Winnie

"Win!" I hear my brother yell my name as I keep walking towards his table but I'm staring a hole in Rhett's forearm. A tattooed, more attractive than it should be, forearm, where a hand is attached to a gorgeous brunette I've never seen before, is still resting. Seriously. He's been in town less than a day and already has a woman on his arm. Literally. This does not bode well for my sanity. Get a grip, Winslow. You're an adult, not some lovestruck teenager with a crush anymore. I scold myself and tear my eyes away and look up at Colt just as he reaches me for a hug.

"Hey, Colt. I've got your keys…again." I say as sweetly as I can. "You've got to start checking your pockets. This is the second time this month." He laughs and when he does it's hard to stay annoyed at him. I love my brother. He has been my rock since I was thirteen and had to move across the country to a town we had only been to once, to live with an uncle we had only met twice. Thankfully, that uncle was Uncle Buck, who turned out to be exactly who we needed after we lost our parents and a truly amazing man.

"Yeah, Win, I know. I'll try to keep better track of my truck keys." He kisses the top of my head. "Thanks for bringing the spare set to me." I can tell when he gets a good look at me because his eyes widen. "What happened to your face??" I wince. The ice I've had on it the last 20 minutes has helped with the swelling but it's still red and will probably bruise.

"I was just closing up over at the bakery and the swinging door was talking back." I glance back to the table and see that Rhett has leaned back in his chair, forearms now folded across his chest. The brunette"s hand is now holding her drink. I smile politely at her and Colt sighs before he starts introductions.

"Please be more careful with yourself, Win. I hate it when you get hurt like this." I try for a reassuring smile even though he's annoying me. He turns his attention back to the table.

"Ladies, this is my sister, Winnie. Win, this is Lucy and Georgia." Lucy, the gorgeous brunette…with wandering hands…gives me a smile. It's a pretty smile and kind, which annoys me further.

"Hey there, nice to meet you! So, do you raft, too?" she asks animatedly. Neither Colt or Rhett can stop their laughter. I cast a withering look at them both, then look back at a waiting Lucy.

"Actually…" I tuck some hair that's escaped my pencil bun behind my ear and shift on my feet. "…white water isn't really my thing."

"That's an understatement." Rhett chimes in. "The last time you were on a raft you lost your paddle, fell out twice, and screamed bloody murder any time we hit some waves." He and Colt are wheezing now and Georgia and Lucy have joined them. My cheeks are absolutely scorching with the knowledge he remembers that awful day. I had only gone to spend time with him and it was an experience that I could live out the rest of my days happily without repeating.

"Right, well, it was nice to meet you both." I nod at both the girls, wishing the ground would swallow me but my next best move is to get out of here before anyone decides to reveal the handful of times I tried snowboarding. The girls both nod back while still chuckling a little. I look at my brother. "Colt, just bring those keys by the bakery tomorrow so I have them for the next time you try to do two things at once." I bite out from behind a fake smile.

"Oh come on Win, don"t run off. I'm sorry." He's still smiling but sobered a bit. "Outdoor sports just aren't your thing. Baking though…" He winks to the table. "…no one even comes close." I give him a tight smile. Like I said, it's hard to stay upset with Colt.

"I've got to get up early to open the bakery anyway, but I'll see you later." I look at the table again, toward him. "Rhett, good to see you again." He drops his head as he speaks, not looking up. "Yep, good to see you Winslow." Winslow…? I don't think he's called me that since…well I'm not sure when he stopped calling me Winslow and started calling me Winnie, but hearing him say my full name sounds odd.

I give a little wave and head toward the door, but before I make it that far I spot my uncle wiping down the bar and decide I better check in. It's been a couple days since I've seen him and I've missed him.

"Hey Uncle Buck!" I call out before I knock my knuckles against the counter. He gives me one of his big smiles, eyes twinkling like always as he flips the little latch on the bartop to come around.

"Hey, sweetheart! What are you doing out this late?" I give him a look and throw an amused glance at my brother. "Again?" He whistles. "That boy would forget his ass if it wasn't attached to the rest of him." I let out a laugh and I sag a little into his embrace as he reaches me for a hug. I didn't realize how tired I was or how tense.

"How's business?" he asks, even though he's been to my bakery every day since I opened.

"It's good, real good actually. I can't believe how busy we've been. I was even asked to set up a booth at the End Of Summer Festival." His smile gets bigger.

"I don't know why you're so surprised young lady. You're so talented when it comes to food, just like your mom. And you know this community adores you." My eyes mist and I blame it on an emotional rollercoaster of a night I've had and exhaustion.

"Yeah, well it helps that I've got you in my corner." I need to get out of here and get into bed before I start crying. The day has finally caught up with me and though I'm not really that sad to be parting ways with Sam, it could've ended better. So I give Uncle Buck one last squeeze and kiss his cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow. Maybe I can stop in for a bit after closing up."

"Sounds good, sweetheart, but don't worry if you can't. I know you'll be busy with getting things ready for Saturday. I'm really proud of you, you know?" He clears his throat. "Your parents would be, too." That does it. My throat goes tight and I can feel a couple tears escape my now blurry eyes. I swipe them away quickly and reinforce the dam.

"Alright, enough of that." I'm barely keeping it together as is. "I love you, Buck."

"Love you too, kiddo." He winks and I finally head toward the door and home, finally. I decide to torture myself and sneak one more peak at Rhett, but when I do he's already looking at me with a thoughtful expression pulling his eyebrows together. He's looked at me like this before and it takes me back to a time when he wanted to know everything in my head, but I wouldn't let him in.

I trip over the entry rug, just enough to make me stumble and inwardly cringe. I can feel my cheeks heat as I catch myself. I am a walking disaster tonight. I do not look back at him again as I walk through the door, not only because I don't want to see his reaction, but also because I should really be watching where I'm going.

The cool night air calms me a little and helps with my flaming face. I turn in the direction of my house and make the small trek there. One of the many things I love about living in Silverthorne is that I can walk or bike anywhere…mostly walk since that small biking incident. I wince remembering Janet Tilley, the local florist, letting out a gasp, a look of horror on her face as I hit the curb in front of her shop, landing on the sidewalk. I walked away with just a skinned elbow and knee. Definitely could have been worse with my track record, still embarrassing though.

I really have been trying to get out in nature more. I love exploring the state parks and swimming in the rivers. I can't help it that I wasn't blessed with a normal amount of coordination. I let out a breath and turn the last corner to my house. I live right next to the old historic district, the house next door is one of my favorites. Just a couple blocks over from the bakery, which is perfect. I've been renovating it while living there.

I love it.

It's small, just a two bedroom, one bath cottage really, but perfect for me. I walk next to the black metal fence till I get to my gate. I swing it open and make my way down the small walkway. I just got all the brick pavers put in last month and I smile every time I look out at them. A light from inside glows and lights my path as I climb the concrete steps, seeing my porch swing on the other side. I grab my keys to unlock my front door and enter my own little safe haven.

I step inside and flip the deadbolt into place, slip off my shoes, and toss my jacket on the chair. I'm too tired to do much of anything and my bed is calling my name, but the slight sting still pulsing on the right side of my face has me reaching for an ice pack and towel out of the kitchen on the way to my bedroom. I quickly change into my pajamas, because I always change into pajamas, and crawl into my cozy bed, ice pack firmly pressed to my cheek. 4 AM will be here in less than seven hours and I need sleep if I'm going to have to face Rhett again tomorrow.

Seeing him twice in one day, after having found my boyfriend sleeping with another woman…what a day.