CHAPTER ONE
Beth Carrigan took a last glance at her cell phone, shoved it into her pocket, and heaved a sigh.
The first crisp October weekend in Agate Creek, Wisconsin usually brought crowds of tourists from Chicago, Minneapolis, and all parts in between.
It didn’t bring unexpected calls from Washington, D.C., California, and the Henderson Law Office. Calls that now had her stomach doing crazy cartwheels.
What on earth was she going to do?
But everything will be fine, Lord. It’s going to be fine, right?She surveyed her bookstore, breathing in the beloved scents of books, dark-roast coffee, and apricot tea.
She walked to the back, where her friends were already settled in an eclectic mix of comfy upholstered chairs and rockers.
Their voices fell silent as three pairs of worried eyes looked up at her. Their concern was so palpable that she forced herself to dredge up a nonchalant smile. “How’s the coffee? Is it better this time? I bought a new fair trade brand and—”
“The question is, how areyou?” Olivia Lawson, the oldest book club member at fifty-six, had been a professor of literature at an exclusive private college in Chicago. She’d walked away from the city rat race and moved to Agate Creek to teach at the community college.
Her eyebrows, dark in contrast to her short, prematurely silver hair, drew together in a worried frown. “Did that banker deny your loan application again? I’ve never liked him very much.”
“No news.” Beth closed her eyes briefly for a quick, silent prayer over the vacant building next door, where she hoped toopen a gift shop and provide space for a youth center on the upper level.Ifshe could get a loan.
Keeley North, owner of an antiques shop a few blocks away, snorted. “If it’s those vandals again, we should march over to the sheriff’s office and make sure he takes things seriously this time.”
Despite her worries, Beth smiled.
Blond, blue-eyed, with an effervescent sense of humor that belied her bulldog tenacity, Keeley was loyal to a fault.
Beth could easily see her backing the sheriff into a corner until he called in the National Guard to help him. “Not the vandals again. It’s...well, a little more complicated than that.”
“If this is a bad time, we can all leave, dear.” Olivia frowned. “Unless, of course, there’s something we can do to help.”
For years, they’d been meeting twice a month on Saturday mornings, an hour before the store opened.
The five members had been friends in good times and bad, and though Hannah was away helping with family problems in Texas, Beth knew she could count on every one of them for support and the utmost discretion.
Still, she stumbled over her thoughts, trying to frame her news in the best light.
“My mother called. She’s taking the scenic route from California and will arrive next weekend. Fortwo whole weeks.”
Usually, she arrived wanting to revamp everything in Beth’s life, but she hadn’t sounded that upbeat and energetic on the phone.
Sophie Alexander, the youngest of the group at twenty-nine, slowly shook her shoulder-length auburn hair. “Last time, you said she rearranged your furniture and every cupboard in your kitchen. You were frazzled for a week trying to find everything again.”
“Believe me, if Mom just upends my house and bookstore again, I’ll be thankful. But—” Beth took a deep breath. “That second call was from Dev. He’s coming back on Monday and plans to be in town for a week.”
Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “Your mother and ex-husband. In the same town.” She paused for a moment, then tilted her head and angled a speculative look at Beth. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “He called to say he’s coming. Interesting.”
Beth winced, trying to hold back the painful memories of the day he’d said he wanted to end their marriage...and the even more painful memories of what happened later.
“His call was unexpected. We haven’t spoken since he came back for his mother’s funeral six months ago.”
Keeley frowned. “I know it was a funeral and all, but he barelyacknowledgedyou.”
That much was true. It had been hard to control her hurt and anger during that brief encounter.
Beth shrugged. “Well, I’m sure he won’t be in town long this time either, before he heads right back to the Middle East...or wherever he’s stationed. That was the drill throughout our marriage, and I’m sure he hasn’t changed.”
Sophie shuddered. “This should be interesting.”
