Now all that heat came rushing back with the memory, and she swallowed hard, forcing her hands steady on the wheel. Then she steered out of the campground.Focus. Photography lesson.“Oh, I’m sure we will. The people of Maple Falls never say no to being part of the fun.”
He smiled at that, once again doing ridiculous things to her pulse—ridiculous things she may or may not have confessed to her sister, Robyn. She called last night to ask how Cocktail Club had gone, and Krista had drunk just enough tequila to be honest.
But she’d also promised Robyn she’d be careful not to let her heart carry away her head. They’d have a bit of fun on thisSummer Swap, but that was it. Soon enough, Joe would be gone and life would go on as normal.
The road curved along the lakeshore, sunlight flickering through a canopy of green. The water shimmered beyond the trees, flashes of blue between the leaves. Wildflowers crowded the ditches: purple lupine, Queen Anne’s lace, bursts of golden black-eyed Susans swaying in the warm breeze.
She tried not to be intimidated by the camera gear piled in her back seat. Lenses, straps, little pouches of mysterious tools. The only camera she ever used was the one on her phone, and even then, only for business and not as much as she probably should. Elsie was the one who lived for selfies and town-page updates; Cassidy’s chocolate posts always looked like they were straight out of a magazine; and Zoe could make a single rose look like art. Krista’s photos had gone viral once—the Hot Honey Margarita craze—but that was because of her buzzworthy creation, not her photography skill.
Krista turned toward downtown, and sunlight spilled through the windshield. Maple Falls in summer always felt like a postcard. Hanging baskets overflowed with petunias and trailing ivy. Flowerbeds burst with hydrangeas in shades of pink and blue, and tall ornamental grasses swayed in the breeze. Everything shimmered beneath the warm light. In another two months, the colors would fade to gold and russet, pumpkins replacing petunias, but for now, the world was bold and bright.
She sneaked another glance at Joe. His hand rested easily on his knee and something about the quiet way he watched the world outside made her stomach flip.
Joe motioned toward a parking spot in front of the Cinnamon Spice Inn. “Park here. We’ll start with one camera and two lenses.”
Krista eased the truck into place, taking in the porch lined with red geraniums and climbing ivy. White rocking chairs sat in a row, bright cushions tossed carelessly across them.
“Ahoy there!” Mayor Bloomfield said as they got out of the truck.
She looked up to see the mayor crossing the street, waving as if he were greeting old friends. He wore a navy sport coat with shiny gold buttons, white slacks, and a sailor’s cap perched proudly on his head.
“Morning, Mayor,” Krista called. “Have you met Joe Valerio yet?”
The mayor pumped Joe’s hand with gusto. “Not officially, but my niece’s been talking about you nonstop. Elsie says this Summer Swap of yours is the best thing to happen to Maple Falls since we got the new espresso machine at the Hideaway.”
Joe smiled, shaking his hand. “That good, huh?”
“That good,” the mayor said, grin as wide as the lake. “This town loves its coffee. Now I don’t want to keep you; just wanted to give you an official Maple Falls welcome. If there’s anything I can do to help, you just let me know!”
“Thanks, Mayor,” she said warmly. “We’ll keep that in mind.”
With a friendly salute, he strolled back across the street, humming something that sounded suspiciously like a sea shanty.
Krista laughed under her breath. “Gotta love the mayor.”
Joe followed her gaze toward the storefronts across the street. The mayor was heading into the Pumpkin Pie Bakery.
“If you have a sweet tooth, I can’t recommend the bakery enough. The owner, Emily, is currently on a much-needed summer holiday, but her staff can make her sugar cookies almost as perfect as she can.” At that moment, she spotted Mrs. Bishop and Mrs. C., peering out the bakery’s front window like a pair of curious birds.
“It seems we’ve already attracted an audience,” said Krista.
Joe laughed at the two women pretending to drink theircoffee while very obviously staring at him. When Mrs. Bishop realized she’d been spotted, she gave a little wave.
Krista groaned, burying her face in her hands. “They’re relentless.”
Mrs. C. lifted her phone, pretending to take a picture of the pastry display but angling it straight at them. Joe chuckled under his breath. “Guess that’s my first paparazzi experience in Maple Falls.”
“Welcome to small-town fame,” Krista said, shaking her head, though she couldn’t contain her laughter. “Come on. Let’s go before they come out here and start quizzing us.”
They’d only made it a few steps down the sidewalk when Krista spotted Tyler and his daughter, Emma, stepping out of the bookshop. It wasn’t long ago that he was the new guy in town. How the single dad had avoided the town’s matchmaking ways was beyond Krista. Maybe Mrs. C. was simply waiting until he least expected it to spring a blind date on him.
Emma’s arms were stacked high with picture books and paperbacks, her hair in perfect pigtails, her lemon-yellow sundress as bright as the sunshine. Tyler took the door from behind her, tall and easy in a fitted tee. His sandy hair was tousled, and when he looked up, his eyes were warm and inviting.
“Krista,” he said, shifting the stack in Emma’s arms before it toppled. “I heard about your big swap. How’s it going so far?”
Krista looked at Joe. “So far, so good. What do you say?”
“No complaints here,” Joe replied.
