Page 4 of Forever In Willow Creek
Zoe didn’t realize how quickly news traveled in a small town until three different people asked her about the lasagna by noon.
At the grocery store, the checkout clerk smiled knowingly. At the bakery, a woman she hadn’t even met yet raised an eyebrow and said, “I heard Luke finally ate something other than diner food last night.”
By the time she stepped into Sweet Bloom Flowers—Sarah’s latest obsession, Zoe had stopped trying to act surprised.
Her younger sister was near the back of the shop, arranging a bouquet with the precision that Zoe had always found both beautiful and maddening. Sarah looked up when she heard the bell over the door, her expression brightening.
“There she is,” Sarah said with a little too much cheer. “Town celebrity.”
Zoe rolled her eyes. “Why does everyone know what I fed a man for dinner?”
Sarah smirked. “Because Luke Harrison has been a bachelor longer than I’ve lived here. You think you can drop off a hot meal and walk away unnoticed?”
“I was being neighborly,” Zoe said, folding her arms.
“You were being pleasant. And brave.” Sarah handed her a sunflower, placing it in her hand like a peace offering. “Also, he’s hot. I’m just saying.”
Zoe took the flower, amused and mildly flustered. “I’m not here for all that.”
“You’re here to rest. And sometimes resting means realizing you need people too. Even grumpy mechanics with nice arms.”
Zoe snorted, but didn’t argue. Sarah always had a way of seeing through her walls.
Before she could respond, the door opened again, and a woman in her sixties walked in with a cane and a commanding presence. She wore a bright purple cardigan and carried herself like she ran the town—or maybe just knew it better than anyone else.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Zoe Carter,” the woman said, eyeing her warmly. “Heard you’re settling in real nice.”
“Um, hi,” Zoe said, thrown off but smiling.
“Name’s Granny Mae,” the woman said, reaching out to shake her hand. “And don’t let the name fool you—I’m sharp as a tack and nosier than a raccoon in your trash.”
Zoe laughed, surprised at how quickly she liked her.
“Mae runs half the events in town,” Sarah explained. “And she’s been trying to find someone for Luke for at least five years.”
“Don’t go scaring her off,” Mae said, poking Sarah gently with her cane. “I just like to see good people connect. And Luke’s overdue for some joy.”
Zoe’s eyebrows shot up. “You’re not subtle, are you?”
Mae grinned. “Subtleties for cowards and folks who don’t get things done. Now,” she turned slightly, “speaking of getting things done, the Fall Festival is this weekend. And we need volunteers.”
Zoe opened her mouth to protest.
Mae cut her off. “Don’t give me that city face. You want to rest? Then rest by doing something that makes your heart full, not just your calendar empty. This town doesn’t heal you with silence—it heals you with people.”
It was the kind of thing Zoe would’ve brushed off a week ago. But today, with the sunflower still in her hand and the scent of soil and blossoms in the air, she found herself saying, “Alright. What do you need help with?”
Mae beamed. “Now we’re talking. You’re on decoration duty. Tomorrow morning. Nine sharp.”
As quickly as she had appeared, Mae shuffled back out of the shop, her cane tapping rhythmically against the wooden floor.
Sarah gave her a triumphant look. “You will thank me later.”
Zoe shook her head, but her heart was lighter somehow.
The next morning, Zoe arrived at the town square with coffee in one hand and a notebook in the other. Folding tables were already scattered across the grass, and hay bales lined the sidewalks. Fall in Willow Creek was serious business, and people showed up early to prove it.
She didn’t expect to see Luke there.
He was lifting wooden crates from the back of a truck, his flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves, exposing forearms dusted with flour from the pumpkins he’d been hauling. Zoe tried not to stare—and failed, just a little.
He noticed her as he set down a crate. “You’re early.”
She held up her coffee. “Bribery works both ways.”
Luke smirked. “They roped you into this, too?”
“Granny Mae ambushed me at the flower shop. I think I got off easy.”
“She once convinced me to dress up as a scarecrow for the kids’ hayride.”
Zoe laughed. “Please tell me there are pictures.”
“Unfortunately, yes. And if you play your cards right, I might just delete them before Mae shows you.”
They fell into an easy rhythm, arranging decorations and stringing lights along the trees. For once, Zoe didn’t feel out of place. People passed by with warm smiles, inviting her into their conversations. It was strange, being noticed for something other than her job title. Here, she was just Zoe.
They took a break near the fountain, sitting side by side on the edge.
“You’re not what I expected,” Luke said after a long pause.
“How so?”
“I figured you’d be gone by now. Most people from the city don’t last more than a weekend.”
Zoe looked out over the square, the laughter of children echoing in the background. “I anticipated that I would have left by now as well, but if my sister can successfully adapt to living in a small town, then I am confident that I can do the same.”
Luke’s expression softened. “Glad you’re still here.”
She met his gaze. Something gentle passed between them, something sizzling and deeply felt. She didn’t need to define it. Not yet.
The wind stirred the leaves at their feet, and for the first time in a long time, Zoe Carter felt like she was truly happy.