Chapter One
Laurel
There wasn’t enough white chocolate mocha in the entire state of Alaska to get Laurel Evans through this already long day, no matter how many shots of espresso were in it. But two grande cups from Black Bear Coffee would have to get her started. They didn’t come any larger, and she only had two hands.
Because Charlene was out of stoppers, Laurel was hyper-focused on not spilling her coffees as she pushed the door open with her back. She turned the sharp corner around the coffee shop at Mooseberry Lane and Fourth and screamed. One coffee flew into the air, splattering inches from a massive hoof.
It didn’t matter that Laurel had grown up in Sunset Ridge, or that she’d been home for more than six months after a long absence. The unexpected sighting of a bull moose stopped on the street corner, eyeing her curiously from only three feet away, would always threaten an instant heart attack.
She spun on her heel to round the same corner, thankful one coffee remained unscathed. She refused to start off her week being trampled by a startled moose.
Before she could manage a single sip of her precious nectar, however, Laurel plowed into a man and dumped her second mocha all over his blue and white button-up shirt. “I’m so—” She pointed behind her at the antlers poking out from the corner of the building. “Moose. Th-there’s a moose.” Laurel kept looking over her shoulder, concerned the infamousEdwould follow her. But the moose was eagerly licking her first spilled beverage from the pavement. “What do you know? He likes it.”
“Laurel.”
Her heart stopped at the familiar voice she would never forget. Not if fifty years went by without hearing it. “Chase. Hi.”
Since she moved back to Sunset Ridge over Christmas, she’d done her best to avoid her ex-husband. She was overwhelmed as it was by her family—most especially with her youngest sister who just had a baby. Add in two best friends planning summer weddings a week apart, and facing Chase after the way she left things five years ago was not something her very full plate had room for. If only he wasn’t her best friend’s brother and included in that same friends’ circle, avoiding him would be so much simpler.
“Whoa, look out.” Chase pulled her back against him by the shoulder as the local favorite moose shuffled his legs. For a single heartbeat, Laurel surrendered to the protection she’d craved on so many lonely days.
Ed stared straight at them, licking his coffee-splattered lips, then sauntered down Mooseberry Lane toward the bay.
Laurel wriggled free from Chase’s hold the second Ed passed the pharmacy and was no longer visible. The urge to sprint to her car was overwhelming, but she wasn’t a terrible human being. Plus, she needed more coffee before she decided what item on her list to tackle first. “Hope I didn’t burn you. I’m sorry about your shirt.”
“I didn’t like it much anyway.” A half smile tugged at his lips, threatening to lure Laurel into a trap. That tilt of those very kissable lips was what got her into this mess all those years ago. As she fished for napkins in her oversized purse, he asked, “How’re Haylee and the baby?”
“Good. They’re good.” Laurel found three napkins, patting at the largest coffee circle over his shirt pocket. It took seconds to realize her grave mistake. Chase’s muscular chest pressed against her fingers was going to get her into an entirely new mess. “Here.” She shoved the napkins at him. “I can get more inside—”
“Laurel.” His serious tone stopped her midturn toward the entrance. “I really need to talk to you.”
She stared off in the direction Ed had ventured but saw no sign of the moose now that she could really use the distraction. For nearly six months, Laurel had been dodging whatever important thing Chase justhadto tell her. Ever since Ava’s New Year’s Eve engagement party. “I’m really busy this morning. Maybe another time?”
“You’re always busy, Laurel. That’s kind of your thing.”
Closing her eyes for a beat, she took a deep breath. She was running on barely two hours of broken sleep. Melly, precious angel that she was, had not thought anyone in the house needed sleep.Silly adults. Laurel spent half her night buried in spreadsheets and balancing books for her dad’s businesses and was now all caught up. But there was a laundry list of things she’d been neglecting: picking out not one, but two bridesmaids dresses, getting a desperately needed manicure, and deciding how to respond to her old boss’s email with a generously tempting offer to return to the Florida Keys. None of them held a candle to her desperate need for more caffeine.
“I’ll buy you another coffee,” Chase offered.
“You sure that’s a good idea? You might end up wearing it.”
He stepped closer, stopping in front of her. Despite the overwhelming aroma of mocha he now wore, a hint of her favorite cologne drifted to her, tugging her into the past. She pushed away the temptation. Staying grounded in the future was the only way she survived living in this small town with her ex-husband. “I’ll take the risk.”
As much as Laurel wanted to run the other way, this conversation had been inevitable for months. He’d even given her four additional weeks after Melly came into the world before he brought it up. Had it not been for Ed just now, she might’ve squeezed out five. “That moose,” she muttered.
“What’s that?”
“Coffee first. No bombs dropped until I’m at least halfway through my cup.”
“Deal.” He held the door and waited for her to reenter Black Bear Coffee.
Behind the register, Charlene wore a knowing smile, promising she’d witnessed both embarrassing incidents. If this was how Monday morning was choosing to behave, Laurel wanted a do-over. For years, these mornings were one of her strengths. She was the rare breed who lived for Mondays. She woke up recharged, ready to face any challenge head-on. Until her sweet niece entered the world. Laurel no longer knew what a normal night of sleep felt like.
Good thing she loved Melly more than she’d ever loved anything else. Even white chocolate mochas.
Arnie Powers adjusted his suspenders at the back of the line as he fixed his attention on Chase’s coffee-stained shirt, and smirked. “Hope you didn’t get third-degree burns. You should know better than to make this one mad.” He cackled, nodding at Laurel.
“You’d think I’d have learned my lesson by now,” Chase bantered back, both men allowing Laurel to go in front of them. “I guess I’m addicted to pushing my limits.”
