Page 5

With a glare, I drove past him and found a spot further down. With a huff, I grabbed my purse and got out of my car.

This place was big enough. I could avoid him.

It couldn’t be that hard, right?

Right.

Just don’t look for him and you won’t see him.

That’s what I was going to believe.

I grinned as I walked under the sign for the entrance, the fall theme evident in the making of it. It was nestled on a piece of land that was up against a field, with tons of trees all around it, the colors breathtaking in the fall.

I paused for a moment to stare, just taking it in.

Then I took a deep breath and my nose picked up on the scents, and my mouth was watering.

“It’s good to see you, Jacqueline.”

“Hi Maddie,” I told her, giving her a hug. I didn’t want to ask about her son because I knew I would just lay into him.

“I was hoping you were going to make it out this year.”

“You know me, Sundays are my only free days. But I could never miss this. This is the one event every year that I look forward to.”

“Are you going to try any games? They have axe throwing. I’d love to see you beat some of these men.”

I couldn’t help but lift a brow at her. Because though I wasn’t encouraging any of these men to glance my way, beating them at their sport was a sure-fire way to piss them off even more.

“It’s not my thing, but maybe I’ll watch it.”

“Hey, Mom,” Jackson said, walking up next to her. “I’m signed up for the axe throwing.”

I bit my lip then looked at the woman. Did she want me to beat her son? Though it would feel good, I stood firm on my statement. I didn’t need any more reasons to not find a man.

“I’m glad. Jackson, you remember Jacqueline, right? I believe you owe her an apology.”

I cleared my throat, trying even harder not to laugh. Especially when Jackson gave his mom a look. In fact, this reminded me of a time when he had done something to one of the books from the library while he was in school and his mom made him come apologize and pay for the book.

He looked as grumpy now as he did then.

Was I laughing?

You bet your ass I was.

“I’m sorry for almost hitting you.”

“I get that it’s been ages since you’ve been home, Jackson,” I told him, not letting him off at all. After all, I was older by ten years, he needed to be brought down a peg or two. “But there are rules in this town. Speed limit is a huge one. I’m not the only one who walks around here.”

He glared at me, but I just gave him a sweet smile in return.

“Excuse me, there is a treat shop calling my name.”

“Oh, sure you want to do that?”

I turned around and glared at Jackson. He had no right to make any comment. And he damn well knew that, but it was a last-minute jab at me because his mom called him out, though I didn’t tell her anything, so he had no right to get pissy at me.

However, when his mother grabbed his arm and I saw the pinch as she walked away with him, I couldn’t stop the laugh that came out.