Chapter One

Slamming an empty cardboard box on her desk, Danielle Lerato pulled out a drawer, then lifted it high in the air, turned it upside down, and dumped the contents inside the box. Another drawer of miscellaneous office supplies followed. “Why am I letting myself be forced to pack up my comfortable and contented existence? I don’t want to move across the country.” She loved living in Victoria, British Columbia. The climate and lifestyle suited her. She couldn't imagine calling anywhere else home. Certainly not Redford Falls on the Atlantic Coast. A brief visit to the small town nine months ago made her appreciate her city residence even more.

The unpleasant memory caused a chill to run up her spine. Or maybe the lack of heat in the building caused the frosty nip in her mood. Shivering, she ran her hands up and down her arms. Cold was an understatement. The office felt more like a butcher’s meat locker. The building’s interior brick walls usually evoked a timeless charm as an architectural feature all year round with floor-to-ceiling windows on one side. With the electricity being disconnected two months ago, today, the crimson brick retained a bitter coolness. The sun’s beaming rays provided Danielle with light but little warmth.

Nicknamed The Garden City, Victoria was Danielle’s home for a reason. Due to being on the Pacific Coast, the city was known for its calm winters and dustings of snow. The area tended to be mild and rainy, which allowed for year-round outdoor pursuits such as cycling and hiking. While the rest of the country bundled up in thermal snowsuits, the residents here got away with fleece jackets.

Danielle stared down from her sixth-floor office. People hustled about the business district. The early morning dusting of snow never stalled their steps. She loved being part of the corporate crowd where everyone dressed for success and rushed to and from their destination. They’d share a nod or the briefest smile to acknowledge a familiar face as they passed.

For years, going to the office had been part of Danielle’s daily routine. Consistency was essential. She’d awake every morning at the same time, shower, dress, and put on her makeup. Then she’d stop at the cafe across the street from her condo for an amaretto latte before flagging a cab to work. When Danielle indulged in a lunch hour, she’d shop for her high-end toiletries, designer clothes, and new shoes. At the workday’s end, each evening included a scheduled appointment either at the spa, the salon, or yoga studio. Massages, manicures, hairstyling, and facials were a must. As was connecting to her inner chakra. Thrown in for fun were occasional dates or social events.

Turning from the window, she wrapped the belt of her jacket tight around her waist. “I so dislike the cold—” She froze in mid-sentence. All thoughts paused with the ding that accompanied the opening and closing of the elevator door. Approaching footsteps squeaked on the tiled hallway. Being a footwear enthusiast, Danielle pictured the individual wearing thick grip-soled winter boots. Totally unnecessary for a few white flakes.

The steps ceased, and then continued. Whoever had entered the sixth floor stopped outside each office entry. Pulse kicked up a notch, she listened as the footsteps grew closer. Besides Danielle, only her boss and the building’s owner retained keys. Her boss was in Redford Falls, and the landlord wasn’t due to return from the holidays for another week. She remembered locking the front door. Why would a burglar break into an empty office building? Her grip on the back of her chair tightened. Perhaps a prowler hiding from the police or seeking solitude for a drug deal. Or worse! A serial killer. She shook her head. No more mystery novels before bed.

Rummaging through one of the partially filled cardboard boxes, she searched for a weapon. When her fingertips felt cold metal, relief surged through her. Danielle gripped the letter opener, pushed aside her chair, and crouched under the desk. She held her breath, ready to pounce.

Squeaking boots stopped at her open office door, then walked in.

Danielle released a breath through her nose and held another in her throat. Large brown boots collided against the leg of the desk. Size eights.

The prowler moved items in the boxes, then opened and closed the filing cabinet drawers. She should strike before the intruder rounded the room and discovered her hiding spot. The steady beat of her pulse deafened her ears. She gripped the letter opener and acted before she could change her mind. Danielle jumped out and straightened at lightning speed. She pushed hard on the wheeled chair, taking the trespasser by surprise and knocking him to the floor. Stepping forward, Danielle wielded the letter opener above her victim.

“Danielle?”

“Waverly?” Frowning, Danielle lowered her weapon and lifted the chair off her friend. She offered a hand.

“Holy freaking fudge nuggets? Have you gone mad?” Waverly grabbed Danielle’s hand and pulled to stand. “You scared the beejeebers out of me.” She pushed her long hair from her face and rubbed her arm.

Danielle tossed the weapon in the box. “I’m sorry. I thought you were a burglar.”

“You’ve been reading mysteries again.” Waverly rolled her eyes. “I should be thankful you didn’t stab me. Dad would have to arrest you.” She brushed the sleeves of her winter coat.

Danielle imagined the embarrassment of having cuffs slapped on her wrists by Waverly’s police officer father.

Waverly frowned. “What are you doing here?”

“Ditto that question,” Danielle said. Being a slave to her job, she had only a short list of acquaintances. Waverly worked as the company’s receptionist and had won over Danielle with her energetic and spunky personality. Danielle considered Waverly her closest friend.

“You haven’t answered Jackson’s calls since before Christmas. He’s worried.” Waverly glanced around the room. “Everyone but you packed the last of their belongings months ago. Jackson mailed a key and asked me to box your stuff before the new owners take possession of the building.”

