Page 18 of Call it Reckless

Paige looked around the house. “Wow. When you said you would live in your grandmother’s old farmhouse, I was expecting, I don’t know, old fashioned with chicken décor everywhere. This is beautiful.”

I couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Paige was a city girl and had preconceived ideas about the country. This was going to be a whole new experience for her. “I hope you’re not disappointed.”

She spun around. “No way. I mean, I know I’m not staying in this house, but if the guest house is anything like this, I might delay finding my own place.”

I shook my head. “It’s similar, and you can stay as long as you want. I meant I hope you like living here, in Sterling Mill. I know it’s different from what you’re used to.”

Her hands caught mine. “I know you think I made an impulsive decision to move here, and you worry I’ll regret it. But I’ve had a lot of time to think. I was getting burned out. I was tired of the long and thankless hours and always dealing with attitudes. It was good money, but there’s got to be more to life. I think different is what I need. And getting to be in the same town with my best friend isdefinitelywhat I need. So quit fretting. I’m a big girl. I know what I’m doing. Just point me to the nearest farm and teach me to lasso a handsome farmer with muscles as big as a haystack, and I’ll be happy.”

I laughed. “Well, there’s more to Sterling Mill than just farms, but I pity the poor men who won’t see you coming.”

* * *

Several hoursand two bottles of wine later, we were relaxing in my living room. She’d already put away everything in the small guest house, and we’d ordered pizza from a pizzeria that hadn’t existed when I last lived here.

I caught her up on everything related to the business, and then we’d moved on to more personal conversations.

“Have you heard from your mother?”

I snorted. “You mean other than when she calls, whining about how we don’t love her? Yeah, no.”

My mother was once a beauty queen. She’d considered the nearby lumber town where she was born too small and lacking in excitement, so as soon as she turned eighteen, she hit the road and headed toward bigger towns and cities. In that respect, we weren’t so different.

But whereas I learned a trade, went to school, and worked hard to achieve my goals, her dream of fame and fortune came in the form of cashing in on her looks.

She was beautiful. It didn’t take long for her to win the Miss Winston title on the racing circuit. Her photo appeared in several national magazines, always on the arm of a winning driver, one of whom was my father, who was moving up in the racing world.

They had a whirlwind romance and were married within three months. Four months later, the twins, Chase and Cameron, were born. Daddy never said, but I always guessed her pregnancy was the reason they married in the first place. I knew he tried to make it work, but it was always by buying her whatever she wanted—new car, jewelry, trips. But after a few years, she realized that it was always her husband who was in the spotlight, not her.

She stuck around long enough for me to be born and for Daddy to pad his bank account, but when I was four, the glamor—both hers and the racing circuit—apparently faded, and she took off with another man, a younger plastic surgeon who helped her keep her youthful looks.

Paige eyed me with glassy eyes. “Good thing your dad divorced her ass. Can you imagine what she’d do if she had her hands on all of this?”

I snorted. “Yeah, she’d sell the house, the business, and the farm. And then she’d waste it on her latest hobby.” And by hobby, I didn’t mean a craft; I meant her latest nip and tuck.

“Maybe you’ll meet a handsome horse farmer here. Horses are so pretty,” Paige slurred.

“We have all kinds of professionals here, you know.”

“Yeah, but there’s something about a cowboy hat, you know? And chaps. And lassos.”

“Or handcuffs,” I mumbled.

I should’ve known her drunkenness didn’t affect her hearing.

“What?” She sat up.

“I said you’ve watched way too many movies.”

“Nope, that’s not what you said. You’ve already met someone, haven’t you?”

“Just someone who’s like a knock in the engine.”

Paige giggled. “That’s the best way to get your attention. What happened?”

I drained the bottle of wine into my glass. After sharing all about my encounters with Reid, she was laughing. “I think there’s more to it. You’ve dealt with alpha men before.”

“I guess it’s because he thinks I’m weckless. I mean r…r…reckless.” I hiccupped and giggled. “But I am. I am wreckless. Get it? With a ‘w,’ see? Or would that be wreck-ful?”

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