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ON HER KNEES BESIDE the fountain located in the center of the old building complex across from City Hall, Emery watched Jason Hart, the local plumber, work as he attempted to get the fountain functioning once again.
Every time she glanced at Jason’s service truck, she smiled. Emblazoned across the back was the phrase, “A flush beats a full house, every time!” It was parked nearby as the plumber rushed to complete the job.
He’d taken a look at the fountain right after Emery had started the historical society. Although he needed to order parts, he’d told her he thought he could get it running again. Thankfully, the parts had arrived two days ago. Jason had devoted every spare minute he had to the repairs.
According to Mayor Kane, the last time the fountain functioned was back in the early 1980s, before the mill shut down. While Jason did his best to get the fountain functioning, Emery planted flowers in the built-in planters that surrounded the fountain. She could just picture water gurgling in the fountain, a bright summer sky overhead, and the flowers providing a fragrant burst of color.
Emery surveyed her work, pleased with the assortment of flowers the feed store had been able to order for her. Daisies, nasturtiums, pansies, and violets reflected flowers popular in 1910 while cinnamon pinks would provide a wonderful scent when they bloomed. Encouraged with how appealing the fountain area was beginning to look, she hoped Jason would be able to get the fountain running soon.
Tomorrow, Walk Through 1910 would officially debut, at least to the town. The mayor, with his side business of locksmithing, had changed the locks on all the buildings that were now in the possession of the historical society.
An inspector had come all the way from Portland to look at each building. He’d declared them structurally sound, even if many of them needed major improvements.
Two of the old buildings weren’t among those Emery had purchased. One was owned by the Miller family. It housed the Miller’s real estate, insurance, and accounting offices as well as Parker’s hunting and guide service, and a few other businesses. While it was in fair shape, there were cosmetic improvements that could enhance the appearance to match the other buildings as they were renovated.
The second building was located next to the old train depot. Kept in beautiful condition, no one knew who owned it. A landscaping service from Burns tended to the plants around it, and an office cleaning service from Burns came every other month to wash windows and tidy the appearance of the building. Even Jason had commented about being hired to check on the plumbing and pipes at least once a year, but he was paid through an attorney in Seattle and had no idea who owned it.
Emery didn’t really care as long as the building looked good, although she wished it was one they could open for tours. Perhaps her father and uncle could help track down the current owner and see if they’d be willing to include the building in the Walk Through 1910 tours.
The first time she and the mayor had inspected the buildings, Emery’s heart had dropped down to her feet. The interiors were dim, musty, dirty, littered with trash, broken glass, and rodents. She’d come across so many mice and walked into so many cobwebs, she thought she’d become somewhat desensitized to them.
The former library building was one of her favorites, though. The wood inside was rich, albeit dusty, and it had the most spectacular curved staircase that led to the upper floor. Thick wooden shelves were built into the walls. Heavy tables and chairs covered the main floor. Even the old card catalog and original wooden counter where patrons checked out books were still intact. When she closed her eyes, she could picture happy young people whispering at the tables in the corners while elderly patrons eyed them with mock disdain. Oh, the stories the library could tell if only it could speak.
At least the library was in good condition, considering the number of years it had been empty and abandoned. Only two windows were broken and needed to be replaced, so it was mostly a matter of cleaning, dusting, and polishing to get it ready, which is exactly what Emery and her band of volunteers completed earlier in the week.
She’d gone to every business in town, from the daycare and vet clinic to the machine shop and forest service office, begging and pleading for people willing to lend a hand to her project.
Whether it was guilt, her state as a young single woman who could offer a flirty smile when necessary, or a curiosity in seeing the old buildings that drove sixteen people to volunteer their assistance, she wasn’t certain. All she knew was that in the last two weeks, they’d managed to get the library whipped into shape and replace the broken windows. They’d also cleaned the old bank as well as what was once the milliner’s shop.
With salvageable furniture she found in the buildings, and some she talked Nell into letting her borrow, they were able to stage the bank and the milliner’s shop as they might have appeared in 1910. Lewis Russell donated a few hats and dresses to display in the milliner’s shop on the mannequins Emery found in the basement of a former clothing store that closed in the early 1990s.
The historic buildings needed so many repairs. Many were going to require entire electrical and plumbing upgrades, not to mention new windows and roofs. Wallpaper needed to be stripped, paint scraped, and floors refinished, but Emery was excited they at least had a few buildings in suitable condition to give the community an idea of her vision for the tour project.
