“Oh, nice. I hope you’re enjoying your downtime. I heard today was your first time on a horse. How did it go?”
She let out a small laugh. “Better than I expected, honestly. Daisy was sweet—and patient. And Seth made it easy.”
Paige grinned. “Good to hear. Daisy’s the best horse for beginners.”
Stepping into the laundry room, Seth opened the closet and pulled out the plumbing snake. “Hey, Paige? Just checking—do you actually need this thing, or were you hoping I’d bring Shylo back for a follow-up visit?”
Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “Trust me, if I’d known it would take a minor disaster to get her back here, I might’ve orchestrated this sooner.”
The two women followed him to the half-bath, staying in the hallway as he got to work unclogging the toilet. “Any idea what’s in here?”
Paige shook her head. “Your guess is as good as mine. Ashley was out of my sight for less than a minute while I was on the phone. When the toilet flushed, I came running. I have no clue what it could be. Mya took her for a walk to see the baby goats because she was crying that I wouldn’t let her keep flushing it. While I waited for you, I ordered toilet handle locks for every bathroom.”
Seth fed the plumbing snake into the pipe until he met resistance. It had a claw at the end, and when he squeezed the handle, it would hopefully grab whatever was in there.
Meanwhile, Paige faced Shylo, leaning casually against the doorjamb. “So, how are you liking Hazard Falls so far?”
“It’s quiet. I grew up in a small town, but it wasn’t nearly this peaceful. The people here have been kind. And the scenery...” She paused. “Well, it’s beautiful here.”
Seth’s mouth curved into a half-smile as he worked at the clog. On the surface, it was polite conversation, but he heard something else beneath her words. A hint of possibility. And that felt like a win.
“I grew up in a small town too,” Paige went on. “Then I spent years in San Francisco before moving here. Thought I’d go crazy without the pace, but Hazard grows on you. So do the people. And fast.”
A quiet beat passed.
“I just wanted something different.” Shylo’s voice stayed even and thoughtful. “A fresh start, I guess.”
Seth stilled, his hand resting on the tool. It wasn’t dramatic, but something about her tone—low, measured, maybe a little uncertain—caught his attention. He understood it. Not running from something but choosing something else.
“Makes sense.” Paige’s tone softened, as if she’d caught it too. “Well, I hope you stick around. We could use more women who don’t mind a little dirt under their nails.”
He gave the snake one last twist, felt the clog give way, and then pulled it free with a grimace. A small, balled-up blue washcloth clung to the end, soaked and tangled around the metal. Mystery solved.
He shook his head. “Guess we found what Ashley flushed.”
“Oh, jeez. That towel set is brand new.” Paige grabbed a small plastic bag from under the sink and held it out for him to put the dripping mess in.
“Well, with that crisis handled,” she said, “you two should stay for dinner. Mya’s making brisket, and it won’t be ready for a little while, but there’s plenty to go around.”
Seth didn’t need convincing, but it was up to Shylo if she wanted to join them. He turned his gaze to meet hers. When she raised her eyebrows in a silent question, he nodded. A moment’s hesitation followed before she smiled at Paige. “I’d love to. Thanks.”
They followed Paige back toward the kitchen, and when she ducked into the laundry room, Seth trailed after her to rinse the snake in the utility sink. She tossed the washcloth into the washer with an exasperated sigh, but he barely heard her. His thoughts were on Shylo and that amazing kiss they’d shared. For the first time in his life, a kiss meant something deeper than seduction. It stirred something beyond physical want.
He’d dated plenty of women. A few dinners. Some laughs. Maybe a few weeks together before things started getting serious. But the moment they wanted more—something real—he pulled back and ghosted them. That wasn’t the life he wanted.
Or so he’d always told himself.
He wasn’t sure what unsettled him more—that being around Shylo made him feel something different, or that he didn’t want it to stop.
He stepped back into the kitchen and found her standing near the window, sunlight catching in her hair, her cheeks still faintly pink from the ride. She seemed at ease—calm, even—but he couldn’t shake the sense that there was still a thread of tension beneath it. Like she hadn’t fully decided if she could let her guard down.
The urge to offer her comfort, to be someone she could lean on if she chose, surprised him. Instead, he nodded toward the porch. “Come on. I’ll grab us some sweet tea. Might as well sit a minute—before Paige finds something else for me to fix.”
The scent of slow-roasted brisket greeted Shylo as she followed Seth through the back door, mingling with the warm aromas of cornbread, something tangy-sweet, and spiced beans. Her boots scuffed softly across the tiled floor as they crossed the kitchen and stepped into the dining room, where a long wooden table already held more dishes than she could name.
She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she saw it all laid out. Her stomach rumbled in appreciation, and she shifted self-consciously as Paige appeared with a tray of glasses, some filled with sweet tea, others with water.
“Perfect timing,” she said with a warm smile. “Y’all grab a seat.”
