Grace walked into her tearoom and looked around. It was almost seven, and everyone was ready. The food was prepped. The staff was in place. Scarlett Jo was practicing her greetings, and Rachel was critiquing her. Every detail she could think of was about to find its place on the stage of her new life.

In less than a year, everything she had known, all that was normal to her, had disappeared. Her old life was over. Closed. And over the last few months, each day she had taken another step into her new life. Back to the heart that she had once shut down. Given away.

She went to the front door and leaned against the doorframe. The sun had yet to fully rise, so people were still more shadows than faces. But she recognized Zach as he walked down the street in workout clothes. The woman next to him, dressed as if she’d also been running, was clearly Caroline. He reached over and took her hand as they strolled quietly in the direction of the square.

Grace felt a slight twinge of pain. Not because Zach and Caroline were together—that was as it should be—but because they would have what her heart desired, what she had yet to fully know. Yet even with that pang came the quick realization that it was out there for her somewhere. So much was out there for her.

She reached up to the sign Zach had given her and traced the O and then the P, followed by the E and finishing with the N. Then she turned it over slowly. Sweet Tea was open for business. And Grace Shepherd’s life was now fully and completely open too.