Chapter 3: Misunderstood

"They left a note here saying I missed my delivery window which isn't true." I groan.

He looked like a strong guy but there was no way he could carry this all without help.

"Let me make a quick phone call. I'll handle this." He made his phone call and five minutes later two quads pulled up and big burly men were carrying furniture into my house asking me where to put everything. I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders and I didn't even have to do anything at all.

About a half hour later everything was placed exactly where I wanted and and the two extra guys pulled off. I thanked them profusely as they left, and promised to make them dinner one night soon. Small town living was already starting to grow on me. The handsome fellow from the diner lingered behind and I walked with him to his truck.

"You know you've helped me out twice now and I still don't even know your name." Was I flirting? This sounded like flirting.

He chuckled while looking down at me.

"My name is Shaw."

"I'm Kat, Katherine, and that's Amelia." I pointed to my daughter hovering in the threshold. Once she finally gave up and went inside I gave Shaw my full attention.

"You know I really appreciate you calling your buddies and helping me out. It makes me happy I chose to move to a small town."

"Where are you from originally?" he asked curiously.

"Connecticut. Everyone really keeps to themselves especially in the bigger city's. I would have been screwed."

"What about her father?" He looks at me intently.

"What about him?" I narrow my eyes.

"Could you depend on him?"

"No.."

He tilted his head like a dog when they're trying to figure something out.

"Why would you chose a male that you could not depend on?" He asked seriously with his brow furrowed. He seemed genuinely confused.

I took a step back. Was this asshole serious?

"Excuse me? You know what thanks for your help today goodbye." I turned on my heel and marched to my front door slamming it behind me. If I didn't walk away right then I would have cursed him out. The audacity of that man. He thinks just because he's fine he can say whatever he wants.

I busied myself putting our clothes away in drawers and getting Amelia's room all set up. By late afternoon we were both exhausted. We were laying on the couch watching movies when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

I peak out the side window and see someone standing there with a plate in their hands.

"Hello! I'm Sam, I live across the street and I just wanted to stop by and welcome you to the neighborhood." She smiled as she spoke.

"Oh wow thank you. I'm Kat, that's my daughter Amelia. Would you like to come in?" Amelia was asleep on the couch oblivious to the cookies otherwise she would be jumping for joy.

"Sure. These are for you." She hands me the plate.

The plate was still warm meaning these were fresh.

"Thank you Sam. This was really thoughtful of you."

Sam had reddish brown hair and dark brown eyes. She had a curvy frame and was about the same height as me standing around five foot seven. Her light pink lips stayed pulled in a smile and I could tell it was natural for her.

"Well I saw Shaw and a couple of his boys helping you move your furniture in and I figured now was a good time."

"Well I appreciate the thought. So have you lived here long?"

"Oh yeah, born and raised just like everyone else in town. Where did you move from?"

"Connecticut. We just needed a change in scenery. Can I offer you a bottle of water?"

"Sure thanks. Your daughter is a beauty Kat. How old is she?"

"She's three. Do you have any?"

"I have two boys. Zachariah is three and Jeremiah is five. They're out on the trails with their dad, but I'll bring them over next time."

I hand her a cold water bottle and we sat and chatted at the kitchen table. She mentioned the end of summer celebration coming up early August. She invited Amelia and I to tag along with her family. I accepted her invitation. It'll be nice to have at least one friend in town and plus it sounded like fun. She told me about all of the food and baked goods that turn out every year. She stayed for about an hour and then excused herself. It felt nice having a conversation with another adult. My cellphone started ringing from my bedroom.

I ran to get my phone knowing exactly who would be calling.

"Hey mom."

"Katherine why haven't you called? I was almost worried." Her indifferent tone made that extremely hard to believe.

"Sorry, it slipped my mind. We've been busy getting settled." I explained. My curls were loose down my back and out of habit i found myself mindlessly twirling a lock between my fingers.

My mother and I rarely spoke, and when we did she usually wanted to express her disappointment in my life choices. She never asked about her granddaughter or acknowledged her in any capacity. As far as I was concerned she was not a grandmother at all.

"Katherine you'll never believe who I ran into at the country club." She crooned.

My mother and my father divorced when I was five years old. She found someone richer who paid more attention to her and that's what she wanted. She was more than thrilled my father wanted full custody of me as it made her life easier.

"Hello? Did you hear what I said?" she sounded annoyed.

"Sorry no you cut out."

"I said I saw William. He even asked about you and the girl."

"Mom I have to go."

What the fuck. William was Amelia's sperm donor. I would never call him her father as he signed over his rights before her first month of life. He was a trust fund baby and his family didn't accept me. We were young and in love, but in the end his families money meant more than any life we could have had together. Why the hell would he be asking about us? No scratch that it doesn't even matter. If there was one thing guaranteed in my life it was that my mother always knew exactly how to ruin my mood.