Tomorrow, they’d erect a big tent on the lawn at city hall, set up tables, and hold a community potluck after opening the old buildings for people to explore. Emery, along with the historical society board members and other volunteers would stand watch in the buildings, making sure no one stole anything or went into the areas they’d roped off for safety reasons.
The finishing touch for the debut of Walk Through 1910 would be for the fountain to work again after so many years of serving only as a place where people threw trash or where leaves tended to pile up.
It took Emery another hour to finish planting the flowers and to add a layer of red hemlock bark mulch. She stepped back and brushed off the gardening gloves she wore, then watched as Jason climbed out of the fountain base where he’d been working. Last week, he’d sprayed sealant all over the inside of the fountain in hopes that when they got it working, it wouldn’t leak.
“Are you ready to give it a go?” he asked, stepping beside her.
“You bet.” She offered him a gratitude-filled smile. “Even if it doesn’t work, I appreciate all you’ve done, Jason, and the hours you volunteered to do it.”
“You’re welcome. Summer Creek is my home, and anything that helps it look more like the way it used to be, I’m all for it.” Jason filled the fountain with water, turned on the water pump, and they both waited, anxious to see if it would work.
Miraculously, water began gurgling and soon flowed over the three-tiered fountain.
Filled with excitement, Emery offered Jason a jubilant hug, then stood with hands clasped beneath her chin, watching the water cascade through the fountain.
“It’s stunning!” she said, so pleased to see it work. “Thank you, Jason, so much.”
“You’re welcome, Emery. If you’re this excited now, wait until you see it at night. I talked Liam Lake into installing lights. They should kick on at dusk.”
“For that, you get another hug.” Emery hugged the nice-looking young man a second time. She didn’t know much about Jason, other than his great smile and easy-going attitude made him someone she considered a friend.
Emery felt a bump from behind and looked down at Ethel. The goat tilted her head to the side and studied the fountain, then marched over to it, heading for Emery’s just-planted flowers.
She hurried to step in front of the goat and bent down until her nose was nearly touching Ethel’s. “So help me, Ethel, but if you so much as even think about eating these flowers or any others I plant around town, I’ll turn you into a goatskin handbag. Is that understood?”
The goat bleated, turned around, and scurried back in the direction of the vet clinic.
Jason chuckled as he loaded tools into his service truck. “I don’t know if scolding Ethel will keep her in line, but it can’t hurt.”
“She needs boundaries. It’s a pity no one with a few acres will take her in.”
“Oh, several people have tried to give her a home, but Ethel seems to prefer being in town to a quiet farm life. Even Nell tried to get her to stay at Summer Creek Ranch, but I think Ethel beat her back to town.”
Emery grinned. “Well, if she knows what’s good for her, Ethel will leave my flowers alone.” She stared at the fountain, delirious with joy that it actually worked. “Thank you, again, Jason, for all you’ve done.”
“Are you grateful enough that you’ll have dinner with me some evening? We don’t have to eat at the Bar and Grill or Maudie’s place. We could drive into Burns or even Bend.” Jason shot her a hopeful look as he loaded the last of his tools.
Flattered by his invitation, Emery didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she wouldn’t go to dinner with anyone unless it was Hud. He was the one she’d fallen in love with, the only one she wanted to be with.
“I’m so honored you’d ask, Jason.” Emery placed her hand on his arm and smiled up at him. “You’re a great guy, and sweet, and so kind, but I just ... ”
“It’s okay, Emery. I get the idea you’ve already given your heart to someone.” Jason kissed her cheek. “For the record, he’s a lucky guy.”
Before she was forced to respond, Jason’s cell phone rang. He waved to her as he walked over to his truck and climbed inside.
Emery snapped photos of the fountain, then sent them to her father and uncle. She’d just walked across the street to city hall to close the historical society office for the day when her phone rang. A glance at the caller ID made her smile.
“Hi, Daddy. Did you get the photos of the fountain?”
“I sure did, honey. It looks fantastic. I’m surprised they got it up and running. Did you plant the flowers all by yourself?”
“I did,” Emery said, feeling pride in her work. She’d never so much as picked a flower let alone planted one before she moved to Summer Creek, but Nell had taught her so much in the months she’d been at the ranch. “I had to chase Ethel away. I’m afraid she’ll come back and eat them all before tomorrow.”
