Page 10 of By Your Side

Cringing, I say, “Oh, I’ve heard about my first impression. It was entirely unintentional.”

His smile is warm as he tries to ease my discomfort. “It’ll pass. It always does.”

We exchange pleasantries before I hand him the lengthy list.

Hank scans the list. “Easy enough. We have most of the basics in stock, but I need to order the gates. I can deliver them to your house at no cost, saving you a trip. Give me ten minutes, and I can gather the rest for you.”

He bustles off, leaving me to wander the store.

While Hank gathers everything on my list, I fill a shopping basket with items I didn’t think to include.

Meeting him at the front, he starts ringing me through.

“Did you hear about the frog that parked illegally?” He pauses, then deadpans, “Don’t worry, it got toad.”

His eyes glitter with humor as I laugh.

“How do you know a potato has a sunburn?” he asks.

Shrugging, I wait.

“Because its skin peeled.” We laugh. He shakes his head and pinches his chin. “I can do better.” He thinks for a moment as he finishes scanning my items. “I’ve got it. Where do pirates get their hooks?”

He pauses emphatically as I pay, then says, “Second hand stores.”

I leave the store, arms full and heart happy. I have everything I need to finish cleaning the yard and fixing the barn doors. I also bought two closet organizers and paint for the small bedroom.

Loading my car, I head next door to Bountiful Market. People smile and say hi to me, stopping me to chat as I load my cart with everything I could possibly want and being inundated with more friendliness than I think I’ve experienced in my entire life.

By the time I get home, two hours has passed, and the rain has stopped.

My mind wanders as I unload the car and try to find a place for all the groceries I bought. When Scott passed away, it felt like my world crashed around me. Everywhere I went, his ghost followed me until I couldn’t bear to be at home.

From the day he died until I finally had everything settled and came to Willowbrook Lake, I was just surviving. I mourned my husband as I packed up our entire life. Cried for him, celebrated him, but being in that town and that home never really allowed me to think about how life would look without him.

Every moment since arriving in this town and to this new home, I feel like the next phase of my life will be as joyful as the first.

six

Owen

Closing the tailgate with a bang, I head to meet Young Jae at Cliff’s Bar and Grill. It’s been a long week. Ever since Adeline came to town, I can’t seem to escape her. If I’m not running into her somewhere, someone is talking about her, and everyone seems to adore her.

She’s trouble, starring in my thoughts since we met, with her long, brown hair and blue eyes that don’t hide anything she’s feeling. Every emotion, from excitement to sadness, flashed across her face as I helped her with the tractor yesterday.

What makes her even more beautiful and intriguing is how incredibly brave and ambitious she is to undertake the project that is Fred’s house. Fred has many great qualities, but he fell apart after his wife passed away. By the time he finally parted with the house, fifteen years had passed and the house reflects that sheer amount of neglect.

It’s shocking to think that someone as young as Adeline is a widow. The simple band on her left ring finger and the sadness that clings to her eyes when she’s thinking about something shows the hurt is still there.

She has such a strong presence, her confidence radiating from her despite the tinge of sadness. It would’ve taken a strong man to be worthy of her.

She’s a walking contradiction. She’s slight and looks a little beaten down, but her voice radiates poise and strength when she speaks. Adeline is made only more beautiful by the fact that she can take her mistakes in stride, like with the diesel and oil. I’ve never met someone who can laugh at their own oversight without being too hard on themselves.

Clenching my eyes shut, I try to ignore the way my body reacts to her. When she smiles, everything around her seems brighter and the way corners of her eyes crinkle is incredibly sexy. Gritting my teeth, I try to think about anything else. The last thing I need is to get involved with someone who is recovering from an intense loss.

My phone dings from where it sits on the console in my truck.

Young Jae: Hey, man, just an FYI, Jill is here.

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