wife snorts and turns for the stairs. “Right after I take off this wedding gown, I’ll be out of your hair. Don’t wait up.”

I tense. “It’s three o’clock in the afternoon.”

Paisley winks at me over her shoulder. “Gonna be a long night.”

It’s just getting dark when I admit defeat and take the next turn that leads back to our cabin. The clock on the dash mocks me. Try as I might to waste the entire night, there’s not much to do in a town that makes Cloverleaf Meadows look like a big city. Four hours was a struggle. Surrendering this soon after my dramatic exit will be equally difficult.

A streetlamp ahead on the right catches my eye. I ease off the accelerator and squint into the dusk to get a better view. The spotlight exposes a narrow driveway that opens to a wide lot. That’s where a quaint bookstore is nestled in a clearing just off the road. I’m sensing a theme in this neck of the woods, and take it as a nudge to stop in.

My blinker is loud in the silence as I creep forward along the gravel path. I pull up next to the only other vehicle and shift the truck into park. Illuminated in bold lettering on the roof are the words Chase the Storm. Itincludes a cute logo of the sun poking through rain clouds. A sense of familiarity settles in my gut.

The open sign is on, which I accept as an invitation. A chime announces my presence as I enter the shop. My lashes immediately flutter shut as another strike of awareness hits me. I inhale deeply, allowing the worries to melt away for a moment. The crisp scent of paper and imaginations running wild hang in the air. When I open my eyes, there’s a security guard sitting on a chair beside me.

“Holy shit.” I rest a palm over my pounding heart. “You scared me.”

The guy doesn’t respond, or even blink. I’m about to retreat in a hurry when a woman pokes her head out from between two shelves.

“Oh, hi!” Her smile is wide, severely contrasting the mean mug still aimed at me. “Welcome to Chase the Storm.”

“Uh, thanks. Is it okay that I’m here?” My gaze bounces off the guard for emphasis.

“Don’t mind Nash. He takes his role too seriously.” She approaches at a wobbly snail’s pace, which is most likely caused by her pregnant belly. “Quit scaring my customers, Thorn.”

His stare moves to her and instantly softens. “Sorry, Darlin’. It’s late and you need to rest.”

“We’re just fine.” She pats her baby bump and then ushers me toward a table stacked with paperbacks. “I’m Penny, by the way.”

“Paisley,” I say on a laugh. “With names like ours, we should probably be book besties.”

“Couldn’t agree more. It’s nice to meet you. Is there anything in particular that you’re looking for?”

Other than delaying the inevitable? Not really. I don’t say that, of course. “Do you specialize in romance novels?”

“Oh, yes.” She clutches her hands over her heart. There’s a dreamy glint in her eyes as well. “Love stories are my absolute favorite. I’ve become even more obsessed with them now that I’m living my very own fairytale.”

A rumbling noise comes from Nash as he looks at Penny like she’s a ripe piece of fruit he wants to devour. The temperature in the small shop spikes while they exchange a heated glance. This is what I’m missing, and might never experience.

It’s a daunting realization I was hoping to escape. Envy pricks at me instead. Their obvious adoration is strong enough to get me intoxicated from one sip. It’s an elixir that any hopeless romantic would guzzle by the gallon.

“Phew, excuse me.” Penny fans her face. “I’d blame it on the hormones, but it’s honestly nonstop whenever he’s in the room.”

Jealousy nips at me again, which is totally ridiculous. But a change in subject couldn’t hurt. “How’s business? If you don’t mind me asking,” I tack on for the sake of decorum.

“Probably what you’d expect. Summer is our busy season. The rest of the year is a bit slow, but I’m not in this for the money. It’s about spreading the joy of reading.”

I nod in understanding. “Kinda off the beaten path, huh?”

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