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L ynda Morth woke up to the sound of pine branches swaying outside her window.

For a moment, she stayed where she was, enjoying the gentle rustling that had become her morning soundtrack.

It was so different from the noise that had greeted her for decades in Denver—traffic, sirens, and impatient drivers honking their horns—that it made her smile.

She stretched under the quilt, feeling the usual aches in her sixty-seven-year-old body. The guest room at Kathleen’s house wasn’t big, but it felt just right. With its sage green walls and a window that overlooked the backyard, it had everything she needed.

Outside, beyond the trees, lay Flathead Lake. It wasn’t visible from her window, but it was always a part of life in Sapphire Bay.

When she’d first come here for the reunion with her childhood friends, she’d planned to stay for two weeks, maybe three at the most. That was nearly three months ago. She’d enjoyed each day, but it was time to work out what she wanted to do with her life.

Pushing back the quilt, Lynda got out of bed and walked to the window. Outside, a couple of chickadees hopped between the branches of the pine trees, chirping happily. Nature was so straightforward, unlike people with all their complications and messy feelings.

That honesty was one of the things she’d always loved about being a vet. Animals didn’t lie. They didn’t cheat. They just lived their honest lives—something she’d found comforting after discovering her husband’s affair ten years ago.

The smell of coffee drifted up from the kitchen, telling her Kathleen was already awake. Lynda quickly got ready for the day, made her bed, and walked down the hallway and into the kitchen.

Kathleen was humming while pouring coffee into two mugs. “I thought I heard you moving around,” she said, sliding a hot mug across the counter. “Did you have a good sleep?”

“I slept like a rock,” Lynda admitted, sitting on one of the barstools at the kitchen island. “There’s something about being close to the water that knocks me right out.”

Kathleen smiled, the morning light catching the silver strands in her blonde hair. They’d all aged since their teenage summers at Flathead Lake, but there was something nice about growing older with friends who knew you when you were young.

“It’s the negative ions from the pine trees,” Kathleen said confidently, like someone who’d read too many wellness articles. “They’re supposed to lower stress and help you sleep better.”

Lynda took a sip of her coffee, enjoying the rich taste. “Did they teach you that in barista school, or was it in one of those health magazines you’re always reading?”

“Make fun all you want, but I’m not the one who fell asleep during movie night last week,” Kathleen shot back with a grin.

“That wasn’t the negative ions. It was the boring plot of the costume drama you made us watch.” Lynda rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “Two hours of people in fancy clothes giving each other meaningful looks isn’t exactly exciting.”

Kathleen laughed. “It’s the dresses and drama that keep me coming back for more. What’s your plan for today? Bookstore in the morning, animal shelter in the afternoon?”

“You’re half right,” Lynda said with a smile. “Isabel wants me to organize a shipment of books that arrived yesterday, so I’m working at the bookstore for most of the day. I’m helping Matt at the shelter tomorrow.”

Kathleen handed Lynda a slice of toast covered in homemade apricot jam. “Matt’s asked you to help him a lot lately.”

Lynda gave her friend a warning look. “Matt and I are colleagues who both care about the animals in Sapphire Bay. That’s all.”

“If you say so,” Kathleen said, raising her hands in surrender. “But if you do like him, I wouldn’t blame you. His wide shoulders and carefree grin charm most of the people he meets.”

Lynda focused on her toast. Matt Reynolds was a great vet with a gentle way that the animals responded to. The fact that he had kind blue eyes and a smile that sometimes made her forget what she was saying wasn’t important.

“Robert called from the practice yesterday,” Lynda said, quickly changing the subject. “They’ve had more exotic pet cases lately. A lot of people have bought bearded dragons and sugar gliders.”

“And they’re struggling without the great Dr. Morth to help them?” Kathleen asked, sitting on the stool beside her.

Lynda shrugged. “They’re managing. Robert’s very capable. He’s been my right hand for nine years.”

