Page 11 of The Pumpkin Pie Book Nook

Mrs. Bishop nodded. “Absolutely not.”

Robyn blinked. “Okay…”

“We’ll discuss the story first,” declared Mrs. C. “Did everyone read it?”

A strange, prickly sensation crawled up Robyn’s spine.

Which was preposterous—she hadn’t written it. It wasn’t her work. But hearing people talk about Great-Grandma Isabel’s words made her feel… exposed.

Like someone had logged into her computer and was about to read her story.

Cassidy leaned forward first, eyes bright. “The setting is gorgeous,” she said. “It’s got this slightly spooky autumn vibe.”

Madison nodded. “And the tension is so good. It’s romantic, but there’s this thread of self-discovery underneath, like something is about to happen.”

Emily let out a soft sigh, pressing a hand to her chest. “The way the heroine describes the hero,” she said, dreamy, “it’s already swoony. And I’m sorry, but the scene in the bookstore?”

“Right?” Kit said, fanning herself with a napkin. “Bookstores are just so romantic, one thousand percent.”

There were murmurs of agreement, and Robyn’s nerves relaxed a bit.

Tyler’s gaze flicked to her, coffee-dark and steady, as if he could tell she was having some sort of internal crisis over a manuscript she didn’t even write. Under the table, his knee brushed hers again, a tiny grounding point.

The meeting continued, with members discussing the story, making predictions as to what would happen next, and snacking on all the delish food. All the while, Robyn listened, familial pride blossoming in her chest.

After a while, Mrs. C. nodded decisively. “Excellent. Now, how about our clue?”

Robyn stood and went behind the counter, hands careful as she retrieved the envelope. When she returned, the entire table went quiet, the way children hush when someone is about to open a present.

Robyn broke the wax seal.

The paper inside was thick and slightly yellowed with age. Isabel’s looping handwriting sprawled across it, familiar now in a way that made something tug in Robyn’s chest.

She read aloud:

“Where lovers once kissed beneath autumn’s glow,

An ancient oak guards what only we know.

Reach inside the trunk where secrets hide,

There the next clue waits to be spied.”

Cassidy chewed thoughtfully on her cookie. “Okay. So, where in Maple Falls is there a hollow oak that lovers kissed under?”

“It could be anywhere,” Kit said, already vibrating with excitement. “We have, like, a thousand trees.”

Madison frowned. “Is it the one by the lake? The big one near the path?”

Emily shook her head. “That one’s not hollow.”

The group was silent for a moment.

“You know who might know…” Robyn mused.

“Zoe,” Cassidy replied instantly. Currently babysitting Emma, Zoe owned the local flower shop. Together with her boyfriend, Jackson, she had hiked just about every square mile surrounding Maple Falls.

Robyn looked down at the old clue again, and despite herself, a smile spread across her face. The knot of nerves in her stomach loosened, transforming into something warmer and brighter. It was excitement, real excitement. A piece of her family’s history waiting to be uncovered.