Don't Fight It: Hazard Falls Book 1

by Samantha A. Cole

  The woman grinned. “Great!”

  A loud bell signaled the end of the school day, and Shane crossed his arms and leaned against the front quarter-panel of the truck, his gaze on the front door of the building, watching for his daughter to emerge. It wasn’t long until two little girls came running down the walkway toward them, each with a knapsack on their back. One was blonde and the other brunette, and they both had their hair up in pigtails.

  The darker-haired girl ran to Nicole, who said goodbye to Paige and Shane, before leading her daughter toward her vehicle. Meanwhile, the towheaded girl leaped into Shane’s outstretched arms when he squatted down. “Daddy!”

  “Hey, pipsqueak.” Shane gave her a tight squeeze before letting go and standing again. “How was school?”

  “Good. I got a hundred percent on my spelling test and a gold sticker next to my name on the board.”

  “Fantastic. C’mere. There’s someone I want you to meet.” Setting his hands on the little girl’s shoulders, he turned her to face Paige. “This is Paige, our new house manager. Paige, this is my daughter, Arianna.”

  Extending her hand to her new charge, Paige smiled. “It’s nice to meet you, Arianna.”

  A shy grin spread across the little girl’s face as she shook the proffered hand. “It’s nice to meet you too. I like your name—it’s pretty.”

  “Well, we have something in common, then. I like your name and think it’s pretty too.”

  “Thank you.” A curious expression spread across her face. “Do you know how to make pancakes?”

  “I certainly do. I can make them plain or with blueberries, chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips.”

  Arianna’s eyes lit up in delight. “Butterscotch? I love butterscotch! Hannah used to make me butterscotch pudding all the time, but I’ve never had it in my pancakes. That sounds yummy!”

  Her smile widening, Paige gave her two thumbs up. “Butterscotch-chip pancakes are my favorite. As soon as I can get some I’ll make them for you and your dads. Okay?”

  “Okay!” She tilted her head back until her gaze met Shane’s. “I like her, Daddy.”

  He chuckled and gently tugged on one of her pigtails. “Glad to hear it, pipsqueak. What do you say we get out of here and go show Paige the ranch?”

  “Okay. You’re gonna love it, Paige. We have lots of animals.”

  They loaded up into the pickup, with Arianna buckled into the back seat behind Shane, then drove toward the Red River Ranch. The little girl showed off her bubbly personality, telling Paige all about the menagerie of animals at the ranch and what she’d done in school that day. As she rambled on, Shane shook his head and whispered in Paige’s direction, “She does stop to inhale every once in a while—you just have to wait for it.”

  Paige chuckled. “No worries. She’s sweet.”

  “Thanks.”

  When they turned off the main road onto a long, dirt drive, Paige took in the surroundings. A large, overhead, wrought-iron sign they passed under had a logo with back to back Rs inside a circle. The Red River Ranch was huge. Fenced-in pastures sat on either side of the driveway, and while one was empty, about half a dozen horses grazed to Paige’s right. The main house was about a half mile from the road, and beyond that, several bunkhouses, barns, and a silo could be seen. It was a typical ranch like those she’d grown up near. Although her family had lived in a house in what was considered “town,” she’d had many friends who’d lived on nearby ranches. Paige might not have wanted to return to her own hometown, but with each moment that passed, she was remembering how much more relaxing small-town life had been. The fresh air alone was bringing back welcome memories of a simpler time in her life. No, it hadn’t always been perfect, but what was?

  Shane parked the truck under a carport attached to the house and killed the engine. Arianna was out of her seatbelt and opening her door in the blink of an eye. “Come on, Paige! I’ll show you my room!”

  Climbing out of the driver’s seat, Shane chuckled. “Easy, sweetheart—there’s no rush. Paige will get to see the whole house, including your room. Right now, though, you have homework to do at the kitchen table, so hop to it.”

