Page 72 of Hero Unbound

“Hi, Mr. Collier.” She smiled at the pharmacist. “I’m here to pick up the medicine Becky called in.”

She spent the next ten minutes chatting with the older man about the different animals at Linear Tactical, the weather, and even the local high school football team’s standing before he turned to fill the prescription. He even mentioned his car he was selling—something Eva was definitely interested in pursuing in a few weeks.

Nobody back in Philly would’ve talked that long during a pickup like this, but Eva didn’t mind. Small towns worked in an entirely different rhythm from cities.

She couldn’t wait to get away from her Coloradan small town when she’d been in high school. That was why she’d chosen a college in a huge city on the East Coast—it was about as far and different from Risk Peak as someone could get. And Risk Peak was pretty much the mirror image of Oak Creek, just in a different beautiful state.

Maybe it was everything that had happened to her, or maybe she now had some perspective, but the appeal of a large city was lost on her. She liked being somewhere where people knew you.

“I’m just saying, he was a doctor or something. And funny and sexy and I think I want to live the rest of my life with him.”

Eva couldn’t help but overhear the two young women looking through the cosmetics section a few feet away as she sat on one of the two plastic chairs lining the wall, waiting for Mr. Collier. The women were probably in their early twenties, a few years younger than Eva.

She’d seen them before. The blonde’s name was Amber. Maybe. She wasn’t sure about the brunette.

“You talked to him for a grand total of three minutes, and you’re already ready to become the future Mrs. Out-of-Towner?” Amber demanded.

The other woman held up a tube of lip gloss to compare against her skin tone. “He bought my coffee. When was the last time one of the guys around here did that? This town is too small, and I’ve got to get out.”

Eva smiled as she looked down at her hands. The exact sentiment she’d just been thinking about. Maybe everybody who lived in a small town went through it.

Amber looked through the different types of mascara. “He was handsome, I’ll give you that, Leah.”

“I want more than just handsome.” Leah let out a dramatic sigh. “I want someone who’s witty and charming and attentive like him.”

“Not to mention gorgeous.”

Leah grinned. “The gorgeous definitely helped.”

“I say let’s go back over to Fancy Pants right now, so you can give him your number. He said he’d be around for a few days, so you might as well make the most of it.”

Leah tapped the lip gloss packet against her cheek. “You’re right. Since the guys here can’t get it together, maybe I can get Dr. Sexy to diagnose me.”

Amber laughed. “I’m not sure horniness is an actual medical diagnosis.”

Leah waggled her eyebrows. “It will be by the time I’m finished.”

The women picked out the cosmetics they wanted and walked toward the front of the store. Eva stood as Mr. Collier came back to the pharmacy counter with the medication.

He held out the bag. “Sounds like those two are up to some shenanigans.”

Eva grinned. “Yes, it does, doesn’t it?”

“I hear you and Theo Lindstrom are also up to some shenanigans yourselves.” He winked at her.

She could feel herself flush. “I—I—”

She wasn’t sure how to respond. She and Theo hadn’t really talked about their relationship themselves, much less discussed what they would say if others asked.

Mr. Collier patted her hand. “Don’t you worry. Despite how rumors fly in a small town, what the two of you do is between you two. We’d all like to see Theo settle down with a nice girl like you. He stays on his own too much. We’re all glad he likes you.”

“Oh, well, I…” She shrugged. “I like him too.”

“Good.”

Eva grabbed the bag and fled, afraid Mr. Collier would ask for more details. She could hear him chuckling after her. It was a little unnerving to hear people in Oak Creek were talking about her and Theo, but she shouldn’t be surprised. That was how small towns worked—whether you were running to them or away from them.

Back outside, Eva decided to go by Fancy Pants herself. Ella had become a friend since their girls’ night out, so she could say hello. Plus, maybe picking up some treats might help ease the talk she needed to have with Theo.

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