Chapters (59)
- Cover
- Back Cover Text
- Praise
- About the Author
- Booklist
- Dedication
- The St. James Affair
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Chapter Four
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Chapter Twelve
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Candlelight Christmas
- Part One
- No-Process-Pickles
- Prologue
- Part Two
- Massive Spaghetti Feed
- Chapter One
- Chapter Two
- Chapter Three
- Part Three
- Beer-Cheese-Spread
- Chapter Four
- Part Four
- Eggnog Pancakes with Whiskey Butter
- Chapter Five
- Chapter Six
- Chapter Seven
- Chapter Eight
- Part Five
- Maple Bacon Bread Pudding
- Chapter Nine
- Chapter Ten
- Chapter Eleven
- Part Six
- Walking Dead Sugar Cookies
- Chapter Twelve
- Part Seven
- Seductive Hot Chocolate
- Chapter Thirteen
- Chapter Fourteen
- Chapter Fifteen
- Chapter Sixteen
- Chapter Seventeen
- Chapter Eighteen
- Chapter Nineteen
- Epilogue
- Excerpt from The Apple Orchard by Susan Wiggs
“What do you say?” asked India. “I swear, my family would love to have you.”
“Seriously?”
“Sure. We usually all go to my folks’ place in Florida, at Paradise Cove. The house is huge, and located right on a private beach, a surfer’s mecca. You can sit on the sugar-fine sand, sipping a fruity drink, and let your ex deal with the mess he made.”
“Surfing? Do you know how tempting that sounds?”
“That’s the idea—to tempt you.”
“I might take you up on it. Wait a second. Is your brother going to be there?”
“Yep.”
Darcy couldn’t stop herself from flashing on an image of Logan O’Donnell in board shorts and flip-flops, on a sugar-sand Florida beach.
“I’ll think about it,” she said. She probably wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it.
India peered at the shady street ahead and switched on the headlamps. “Hey, do me a favor and see if the hotel brochure has directions. We’re staying at the Inn at Willow Lake.”
Darcy found a colorful flyer and angled it toward the light. “There’s an annex in the middle of town, and the main location is on the lake.”
“We’re staying at the one on the lake.”
“It’s easy to find, then. Just stay on the Lakeshore Road and we’ll come right to it. Looks gorgeous in the brochure.”
“I’m sure it is. Just as an aside—the owners, Nina and Greg Bellamy, are Logan’s former in-laws.”
“Wait, what? His ex is their daughter?”
“Hazard of life in a small town—eventually, everyone is connected.”
“So, was he married to Charlie’s mother for long?”
“No. They tried to make it work for Charlie’s sake, but they realized it wasn’t right and never would be. It was hard, watching him struggle to hold them together. There was...drama. Maybe someday Logan will tell you all about it.”
“Assuming I want him to tell me. Assuming he wants to.”
“Ah, Darce. I know you’re still raw, but I promise, things will get better. After his breakup, Logan was kind of a mess for a while, but he came out of the fog.”
“Meaning he climbed right back on the horse, so to speak.”
“I think it’s a guy thing. They tend to start dating right away. He hasn’t had a serious relationship yet, though. Just a string of...distractions, I guess you’d call them. Daisy, his ex, is remarried now, living in Oklahoma with her new husband. That’s why Logan’s time with Charlie is so precious—he has to split custody with Charlie’s mom.”