“If she does, I promise to pay for new ones.”
Emery walked inside the historical office and sat down at her desk. The office wasn’t very big and sparsely furnished right then, but she loved it and what it represented. “Speaking of paying for things, did you get the message I sent about my car?”
“I did.” Her father cleared his throat. “Are you sure that’s what you want to do? You’re positive you want to sell it?”
“I do, Daddy. The historical society desperately needs money to get this project off the ground, and the proceeds from the sale of my car will be a good start.”
“You’re absolutely certain a month from now you aren’t going to be tired of Summer Creek and old buildings, and want your car back?”
“I’m one hundred percent certain, Daddy. I love it here and never want to leave.”
“Does this mean your mother and I shouldn’t expect you home anytime soon? Are you so busy catching the cowboy of Summer Creek Ranch that we won’t get to see you unless we come there?”
Emery could hear teasing in his voice and rolled her eyes. “I’m not catching anyone, Daddy. Even if I wanted to, I don’t think he’s particularly interested in being caught. Besides, I’m far too busy with the Walk Through 1910 project to have much time to think about anything else.”
“I bet you’re doodling his name right now, as we speak.”
Emery glanced down at the piece of paper she’d absently drawn hearts and curlicues and Hud’s name all over as she talked with her father. It annoyed her that he knew her so well.
“Hmph.” She ripped the paper off the notepad, wadded it into a tight ball, and tossed it into the trash.
Her father laughed. “I’m sorry we can’t be there tomorrow for the big community gathering, but I hope it proves to be a fantastic experience for everyone.”
“Me, too, Dad. If we can get the community to support this, I think it will be a bigger success.”
“I know it’ll go well, and you’ll do great, kiddo. If I haven’t mentioned it, I’m so proud of you, and so is your uncle.”
“Uncle Henry sent me the nicest note. It made my mascara run, so tell him thanks for that.”
James chuckled. “I’ll tell him, but we really are so proud of you, Emery. You’ve risen above your challenges and excelled far beyond what I imagined.”
“You pictured me doing something so stupid, I would get thrown in jail and have to devote months of my life to community service to make up for my bad choices?” Emery hated that she’d gotten arrested and that a horrendous video of her, mostly her exposed backside, was still getting hundreds of views a day, but she didn’t regret coming to Summer Creek. Not at all.
The time she’d spent in the tiny town had forced her to grow up and change in so many ways. She never wanted to return to the person she’d been before she arrived at Summer Creek Ranch—a spoiled rich girl who only thought of herself and took no responsibility for her actions. Emery could hardly stand to think of how obnoxious and awful she’d been.
She’d accepted that every choice she made, every thought she had, was her responsibility and hers alone. No one made her drink the mimosa. No one forced her to try to get on the police horse. No one coerced her into trying to bribe Officer Tipton. That was all on her.
Emery had come to realize many things since she’d been in Summer Creek. She’d seen herself with a clarity she never would have gained if she hadn’t come to a place where she was separated from a way of life that no longer held even the tiniest bit of appeal.
Thanks to her father and uncle insisting on bringing her here, and to the Cole family for letting her stay, she’d found herself and her purpose in life. She’d developed a personal relationship with her Father in heaven and was thankful every day for His love and interceding on her behalf.
And because of all that, she’d discovered a deeper level of affection for those she loved.
“No, Emery, I never imagined a child of mine would be arrested for something as idiotic as trying to ride a police horse. By the way, Henry said Officer Tipton was quite pleased with your note and shared it with your probation officer. He said to tell you he wishes you well in your future endeavors.”
“That’s kind of him.” Emery felt relieved the officer didn’t harbor any bad feelings toward her. A few weeks ago, she’d written a letter to Officer Tipton, sincerely apologizing to him for trying to ride his horse and being so rude. She really was fortunate she wasn’t serving time in jail for her ridiculous behavior. Most likely, she wouldn’t see the officer again, but she felt an urgent need to right all the wrongs she’d caused.
Which was why she’d sent her father a list of all the things she’d broken or damaged at the ranch and had asked him to take funds from her savings to cover the expenses. He’d sent the money to Hud to pay for replacements, but Hud had returned the check to her and told her not to worry about it.
