The handsome stranger walks over to us as he gives Morgan a slow appreciative once-over. “And you?”

Her smile is slow, deliberate, she leans forward resting her chin on her hands. She gives him the same slow up and down before responding. “No, but I suppose you could say I know this place better than most.”

His lips part slightly at that like another question is sitting on his tongue, but instead, he just nods. A response that’s more careful than casual. Then again, I guess as someone who works at the Sheriff’s Department she really does know this place better than most of the people here.

“I’m Bennett,” he offers, his gaze lingering on Morgan. “Freelance travel writer. I’m in town doing a piece on the ski resort. Figured I’d get a feel for the locals, hear what they have to say about the place.”

Morgan leans back against the booth. “Oh? And what exactly are you looking to know?”

Bennett shrugs. “A little bit of everything. The town’s history, its people—anything worth writing about.”

Aubrey chuckles as she brings him his drink. “Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place for stories.”

He takes a slow sip, his expression thoughtful. “What’s one thing I should know about the area? What would be a big draw for tourists?” He asks Aubrey, tilting his head slightly. “You seem like someone who’s seen a lot of this town’s history.”

Aubrey’s smile sharpens but there’s a steely edge in her eyes now, it’s the look a woman has when her age is brought into question. “Oh, Sweetheart, I don’t just know the history. I am the history.”

Bennett huffs a quiet laugh, though there’s a flicker of wistfulness lingers in it. He studies her for a moment longer before finally shifting his attention back to me.

“You said you’re new here. What made you move to Shadow Grove?”

I smile, though I can feel the familiar twinge of discomfort settling in my chest. The short answer? A fresh start. The long answer? Well, that’s a story I don’t owe to a stranger with a charming smile and a motorcycle.

“I needed a change of scenery,” I say instead, keeping my tone light. “Big city life wasn’t for me anymore.”

Bennett tilts his head slightly, studying me like he’s trying to piece together a puzzle. “And you landed here of all places? Shadow Grove isn’t exactly on the map.”

I shrug, fingers tracing the rim of my coffee cup. “It was voted one of the best small towns in North America,” I say, lifting my iced latte in a mock toast. “Seemed like a good enough reason to check it out.”

Morgan snorts. “You mean, you visited once, met with a realtor on a whim, and then dropped everything to buy a house.”