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Lynda thought about her own life in Denver—the practice she’d built, the house she’d redecorated after Ray left, the routine she’d carefully constructed. But had it ever felt like home the way Sapphire Bay did to Matt?

“What about you?” Matt asked, breaking into her thoughts. “Do you miss Denver?”

Lynda was surprised to realize she needed to think about her answer. “I miss parts of it,” she told him. “My practice, some of my clients. But I don’t miss the noise, the traffic, or the sense of always rushing from one thing to the next.”

“And your daughter?” Matt asked. “You must miss her.”

Lynda smiled, thinking of Amy and her growing family. “I do. Even though she’s busy with her own life, we still talk on the phone. But I miss giving my grandsons a big hug.”

“I know what you mean about our children being busy,” Matt said.

“They build their own lives while we figure out what to do with ours.” He glanced at her.

“Though it doesn’t sound like you’ve been idle.

Between the bookstore and the shelter, you’re busier than most of the people who live in Sapphire Bay. ”

“I’ve enjoyed helping out while I’m here,” she said, reaching for another mason jar.

“How long are you staying?” Matt asked casually—too casually.

Lynda needed to remind Matt that she wasn’t sure she’d ever live permanently in Sapphire Bay.

Whether that was for his benefit or hers, she wasn’t sure.

“I have to go back to Denver at some point. My practice is running well, but there are times when I need to be there. And the woman who rented my house leaves in two months.”

Matt nodded, his expression unreadable. “I did the same thing when I moved to Montana with Maria, my wife. She was born here and wanted to come back. I left someone in charge of my practice and rented our home to my cousin. Coming back to Sapphire Bay was never supposed to be a lifetime commitment, but when Maria died, I couldn’t bear to leave. ”

An awkward silence fell between them, and Lynda wished she could somehow lift the heartache she saw in Matt’s eyes. “Does Maria’s family live here, too?”

Matt nodded. “Three cousins about our age are still living here. Most of their children have left.”

Lynda sighed. “That’s the problem with small towns. Unless there’s a way for people to make a decent living, it’s hard to stay.”

“Okay, everyone!” Carol’s voice rang out across the barn. “I think we’ve done enough for today. The rest can wait until tomorrow morning. Thank you all for your hard work!”

As people began gathering their belongings and heading out, Matt helped Lynda into her jacket, his hands lingering briefly on her shoulders.

“Can I walk you to your car?” he asked.

Lynda nodded, suddenly unable to find her voice. They stepped out of the barn into the golden light of late afternoon, the lake shimmering in the distance. For a moment, she was struck by the beauty of it all—the mountains rising majestically around them, the clear blue sky, and the tranquil water.

“You know,” Matt said as they walked across the gravel lot, “whatever you decide—about staying or going back to Denver—you’ve made a difference here. At the shelter, especially. I don’t know what we would have done without you.”

“I was happy to help. Besides, the animals respond to kindness,” Lynda said. “Anyone can give them that.”

Matt stopped beside her car, his expression serious. “Not everyone. You have a gift, especially with animals that are frightened because they’ve been hurt or abandoned. And don’t let me start on the amount of patience you have.”

Matt’s words touched her deeply. “Thank you. That means a lot, coming from you.”

They stood there for a moment, the air between them charged with unspoken possibilities. Lynda found herself noticing details she’d overlooked before—the flecks of gray at his temples, the laugh lines around his eyes, the quiet strength in his weathered hands.

“Well,” Matt said finally, “I should let you go. I’m sure you’re exhausted after all that decorating.”

“A little,” Lynda admitted. “But it was worth it. The barn looks beautiful.”

“It does,” Matt agreed. “Almost as beautiful as—” He stopped abruptly, clearing his throat. “Well, it’s going to be a great event. I’ll see you there?”

Lynda nodded, her heart beating a little faster at his unfinished sentence. “Absolutely. Save me a dance.”

The words slipped out before she could stop them, surprising both of them. Matt’s face lit up with a smile that made him look years younger.

“It’s a date,” he said, then quickly added, “I mean, not a ‘date’ date, just a... dance. At some point. During the fundraiser.”

His uncharacteristic awkwardness was endearing, and Lynda found herself smiling back. “I’ll look forward to it.”

As she drove back to Kathleen’s house, Lynda tried to untangle the emotions of the afternoon. The easy teamwork with Matt, the way her heart had raced when he’d almost called her beautiful—it all pointed to something she hadn’t experienced in years. Something she wasn’t sure she was ready for.

Yet when she thought about the fundraiser, about dancing with Matt under the twinkling lights they’d hung together, she couldn’t deny the flutter of anticipation in her chest. It wasn’t a ‘date’ date, as Matt had so adorably clarified. It was only a dance between friends. Colleagues.

But as she turned onto Kathleen’s street, Lynda wondered if it could be the start of something more.