"It's Ridge. I texted him." Katy opens her door and waves.I pop the trunk and follow her out of the car. "You texted him?"We meet at the back as she unloads her bags. "Yeah. Look, Tabitha. I'm not sure who the guy at the mall was, but he upset you. Trust me when I say if it's something big, Ridge is the guy to help you out.""Ridge?" I guess he could hook me up with a nice security alarm.Katy holds her bags in two hands and turns with sympathy. "You don't have to share whatever freaked you out, but know I've got your back."She slams the trunk down and starts the short walk to her house leaving me to discreetly wipe away the water that's gathered in my eyes. I've never had a friend be so understanding and well... friendly — especially one I've known two days. The unexpected kindness throws me for a loop, but it doesn't last long.Ridge stands on the end of the porch, his thick arms ramrod straight holding himself up on the rail. "Everything okay?""Er.... Yeah. It's fi

The front door shuts behind me, but I barely hear it. I'm on the hunt for the elusive phone. I head into the kitchen but quickly turn. The ringing is louder in the living room. I walk by the rolltop desk and stop. There wasn't a phone on the main surface when I left, but I roll it up to double check.Nothing.There's another ring and my eyes fall until I open the lower right side drawer. In the middle of the deep bottom drawer, the one normally reserved for hanging files, sits an off white-yellow colored phone. The old style with the receiver and dial buttons on the front."Hello?" I pick up the receiver hoping I haven't missed the caller. A long phone cord twirls, following me. Obviously Aunt Gertie's answer to being able to walk around the house while on the phone.The line is quiet for a moment and then, "Tabitha, is it you?""Amy?" How in the hell did Amy get the number to the phone hidden in the rolltop desk like Gertie was a super spy?"You don't have voicemail on thi

After days of nonstop cleaning and painting, the place looks nice. Not my place — I haven't painted another drop at my house — but the bakery shines. The floor's swept, the walls are a Pepto-Bismol pink that Anessa assured both Katy and me will look great in a bakery."Riley, don't be like that. I don't want to steal your dad's nail gun. We just want to borrow it." Katy walks in from outside, her phone pressed to an ear. Another resident of Pelican Bay who apparently knows how to get service in this town."Who is she talking to?" Anessa asks.I shrug. The decision was made to hang up wainscoting on the bottom section of the bakery wall. When Anessa went to find her hammer and nails, Katy jumped up with an excited declaration. She had a better idea. We're both just rolling with it.As expected, Anessa is an awesome chick. Between her and Katy, I have the friends I didn't know I needed, but I've always wanted. It happened fast, but we've bonded the last three days. Being half hig

"For sex?"One long kiss passes between us before Ridge makes his way out the door without answering my question. He walks to his truck and drives down our short street before he turns. I go inside when I lose sight of him around the corner. Pasta salad? The question lingers as I close the door behind me.My move to Pelican Bay was to bring me peace and alone time. Allow me the chance to reflect and get my shit together. Between Katy, Anessa, and Ridge everything is spinning on its axis. I have no control over my situation. And holy hell I wasn't planning to get attached to people so quickly. Definitely not a muscled hottie with a secret job.Without dinner plans there's no reason for me to hang around in a dress with my bra unhooked. I switch out the dress for a long sleeve shirt and my favorite pair of fleece pajama pants. With the soft inner lining and large ice cream cones covering the outside, they're my go-to pants when I need a pick me up. I need one tonight.And a telev

I FINISH WASHING MY HANDS, choosing to skip the drying phase since they only have those loud air dryers. My ears enjoyed being in a room away from the constant megaphone noise. With a shake of my hands I push open the door with my hip and step back into the dark hallway.Someone grabs me, their fingers digging into the soft skin of my upper arm. I'm jerked to the left. I let out a scream but am silenced by a hand covering my mouth, so it's more of a muffled splattering of words. The metal of the exit door at the end of the hallway clatters and the sun blinds me as I'm tugged outside. My back hits the hard side of the barn, the wood scraping against my back through the fleece jacket I put on this morning."Keep your fucking mouth shut, Tabby." Benny uses the hand over my mouth to slam my head against the barn and locks another around my neck. "This will be nice and easy if you cooperate."My eyes widen, but I can't speak past his hand. I try to push out from the wall, but he tight