Danielle hadn’t realized time had moved on and left her behind. “I’ve been busy. Today is the first chance I had.”

“How were your holidays in Phoenix?”

“Good. Mom and Dad say hi.” Better to lie than to tell the truth. Her friend would only lecture Danielle over her decision to stay home alone. “How about you?”

“Okay, I guess. Lance left the day after Christmas, so I stayed with my parents.”

She felt terrible about abandoning Waverly after her military husband was posted in a foreign country to train local troops.

“I wished you were here to share a bottle of wine…or two.”

Guilt stabbed. Danielle forced a laugh.

“So, have you decided what you’re doing?” Waverly raised an eyebrow.

The time-bomb question. Danielle closed the lid on one of the boxes. “I’m not leaving the comforts of my home to go to a small town in the middle of nowhere.”

“Then you’ve accepted the position at Pratt Development?”

She grimaced. “Um, no.”

“You turned them down?”

“Um, no.”

“Danielle!” Waverly pushed aside the chair. “You’re the only one Pratt approached.”

A selected few employees from Frost Development had moved to Redford Falls with the company. The remaining staff accepted Jackson’s generous severance package, hoping to receive an offer from Pratt.

Waverly’s frustration showed on her pink cheeks. Danielle could relate. Ever since their boss, Jackson Frost, returned home to Redford Falls last year and fell in love with his one true love, he’d thrown Danielle’s perfect daily routine into utter chaos. “I don’t understand why the whole damn company had to move.”

“You know the business can’t operate efficiently with the main office in Redford Falls and its employees thousands of miles away. Everyone was given a choice. You’re the only one sitting on the fence, or in this case, hiding in a cold and dark building as though nothing has changed.”

“I run my end of the business just fine.” Danielle glanced around the cold room. Other than her desk, chair, and one filing cabinet, her office and every other room in the building were empty. She’d been holding the company reins from this very room up until two months ago where she had been forced—due to the absence of power—to work from home. Unfortunately, all business documents and reference materials had been transferred to Redford Falls last fall, providing Jackson with the information at his fingertips.

Her boss was correct that company productivity was suffering with her so far away, and all the information needed to be in one place. Telephone calls, emails, and faxing weren’t always as efficient as hands-on and face-to-face. Frost Development had grown immensely since Jackson acquired property and land in Redford Falls. The deteriorating ski lift and resort had been redeveloped and since its recent reopening a few months ago, the Redford Falls Ski Resort had become a popular tourist destination. Word of its success travelled swiftly, leading to numerous business offers. Jackson required and deserved a proactive assistant.

Waverly pointed a finger. “You’re delaying the inevitable.”

Danielle hated being unproductive, but she needed time to figure out what to do with her future. She didn’t require her friend’s reminder. “I can’t leave my family.”

“Your parents spend six months in Phoenix. They’ll support you moving.”

Waverly met Danielle’s lost stare.

Waverly’s tone softened. “As much as I’ll miss you, I know you need a change of scenery.”

Danielle wiped the tears misting the corners of her eyes. “Why does it have to be Redford Falls? I spent a week there when Jackson and Candy got married, and I helped with the company’s relocation start-up. He loves that little town, but Redford Falls is not for me. I like designer stores and specialty coffees.”

“Who needs those when you have Cane’s Chocolate Shop? I heard Candy makes the best chocolate in the country. If I didn’t have roots planted here, I would pack up and go.” Waverly shrugged. “Come on, Danielle. Jackson needs you. You’re his second brain in this business. Candy can’t help him permanently. She has her own business to run.”

Tension weighed heavy on her shoulders. She felt bad knowing Candy had dealt with a lot of Danielle’s work load and was still doing so at eight months pregnant. “Maybe you, Jackson, and my parents are right about a change of scenery, but Redford Falls isn’t the answer. He has family there, a wife, and two babies on the way. I don’t have the enticement to move other than my job, and I’m not sure that reason is strong enough anymore.”

“This is about your brother, isn’t it?” Waverly placed a hand on Danielle’s arm. “Jackson delayed relocating because of your loss.”

“I…know…but…” Danielle couldn’t swallow past the lump in her throat. She pressed her teeth together and counted to ten, forcing the tears to disperse. “I can’t relocate to that boring little town. I’m a city girl with pampered needs.” She strained a laugh. “I’ll contact Pratt tomorrow to accept his job offer.”

“You’ll call Jackson?”

“Yes.” She picked up a box and passed it to her friend. “I believe this is what you came here for.”

“You want me to help after you pushed a chair into me and knocked me to the floor? I’ll leave out the almost stabbing me when I tell this story to my father.”

Danielle ignored Waverly’s rant and placed the second box on top of the first. “What’s with the boots?”

Waverly peered around the containers in her arms. “A Christmas gift from my husband. I thought they were ugly, too, until I put them on my feet. The rubber bottom is great in slush and snow, and the fluffy lining is super soft.”

Her friend’s inviting description didn’t work. “You’d never catch me wearing those,” Danielle muttered under a breath. She glanced over her shoulder, taking one last look at her former office. She sighed then followed Waverly out of the building.