Page 14 of Surprised By Love

“Oh Josh. I’m doing just wonderful.” My gramma looks around the table as if searching for something, and I believe I know who. “I wanted to introduce you to someone, but she must have left when I wasn’t looking.”

I grin, putting one hand on the table, bending over to peer at Samantha hiding under it. “Hi!”

She jumps, bumping her head. “Ow!” She rubs her head.

I hold out my hand for her and I get a zap the second she places her delicate hand in mine. She pulls her hand away the moment she’s standing. I wonder if she felt it, too.

“Joshua, we have to introduce you to someone,” Gramma says, looking at Samantha.

I look over at Samantha, and she lifts a hand and waves. “Hi,” she says.

“Hey,” I say, still not sure what she’s doing here sitting with my grandmother.

My gramma looks from me to Samantha and back to me. I hate she can read me so easily. “Oh, you know her already? That’s wonderful.”

“Well,” I pause. “I don’t really know her. She’s the woman whose car tire I changed yesterday.”

She claps her hands together as if this is the best news ever. “Oh, you’re the mystery woman our dear Josh was telling us about yesterday.”

“Gramma,” I say with a warning.

“Oh, you shush,” she says, smacking me in the arm. “I’m glad you’ve already met, but I’ll introduce you officially. This is Samantha Miller.”

“Langfield,” Samantha clarifies.

“Oh, right, her married name is Langfield, but her maiden name is Miller. She’s one of the Miller girls.” She puts her arms around me and turns to Samantha and says. “This strikingly handsome boy is my grandson, Joshua. He’s also the sergeant of Sunset Creek.”

I let out a groan at her description of me. She says that every time she introduces me to a woman. I swear she’s just as bad as my mom trying to set me up.

“Oh, well, it’s nice to meet you again, Samantha.” I put my hand out to shake hers.

“Call me Sam,” she says and shakes my hand, feeling the electricity passing through us. I look down at her other hand and see no wedding band on it. Maybe she’s divorced or maybe she doesn’t wear a wedding ring. I’ll have to find out later. Wait, why do I have to find out later? I’m not interested in her. Okay, maybe I was interested until I realised she lives in my town and she’s a Miller.

I may date a little here and there, but I never date anyone who lives in town, and I definitely would never date a Miller.

Those girls are like town royalty and if anybody ever hurt the Millers, the town would be all over them and me being the sergeant… it would not be good.

I’ve heard the stories about when her parents died and her grandmother raised the four sisters. The entire town rallied together and helped as much as they could. So you can say the whole town raised the Miller girls.

I’ll stick to a couple towns over for my dating and stay clear away from Samantha, although I have a feeling it could be very hard to do.

Sam

On the walk to pick up Amelia from school, I meet up with Becca. We make plans to go to the diner after we pick up the girls, then go to the park to let them play for a bit.

We get to the school and see Amelia and Jenna standing by the sidewalk, talking and laughing. It makes me happy to see my daughter becoming close friends with her cousin so quickly.

I’ve missed that, us not being able to see family. Amelia not being able to play with her cousin, all because Derek didn’t want to come back to Sunset Creek. It bothered me so much, but every time I wanted to come for a visit, he always made excuses for why it wasn’t a good time. I’m beginning to believe this is the best decision I’ve ever made in my life and it’s only been a few days and I feel like we’re back where we belong.

“Mommy.” Amelia runs towards me. I bend down and swoop her up into my arms, swinging her around in circles. “Did you have a good day?”

“I had the best day. I made a new friend. Her name is Emily, she’s in my class and she’s 6 too and she has a brother, he’s little though he’s only four. She was really nice to me and she came up to me right away. We started talking and now we’re best friends. I’m so excited, Mommy. I have a best friend,” Amelia says, barely taking a breath.

My heart goes out to my little girl. It’s great she’s making friends so quickly.

“So what do you think, go to the diner, get a little snack and then go to the park and play?” Becca asks the girls.

“Yes!” they both yell in unison.

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