"Thanks. I think." I pretended to think that through then shrugged.
She just laughed. "You're welcome. Shouldn't you be meeting that delivery?" She jerked her head in that direction.
"Yeah." I patted my palm against the door frame a couple of times before turning and hurrying away.
22
LEAH
Main street was packed.People stepped down from buses parked on the side of the road beside the Frosty Brew. More cars than I'd seen in town before were parked in front of and behind them, as well as on the other side of the street.
And down the side streets as well, I noted as I walked past.
People strolled from store to store in twos and threes. Many carried bags with logos from various stores on them. Especially In Tents, and the little shop beside it that sold fudge and jars of maple syrup.
Most of the tourists were around my age, but some were younger and some older. All here, I assumed, for adventure tours. Some of them must be international if they were buying syrup to take home with them. Okay, now I had a craving for too much of it on a piece of bacon.
All I really needed was some milk. I was used to bigger crowds than this, but for some reason, that day it threatened to overwhelm me. I'd have to get used to them when the winter tourist season rolled around.
Still, I hurried into the grocery store, relieved to find it almost empty. A couple of people browsed the fruit andvegetable section, while Carly from the Snowdrop Café carried a small basket around the aisles.
She greeted me with a smile. "Hey there. You seem to be settling in well."
"I am," I said, matching her smile. "How could I not? Everyone's been so welcoming."
"We can be an ornery bunch at times," she laughed. "Once in a while we decide to be nice to someone."
"I can't imagine you being anything but nice," I said sincerely. She'd been kind to me ever since we met. Whenever I saw her around town, she took time to stop and talk to me. And anyone else whose path she crossed. As far as I could tell, she never had a bad word for anyone.
"I have my moments," she said. "I heard you helped out when Jacob Ferguson was recuperating." She gave me a nod of approval. Like I could have sat at home and pretended everything was fine, but I hadn't. I pitched in where it was needed.
"Lots of people helped out," I said modestly. It seemed like half the town had given an hour here or there. Did they really expect that, because I was new in town, I wouldn't do the same? Okay, city folk didn't help out as much as they did here, but I was more than happy to prove them wrong.
"Well, that's true," she conceded. Something behind me caught her attention. Her smile faltered slightly.
I turned as Josiah stepped into the grocery store, his whole body stiff like he knew he'd be watched. He grabbed up a basket from beside the door and stalked through the store like a lion seeking its prey. Ready to tear it to shreds, down to the bones.
"Is this where you warn me to stay away from him?" I asked. It seemed to be the way of things around here. Every time he appeared, someone wanted to throw him out on his ass.
"I think you're old enough to choose for yourself," Carly replied. Her blue eyes were still warm, but now they held something else. Concern. Sadness.
She was the first person since I arrived in town who wasn't immediately hostile to Josiah. If anything, she seemed sympathetic. Like she felt sorry for him because the whole town ostracised him. Was she the only one?
"I'm glad someone thinks so," I said wryly. Everyone else seemed to think it was okay to tell me who I could and couldn't spend time with. Especially where it involved Josiah Lachance.
She caught the tone in my voice and looked back at me and laughed. "Why doesn't that surprise me? I've heard about some of the company you've been keeping. No, no, I'm not judging," she said quickly. "Those boys are like their fathers, and their fathers are men who like to be in control. Mountain men." She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling, but didn't stop smiling. "They work hard, and they play harder. They take care of their own, but heaven help anyone who tries to mess with them."
"That sounds like them," I agreed. Connor in particular liked being in control, and I couldn't say I hated it. The way he told me and Riley what to do, it was hot as hell.
Which reminded me…
"Is there someone in town who can change locks?" I asked.
"Henry Crane is our local locksmith, amongst other things," Carly said. "Riley too, sometimes. Both of them do a lot of handy jobs here and there. Fixing windows, framing walls, stuff like that."
Of course they did. If I was going to change the locks, I might as well have an extra key made for Connor. He'd have Riley do it anyway. If I found a way to lock them out, I suspected they wouldn't hesitate to break a window.
I wasn't sure if that was also hot or disturbing as fuck. Maybe a bit of both.
