Chapter 1
Nora Cassidy slipped out the door of her cabin at Sweet River Lodge. The sun poked over the mountain peaks in the distance, coating the sky with a pale pink burst of watercolor. She sucked in a deep breath of the fresh piney air. The light breeze was crisp and cool against her cheeks. This was her heaven on earth. Her favorite spot on the planet. The faint drone of an engine in the distance caught her attention. No doubt her early-riser son clearing the road of the light dusting from last night’s gentle snowfall.
She tugged on her gloves and started down the pathway along the stream. The water rushed over the rocks with a riotous force from the recent melting spring snow, not that she thought that last night’s fresh snow was the last they’d see this spring. She hurried to the main lodge. Miss Judy would be making cinnamon rolls, and there was a hot mug of coffee waiting with her name on it. She needed to go to her office and see what all needed to be done today. There was always a long list of to-dos at the lodge, but she didn’t mind the hard work. She loved Sweet River Lodge and everything about it. Things had slowed down a bit after the holiday rush. It gave her time to catch up and take a bit of time to herself.
Well, she always said she’d take some time for herself but rarely managed to make that happen. Except for her twice-weekly trek into town to have coffee or lunch with Annie. That was something she seldom skipped.
She looked up at the sky as it brightened into an azure blue.
This.
This was the perfect life. She felt sorry for anyone who wasn’t her today. She whistled under her breath as she hurried into the lodge to make sure everything was ready for the breakfast crowd.
* * *
Annie Davenport hurried along Main Street in Sweet River Falls, a worn backpack slung over one shoulder. She’d carted the laptop home last night to work on accounting, a boring but necessary job. She was trying her best to juggle the accounts to help pay for the remodel of what had been unused loft space to expand her shop. She’d finally been approved for a loan, which worried her a bit because she didn’t like to owe money to anyone. But it was an unavoidable business decision she’d made.
Soon Bookish Cafe would be twice the size, giving her room to expand the coffee shop area, set up a larger internet lounge for the many people who couldn’t get internet at their mountain homes, and room for a dedicated children’s reading area for the bookstore.
So many plans. So little time. She could hear her best friend Nora’s voice in her head. Nora always teased her about her big plans. Not that Nora didn’t have her own plans for the lodge. She was always adding on and improving it, trying to make it a profitable business that her son would one day take over.
She snatched the keys from her pocket and unlocked the front door. The shop would open in thirty minutes. Time to get the coffee made and the shades opened up to the pretty view of Sweet River out the back of the shop.
She crossed to her office and snatched off her knitted hat, mindlessly running her fingers through her short blonde hair in an effort to calm it from the resulting riotous mess. She hung her parka on a hook, tugged off her boots, and slipped on a pair of simple flats from the backpack.
She walked out into the shop and pulled open the blinds. The stream behind the shop gurgled its way down the mountain, rushing over the smooth, tumbled rocks. Before long there would be sunny days when it would be warm enough to sit outside on the patio by the river. The town had put in a pathway that ran behind all the shops along the river. Once it warmed up, the path would be filled with people strolling by and hopefully stopping in for coffee, a sandwich, or to browse through the bookstore. Her shop had become a friendly gathering place for the townsfolk as well as a busy spot for visitors during the tourist season.
She smiled as she set about starting the coffee with her special blend of coffee beans. She loved living in Sweet River Falls. She was one lucky woman. She had everything she needed. This was the perfect place to live, and she couldn’t imagine ever leaving.
* * *
Nick Chambers had forgotten how crisp the Colorado air could be. Crisp and clean. Not like the smoggy air in Los Angeles. He drew in a deep breath and pulled his too-light-for-this-weather jacket tightly around him. He looked up and down the street until he found the store he was looking for. Alpine Outfitters. He hurried down the sidewalk in his totally inappropriate leather dress shoes and slipped in the door of the shop.
An hour later he re-emerged dressed in jeans, boots, a winter parka, and a decent pair of gloves. The bag he carried held a pair of cowboy boots. He hadn’t had a pair in over thirty years and hadn’t been able to resist. Another bag held flannel shirts, more jeans, and a couple of sweaters. His California wardrobe wasn’t going to cut it out here.
He stopped at the SUV he’d rented and tossed the bags into the backseat. He looked at the paper he’d grabbed listing off places to rent. For now, he’d gotten a room at a motel on the edge of town, but he really didn’t want to spend two-plus months in a motel room. He’d go check out some short-term rentals in the next few days after he figured out what his schedule would be. He paused again, looking up at the snowcapped mountains in the distance. The sun shone brightly on the snow-laden branches of the trees. It almost looked like a picture-perfect postcard.
