Page 5 of Home Changes
Ken shrugged, a lopsided grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Absolutely no comment.”
It was his go-to response whenever someone mentioned the incident. Everyone in Hollister had heard something, and speculation had run rampant. Guardian Security had been involved; of that much, everyone was certain. Yet nobody spoke openly about what had gone down, and no one would.
That was the way of things in Hollister. The townspeople knew Guardian existed and that they operated out of the Marshall Ranch on the edge of town. Every person in town had some kind of connection to the ranch and understood the people who rotated through weren’t just a bunch of horse trainers and ranch hands.
Allison suspected there was far more going on out there than anyone let on. She also knew better than to ask. But then again, Allison liked that there was law enforcement close by. Not that she didn’t trust Ken or the work he and his deputies did. Ken Zorn was a good sheriff, steady and fair. She wouldn’t take anything away from him. But knowing that when he needed backup, there were people at the Marshall Ranch who could be there in minutes?
That made life in Hollister feel a whole lot safer.
She changed the subject, tilting her head toward the large front window. “It does seem quiet today. Delbert’s out front of the store without Chester. Do you know what happened to him?” Concern tugged at her expression as she turned fully to Ken. “I know he was having a hard time. Is he sick?”
Ken shook his head. “No. He’s at home. Seth came back a few weeks ago.
Her brow furrowed. “Seth? His son? He was older than us, right? Sarah’s brother?”
“Yeah. Only he had to make a quick trip back east. He’ll be gone a couple of days,” Ken explained. “Before he left, he took Chester’s keys and disconnected the battery on the old tractor. There’s no way for him to make it into town. Deputies swing byevery two to three hours or so just to make sure he’s still safe and at home.”
Allison frowned. “Why would he do that? Strand his father and leave?”
Ken sighed. “You know Chester. He’s always been a cantankerous old fool, but lately … he’s mean. We all saw it that day at the diner. Gen told the girls to let him know he wasn’t welcome there anymore.” He paused, voice quieting. “When that happened, I called Sarah. Seth was with her. He drove out here, talked to his dad, and … well, he saw it. Realized just how bad Chester’s confusion had gotten.”
Allison folded her arms and bit her lower lip, gaze drifting toward the general store at the far end of the street. Chester and Delbert had been fixtures in that spot for as long as she could remember. They were always sitting on that wooden bench, solving the world’s problems one comment at a time.
“It’s sad, seeing them get that old,” she murmured. “It just means we’re getting that much older, too.” Ken chuckled softly, nodding his head in agreement.
“At least you’ve got a family now,” she added, offering a soft smile. “Congratulations, by the way. Gen told me Sam and you were adopting.”
Ken’s grin widened, and he slapped his palmlightly against his thigh. “News travels faster than sunlight through a window in this town.”
Allison laughed. “Well, if you’re gonna tell one person, you might as well tell them all. When’s the baby going to get here?”
“End of April. Maybe early May. We’re doing a private adoption and it is the woman’s first, so it could be a bit later than the due date.” Ken said proudly. “I can tell you, I’m about as happy as I can get. I never thought I’d have a family.”
A quiet pause settled between them, a shade of something unspoken stretching across the space. “Speaking of pie, I added one to your order as a congratulations.” Allison sighed, her voice softer. “I’m sorry about what happened between us, Ken.”
He shrugged. “That situation was two-sided. It took both of us to make that mess. You worked on you; I worked on me. I’d say that’s water under the bridge. And I’ve told you that before. You’ve got to stop dragging it back up and beating yourself up over it.”
Allison gave a breathy laugh. “But it’s my favorite thing to beat myself up about. What will I do if I don’t have that?”
Ken laughed as he reached for his wallet. “I don’tknow. But you’ll have to find something else to use as your lash and whip.”
She rang him up for the bread and handed him his change. Ken tipped an imaginary hat, gave her a grin, then walked out to his SUV.
It was nearly one-thirty, and Allison moved into her closing routine. She wiped down all the counters and sanitized the workstations for tomorrow. Pulling a few expired items from the fridge, she dropped them into a compostable bag, then walked out the back door to toss them in the trash.
The alley was quiet. But she heard something scrape. Her head jerked toward the left.
“Hello?” she called, squinting down the narrow space between buildings. Stepping to the side, she glanced toward the front, but nothing moved. With a huff, Allison mumbled, “Could’ve sworn I heard someone walking.” She shook her head. “Girl, you’ve spent so much time alone, now you’re talking to yourself.”
She laughed and tossed the bag into the trash can. “And now you’re answering yourself. Perfect.”
With that, she dropped the lid, brushed off her hands, and skipped lightly up the steps. There was still cash to count and books to balance before the day ended.
The daily total wasn’t fantastic, but it wasn’t catastrophic either. She’d weathered worse.
There were days she hadn’t made a single sale and weeks when business had boomed unexpectedly. She was slowly learning the town's rhythm, how to gauge her customers and adjust her expectations with the seasons.
Winter was the hardest. The snow made travel difficult, and people stayed indoors. Most women baked at home during those colder months, filling their kitchens with the warmth and smells of their own homemade goods. But come summer, when the air was thick with heat and no one wanted their oven on, her sales soared. Plus, she had her regulars.
