Joe followed her gaze over the page. Her thumb brushed lightly over the ink, the way she seemed to do when she was deep in thought. He liked that about her. Her focus. Her intensity. How she didn’t shy away from anything.
“You have any ideas where to start?” he asked.
She let out a thoughtful breath. “I’m thinking about asking Zoe. She and Jackson explored so much of the surrounding area this spring, looking for the Moonlight Kiss flowers. They were all over the woods, rivers, ridges—pretty much everywhere. Maybe something in here will sound familiar to her.”
“That’s a good idea,” Joe said. “I actually have a draft of the article I wrote about their Local Blooms garden project that I want to run by them anyway.” He hesitated for a heartbeat, then added, “We’ve got a bit of time before I have to get to the Hideaway. Want to head over there together?”
Krista smiled. “Sure. Let me just text her and see if she’s at the flower shop or at Jackson’s farm.”
She grabbed her phone, tapping out a message.
Frankie stayed snoring on his lap, and the journal lay open between them, its pages filled with secrets neither of them understood yet.
He reached a hand onto her leg, and a tiny spark of electricity ran between them. And in that quiet, sunlit room, with this beautiful woman and a mystery breathing between them, he suddenly thought, he could get used to this. Being domesticated, as Kit had put it.
But it was more than that. He’d never wanted a story—or a life—as much as this.
NINETEEN
KRISTA
Friday, Day One of the Summer Swap
Krista couldn’t get over how stunning Maple Falls looked in the height of summer. It was like Mother Nature had turned the dial all the way up. The trees were greener, sky bluer, and flowers exploded in color on every corner.
Joe walked beside her with that effortless confidence of his, with a soft gray T-shirt stretched across his chest, olive-green utility pants, and well-worn shoes that looked like they’d seen more adventures than she could count. His forearms flexed as he adjusted the strap of his camera bag, veins traced under strong, sun-kissed skin. At six foot five, broad shouldered and relaxed, he moved through the town as if he belonged here.
Krista tried not to stare. Tried not to notice the way his shirt clung just right, or the steady strength in his hands. It felt too natural, too easy, walking beside him like this. Her hand itched to brush against his, like she was seventeen again.
She focused on the town instead. Shop windows gleamed in the morning light, their displays stacked with lemons, daisies, vintage watering cans, and gingham picnic baskets. Maple Fallssmelled divine at every turn—cinnamon rolls drifting from the Cinnamon Spice Inn, savory dishes from the Maple Leaf Café, flowers everywhere.
A chalkboard outside the bookshop advertised summer staff picks and upcoming author talks. A water bowl and container of dog treats rested by the door—the bookshop was Frankie’s favorite pit stop, and it was Robyn’s too, whenever she visited from Yale. Krista enjoyed reading, but her sister was the bookworm of the family.
They passed the Maple Leaf Café patio, striped umbrellas shading jars of wildflowers. People stepped out of the Pumpkin Pie Bakery holding iced lavender lattes and rosemary-lemon spritzers. And somewhere down the block, a guitarist plucked soft music, serenading the street and collecting tips in an open guitar case.
Krista pushed open the flower shop door. The bell chimed, and the scent of fresh blooms wrapped around them. The window display was a riot of color with sunflowers bursting from galvanized watering cans, hot pink dahlias spilling from wire baskets, and bright orange zinnias tucked into vintage crates. A hand-painted sign curved across the glass in lemon-yellow cursive:Let the Sunshine Bloom.
Whiskers, Zoe’s cat, was in the window, basking in the sun, while her fluffy white kitten, Angel, chased a crumpled piece of paper, batting it at a thousand miles an hour.
“What brings you two in?” Zoe asked with a smile, tying off the bouquet in her hands.
“Joe’s got something to show you,” Krista said. “Then I was hoping you could help us with that mystery we’re chasing, about my great-grandmother Isabel’s disappearance.”
“Oh, fun already.” Zoe wiped her hands on her apron. “Show me the goods.”
Joe pulled out his laptop and set it on the counter. “Ifinished the draft of the article on your Local Blooms project. Thought you’d want a peek.”
Zoe practically vibrated. “You bet I do.”
Joe opened the file. The first spread lit the screen showcasing Zoe and Jackson in the community garden, sunlight spilling over rows of native plants. Zoe laughed mid-giggle, of course looking at Jackson, who was caught staring at her like she was the only thing blooming in a five-mile radius.
“Oh boy,” Zoe whispered. “I look ridiculous.”
“It’s cute,” Krista said, nudging her. “Wholesome. Very ‘spring romance.’”
“It looks like I’m about to propose to him with a watering can,” Zoe muttered.
Joe clicked through more shots before landing on the final one—the Moonlight Kiss, shimmering faintly in the dusk.