  An exasperated pout appeared on the little girl’s face, but she didn’t argue, taking her knapsack into the house. Shane retrieved Paige’s carry-on from the back seat, then called out to a ranch hand who’d pulled up in a pickup truck behind them. “Hey, Seth, do me a favor and bring in the two suitcases from the back. I’ll be out to help with the rest of the stuff in a bit.”

  The man was in his late twenties, with short, light-brown hair under his cowboy hat, wicked, blue eyes, and an easy grin that lit up his face. “Sure thing, Shane. Howdy, ma’am,” he added, with a tug on the brim of his hat.

  Shane grimaced. “Sorry about that. I should have done the introductions first. Seth Parker, this is our new house manager, Paige Merritt.”

  The cowboy held out his hand and winked. “Pleasure to meet you, Paige. Welcome to Red River. I maintain the property around the main house and bunk houses—fixing whatever needs fixing—and running errands into town as needed. I’m kind of a jack-of-all-trades, so just let me know if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Seth,” Paige said with a smile as she shook his hand. “And it’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

  Paige didn’t miss how Seth held onto her hand a little longer than necessary, his gaze roaming down her body in appreciation. Apparently, neither did Shane, because he growled. “I doubt your latest girlfriend would like to know you were hitting on another woman, Seth.”

  The younger man barked out a laugh as he let Paige’s hand drop. “Yeah, well, as of last night, I’m a single guy again—thank God.”

  Shane smirked. “Let me guess, she said the ‘M’ word?”

  “Something like that.”

  Taking Paige’s elbow, Shane turned her toward the front entrance of the house. “Seth’s allergic to the word ‘marriage.’ C’mon, I’ll show you around inside while he gets back to work.”

  The inside of the large home was tastefully decorated, and Paige wondered if the gay couple had done it on their own or had hired an interior designer. Each room had been done in earth tones that gave them a rich, yet comfortable feel. There was a small living room that appeared to not get much use as not a thing was out of place in it. In between that and the country kitchen was a dining room with a huge table that could seat twenty people. A family room that ran from the front to the back of the house seemed to be the most used room. There were comfortable couches and chairs in front of an entertainment center with a sixty-inch wide screen TV. An area had been sectioned off for Arianna’s toys, and from the looks of things, she favored Barbie and anything to do with horses. Off to one side was a crafting area complete with a sewing machine. Paige figured it had been for the former home manager—Shane had said she was an older woman. Well, Paige could cook, clean, and do a lot of different crafting projects, but sewing, beyond a simple button, wasn’t on the list of things she was good at.

  Shane gave her a tour of the house and showed her where Arianna’s bedroom was as the little girl trailed behind, pointing out things she thought Paige should know about or see before her father instructed her to go back to her homework. There was a guest bedroom that wasn’t in use, and the master bedroom suite was huge with a sitting area, an attached bath, and the biggest bed Paige had ever seen.

  “Sorry about the mess,” Shane said with a frown as he grabbed some discarded clothes from the floor and tossed them into a nearby hamper, then pulled the covers up to the pillows on the bed, trying to straighten them. “I’m a little tidier than Tuck.”

  Paige smiled. “It’s okay. My husband wasn’t the neatest man in the world either.”

  Crossing to the other side of the house, Shane showed Paige where she’d be staying. She was surprised to see it was almost a duplicate of the master bedroom. She had a sitting area with her own television, a king-sized bed, and en suite bathroom. Although she was used to
a grand bedroom from the mansion she’d lived in for several years before her life had turned upside down, she hadn’t expected it on a ranch in a small town.

  Seth had already been there and gone, having left her bags on the bed for her. Shane set her carryon next to the two suitcases. “The mattress, box spring, sheets, and pillows are all brand new. So are the towels and things in the bathroom. If you need anything we missed, just let me know, and I’ll have Seth grab it for you the next time he goes shopping in Garden City.”

  After glancing into the large bathroom that had a walk-in shower and spa tub, Paige turned to her new boss. “I don’t think I’ll need anything else, but I’ll let you know.”

