Chapter 10 - The Mysterious Redhead

Alec tried to concentrate on the road ahead, but his headache was throbbing even more strongly after his argument with Lex. When he stopped at the traffic light, a block before the department store, he put his hand to his temple, taking a deep breath.

— I urgently need some aspirin! – he muttered, before turning his attention back to the traffic.

Arriving at the large parking lot of the Lone Ridge Store, Alec looked for a nearby parking space. Fortunately, it was midweek and the place was emptier than usual. The three-storey building, located at the entrance to the town, housed several stores, a gas station, a pharmacy and a coffee shop. As he got out of the truck, Alec sighed when he saw his brother, Alex, leaning against the hood of his jeep, exchanging kisses with a brunette, probably an outsider. The scene didn't surprise him; Alex had always been the “Don Juan” of the family, with his easy smile and irresistible charm.

— So predictable... – Alec grumbled, deciding that he would talk to his brother later.

Putting on his sunglasses to reduce the glare and relieve his headache, he made his way to the pharmacy. The interior of the store was compact but organized, with shelves displaying everything from sunglasses to magazines. He made his way to the medicine counter, where he was greeted with a friendly smile by Berta, the pharmacy's owner.

— Good morning, Sheriff! – greeted Berta.

— Good morning, Berta! – Alec replied with a half-smile.

— From the look on your face, you look like you've drunk Luck's entire supply. – Berta laughed.

— Not all of it, but almost half. – Alec scoffed. – I left the rest for my brothers.

Berta laughed with gusto.

— I know exactly what you need. – she said, heading for the shelves.

While Berta was looking for the medicines, the doorbell rang, announcing a new customer. The shrill noise made Alec close his eyes and lean his head on his arms on the counter, trying to relieve the throbbing.

— Good morning, do you have anything for motion sickness? – asked a soft, melodious female voice.

Curious, Alec opened his eyes and, between his arms, saw a pair of long legs dressed in tight jeans and leather boots. Looking up, he found a woman with red hair in a ponytail, wearing a leather jacket that highlighted her curves. She leaned over the counter, and Alec noticed the discreet neckline of her white T-shirt. Her face, with freckles dotting a snub nose, displayed mesmerizing green eyes. He had the feeling he'd seen eyes like that before.

— Not that one! – whispered the redhead, irritated. – Are you following me? Wasn't I clear enough when I said I'm not interested?

Alec frowned, confused.

— Are you talking to me? – he asked, still not understanding.

— No, I'm talking to the wind! – she retorted, sarcastically. – Of course I'm talking to you. Are you in the habit of following women around?

— Girl, I think you've got me confused with someone else. – Alec tried to keep his tone light, but he was clearly lost in the situation.

— Oh, don't play dumb! – she snapped, crossing her arms. – Are you going to say that you don't remember giving me a cheap line a few minutes ago, after you'd hooked up with a brunette?

Alec, even more confused, remembered seeing Alex in the parking lot and finally connected the dots.

— Ah, I see what happened... – he began, smiling slightly. – I'm pretty sure you talked to...

— I don't care about excuses! – she cut him off, visibly irritated. – I don't know how you got here first, but I've just come back from a long trip and I don't have time for silly flirtations. Stay away from me or I'll break your arm!

The redhead picked up her medicine and, with a look of disdain, went to the cashier, paid and left the store without looking back. Alec shook his head in disbelief.

— What a crazy girl... – he whispered, as he watched her cross the parking lot. – Crazy and beautiful.

Approaching the window overlooking the parking lot, Alec observed the exact moment when she, still furious, bumped into Alex, casually leaning against his jeep. The confusion on the redhead's face soon turned to disdain as she noticed Alex's smile – that annoyingly smug smile that everyone knew so well.

She cast a quick glance back and found Alec, who, with a wry smile and a brief nod, only added to her irritation. Snorting in frustration, the girl turned on her heels and headed towards a motorcycle that, to Alec's surprise, was nothing short of impressive.

— Who could this girl be? – he muttered to himself, intrigued, before returning to the medicine counter.

Although he didn't know who she was, Alec was sure she didn't belong in the city. There was something about her, something in her green eyes and defiant manner, that made him promise himself to find out more about the mysterious stranger.

— Here you are, my boy! – said Berta when she returned with the medicine. – Drink plenty of water and this hangover will soon pass.

Alec thanked her with a smile, paid for the aspirin and a bottle of water, and left the pharmacy. As he walked back to the parking lot, he saw Alex alone in the jeep, devouring cookies from the cafeteria.

— You don't change, do you? – Alec muttered to himself as he approached his brother.

Alec approached Alex's jeep with growing irritation, remembering the incident at the pharmacy. His brother was casually leaning back in the vehicle, devouring a muffin with that relaxed smile typical of someone who always seemed to be in good spirits.

— Good morning, Sheriff! – Alex greeted with a teasing smile. – What a terrible face!

— Hangovers usually do that to normal people. – Alec retorted dismissively, crossing his arms and giving him an exasperated look.

— When did you arrive? – Alex asked, still chewing.

— A few minutes ago, just in time to see you making out with a brunette. And now with these cupcakes. – Alec replied, sarcasm dripping from his words. – I didn't want to get in the way of your... performance, so I went straight to the pharmacy. There, I had a rather... peculiar conversation with a redhead who, for some reason, thought I was you.

Alex grimaced, anticipating what was to come.

— Sorry, brother. – He laughed, without a hint of regret. – But she was too beautiful for me not to try. She arrived on a very stylish motorcycle. She looked like a movie star. How rude was she?

— “Rude” would be a compliment. She implied that I was stalking her. – Alec replied dryly. He cast a warning glance at his brother. – Frankly, Alex, one of these days I'm going to have to arrest you for harassment, with your cheap lines and your insistent manner.

— Don't be so exaggerated! – Alex grimaced, unconcerned. – I bet we won't even run into her again.

Alec snorted, not as confident as he would have liked to sound. It was clear that the girl was an outsider. The chances of her crossing his path were enormous, since he was the town sheriff and often took part in patrols.

— I wouldn't be so sure about that. – he said, causing his brother to raise his eyebrows. Alec decided to change the subject. – Are you going to the stud farm?

Alex nodded, finally finishing his muffin.

— Yes, I have a lesson in the morning and a private lesson in the afternoon. – Alex replied, with a twinkle in his eye that made Alec roll his eyes. – What about you? Are you going to train?

— I intend to. I want to see if I can jump with Star, if she's up to it. – Alec replied, concern evident in his voice. For a few days now, his prize mare had been suffering from health problems. – Yesterday, Allan took her for more tests. He said there had been an improvement, but he still couldn't give a clear diagnosis.

Alex sighed, giving his brother a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

— Don't worry, man. Star is in great hands. She'll be fine.

— Yeah, I know. – Alec sighed, putting on his sunglasses. – You go ahead. I'll follow.

Alex nodded and got into the jeep. Alec did the same, heading for his Ranger. Alec drove in silence, his thoughts still stuck on the woman who had mistaken him for his brother. Despite the discomfort caused by the situation, he found himself remembering the details: the bright red hair, the angry green eyes and the defiant manner. His initial irritation began to give way to curiosity, which bothered him even more. Something about her intrigued him. Perhaps it was the furious look in her eyes, or the way she faced him without hesitation. Alec was used to dealing with stubborn and difficult people, but she seemed different. He couldn't shake the feeling that he would come across her again.

But who was she? What was she doing in Lone Ridge?

Alec frowned. Part of him wanted to forget, to move on with his life. But another part was on alert. He had the feeling that fate still held surprises.

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