Hud was such a great guy, a wonderful friend, and an incredible father. Just last night, she’d happened across a photo of him holding Cricket when she was a baby. The look of love, of pure adoration, on his face had made Emery’s knees so weak she had to sit down before she lost the ability to stand. Not a single doubt entered her mind about Hud’s ability to be an amazing father to his children.
She could picture him in the backyard at Summer Creek Ranch, rolling in the grass with two little boys who looked just like him while she and Cricket sat on a swing, watching them play. The image was so real to her, she could almost smell the aroma of steaks sizzling on the grill and hear the laughter of her sons.
Her sons.
Emery realized how much she wanted children. Longed for them. But not just any children—she wanted Hud’s. She wanted to be his wife, be a mother to Cricket, have his babies, and create a future with him right there on the ranch where life was sometimes hard and hectic, but always fulfilling and worthwhile.
“Are you okay, Magpie? You’ve gotten awfully quiet.” Her father’s voice held concern when he spoke.
“I’m fine, Daddy. Thank you for asking. I was just thinking about the person I used to be. I don’t like her very much.”
“Oh, sweetheart. Don’t be hard on yourself. You were never a bad person, just ... ”
“Spoiled, self-serving, arrogant, selfish, and obnoxious,” she interjected.
Her father sighed. “I wouldn’t have added all that.”
“But it’s true. I’m sorry, Daddy. I really was awful, and I don’t ever want to be that way again. Would you and Mom be terribly upset if I decided to stay here in Summer Creek?”
“We’ll miss you, Emery, but it’s time for you to make your own way in the world. I couldn’t be any prouder of you and how far you’ve come these last few months. If being in Summer Creek is what made the difference, then you should stay there. I just want you to be happy and content in life.”
Emotion welled in her throat as tears stung the backs of her eyes. “Thank you, Daddy. It’s too bad you can’t be here for the party tomorrow. Maybe you and Uncle Henry can come when we officially open the tours to the public. There’s a lot of work to complete before then, but I know it’s going to happen.”
“We’ll be there, sweetheart. I promise. Now, is there anything I can help with from this end, other than selling your car?”
“No, Daddy. I think that’s it for now. Oh, maybe, if it isn’t too much trouble, Mom could send my summer clothes. I’ve heard it’s supposed to get hot soon, and I’m not sure City Hall has air conditioning.”
“I’ll ask her to do that.”
Emery heard a sound in the background, like a muffled conversation, before her father came back on the line. “Have fun tomorrow and know we’re thinking of you and cheering you on.”
“Thanks, Dad. Oh, before I forget, thanks for having Mr. Knight help with the initial paperwork. Will he be able to continue to offer his assistance?”
“Actually, he’s assigned his son to take over. You remember Nathaniel, don’t you?”
Emery wanted to roll her eyes. Her father and Nathaniel’s had spent years trying to force them together before they’d finally admitted defeat and giving up on being matchmakers. “Yes, I do remember him. He always seemed nice and polite. I haven’t seen him around for a while, though. Is he well?”
“He’s fine, just busy with work, I think. He’ll be in touch soon.”
“Okay. Bye, Daddy.”
Emery tucked her phone in her handbag, turned off the computer, and locked the office door before hurrying out to her pickup. A glance at her watch confirmed she’d be right on time to help with dinner if she hurried straight home.
Home.
Uncertain when it happened, she’d come to think of Summer Creek Ranch as home and the people there as family. Honestly, if they asked her to leave, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. It wasn’t just Summer Creek and the Walk Through 1910 project that made her want to stay in the area. It was Hud and Cricket, and Nell, and Jossy, and the people she’d come to think of as her friends. She’d even gotten Maudie at the Early Bird Café to warm up to her enough to make salad with chicken instead of steak without yelling at her. According to the mayor, that was big progress.
Amused as she drove home, Emery was almost there when she remembered she needed to go to Burns to pick up the tent for the potluck tomorrow. Pulling over to the side of the road, she called Nell and let her know she wouldn’t be home for dinner, turned around, and headed into the closest thing they had to a city to pick up the tent.
On the way home, as she ate a deli sandwich and slurped a strawberry milkshake, all she could think about was Hud and the way he’d looked at her when she’d smacked into his bare chest the other day. The sensations that spiraled through her as she stood with her arms braced against the hard surface of his chest was enough to nearly render her speechless.
Maybe he’d been chilly, and his muscles were twitching, but she was almost sure he’d waggled his chest muscles at her on purpose.
