Page 32

A month later…

Lynda stepped back to admire the antique oak bookshelf sitting against the living room wall of her new house. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the bay window, making the wood grain glow. She could already imagine her favorite novels filling the shelves.

“That looks perfect there,” Kathleen said, wiping dust from her hands with a dish towel. She’d been helping Lynda arrange furniture all morning, despite Lynda’s protests that she could manage on her own.

Isabel emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray with three glasses of iced tea. “The movers did a good job. Everything arrived in perfect condition, and they were so careful with your grandmother’s china cabinet.”

“I was terrified something would happen to it during the move,” Lynda admitted, accepting a glass gratefully. “It’s been in our family for over a century.”

The three women settled on Lynda’s newly arranged sofa, surrounded by half-unpacked boxes and the comfortable chaos of a move in progress. Through the open windows, they could hear the gentle lapping of the lake and the distant sound of children playing in a neighbor’s yard.

“This house suits you perfectly,” Kathleen said as she looked around the spacious living room. “It has so much character, and that view of the lake is spectacular.”

Lynda followed her gaze to the large windows that framed Flathead Lake. “I still can’t believe how much my home in Denver sold for. The market there has exploded in the last two years.”

“How much extra did your house sell for?” Isabel asked curiously.

“Almost seventy thousand over my asking price,” Lynda said, still amazed by her good fortune. “There was a bidding war between three families. The realtor said properties in my neighborhood are selling within days of being listed.”

Kathleen’s eyebrows rose. “That’s incredible. What will you do with the extra money?”

Lynda set down her iced tea, her expression growing thoughtful.

“I want to put it toward the wildlife rehabilitation center. With the insurance money covering the basic shelter rebuild, this could fund the specialized facilities we dreamed of. We could have proper isolation units for different species, a flight training area for raptors, and maybe an even bigger educational center.”

“Matt must be thrilled,” Isabel said with a smile.

“He doesn’t know yet,” Lynda replied, feeling a flutter of excitement at the thought of telling him. “He’s investing a lot of his own money into the center, too, but this will make a huge difference.”

Kathleen’s cell phone pinged. With a frown, she read the text. “It’s from Susan. She said she’s just accepted a catering contract for a last-minute event and can’t fly here next week. She wants to know if it’s okay to come in late January.”

Isabel sighed. “I was looking forward to seeing her. I hope she’s okay.”

“I called her last week,” Lynda told her friends. “She’s feeling a little overwhelmed with all the events she’s booked. I think she’d like to retire, but finding someone who wants to buy a catering company is hard at the moment.”

Isabel leaned forward. “If everyone’s going to be in Sapphire Bay in late January, let’s book the dates now. It’ll give Susan something to look forward to.”

Lynda nodded. “I’ll be here.”

“So will I,” Kathleen added. “I’ll let her know that we’re looking forward to seeing her in January.” With a few quick taps of her fingertips, Kathleen sent the message. She smiled when Susan replied. “She sent a bunch of hearts back to us.”

Isabel took a sip of her tea. “Since we’re talking about being too busy, how are things going at the clinic, Lynda?”

“I’m working as many hours as I can, but we’re still busy without Matt,” Lynda said with a tired but satisfied smile.

“He’s finally accepted that he needs to rest and recover properly.

But he still tries to sneak into the office when he thinks I’m not looking.

Everything else is going well. The temporary animal housing system is working, and the wolfdog puppies are thriving at Kathleen’s place. ”

“They’re adorable,” Kathleen said with a smile. “Whenever I’m there, Star follows me around like a little shadow, and the others have turned my backyard into their playground. Patrick’s been amazing. He’s built climbing frames and all kinds of equipment for the pups.”

Isabel’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “And how are things with Patrick? Are you still friends or is there something more going on?”

Kathleen blushed. “He’s been very helpful with the house renovations and the puppy situation. And yes, we’re still friends.”

“Friends who have dinner together every night and go for long walks by the lake,” Lynda teased gently.

“We enjoy each other’s company,” Kathleen said with dignity, though her smile gave her away. “At our age, there’s something to be said for taking things slowly.”

Lynda nodded. “I’ll second that. Although I wonder if we let our past relationships make us too cautious.”

Isabel rubbed Lynda’s arm. “Ray was a toad. I don’t blame you for being cautious after what happened. But there’s also something to be said for not wasting time when you find someone special,” she pointed out, and then immediately looked like she regretted the words.

Lynda caught the subtle change in her friend’s expression. “That isn’t the look of someone who’s super-cautious. What’s happened?”

Isabel bit her bottom lip. “I wasn’t going to say anything for a few days, but I have some news.”

Isabel looked too happy for it to be bad news. Lynda glanced at Kathleen, wondering if she knew what was going on.

“Frank and I had a picnic by the lake last night,” Isabel continued, her eyes sparkling with joy. “And he... well, he asked me to marry him.”

The words hung in the air for a moment before Lynda and Kathleen erupted in excitement.

“Isabel, that’s wonderful!” Lynda exclaimed, reaching over to hug her friend.

“Tell us everything!” Kathleen added as she wrapped her arms around Isabel and Lynda.

Isabel laughed, tears gathering in her eyes.

“It wasn’t exactly romantic—we were eating leftovers from the night before.

Tommy was at a friend’s house, so it was lovely and peaceful.

Frank said he’d been thinking about everything that’s happened and how precious time is.

He doesn’t want to waste another year being friends.

He wants us to build a life together, to spend every waking moment enjoying each other’s company. ”

“What did you say?” Lynda asked, although the glow on Isabel’s face had already provided the answer.

“I said yes.” Isabel held her hand over her heart. “I was so excited that I hardly slept last night. Frank is an amazing man and, as corny as it sounds, I can’t wait to be his wife.”

“It isn’t corny,” Kathleen told her. “It’s sweet. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Love is love. When are you getting married?”

Isabel shrugged. “We haven’t set a date, but we’ll probably wait until the weather gets a little warmer. We don’t want a big wedding. A simple ceremony with our friends will be perfect.”

“A Sapphire Bay wedding,” Kathleen said with a sigh. “That sounds wonderful. You could have the ceremony by the lake, or in the garden at my new house once the renovations are finished.”

Lynda tapped her chin. “There’s a boutique in Bozeman that has the most wonderful wedding dresses and evening gowns. We could take Isabel there to look for something amazing to wear.”

“I love that you’re both planning my wedding,” Isabel said with a laugh.

“And I definitely want to be somewhere near the lake when we get married. But we haven’t made any other plans.

All I know is that Sapphire Bay and the people who live here are special to us.

We want to pay tribute to everyone who’s welcomed us into their lives. ”

A warmth spread through Lynda’s chest at Isabel’s words. The same feeling had been growing in her own heart—the sense that Sapphire Bay wasn’t just a place she’d moved to, but a place where she truly belonged.

“To new beginnings,” Lynda said, raising her iced tea glass in a toast.

“To love finding us when we least expect it,” Kathleen added, joining the toast.

“And to friendship that sees us through everything,” Isabel concluded, her voice thick with emotion.

As they clinked glasses, Lynda looked at these two remarkable women who’d become such an important part of her life. A year ago, she could never have imagined sitting in her own home in Montana, surrounded by friends who felt like family, and planning a future filled with such hope and possibility.

With a sigh, she realized that life had a way of leading you exactly where you needed to be—even when you thought you were completely lost.