“But they want you back,” Kathleen guessed, watching her friend’s face. “Are you thinking about going back to Denver?”

The question hung in the air. Lynda had asked herself the same thing more than once. Her practice was running fine without her being there. A property service was looking after her house, but she wasn’t sure if staying in Sapphire Bay was financially sustainable in the long term.

“I should go home at some point,” Lynda said slowly. “I have responsibilities. Patients. A business I built over decades.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Kathleen said gently.

Lynda sighed, meeting her friend’s knowing gaze.

“No, it’s not what you asked.” She took another sip of coffee, gathering her thoughts.

“The truth is, I don’t know if I’ll go back to Denver.

I love working with Isabel at the bookstore.

The animal shelter needs the help—they’re terribly understaffed for the number of animals they take in.

And being here with you and Isabel has been healing in a way I didn’t expect. ”

“And your house in Denver?”

“It’s just a house,” Lynda admitted. “Empty rooms filled with furniture and memories. Some good, some not so good.”

“Then why go back?” Kathleen asked.

“Because it’s the responsible thing to do,” Lynda replied, falling back on the rule that had guided most of her adult decisions.

“Because I can’t just abandon the practice I built, or my daughter.

I spoke to Amy last night. Her boys are getting into all sorts of mischief, and she needs her mom. I can’t hide out here forever.”

“Is that what you’re doing? Hiding?”

Lynda traced the rim of her coffee mug with her finger. “Maybe a little,” she admitted. “It’s easy here. Comfortable. I have my friends, meaningful work, and no one expecting anything from me beyond what I choose to give.” She sighed. “But it’s not real life.”

“Seems pretty real to me,” Kathleen observed, reaching for the coffee pot to refill her mug. “Just a different version than the one you had before.”

“I’ve spent so long defining myself by my work,” Lynda said quietly. “Dr. Morth, the veterinarian. Then, after the divorce, I was the woman who rebuilt her life on her own terms. I know who I am in Denver. Here, I’m... I don’t know. Still figuring it out, I guess.”

“Maybe that’s not such a bad thing,” Kathleen suggested. “At our age, how many chances do we get to reinvent ourselves?”

Lynda smiled, thinking of Isabel and her decision to buy the bookstore after decades as a librarian. “Good point.”

She finished her toast and took the plate to the sink, glancing at the clock on the wall. “I thought you’d be at the café by now.”

Kathleen shrugged. “Chloe offered to bake the muffins and organize the special orders this morning. It was wonderful to have a sleep-in and not have to rush into work.”

Lynda wiped her hands on the dish towel. “You should have more time off, especially while you’re remodeling the house on the point.”

“I enjoy being busy,” Kathleen told her.

“Well, don’t do too much.” Lynda picked up her purse and jacket. “I should get going. You know how Isabel gets when she has a project in mind.”

“Like a very bookish bulldozer,” Kathleen agreed with affection. “You’ll be there before she arrives.”

Lynda looked on the table for her reading glasses. “I know where she keeps the spare key. You haven’t seen my?—”

Kathleen picked up a black velvet case. “Reading glasses? I saw them when I came into the kitchen. Tell Isabel I’ll drop some lunch off for both of you around noon.”

“That’d be wonderful. Enjoy your day, Kathleen.” As Lynda walked down the path toward town, she thought about what Kathleen had said about reinventing yourself.

At sixty-seven, was she really thinking about starting over yet again? Trading the life she’d carefully rebuilt after her divorce for something new and undefined?

The idea was terrifying. Exciting. Possibly foolish.

But as Sapphire Bay came to life around her—shopkeepers opening doors, locals greeting each other by name, the mountains standing tall in the distance—Lynda felt a sense of rightness she couldn’t ignore.

For the first time in years, she was going through her days without the empty loneliness that had become her constant companion in Denver.

Maybe this wasn’t hiding after all. Maybe it was finally finding her way home.