“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” Poppy says, coming to sit beside me on the window seat.
“I love it. Thanks for this. I think this is the best idea you’ve ever had,” I say, nudging my shoulder against hers playfully.
“You’re going to be okay, Paige. You were far too good for grumpy Greg anyway, and J is going to thrive here. I just know it. Plus, the men around here are so hot. I swear there must be something in the water. Everyone I have seen in this town has been so buff. They must have a great gym,” she laughs.
“I’m done with men.” I shake my head.
“What, so you’re into women now? I saw some good-looking women too,” she waggles her eyebrows teasingly.
“No men or women, I’m done dating. It only ends in heartbreak. From now on, it’s just me and Jaxon,” I tell her with determination.
“You’ve barely given anyone a chance. You’ve had two boyfriends in your whole life. Mum always said we have to kiss a few frogs before finding our prince. You can’t give up yet,” she squeezes my hand.
“Ryder wasn’t a frog.”
“No, he was a damn ghost. Forget him, and Greg. Your prince will come when the time is right. Now stop moping, we have unpacking to do,” she says with a clap of her hands.
I sigh and get up to follow her, when movement out the window catches my eye. I lean in closer to the window, trying to figure out what I just saw moving between the trees. Whatever it was, it was large and fast. Maybe they have deer here, or perhaps it was someone’s big dog? I shrug it off and head downstairs to bring the rest of our belongings in.
By dinner time, we have finished unpacking, and been grocery shopping, stocking the fridge and cupboards with everything we will need for the next few days.
Poppy and Annie stay with us for dinner before heading back to their student accommodation at the university. I offer to drive them back, but Jaxon has already fallen asleep, so they have a friend come pick them up.
The university is only a twenty-minute drive away, and I’m so happy to be close to my sister again. I hated not being able to see her regularly because of the distance.
Following a busy day of moving and heartbreak, I decide to make some camomile tea and go upstairs to read in the window seat for a while before bed. I need to unwind and rest before another busy day tomorrow.
I’m not sure if I’m handling this breakup particularly well, or if it just hasn’t fully hit me yet, because whilst I’m sad, I’m not the weeping mess I expected to be. Maybe it’s this town? Or perhaps I didn’t love Greg as much as I thought I did.
At some point, I must doze off, because a sudden noise startles me awake and my e-reader clatters to the floor. The sound was almost like a wail, or a howl of pain. After quickly checking on Jaxon, who is sleeping peacefully, I shrug off the noise as some woodland creature and pick up my e-reader.
The hairs on the back of my neck rise suddenly, and I have the uneasy feeling of being watched. My eyes move to the window, but it’s difficult to see anything as it’s so dark outside. I close the curtains quickly, dismissing the feeling as nervousness about being in a new place.
I quickly check all the doors and windows, making sure they are locked before crawling into bed. Thanks to the book I’d been reading before bed, I spent the rest of the night dreaming of wolves chasing each other playfully through the forest.
** Paige’s POV **
The soft, golden light of morning spills across my bedroom, and I turn toward the window, watching the sun rise with quiet contentment and a sense of new beginnings.
I feel like a new woman today. No more worrying about Greg or his moods. No more scrambling to cook his breakfast before he rushes off to work.
A sour note creeps into my thoughts, as I wonder if he even misses me. He probably didn’t waste a second inviting Leanne over. She likely slept in my bed, and is making his breakfast right now.
With an irritated sigh, I toss back the covers and swing my legs out of bed. I won’t waste another minute thinking about Greg, not today. This is the first day of the rest of my life, and I won’t let him or Leanne cast a shadow over it.
“Hi, Mummy,” Jax says as he pads into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and still wearing his Lego pyjamas.
“Morning, sweetheart. Did you sleep well?” I ask as I dish scrambled eggs onto our plates to go with the buttered toast.
“Yes. My bed is so soft. It’s like a big fluffy cloud,” he replies with a sleepy smile.
“Good. Come, eat your breakfast. Afterward, we can go explore the town before our meeting at the school.”
He climbs up onto the stool at the breakfast bar, and I set his plate down before pouring us both a glass of orange juice.
Once we finish eating, I help Jaxon get dressed, and then we head out to the park. Since it’s a school day, the place is empty, just the two of us enjoying the quiet, which is a pleasant change.
I push Jax on the swing, then watch him zoom down the slide again and again. When he runs over to the monkey bars, I follow, standing beneath him in case he slips. They’re higher than I’d like, but his face is set with determination. There’s no way I’m talking him out of attempting it.
Jaxon grabs the first bar with his small hand.
“That’s it. Now swing and reach for the next one,” I say, encouraging him.
I stay close, ready to catch him.
“Good job. Keep going,” I cheer as he dangles from the metal rungs.
He swings his body and reaches for the next bar, catching it with a grunt. But as he tries to lunge for the third, he loses momentum. His fingers barely graze it before he falls right into my waiting arms.
“That was a good try, baby. You just rushed it a little,” I say, setting him gently down.
Jaxon frowns, already stomping back to the ladder for another go. This time, he doesn’t even make it to the second bar before slipping.
“I hate this stupid thing!” he yells, his voice echoing through the empty park.
“Jax, calm down. It’s okay, you’ll get it eventually,” I say, trying to soothe him.
“No!” he cries, collapsing onto the rubber floor, his fists pounding and legs kicking in frustration.
“Shh, sweetheart, it’s okay. I know it’s frustrating, but getting angry won’t help.”
I kneel beside him, pulling him into my arms. He rarely throws tantrums like this, but after everything he’s been through the last few days, I can’t say I’m surprised. I had been expecting some kind of outburst from him.
“Calm it, pup,” a deep voice rumbles from behind us, and instantly, Jaxon stills in my arms. He draws in a shaky breath, his little chest rising and falling as he calms.
I turn, and my gaze locks with a pair of stunning blue eyes that have haunted my dreams for years.
Ryder.
His eyes widen when he sees me, then flicker to Jaxon. I can’t speak. I’m frozen, torn between the urge to run into his arms or demand an explanation.
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