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This time Mara’s laughter came without effort. “So the charity bake really is a truce.”

“More or less. They’ll work together when it matters. They always have. But once the bake sale is over and the Fall Festival comes around, they’ll go straight back to arguing about pumpkin pie.”

“I think I’ll go into town tomorrow and give the bakery a try.” Mara glanced toward the window, where a gust of wind sent a scattering of yellow leaves spinning past the glass.

“You won’t regret it.” Curtis opened the door, and cool air slipped into the cabin. “If there’s anything else you need while you’re here, come back to the lodge or give us a call. It doesn’t have to be anything important.”

“Thank you.”

“I mean it. You’re here for ten days. We want you to enjoy them.”

The kindness in his voice caught Mara off guard, and she had to blink before she answered. “That’s very kind of you.”

“You’re welcome, Mara.” Curtis stepped onto the porch and looked back at her. “Get yourself settled. You don’t have to decide what you’re doing with the whole vacation tonight.”

“I’ll try to remember that.”

“Enjoy the cabin.”

“I will. Thank you, Curtis.” As he pulled the door closed behind him, the latch clicked, and the cabin went quiet. Mara stayed where she was. A moment ago Curtis’s voice had filled the room, telling her where the coffee was, how to work the heating, which trail to walk, and where to go for baked goods. Now there was only the hum of the refrigerator and the small sounds an unfamiliar building made when nobody was talking over them.

The cabin was warm. Comfortable. Exactly what she had booked. Exactly what they had booked. Mara’s hand rose to cover her mouth. She was alone. Not alone for a few hours because Scott was working late. Not alone because one of them had gone out for coffee or forgotten something at the store and would be back soon.

This was supposed to have been their vacation. Ten days together. Ten days away from work and all the other things that had gradually filled the spaces between them. She had imagined long walks and lazy breakfasts. Evenings in front of the fire. Time to talk without one of them checking a phone or needing to be somewhere else. Time to remember why they had once been so certain they wanted the same things.

Instead, Scott was at home. And she was here. Mara’s hand pressed more firmly against her mouth.

“No,” she whispered. She wasn’t going to stand in the middle of the cabin and fall apart before she had properly arrived. She lowered her hand and took a slow breath, then crossed the room and opened the door.

Cold fall air touched her face as Mara went out onto the porch and shut the door behind her. For a moment, she simply stood there. Then she walked to the railing and rested both hands on the smooth wood.

The valley stretched out in front of her, hills covered in red and gold and orange, darker pines rising between them. Late-afternoon light had settled among the leaves, making whole sections of the hillside glow. It really was beautiful.

And Curtis was right. There was plenty here that worked just as well for one. She had planned walks and drives and meals, and places she wanted to see. None of those things had stopped existing because Scott had changed his mind about their future. The vacation had changed. That was all.

Ten days. Mara looked out across the valley. Ten days away from the apartment she and Scott had shared. Ten days away from work, routines, and all the questions waiting for her when she went home. She could walk. She could explore Bear Creek. Tomorrow she could go into town, have breakfast at Gabe’s bakery, and find out what a cinnamon bear tasted like.

And somewhere in between, she could figure out what came next. Not just for the vacation. For her.

Mara stayed at the railing for another moment until the cold crept through her jacket. Then she went back inside to make a plan.

CHAPTER 2

Gabe

Mountain View Bakery had been open for less than an hour, and the first rush had finally thinned enough for Gabe to pay attention to the table nearest the counter. It was the table his best friends claimed each morning, where they sat drinking his coffee and eating his pastries while they had their morning catch-up before work.

Joel looks like he needs more than a catch-up, Gabe’s bear said.

And he was right. Joel was preoccupied this morning. Papers covered the table around his plate, along with a folder that looked as if it had been opened and closed too many times already.

Gabe slid a fresh tray of cinnamon bears into the display case and closed the glass door. “Is that for the Fall Festival?”

“Yeah.” Joel shuffled the papers into a messy pile and reached for his coffee. “Although I’m thinking I’m the only one who’s going to fall. Or fail.”

“Come on.” Nate nodded at the papers. “You know your mom wouldn’t have left you in charge if she didn’t think you could handle it.”

“The more I try to get my head around it all, the more I think she made a mistake trusting me with this.” Joel cast a reproachful look at the messy paper pile before him.