“I would only be bothering you.”
“In what way? I’m alone all the time. Well, Alyssa comes in and spends time there also, but she’s not going to bug you with questions.”
“Well, I might take you up on that.”
Glancing in her cart, I changed the subject, hoping to cheer her up. “Are you shopping for Thanksgiving?”
“Trying to. I’m not the greatest cook, but Ryder and I decided to try it out this year. Though I think he’ll be ten times better at it than me.”
“If it fails, you can always swing by my house. It’s just me and my parents this year.”
Her eyes widened at the amount of groceries in my cart. “That’s enough to feed an army.”
“Yes, but the best part is the leftovers.”
“I was hoping to just make a small turkey breast and not burn it,” she chuckled.
I was about to tell her that cooking Thanksgiving was one of my favorite things when I heard the snide voices of Kasey and Raleigh one aisle over.
“—doesn’t even leave the house. I heard she’s selling the shop.”
“Well, wouldn’t you find it hard to go back to work if something like that happened to you?” Raleigh asked.
“Oh, please. I bet she liked it. Ryder may pretend to like fucking that cow, but he’s only staying with her now because of what happened. It’s not like he can leave her after something like that.”
I gripped Ellie’s hand as the tears started dripping down her face. I fucking hated those girls so much, and if it didn’t cause a scene that would only make Ellie more uncomfortable, I would march around the corner and give them a piece of my mind.
“And I suppose you think that when he does leave her, he’ll fall for you,” Raleigh laughed.
“I’ve got my eyes on someone even better. I don’t need her sloppy seconds.”
“And who is this mystery man?”
“Uh, hello? Sam. Total hottie. Have you seen those muscles? I bet he could benchpress me.”
I didn’t realize I was now gripping Ellie’s hand even tighter than before until she whimpered. Releasing her, I pulled her in for a hug and tried to rein in my anger at the thought of either of those women going near Sam.
“You’d have more luck with Ryder. Sam’s not interested in anything but sex. He’ll drop you as soon as he fucks you,” Raleigh said.
“Give it another few weeks, and that might actually be possible. He’ll get sick of Ellie moping around, and he’ll leave her. I can guarantee?—”
“Get the hell out of my store!”
I flinched at the sound of John Callahan’s voice booming down the next aisle. Ellie’s face was buried in my shoulder as sobs wracked her body. It didn’t take long to hear the ding over the door as the women exited, or for John to walk around the corner, his face pinched in concern.
“Is she alright?”
I had no clue, but staying here was not an option. “I’m going to take her home. Can you?—”
“Just leave it. I’ll make sure it gets sent to your house.”
“This cart is hers,” I said, tapping the second cart. “Give me your phone,” I whispered.
As soon as I had her phone in my hand, I dialed Ryder’s number and ushered her out the door and to my car. As I was rounding the front, he answered.
“Ellie—”
“It’s Cassidy. I’m taking Ellie home. She had a run-in at the General Store.”
