Page 31 of Cash

I thought when I became an adult, I would have a say in how my life went. It didn’t work out that way.

“Hi.”

My head snapped around at the quiet voice. The little girl stood there. Blonde curls framed her face. She reached up and touched my pink hair. Her smile was so bright, and my nose burned at the thought that one day life would dull that smile.

“Tabby, honey.”

“She’s ok. She was just saying hi.”

“I’m so sorry. She doesn’t take to many people right away, so when she does, it’s hard to scold her,” Ellie said.

“I imagine it would be hard to scold either of them. They are very cute.”

Ellie looked at her daughter with a soft smile. “They sure are.” She held out her hand. “Ellie Thomas.”

I shook her hand and replied, “Kytten.”

“Kitten?”

“It started as a nickname. But it’s all I go by now.”

Ellie smiled. “It suits you.”

A roar of motorcycles drew our attention out the window, and my gaze went straight to Cash. A heavy sigh escaped, and Ellie chuckled.

“Quite the spectacle, aren’t they?”

“The bikes? Yea. I have one myself. I love riding.”

She studied me. “A girl who rides, named Kitten. There might be a story there.”

My palms began to sweat, and my heart raced. Trudy popped over, putting my nerves at ease when she said, “Not everything is a story waiting to be written.” She looked at me and winked. “Ellie is a romance author. Rayne Perry.”

My eyes widened, and my brows lifted to my hairline. “I’ve read your books.”

“Everyone in town has read them now.” Trudy laughed.

“Ignore Trudy,” Ellie chuckled. “Chrissy and Tabby, we need to get back so Daddy can go to the clubhouse.”

“Can we go too?” Chrissy asked.

“No, baby, I’m sorry,” Ellie said with a frown.

“But I want to play with Charlie,” Chrissy whined.

I wondered why they couldn’t go.

There were other old ladies at the clubhouse.

“I’ll call Auntie Sam and see if they want to come to the store.”

Chrissy’s head dropped, and her shoulders slumped. “It’s not the same.”

“I know, baby. We’ll talk to Daddy tonight and see if we can change his mind.” Ellie held out a hand to each of the girls. “It was nice to meet you, Kitten.”

“Nice to meet you too!” I waved to the girls as they left.

I finished my coffee and said goodbye to Trudy. If Cash was riding with the others, that meant he wouldn’t be on the mountain.