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“Hello?” I called out. Yet again, there was no one there at the front to greet me. I walked towards the back of the bookstore. “Hello?” Still no response.
I looked around. It was a small bookstore, but there must have still been thousands of books. I walked over to one of the bookshelves and smiled as I pulled off a copy of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This was a book that I remembered from my childhood.
“Oh, Laurie,” I whispered, thinking about the love that was not. “Oh, Joe.”
“Hi. Can I help you?” A woman around my age popped up beside me with a bright smile.
“Hi. I’m looking for a job. Are you hiring?”
“Hiring? Like for a job?”
“Yeah.” Wasn’t that what I just said?
“No, not right now. I’m afraid I don’t make enough money to hire anyone.”
“Oh, okay.” I have chewed on my lower lip. “That’s what the lady in the coffee shop said as well.”
“Oh, you spoke to Betsy Lou?”
I nodded.
“Yeah. This main street is not really happening.” The girl looked at me and shrugged. “Horseshoe Valley is a wonderful place to live, but we don’t get much business. You’d have to hop on over to St. Roses if you’re looking for a job. That’s the town twenty minutes away.”
“Oh, okay. I was hoping to stay in Horseshoe Valley, but I guess if it’s not that busy, I’ll have to go to St. Roses.”
“Yeah.” Her eyes narrowed as she looked me up and down. “Do I know you?”
“I don’t think so.” I smile shaking my head. “Why?”
“Well, we look about the same age, but I don’t recognize you from high school or elementary school.”
“Oh, I just got to town.”
“Oh, really? Where you staying?”
“I’m up at Horseshoe Ranch, with the Hamiltons.”
“Oh, Amelia and Ranger, and those goddamn fine boys.” She let out a low whistle. “Mm, mm. They are so delicious.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“But three of them’s off the table now. I can’t believe it.”
“Oh?” I asked her. “You know them?”
“Oh yeah. I went to school with Austin. We were in the same grade.”
“Oh, cool. Yeah. He’s getting married.”
“I know. He’s getting married. Beau’s getting married. Wyatt’s getting married. I just can’t believe it. Three Hamilton men at once. The next thing you know, they’re going to say Chet’s getting married.” She laughed.
I paused. “Do you know Chet?”
“Who doesn’t know Chet Hamilton?” She shook her head. “He’s the most infamous of all the Hamilton men.”
“Oh, why is that?”
“He was the star football player. He was valedictorian of his high school graduating class. He was a volunteer fireman. He was scouted by people in Hollywood. He used to do rodeo. Why, he’s just out there.”
