Chapter 5: Scarlett

Crap. What now?

Scarlett spun and the three of them bolted out the rear door of the bakery into the alley that led to one of the streets that crossed the main drag of the small town.

An old pickup truck sat across the street, a metal garbage can sitting on its side. A red head stood in the street, cursing a blue streak.

"Jessica, what happened?" Scarlett stopped at the curb, bouncing on the balls of her feet, poised as if to do something.

"Are you okay?" Harper bent and scooped up garbage that had rolled out of the overturned receptacle.

"I'm fine." Jessica threw her hands up. "A gold Buick just turned in front of me."

"A gold Buick?" Scarlett echoed. "Like Sissy's?"

"I don't know." Jessica sighed.

Cole grabbed the hefty garbage can and hauled it upright with a clang.

"I bet it was Sissy." Scarlett shook her head.

"I didn't say that it was," Jessica said then glanced at him with interest. "Well, hello there, stranger."

"Hello." Cole gave a little wave then hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his borrowed shorts.

"This is Cole Odell," Scarlett said.

"AK's fiancé." Jessica snapped her finger and grinned.

"Ex-fiancé," he corrected. He was looking forward to the day when people didn't automatically associate them together.

"That didn't last long." Jessica's eyes grew wide. "Well, if you want to talk about it over a beer, I manage the only bar in Ransom. And speaking of the bar, I've got to get to work. It was nice to meet you, Cole. Come by any time." Jessica jogged to her ancient truck and climbed in.

"Well damn." Scarlett sighed and watched Jessica's truck whip around the corner.

"Did I miss something?" Cole asked.

"It's a long story. Don't worry about it." Scarlett waved her hand. "Let's get inside before one of the cops show up."

She tugged on Cole's arm, leading him back inside. He instinctively slid his hand into hers, his finger wrapped around her palm. Almost as soon as the feeling of rightness began to settle in he let go of her.

The heavy door clanged shut behind them and Scarlett pulled her hand from his.

"What just happened?" he asked, staring down at his fingers, not sure which thing he was asking about-the near-miss wreck or the electrical hum he'd felt when he touched Scarlett.

"Like I said, town drama." Scarlett glanced at her phone.

"Speaking of drama, is it true the Baptist church isn't doing trunk or treat this year?" Harper asked.

"Yup. The pastor made an announcement in January about a family trip," Scarlett said while frowning at her phone. Her shoulders stiffened and her smile dimmed.

"I wish someone would tell me this stuff. I was making cupcake plans." Harper groaned.

"Well, there's the fall festival. Hey, Cole? I need to get a few things from the store then head home. Was there anything else you needed today?"

"No. You've been more than helpful." He resisted the urge to press her for more information. They were strangers.

"Want me to give you a lift home?" She slid her phone in her pocket, a wrinkle between her brows. The easiness they'd enjoyed was gone.

"I only live a few blocks away. I can pedal home." They lived in the same small town. He'd see her again. Maybe some space would be what he needed to sort this out.

"Oh, well, let me get your bike out of the Jeep then."

He followed her out front to the Jeep. She unlocked it and he hauled the bicycle out. Cole had this crazy desire to stay close to her. This awareness of her was unsettling in its single minded focus.

"What's wrong?" he asked when it was just them standing there in the afternoon heat.

"Nothing's wrong," she said too fast.

He studied her for a moment. It wasn't his place to keep pushing. And yet, he wanted her to. Which was why he was going home. He had no business getting involved with another woman. Not now, maybe not ever, but especially not now.

"If you want to talk about it I'm an unbiased third party. I'm going to have to make this up to you anyway," he said.

"That's not necessary." She shrugged.

"Let's call it, being a good neighbor?" He could turn this small town stuff around on her.

"You really don't have to-"

"I want to. I'll treat you to dinner or something." It was a selfish request. He'd liked spending time with her and he wanted to do it again.

She studied him for a few long moments.

"Okay." Scarlett glanced down at her phone, her finger sliding along the edge.

Once more it felt like there was an invisible rope around his waist, pulling him toward her. The closer she got the more at peace he felt. And he wasn't alone. He knew she felt something. It was there in her eyes, the way she bit her lower lip, when they touched.

"Give me your phone." He held out his hand.

She frowned at him a moment before unlocking the screen and placing it in his hand.

He plugged his number into her contacts. This way, the ball was in her court, so to speak.

"There. When you want me, call me." He handed the phone back to her.

"Right." She chuckled and slid the phone into her pocket.

"Bye, Scarlett." He backed away when what he wanted to do was lean in and kiss her sultry mouth.

Though the day had started with a proverbial rain cloud following him around, it wasn't ending that way. All because of Scarlett. She was something special.

And he was fucked up for entertaining ideas of anything except gratitude.

"Go on. Get in the Jeep." He nodded at the driver's door.

She groped for the door handle then yanked it open, jumping in like he might pounce on her.

She felt it, too.

He swung his leg over the bike and watched Scarlett pull the Jeep back onto the street. Only once she was out of sight did he set off for home.

That gravitational pull was new.

Was he a heartless bastard because he felt more for a woman he'd just met rather than his fiancé?

Cole coasted up the drive to the house. Allie had picked it out, calling it a modernized Tudor style. Modern could only be applied to the exterior color pallet. Greys, white and a dash of red did give it a contemporary feel, and it was updated. What mattered to him was that he could afford rent plus groceries and other bills on his future paycheck. Part of the reason he'd been for moving to Texas was that they could feasibly live on his salary if Allie kept getting fired.

So much of their relationship had been because of that.

He rolled his bike into the house and onto the mat he'd laid down so he didn't track dirt and mud into the house.

Boxes lined the walls. He'd at least labeled them according to room which made sorting what went where easier, but he hadn't divided out which were his things and which were Allie's. He wasn't ready to wade into their shared life yet. He knew they weren't totally over. She'd surface once she went through the money she'd took or ran into trouble. They might not be together anymore, but he knew she'd need someone to bail her out, eventually. That had been him since they met.

Then what?

Would she change her mind about the wedding?

He didn't want to marry her. Sure, for the last little while he'd gotten into the idea, but they'd never truly been in love. At least he didn't think so.

No, if or when Allie popped back into his life, it would be to end things. If he'd known giving her a ride home that night at the bar would lead to a roommate that slowly became his girlfriend until he woke up with her informing him they were getting hitched, he'd have called her a cab instead. They'd never loved each other. Allie valued her security and having a net to catch her, but she'd never wanted to be tied to him the way he'd wanted to be part of something.

Cole scrubbed his hand over his jaw.

Why had he thought it could work with Allie or anyone?

His phone buzzed with an incoming message.

He pulled it out and part of him hoped for a particular sender, but it wasn't. Probably for the best.

The subject of the email made his mouth dry: Found your brother. Have a lead on the oldest sister.

Holy shit.

Cole sat on the edge of a box and stared at those two sentences. Did he dare hope?