Page 66 of Small Town Sizzle

A questionnaire pops up, asking for details about why I want to join. I keep my answers vague but convincing: Interested in learning more about Oakmont’s practices. Concerned about a potential project in my area. I submit the request and sit back, waiting for approval.

While I wait, I dive into another layer of research. I go back to Oakmont’s website, looking for a list of employees or leadership. Most reputable companies have that—bios of executives, maybe a press page with public statements. But there’s nothing.

No names. No faces. Just a generic contact form and a customer service email.

“Interesting,” I mutter under my breath, narrowing my eyes at the screen.

Switching gears, I try social media. I search for anyone with “Oakmont Holdings” listed in their job titles or profiles. A few generic LinkedIn accounts pop up, but they’re eerily similar—almost copy-paste profiles with no real details about their work or the company’s internal structure.

This whole thing stinks, but I can’t quite put my finger on it yet.

I’m so lost in thought, scrolling through search results and taking notes, that I don’t even notice Laura step into the room. She clears her throat, and I look up, startled.

“Geez, Laura,” I say, laughing. “You trying to give me a heart attack?”

She smirks, sinking into the chair across from my desk. “Maybe. You’ve been in here for hours. I was starting to wonder if you’d fallen asleep or something.”

“Just… digging.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Digging into what?”

“Oakmont Holdings,” I answer quickly.

“The company that set the orchard on fire, allegedly.”

“The same.”

“Why are you looking them up?”

“Maya and I found someone’s equipment on the property where it shouldn’t be. I also learned that a man was in the tax assessor’s office asking a lot of questions. He kind of fits the bill of a guy who has been coming to the youth center asking Maya a lot of questions, too.”

She leans back in the chair, crossing her arms as she studies me. “What are your intentions with Maya?”

I blink, caught completely off guard. “Excuse me? Didn’t you hear anything I just said? Did Ethan say something to you?”

She grins, clearly enjoying my reaction. “You heard me. I heard what you said, the property is ironclad, and whoever is snooping won’t get anywhere trying to break the trust. Ethan hasn’t told me anything, but I know what I see, and I want to know what your intentions are with Maya?”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “What is this, the eighteen-hundreds? Did her dad send you to interrogate me?”

“I’m serious, Garrett,” she says, her tone softening but her gaze staying steady. “I’m asking as a friend. You like her, don’t you?”

I lean back in my chair, folding my arms across my chest. “She’s great. I’ve only known her for a few weeks, but I really like her.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I want a relationship with her, but I also know that she’s been through a lot, and so, right now, I’m trying to help where I can.”

She studies me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “You know, you’ve been gone from Hicks Creek for a long time, Garrett. But when you’re around Maya, it’s like… I don’t know. You seem more like yourself. More like the Garrett I remember from before.”

“That’s just nostalgia talking,” I chuckle.

I brush off her comments because even though I know how deeply I feel for Maya, I can’t seem to convince myself that either of us is ready for what comes next. What I do know is that I want us to be exclusive and both beyond ready for that.

“Maybe,” she says, tilting her head. “But maybe not. Maybe this thing with Maya is a sign that it’s time for you to stop running and come back for good.”

I let out a dry laugh. “I’m not running. I’ve just got a life outside of Hicks Creek.”

“Do you?” she asks, her voice gentle but pointed. “Or are you just keeping yourself too busy to stop and think about what you really want?”