  Shane shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “Um . . . why don’t you unpack and we’ll head into town for dinner later? I don’t want you to have to cook your first night here. Once in a while, Tuck, Arianna, and I go to the Bar None for dinner. It’s a combination restaurant, bar, and dance hall. Best food in town.”

  “That sounds nice. Thank you. What time should I be ready.”

  He checked the watch on his left wrist. “It’s 3:30 now, but we won’t be ready to go until 6:00. If you’re hungry, there’s plenty of food in the fridge and pantry.”

  “I’m good,” Paige answered with a shake of her head. “I’ll unpack, then take another walk around the house and outside. Get the lay of the land.”

  “Great. I’ll be out in the main barn for a bit. When Arianna’s done with her homework, you’ll need to check it. After that, she can play for a while or watch TV. I’ll give her a snack on my way out, so don’t let her convince you she’s starving.” Shane rolled his eyes. “I swear that little girl can out eat most of our ranch hands some days.”

  Paige smiled. “No pigging out. Check.”

  Glancing around, Shane looked like he wanted to say something else, but then decided against it. Instead, he strode to the door. “I’ll get out of your way. If you need anything, Seth is fixing the banister on the back porch. I noticed it was loose last night.”

  “Okay.” Paige paused then added, “And Shane?”

  He stopped in the doorway and looked back at her. “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for taking a chance on me. It was very nice of you.”

  The corners of his mouth tilted upward. “You’re welcome, Paige. See you at 6:00.”

  Chapter Seven

  After closing the top drawer of the dresser that now held her underwear and bras, Paige slid the two empty suitcases under the bed. The ivory, ruffled bed skirt hid them from view. Pivoting around, she took in her surroundings once more. The walk-in closet could hold a lot more clothes than she’d brought with her. If things worked out, she’d have Marcella ship the rest of her stuff.

  Suddenly thirsty, Paige wandered out to the kitchen where Arianna had her school books spread out on the table. Next to her elbow was a glass with only a mouthful of milk left in it and a plate with a few slices of an apple on it. Arianna was nibbling on a piece of the fruit while frowning at the open book in front of her.

  Paige stopped beside her. “What’s wrong, Arianna?”

  The little girl sighed like the weight of the world was on her shoulders. “It’s my math homework. We have to add up the pennies, dimes, and nickels, and I don’t know if I got them right or not.”

  “Would you like me to take a look at it or do you want to try to do it again?”

  Arianna shrugged and turned the book, so Paige could see it better. “You can take a look, but don’t tell me the answers. Mrs. Dwyer says we’re supposed to figure it out on our own. Just tell me if I got them right or wrong.”

  “Okay.” She scanned the eight math problems and the penciled-in answers on the page. “Hmm. Well, you did very good on the first six, but you have to try the last two again, and then I’ll check them.”

  “Okay.”

  While her new charge went back to work, Paige opened the commercial-sized refrigerator, and the pantry beside it, to find there was plenty of food and drinks to choose from. With the number of people she’d be cooking breakfast and the occasional dinner for, she was glad to have a fully-stocked fridge and pantry. The stove and oven were also larger than usual for a residential kitchen, and she found herself looking forward to cooking for a big group again. She and Myles had often invited their friends over, and she’d cooked for them instead of having the meals catered. While she’d never be a renowned chef, she did enjoy experimenting and creating new culinary masterpieces.

  Choosing an apple, she closed the door to the fridge and leaned against the counter while she took a few bites. Like the rest of the house, the kitchen had been decorated in warm and cozy colors. A backdoor led to the porch that wrapped around the east side and front of the house. Paige imagined herself sitting in one of the several rocking chairs she could see, relaxing and watching an evening sunset. That was one of the things she’d miss the most about California—the sun setting into the Pacific Ocean, painting the sky red, orange, yellow, and every shade in between. The multi-million-dollar, Torrance Beach home she and Myles had lived in had been within walking distance of the ocean, and she loved to sit and behold the view as day became night.

  “I’m done, Paige. I think I got them right this time.”

  She stepped over to the table and scanned the page again. “Yup, you did. Very good. Do you have more homework to do?”

