Page 25 of Sunrise & Serenity

Riley reaches for a green flannel shirt. “Here. Try this.”

I take it from her. The material is soft under my fingertips, and there’s a handwritten price tag.

“Is this secondhand?”

Taryn nods. “All the good stuff is. And there’s no point buying new if you’ll only throw it out when you leave. Try it and see what you think.”

“Try these too.” Riley snags a few more garments for me, then points me to a wooden door. “There’s a changing room through there.”

I take the bundle and step into the compact room. A few minutes later, I’m smiling as I check out my reflection in the mirror hung on one wall.

The high-waisted jeans hug my hips without restricting my movement, and the soft green flannel skims my torso. I don’t look as polished as I usually do. I look… comfortable. Like someone I might actually want to be instead of someone else’s version of me.

When I step out of the changing room, Taryn claps while Riley gives me an approving smile.

“Much better,” she says. “Those are a yes. Now try on the rest.”

Fifteen minutes later, I’ve narrowed the pile to a handful of flannels, jeans that don’t feel like they’re trying to cut off my circulation, and a pair of cut-offs with denim worn soft that make my ass look great. Not that I care what anyone around here thinks of my ass, of course.

Holden’s face pops into my head again, but I immediately shake the image away. I especially don’t care what my grumpy neighbor thinks.

“Okay,” Riley says. “Let’s find you some boots.”

My toes are definitely being pinched now, so I eagerly follow the two of them to a barrel with a sign on it that reads Worn but Worth It.

Riley rummages around and pulls out a pair of cinnamon-colored boots. The leather is a little faded, but it’s soft and supple.

The moment I pull them on, I let out a sigh of relief. I swear they fit like they were made for me.

“Still cute,” Taryn says. “But much more comfortable. And better for riding.”

Why does everyone want me to get on a horse so much?

“Can I keep these on?” I practically beg Riley. “I don’t think I can bring myself to wear the others again just yet.”

She laughs. “Absolutely.”

We make our way back to the counter, and while she rings up my purchases, Taryn turns to me.

“Do you want to get something to eat before we head back?”

Only now do I notice how hungry I am. “As long as no one minds me slacking on my first day on the job.”

She waves a hand. “It’s not a real workday. It’s a get-to-know-the-place day. Finding the best places to get clothes and food counts. Besides, this is my chance to monopolize you without any of my brothers around.”

I chuckle. “Fair enough.”

“You think you can close the shop and come with us, Riley?” she asks.

Riley checks her watch. “Mom should be here soon, and it’s almost lunchtime. I’ll put the sign up.”

After we exit the store, Riley flips the sign to Closed for Lunch and locks up behind us.

“Your family owns the shop?” I ask as we walk down the street.

“Uh-huh. I work there on weekends mostly. During the week I’m at college, studying agribusiness.”

We approach the diner we drove past earlier. It looks like something straight out of a movie, with its white-painted wooden façade, a neon coffee cup glowing in the front window, and Mabel’s written across the glass in looping green script.