If she cared to admit it, she’d definitely like the opportunity to see them again.
Hud was the most handsome man she’d ever encountered, but that rugged beauty wasn’t just on the surface. He truly was a good man with a sweet smile and gorgeous, soulful eyes that couldn’t hide his kind heart no matter how hard he tried. He was a man of faith who walked with honesty and honor.
Emery knew his first wife had wounded him deeply, damaged his heart and trust to the point he’d vowed to remain alone, or so Jossy had informed her. If Emery stayed in Summer Creek, would she ever be able to get past the walls he’d erected to safeguard his heart?
The question she kept asking herself was if she was willing to try. Unable to reach a decision on her own, she sent up a prayer as she continued driving home.
When Emery returned to the ranch, the house was quiet and dark except for a nightlight in the kitchen and another on the stairs. She stopped in the kitchen long enough to reach into the cookie jar and snag two cookies, which she ate over the sink, then washed them down with a glass of cold water. In the past, she’d paid up to fifteen dollars for a bottle of artesian water, but none of them came close to tasting as delicious as the water from Summer Creek Ranch’s well.
Quietly making her way upstairs, Emery readied for bed, wrote a few notes in the journal she’d kept from the first day she arrived at the ranch, then fell into an exhausted sleep.
The next morning, she was up and on her way to town before Hud had even rousted out of bed. She wondered if he would notice she’d snatched the last two cookies from the cookie jar for her breakfast, since he usually ate a few with his coffee on his way out to start the morning chores.
She grinned, thinking of him swishing his hand around inside the jar and coming up empty.
When she got to town, Emery stowed a change of clothes in the historical society office, then jogged across the street to check on the fountain. Daylight had yet to break, making it dark enough the lights Liam installed illuminated the fountain and reflected on the water.
“It’s beautiful,” Emery whispered, then glanced down to make sure Ethel hadn’t devoured the plants. She could see the flowers hadn’t been disturbed and breathed a sigh of relief.
She took a key from her pocket and opened the door to the former library, breathing in the scent of furniture polish mingled with old books. Even though the books had all been moved to the upper floor of City Hall, the library still held that wonderful, unique aroma.
Emery flicked on the lights Liam had managed to get working and looked around to make sure everything was in order. She set a bouquet of flowers she’d picked up in Burns on the counter and then placed a large sign by the card catalog. After the fiasco of trying to make the sign for the road, she’d had a print shop in Burns make signs for each of the old buildings that described when they were constructed, who owned them at the time, and the name of the business. Each sign had copies of photographs of the buildings from the early 1900s, as well as any other details Emery had been able to find.
She went from the library to the bank and set up a sign, placed flowers in the teller’s window, and moved on to the milliner’s shop.
Inspired last night, she’d stopped by an antique store in Burns and found an outfit from the early 1900s, complete with hat and shoes, so she’d purchased it for a display at the store. She lugged another mannequin up from the basement of one of the buildings in which they hadn’t yet been able to do any repairs or cleaning, screamed when she encountered a mouse, then raced back to the milliner’s shop, dragging the mannequin behind her.
“That’ll teach me to go down there in the dark by myself,” she muttered as she dressed the mannequin. Once she had the hat arranged just so and the shoes peeking out from the bottom of the skirt, she set a bouquet of flowers on a carved sideboard Hud had hauled into town for her from their storage shed.
He and Nell had been so good about letting her take whatever she wanted to use as props. Hud loaded it all in a horse trailer, after he spent an hour scrubbing it out, then unloaded the furniture, moving some pieces three and four times as she decided where they’d look best. He never complained or fussed, like her father and uncle would have done if their wives had been directing them to move a couch for the third time. His willingness to help her was one more reason she loved Hud.
With a sigh, she knew now was not the time to let her thoughts trip over what might be with the gorgeous cowboy. Just for today, she needed to focus on making this community event a huge success. The more people in town who supported the Walk Through 1910 project, the easier it would be to pursue the next part of her plan to bring tourists and revenue to Summer Creek.
Eventually, Emery hoped the big Victorian homes in town would join in the tour. From what she’d seen and observed, only one of them had a family living in it, and they were talking about moving due to the outrageous power bill required to keep the place warm in the winter.