  “Uh-uh. Here’s my social studies and science homework for you to look at. I finished everything except for my reading, and I do that at night with Daddy before I go to bed.”

  Once Paige approved the rest of the homework, which was simple enough for a first-grader to process, Arianna put her books and papers back into her knapsack. “Can I watch TV now? My favorite show is on.”

  “Your daddy said you could, so yes.” From Arianna’s chattering earlier in the car, Paige had figured out that Shane was “Daddy” and the yet unseen Tucker was “Papa.” “Which show is your favorite?”

  With Paige following, the little girl skipped into the family room. “The man with the happy, little trees.”

  Her brow furrowed. She had no idea what was on nowadays for six-year-olds, so she was clueless about a show with “happy, little trees,” especially since she rarely watched TV herself. Paige preferred to read and had three Kindles loaded with books she’d read or was planning to. “What man?”

  Arianna picked up the remote from the couch and pointed it toward the TV. “Mr. Bob. I like him. He’s nice.”

  When the show came on, Paige had to chuckle. She’d forgotten all about Bob Ross and his gentle voice as he showed millions of watchers how to create beautiful paintings with “happy, little trees” during a half-hour show. Her father had loved watching Ross’s The Joy of Painting, even though he’d never attempted to paint anything himself. “Do you paint, Arianna?”

  “Nope. I just like watching.”

  Paige glanced around, getting a better look of the room she’d passed through earlier. The sitting area for the entertainment center consisted of an L-shaped couch, two recliners, an ottoman, a coffee table, and several smaller side tables. From the books, newspapers, and other items scattered about, it was clear the family spent a lot of time in there. On the wall behind one part of the couch were four floor-to-ceiling bookcases filled to the brim with books in a variety of genres, a few tchotchkes, an assortment of framed photographs, and a thin layer of dust. Spotting a pad and pen on one of the tables, Paige snatched them up and made a list of things she would need to do on a regular basis around the house, separating them into days of the week, and other things that would need to be done occasionally. She made notes to ask her two new employers about certain things, such as if they wanted her to do their laundry or just Arianna’s. Some people, Paige included, felt weird about other people cleaning their unmentionables. Her bras and underwear were the only things that had been off limits to her own housekeeper Myles had insisted on hiring.

  How things have changed. Not that she thought
being a housekeeper was beneath her, but Paige wondered what her so-called friends, who’d dropped her the moment her husband had been arrested, would think about her new job. Well, it didn’t matter what they thought. She’d only been in Hazard Falls for a few hours, but she was already feeling comfortable there. It made her reflect on if she’d ever actually fit in with the elite crowd she’d rubbed elbows with over the eight years she’d been married. Although, she’d loved having her own business and not having to worry about a budget when it came to most purchases, there had always been a . . . stiffness, of sorts, to the people and environment she’d been immersed in.

  Pondering what she was missing from her growing list, Paige eyed some of the photographs on the shelves beside her. There were pictures of Arianna, Shane, and another man who had to be his husband, Tucker. But in some of the them, when the little girl was much younger, there was a woman in the photos. That was probably the surrogate they’d used to have a child, Paige thought, because Arianna was the spitting image of her. The woman clearly knew the men well, since her arms were around both in several of the photos. Maybe a relative or close friend? And where was she now?

  “That’s my mommy.”

  Paige smiled at Arianna who’d wandered over. “She’s very pretty. You look just like her.”

  “Thank you. A lot of people say that. I miss her, though. She’s in heaven with my cat, Shadow.”

  Squatting down, Paige brushed the little girl’s hair back from her face. “I’m sorry to hear that. My mom and dad are in heaven too. I miss them very much. But you know what?” She pointed to the left side of her chest. “They’re always here in my heart where I can love them forever.”

  “That’s what Daddy says when we watch the videos Mommy made before she went to heaven. She reads stories to me in them and just talks about things we did so I don’t forget them or her. Papa doesn’t like watching the videos though—they make him sad.”