LOVING DAHLIA ( ᴘᴀɪɢᴇ ʙᴜᴇᴄᴋᴇʀs) (ON HOLD)

Chapter 2: Chasing the Mystery Women

Paige stood frozen in the chip aisle, the lingering feeling of the young women's  presence making her stomach flip in a way she didn’t fully understand. She stared at the empty space where the woman and her daughter had been moments ago, replaying their brief exchange over and over in her head.

Something tugged at her chest, a sense of urgency she couldn’t shake.

She hadn’t even asked for the woman’s name.

“Ugh, Paige, you idiot,” she muttered to herself, frustration bubbling up. She never missed opportunities, not on the court and definitely not in life. But now, she felt the weight of regret settle in her chest, knowing she couldn’t just let this moment slip away.

Before she could overthink it, Paige left the beer and any sense of rational thought behind, bolting out of the aisle and toward the store’s exit. Her sneakers squeaked against the linoleum as she darted past startled shoppers, her heart pounding for reasons far beyond the adrenaline rush of sprinting.

She needed to find her.

Pushing through the doors, Paige scanned the parking lot, her eyes darting from car to car, searching for any sign of Sadie or her mom. She felt ridiculous—chasing after a woman she’d only spoken to for a few seconds—but there was something about the mystery women , something that she couldn’t let slip away.

And then she spotted her.

Near the back of the lot, The women was buckling Sadie into a car seat, her dark hair catching the late afternoon sun as she leaned over. The car—a sleek, blue Audi—was parked near the edge, almost as if they were about to drive off.

“Wait!” Paige called out, her voice breaking the quiet of the lot as she picked up her pace, running across the asphalt.

The women paused, straightening up, her hand still on the car door as she turned to see who had called her. Paige could see the surprise flash in her steel-grey eyes, the slight arch of her eyebrow as Paige came skidding to a stop beside the car, completely out of breath.

“Miss Bueckers?” The mystery women asked, amusement evident in her voice as Paige tried to catch her breath. “You alright?”

Paige bent over, hands on her knees as she struggled to find words. Why had she run? Why hadn’t she just asked for the name in the store? Her mind raced, her heart still pounding.

Finally, when she looked up, her breath steadied, she met the women's eyes again—those striking grey eyes that made everything else around her fade away. The women stood there, one hand resting on the car door, her posture casual but her gaze curious, lips quirked in a soft smile.

“I—I didn’t get your name,” Paige finally managed to say, her voice still a little breathless. “I just realized...I didn’t ask.”

The women's eyebrow raised even higher, and for a moment, she looked genuinely surprised. But then her expression softened, and she let out a quiet chuckle, her eyes gleaming with something Paige couldn’t quite place.

“I see,” the women said slowly. “Well, it’s Dahlia. Dahlia Hartley.”

Paige repeated the name silently to herself, committing it to memory. “Dahlia,” she said aloud, the name rolling off her tongue. “That’s...a beautiful name.”

Dahlia gave a small smile, tilting her head slightly. “Thank you, Paige.” Her voice was warm but still held that amused edge, like she knew Paige was flustered but wasn’t going to let her off the hook too easily. “Is that all you wanted to know?”

Paige felt her face flush slightly, realizing how strange this probably looked. She had chased this woman down in a parking lot just to ask for her name. But she couldn't leave it at that. “No,” she said quickly. “I also wanted to ask...will I ever see you again?”

The question hung in the air for a moment, and Paige watched as Dalia’s expression shifted. There was something unreadable in her eyes as she regarded Paige, her lips pressing together thoughtfully.

“You’re quite persistent,” Dahlia finally said, her voice soft but teasing.

Paige couldn’t help but laugh nervously. “I guess I am.”

Dahlia glanced back at Sadie, who was now securely buckled into her seat and humming to herself, completely oblivious to the conversation happening outside. When Dalia turned back to Paige, her smile was a little softer, less guarded.

“Well, Paige Bueckers,” she said, her eyes locking onto Paige’s with a kind of intensity that made her pulse quicken, “I’m sure we’ll run into each other again.”

Paige’s heart leapt at the words, though Dahlia’s tone was still playful, as if she wasn’t giving anything away.

“Yeah?” Paige asked, trying not to sound too eager but failing miserably.

Dahlia just smiled, stepping back toward the car. “Take care, Paige,” she said, her voice carrying a certain finality as she slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door.

Paige stood there for a moment, watching as Dahlia buckled in and started the engine. She had a thousand more things she wanted to say, but none of them seemed right in that moment. Instead, she just watched as the blue Audi pulled out of the parking spot, disappearing down the road.

As the car disappeared from view, Paige let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

She hadn’t gotten a number or made any concrete plans, but something told her that this wouldn’t be the last time she’d see Dahlia Hartley.

XoXo V ❤️❤️❤️