Did people send postcards anymore? He grinned at the thought.
Suddenly, he was sure he’d made the right decision to take this temporary teaching position at Mountain Grove College. They’d asked him to fill in for a professor who’d been injured in a skiing accident. Nick figured a couple months of teaching would be a welcome break, and he’d requested a leave from his position in Los Angeles. He’d been a bit worried about returning to his home state, but now, after being here for only a few hours, he knew in his bones that this was what he needed right now. A place he could heal.
Chapter 2
Nora pushed through the door to Bookish Cafe. Annie waved to her and sent her a just-a-minute sign. She wandered over to stand by the windows and looked out at Sweet River. The town had cleared the snow from the pathway behind the shops, and a lone couple strolled along the water, hand in hand. She was glad the city council had decided to put the pathway in a few years ago. It had been a struggle. Some of the long-standing members of the council didn’t like change. But the town had voted for it, and now the pathway meandered along the stream with benches set at intervals and lined with some newly planted pines.
“It’s pretty, isn’t it?” Annie came up beside her.
“It is. I’m surprised Old Man Dobbs and his anti-everything attitude didn’t tank the whole project.”
“Walter Dobbs isn’t a fan of change. Or a fan of ideas he didn’t come up with. When we presented the idea to the city council, we knew it would be a struggle. But I’m glad it happened. I think it’s such an improvement for the town.” Annie pressed a hot cup of coffee into her hands. “Come on, let’s go sit upstairs. It’s kind of a mess, but at least the view of the river is spectacular.”
They climbed the stairs slowly and settled into two chairs Annie had placed by the new picture window. “When do you think you’ll have the upstairs ready to open?”
“I hope within a month or so. I want it open before the May Festival. So many people come to town that weekend. But I still have a lot to do.”
“I could send Jason over to help you.”
“Your son has enough on his plate at the lodge. I couldn’t take him away from that. Besides, I’m pretty handy with all this. I’m glad my father taught me carpentry. I’ve hired electricians and plumbers, but most of the other work I’m doing myself. Well, I hired workers to put in the fireplace, too.”
“The fireplace looks fabulous. I think it will really add to the ambience of the loft.” She looked over at the fireplace made with red bricks that had been salvaged from an old building a few towns away.
“I hope so. But there is still so much to do.”
“I don’t know how you find the time.” She knew Annie had been hard at work when the shop was closed on Sundays and Mondays throughout the off-season, but there always seemed to be more to do.
“After I finish the remodel, I’m planning on staying open seven days a week, even during the off-season. At least that’s my plan.”
“You planning on cloning yourself?” She grinned at Annie.
“I probably should.” Annie gave her a rueful smile.
“The slow season is doing a number on our bottom line at the lodge this year. Those really heavy snowfalls on the weekends this winter prevented some of our customers from being able to make it to the lodge. I could use a few more renters to tide us through until it picks up.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for you. If anyone mentions they need a place, I’ll let you know.”
“Appreciate that.” Nora looked down at the stream rushing along the edge of the pathway. A young woman walked along the path, pushing a stroller with a young child bundled up against the chill. People around here didn’t let much keep them inside. She loved that about the town. She turned her attention back to Annie. “So what’s on your docket for the rest of the week?”
“I’m going to head over to Mountain Grove College this afternoon. I’m meeting up with a lady who works there about teaching knitting classes here at the shop. I think this upstairs lounge would be the perfect place. We’re going to iron out the details.”
“Hm, I haven’t knit in years. My grandmother taught me when I was a young girl.”
Annie grinned. “I remember when you made that knitted tam… it was so lopsided, but you wore it anyway.”
“I loved that thing.” She shook her head. “I probably still have it tucked away somewhere. I was so proud of it, no matter how silly it looked.”
She took one last sip of her coffee. Annie made the best coffee. Even though she bought Annie’s special blend of coffee beans for the lodge, it never tasted quite the same. Her friend had some kind of special coffee magic. She set down her mug. “I better go. Jason and I are painting the inside of Serenity Cabin today. Trying to spiff up some of the older cabins before the busy season. Then Beth and the boys are going to stop by for dinner.”
“I haven’t seen your grandsons in I don’t know how long.”
“Beth’s been busy teaching and the boys are into every sport known to mankind. I haven’t even seen much of them recently.” Which was why she was looking forward to a family dinner tonight.
“Well, enjoy your dinner.”
“I will. You drive safely to Mountain Grove.”
“I will.”
“Maybe we could catch dinner or lunch later this week.”
“Maybe.” Annie looked doubtful. “I have so much to do.”
* * *
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