Page 122 of When It's Us
As we move further into the store, I spot Josie behind the register. She looks up at the sound of our voices. Her long blonde hair is braided to the side, a camo trucker hat on her head. The graphic tee she’s wearing and the cardigan that is practically falling off one shoulder gives her a frazzled, but chic look. She lights up when she spots Hales.
“I just steamed those wide-legs you liked last time!”
“You’re the best,” Haley calls back.
Wren, Norah and Hales wander off while Finn and I head for the baby clothes racks.
I’m sifting through, trying to find the correct size in a cute little dress for Lexie’s baby when a woman steps up next to me, shuffling through the rack as well.
She shoots me a smile, and her eyes drop to the dress in my hand.
“That’s adorable. Baby shower?” she asks.
I do a double take, because although I can’t place her face, I could swear I recognize her voice.
I’m not sure how she’d know it was for a baby shower until she points at the card in my hand. “I assumed, because of the congratulations card.”
I nod, giving her tight smile. “Yeah, my sister is pregnant with her third.”
She nods and goes back to flipping through the racks, popping her gum as she does.
I rifle through until I find the size I need and as I’m about to head off to find the girls, the woman turns fully toward me. “I’ve seen you around town.”
I rack my brain, trying to place where I might have seen her.
“With Hutch Hayes, right?” she asks, a sly grin spreading on her face.
“Uh,” I say, glancing around. “Yes?”
She nods, pursing her lips with a nod. “You’re not from around here, are you?”
My brows crease, and I flick another glance around. Hales and Wren are near the dressing rooms, and I don’t see Finn, though she was just here.
The woman lets out a light laugh but it sounds fake as hell, patronizing. “It actually explains a lot.”
My brows zipper together. “Excuse me?”
“I’m just saying. That man’s like a storm. Blows in like a hurricane, a little wild, a lot of fun; whips shit up and is gone before sun up.”
“Shelby Raines, are you talking shit again?” Hayley drawls, sliding up next to me and dropping a hand on her hip.
Realizing this is one of the women from Timber’s Treats that first day, it’s all I can do to not punch her square in the throat.
I’ve never been the type to fight over a guy, and given the way she’s speaking about Hutch, she might have firsthand experience, but I’d be willing to bet her assessment is all based on gossip. Still, I kind of hate her.
At least Shelby has the foresight to look sheepish.
“Oh you know, making sure your friend here knows to steer clear of the local merry-go-round.” Shelby’s smile is venomousbefore she flicks her gaze to Hayley. It goads me that she’s talking about Hayley’s brother like this. The balls on this bitch.
Openly scowling now, Hayley turns to me. “Well, isn’t that sweet of her, Ginger? Taking time out of her busy gossip schedule to make sure you’reinformed.”
She pins the woman with a steely glare, but her lips tip up in a sickly-sweet smile. “Speaking of things that get a lot of rides…how many baby daddies you got now, Shelbs?”
Shelby scoffs with a roll of her eyes and flips her hair over her shoulder before she bites out, “Still single, Hayley? Bold choice for someone our age. Must run in the family.” She smirks and turns away, striding from the shop as quickly as she came.
Hales shakes her head, watching the woman go before she looks over at me. “Don’t mind Shelby, babes. She’s the epitome of a mean girl, and she’s been trying to get with my brother for years. Let’s just say it’s a good thing Hutch doesn’t do relationships because that girl hooked her claws into no less than four men in this town.”
I stare after Shelby, still trying to shake off the tension from her words. That was a lot of bullshit packed into a few sentences, but it's her smug little smile that's lingering in my gut. Like she thinks she knows something I don't. I don’t need her shitty take on Hutch. The way she described him—wild, a storm, sweeping in and out without leaving a trace—doesn’t sit right. It doesn’t fit with the man I know.
