Page 19

Thank you.

Charles

You're welcome. Did you leave the cabin?

Marley

Soon.

Charles

Kick ass. Have fun. Love you.

I rolled up my mat, stowed it in its new corner, and went inside to change. I didn't pack much for this adventure so there wasn't a lot to choose from. Outfit selection was more a matter of what colors I wanted to wear than style since I basically brought a bunch of tank tops, jeans, shorts, the couple of flannels and sweaters I owned, and my yoga wear. For shits and giggles, I threw in a handful of my favorite tennis skirts and sundresses on the off chance I developed a social life.

I didn't bother with makeup. I figured the blander the better for keeping my alter-ego secret and left my messy pseudo-curls down. Then I grabbed my purse and keys and headed for the truck.

It had been five days since I white-knuckled it up the mountain and I was scared out of my gourd to go back down, but I did it, only scaring myself once.

The drive into town took all of five minutes, not that "town" was much of anything at all. Lost Creek was tiny and adorable and even better than anything my young imagination pictured. There were two buildings on the river side. City Hall and a store. On the other side, nestled against the mountains, was a strip of connected brick buildings, with the last one kicked out and angled in towards the others. They were all two stories tall with lots of windows and colorful awnings.

The TBR Pile sign jutted out proudly on a green metal arm. I parked in front of it and took a deep breath. My book wasn't in the window displays.

It was a good start.

There were a handful of other trucks and cars parked in front of the other businesses, except for the one on the end. Its three rows of parking spaces were empty. The sign above the door identified it as Still Standing Saloon, which probably wasn't popular until later in the day. Beside it was a darker building with a big ODX sign and Outdoor Experiences of Lost Creek painted on the front window. Between that and the TBR Pile was the Green Door Cafe. It had five small tables set up outside on the sidewalk.

The town couldn't have been cuter if I'd drawn it up myself.

"Welcome to the TBR Pile!" A slender woman with long, blonde, curly hair called out as I opened the door, setting a bell jingling. "Can I help you find something specific, or would you like to wander on your own?"

It was the perfect bookstore. Warm, inviting, and filled with books. Wood beams crisscrossed the white ceiling, meeting up with matching bookcases lining every wall. Large wood tables lined the center of the space. Spring-themed runners decorated the centers of the tables with matching candles and flowers. Books were piled neatly on each one. There were plush couches and armchairs for sitting and reading. I spied a separate room in the back, and best of all, a display dedicated to Sammy.

"When can I move in?"

The woman laughed. "The rent is pretty steep. Hi, I'm Willow and this is my shop."

She looked like a Willow, all slender and delicate. "Nice to meet you. This place is amazing!" It even smelled good. Like books and cake. "If I were you, I'd put a bed in that room and live here."

"Who says I don't?"

My gaze snapped back to the darkened room. "Do you?"

Another easy laugh. "No, but I have lived upstairs. I rent it out as an apartment, if you're interested."

Oh surenowit was available. "I'm actually renting a cabin all summer."

Her face lit up. "Golden Hour?"

All my defenses shot up out of habit and I had to remind myself this nice woman probably just heard about me from the small-town gossip mill, not because she was stalking me. "Uh, yes?"

"Mack told me to look out for you and make sure you got a copy of this month's book club selection." She floated to the cash register and pulled two paperbacks from behind the counter. "She told me to give youBetrayal at Blackthorn Park,but I went and pulled a copy ofThe Boyfriendas well."

I eyed the two entirely different books as the tension eased out of me. The first one was a World War Two mystery, the other was a thriller. I tapped my finger against the cover ofThe Boyfriend."I'm guessing this is for the murder book club?"

"You would be correct. If you're interested, they meet at the saloon."

"Why do they meet at the saloon?" I glanced around the beautiful bookstore. It was the perfect place for a book club meeting.