Was she reading into things? She didn’t think so. There had been an undercurrent of flirtation between them all evening. It had been playful. Easy. She’d wanted to give him a hard time about how seriously he took the book club discussion, but it was so endearing all she could do was just smile each time he asked a new question or shared his thoughts on the story. She’dwondered what had changed. When Dr. Franklin instructed him to read, Lance had dug in his heels. But when Sarah prompted him to, she was initially met with some pushback, but ultimately, he’d conceded.
She couldn’t say she wasn’t a little proud of that.
Once Lance’s glowing red taillights dipped down the hill and out of sight, she turned the handle on the cabin’s front door and let herself inside.
A beautifully roaring fire popped and hissed in the hearth, and she could hear her parents speaking softly in the living room just beyond the entryway. She slipped her jacket from her shoulders and hung it up in the hall closet before stepping into the interior of the home. She’d grown up in this very house and loved the sense of calm and comfort it provided. But there was still a sliver within her that longed for a home of her own. A place to mark her daughter’s height on the inside of a doorframe. A spot where they could hang a tree swing or press their handprints into a freshly concreted patio.
Sarah appreciated her parents’ hospitality. It was a generous act to allow both Sarah and Laney back into their home and their daily lives. But that didn’t stop Sarah from wanting to get out of their hair sooner than later. These were their golden years. They deserved to live them out in peace, and there was nothing peaceful about the toddler years.
“Knock, knock,” she called out before turning the corner into the family room. Her mother and father were snuggled on the couch, a big, quilted blanket over their legs and a tray of Jill’s infamous shortbread on the coffee table nearby.
“Hey, Libby.” Zeke perked up, smiling wide under his thick mustache. “How was the date?”
“It wasn’t a date.”
Jill and Zeke exchanged a look. “Of course, it wasn’t,” her father said. “How was the book club?”
“Great. Lance actually did his reading, so he had a lot to say about the book. Color me impressed.”
“That boy always would do anything for you.” Jill lifted her head from her husband’s chest to sit all the way up. She patted the cushion next to her.
“He’s not a boy anymore, Mom. He’s…Lance.” Sarah took a seat next to her mom.
“And Lance is a successful, grown man with a big heart and lots of potential,” Zeke added.
Was her father officially endorsing Lance as a possible boyfriend? Yikes. The word made Sarah cringe, but she supposed that’s what he might become if her feelings had anything to do with it.
“I enjoy Lance’s company, and I’m proud of him for doing the reading he was assigned.” Sarah was going to leave it at that, but her parents didn’t look satisfied. “What?”
“Are you ready to put your heart on the line again?” her mother asked.
Was she? Probably not, but that didn’t stop it from fluttering too rapidly each time she thought of Lance. “I honestly don’t know. I rushed into things with Darren. I know that now. I don’t want to make that mistake twice.”
“You’re not rushing into anything with Lance.” Zeke drew back the edge of the blanket and stood from the couch. He wordlessly requested Jill’s empty wine glass for a refill, which she handed off. “What you and Lance have is what they would call aslow burnin a romance novel.”
A laugh sputtered between Sarah’s lips. “How are you even familiar with that term, Dad?”
“I like to keep informed on the things my children show interest in. Just last week your mom and I went snowmobiling with your brother on one of his new electric mobiles. And Isigned up for a book subscription box that delivers bestsellers right to my doorstep. I’m cultured.”
“Not sure that’s the word I would use,” Jill snickered. “But I agree with your father about one thing. If you do choose to pursue things with Lance, you won’t be jumping in. You two have a history together. And other than Holden, your father, and myself, Lance knows you better than anyone.”
Her mom was probably right. And maybe that was the hang up. Sarah valued Lance’s friendship so deeply. He’d always been a significant figure in her life, and if they tried a romantic relationship that didn’t work out, she wasn’t sure she was willing to lose him completely.
“When it comes down to it, I don’t really even have time to date. Between Laney, the library, and now this writer’s retreat, most of my free time is completely accounted for.”
“But you managed to make time for a book club,” Zeke pointed out.
“That’s different.”
Zeke just nodded and gave his daughter a knowing smile that said he didn’t believe her.
She didn’t blame him. She didn’t believe herself, either.
As Sarah crossedthe threshold into Summit Sweets, the irresistible aroma of freshly iced cinnamon rolls swirled around her, wrapping her in the perfect blend of sugar and spice. A small bell above the entrance chimed as the door jostled. Its melodic jingle tapered off, but it had been enough to alert the baker and draw her from the back kitchen to tend to her latest customer.
Sarah had seen Faith Porter around town throughout most of her upbringing, but while Sarah and Holden had been part of the public-school crowd, Faith had been homeschooled and mingled with a different set of peers. Now, as adults, their interactions consisted of brief greetings in the church pews on holidays or during random encounters around Snowdrift. Still, Faith always wore a warm, bubbly smile, and this morning was no different.
“Sarah!” Faith untied her apron from around her neck and balled it up to place on the counter before eagerly approaching for a hug. “I’d heard you were back in town and hoped it was true.”