The lumber baron’s mansion, in Emery’s opinion, would make a fantastic place to stage living history events. Or someone enterprising could turn it into a beautiful bed and breakfast. Summer Creek ran right through the backyard, and there was the cutest little footbridge across it. The property would also make a fabulous wedding venue. If the gardens could be restored, along with the rotting gazebo, it would be a photographer’s dream for taking wedding photos.
A photographer!
Emery hadn’t even thought about hiring one to document the events today. Perhaps she could talk someone local into taking a few photographs. She knew one of the Nelson children seemed interested in photography because she’d seen him walking around town with a camera, snapping photos.
She typed a note to herself on her phone, shoved it in her pocket, and walked back across the street to the lawn at City Hall where she’d dragged the large tent.
Sunrise began to lighten the sky as she read the directions for setting up the tent and decided it might be best to wait until she had an extra pair of hands to help. She went into City Hall to her office and finished folding the flyers she’d printed that outlined the Walk Through 1910 project.
It was barely past seven when the mayor poked his head inside her office and grinned. “Need some help with the tent?”
“I sure do, and thank you, Mitch.”
An hour later, the tent was standing, and Emery breathed a sigh of relief. The rattle of a horse trailer drew her gaze to the street as the gym teacher and the principal arrived and began unloading tables and chairs borrowed from the school.
One moment Emery and Mitch had been the only ones there. The next, there were a dozen people laughing and joking as they helped get things ready. A woman Emery hadn’t yet met approached her, handed her a folded banner, then left.
When Emery held one end out to the mayor, they unfurled it and read, “Welcome to Walk Through 1910 Tours.”
Emery knew she had Hud to thank for the sign because he was the only one who’d seen the logo she’d been designing. Yet, there it was on the banner, plain as day and making her nearly overwrought with emotion.
“Do you think we can hang this over the mercantile building, since it’s in the center?” Emery asked Mitch.
“I don’t see why not. I’ll find a ladder and some hooks.”
Emery reverently folded the banner and walked across the street. Once Sam Shelby, the local fix-it man, helped Mitch hang it, they all stepped back and studied it.
“That sure looks nice.” Maudie Smith spoke from behind them, causing the group to gape at her in surprise. “Thought you could use a little snack. Left doughnuts and coffee on the table over there. I can’t dawdle, though, so I’ll see you later.”
“Thanks, Maudie!” Emery called after her. The woman didn’t turn around or acknowledge her in any way, but Emery noted the older woman’s shoulders straightened a few inches, as though she was pleased.
“I’m all for Maudie’s doughnuts,” Sam said, rushing over to join those sampling the refreshments.
Busy seeing to last minute details for the next hour, Emery finally glanced at her watch and knew she’d have to hurry to change her clothes.
Nerves about the event going well knotted her stomach as she slipped on a dress she’d purchased last spring at Bergdorf Goodman and a pair of Stuart Weitzman wedge sandals. Hastily adding a few curls to her hair, she left it hanging down. She applied a little makeup and a spray of her favorite perfume, then hurried back outside. She was almost down the front steps of City Hall when a man wearing an expensive suit and a questioning glance hurried her direction.
“Nathaniel Knight! I can’t believe you’re here,” Emery said, throwing her arms around him and giving him a big hug. “I’m so, so happy to see you.”
Emery stood on tiptoe and gave him a kiss on his cheek, then took his hand in hers, leading him around to introduce him to everyone.
While she’d changed, people had begun arriving, excited to see the old buildings and equally eager to enjoy a community party. According to the mayor, they hadn’t had one for years.
Emery left Nathaniel speaking to Mitch while she helped arrange food on the tables. Nell brought a slow cooker filled with a decadent casserole that Emery had struggled to stop eating the first time she’d tasted it. Nell called it hash brown crack and she could see it would be a popular choice on the menu. The woman had baked cream cheese cookie bars, brownies, and three pies. She also brought a huge pan of brisket Hud had cooked on a smoker. Jossy contributed sausage rolls, a pasta salad, and a blueberry lemon cake that looked divine.
While her mouth watered at the sight of all the wonderful food, Emery’s heart felt light and about to burst from the joy of having so many people attend the event.
She looked around the crowd and her gaze landed on Hud. He smiled at her and raised an eyebrow in an expression she knew so well. Suddenly, everything in her world seemed so right, especially when Cricket ran over to her and wrapped her arms around her waist with sweet, genuine affection.
Emery returned Cricket’s hug, heart bursting with love.
Summer Creek was where she was meant to be and where she always wanted to stay.