Page 39 of Small Town Sash

"It's nothing," he downplayed hastily. Dash whined at his feet, sensing his discomfort.

"I guess it's for the best. You're a judge, after all," she said, patting Braden's hand with a sly smile. "Besides, there's plenty of other fish in the sea—that aren't in the pageant, mind you."

Braden choked on his espresso while Michelle's eyes widened with embarrassment. Although his heart was heavy, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sheer absurdity of it all. "I'll keep that in mind, Mrs. Balster."

As Braden sipped on his triple shot espresso, he couldn't help but think about what Michelle said. How did he balance giving Hadley space while still maintaining a presence in her life? For the type of guy that rose to a challenge, it seemed impossible.

He finished his drink and thanked Michelle before heading out of the coffee shop with Dash trotting by his side.

He wandered aimlessly around town with no clear destination in mind until he found himself at the park. The greenery and calmness soothed him as he sat down on a bench and watched people walking by as Dash played in the dog area.

As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, Mrs. Shomacker huffed and puffed her way toward him. "The Wilder girl's got herself a problem," the older woman declared out of the blue.

Braden arched his brow at her sudden appearance. "Good evening to you too, Mrs. Shomacker."

Ignoring his dry humor, she nudged him with her elbow, "Well? Aren't you going to do something about it?"

"What is it now?" Braden asked, already exhausted by the idea of more drama.

Mrs. Shomacker leaned in closer, lowering her voice. "She's arguing with her mother outside the B&B–quite the spectacle if you ask me."

A wave of concern washed over him. Hadley was fiercely private; he knew she wouldn't want their personal matters aired out in public.

His instinct was to look into the matter, but Hadley just told him to stay out of her business. He needed to respect her wishes. With a shrug, he simply said to the nosy neighbor, "I'm sure they will work it out."

With a dramatic gasp, Mrs. Shomacker placed her hand over her heart. "You can't just ignore this. Go and help that poor girl."

"You seem to be doing a fine job of keeping an eye on things, Mrs. Shomacker," Braden replied, trying his best to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. He wasn't about to take the older woman's bait and get involved. That was exactly what she wanted so she could go around town spreading more gossip.

"Humph." Mrs. Shomacker wasn't easily dismissed. She crossed her arms over her chest and set her jaw. "Well, I never thought I'd see the day when Hadley Wilder needed help, and you turned a blind eye."

"It's not my job to rescue her. And for the record, she's perfectly capable of taking care of herself," Braden told the older woman.

Mrs. Shomacker shook her head, "Why I never," she huffed, waddling away with indignation.

Braden watched Mrs. Shomacker disappear into the distance just as Dash came running back from his playtime, barking excitedly at Braden's feet. As if understanding his partner's concern, Dash looked toward the B&B as well.

"Poor girl indeed..." Braden finally muttered under his breath, impulsively hopping off the bench and starting in thedirection of the B&B with Dash at his heels—his concern for Hadley outweighing her request for space.

By the time he got there, Hadley and her mother were nowhere to be found. It was probably better that way, he thought to himself as he made his way to his room. It would have only upset Hadley if he'd gotten involved. Hadley was clearly a hard habit to break, but he was going to have to figure out a way to do it for both their sakes.

Chapter Eleven

Hadley adjusted the hem of the navy blue sequined gown her mother picked out, the fabric lightly shimmering under the lights of the backstage dressing area. The chatter of competitors and their entourages created a racket of nerves and hairspray. She caught snatches of conversation, palms sweaty as she tried to focus on getting ready for her own walk until one voice cut through the rest.

"Of course, my grandbaby's going to take the crown. It's practically in our blood. Plus, a little nudge from Grandma never hurt anyone," Mrs. Shomacker boasted, her laughter booming around the room. "I'm pretty good at getting what I want, no matter what it takes. Just look at how I handled Hadley Wilder. There's no way she's getting the crown after what came out about her and that Air Force judge."

Hadley's grip tightened on the tube of lipstick in her hand. That voice grated on her like nails on a chalkboard. Mrs. Shomacker always had her ample nose where it didn't belong. Now, apparently, in the judges' business too.

"Can you believe her?" Hadley muttered under her breath, catching the eye of George Wallace, who just shook his headfrom across the room. The young man mouthing 'just ignore her' with a dismissive wave of his hand. Hadley was beyond ignoring.

She strode over to Mrs. Shomacker, heels clicking assertively on the polished floor. "Is that so, Mrs. Shomacker? A little...nudge?"

Mrs. Shomacker turned, her sharp gaze landing on Hadley. "Well, if it isn't Hadley Wilder, as pretty as a peach and twice as sour. What's it to you, dear?"

"Pageants are about fairness," Hadley said, words clipped. "Not nudges."

"Fairness?" Mrs. Shomacker chuckled, the sound like a hen's cluck. "What do you know about that, strutting around here like you own the place? All the while flirting with the judges to get what you want."

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