Protecting Summer

•Chapter 5•

•••

Summer opened the freezer door in search for something chocolate.

The Bowen family had finished dinner as well as the clean up. As always there were no leftovers. The men now resided in the living room hooting over last night's football game.

"Daddy?" Summer poked her head into the living room. "I'm gonna run to town. I'll be back soon, k?"

"Watch for deer and would you pick up some chips or something?" He called over to Summer.

Summer smiled and walked to get her keys and purse. "Of course." She slipped her arms through a light sweater and stepped through the back door.

As she trudged in her little blue Ford down the road, she turned up the radio. Classic oldies sang through her truck. Her mother loved the classics so Summer had always felt a sense of comfort from it knowing her mother had once listened to the same music.

The Bowen's only lived 6 miles from town and about quarter of a mile from the mill. Summer knew the roads in Gideon better than most people. Directions in general, as well. She turned right at one of the few stop lights in Gideon.

Gideon was a small town. Literally on a Montana mountain side out in the middle of nowhere. She had lived here all her life. She loved it. Everyone knew each other and had known them for years. Neighbors aren't seen too often. The Bowen's live closest to town. Not including those who run shops and stores who lived close by but on the opposite side of town. All other church goers and neighbors were as far as 37 miles from the nearest gas station. So the Bowen's were fortunate to be able to live so close. Gideon's population is a good 250 people. Not at all impressive but somehow the mill received plenty of business to keep running. It was the biggest and closest within 60 miles.

Summer turned into Willie's General Store and Diner. She tossed her leather cross body over her shoulder and stepped through the automatic glass door.

The smell of popcorn, cinnamon, and oak filled her senses. "Howdy, Miss Bowen!" Old man Willie waved to Summer from behind the cash register.

"Evening, Mr Willie." Summer smiled and headed for the frozen food section.

Low voices and laughter came from the diner side of the store. Summer ignored them and concentrated on her search for something rich.

She came upon the glorious ice cream section and whipped open the door. Her hands grabbed at a half gallon carton of double chocolate peanut butter fudge. The cold air from the freezer sent goose bumps up her arms. She stepped back and toward the chip isle. She grabbed a bag of Lays.

"Evening." A low voice startled her and she ran into a candy display. Tons of assorted hardy candies and candy bars fell to the floor.

Summer closed her eyes shut. She took a deep breath and slowly opened them. Leo Delaney stood before her. Her stomach did an unchecked twirl. She hasn't noticed at all how incredibly handsome he was.

Short blonde hair was cut close to his head but still kept a bit of volume on the top. Smiling, deep brown eyes looked down at her. Large, broad shoulders. Chiseled body, head to toe. He wasn't huge, good sized though. His jaw was covered in a light blonde beard.

"Howdy." Summer sighed. She squatted and started picking up the candy.

"Sorry I scared you," he chuckled. "Let me help." He sat on the floor and gathered candy.

Summer scooped up candy and dumped them back into the small cardboard slots at the top of the display rack. "Oh, it's fine."

"What brings you into town?" He asked strumming up conversation. Not that Summer wanted to chat. All she wanted was her double chocolate peanut butter fudge ice cream and a few hours of Netflix.