They’d been so close when she was little, but as soon as he decided to leave her mother, he’d left her too. She wasn’t even a thought in his head, apparently. He’d found a new wife and made a whole new family like she didn’t even exist.

The pain was almost too much to take sometimes, so she acted out to distract herself. That’s what the therapist had said, anyway. All she knew is that there were dark parts of her brain where she didn’t like to go, and thoughts of her father were always there.

Her last therapist had said that she took all kinds of chances doing things that could hurt her because she didn’t feel worthy of good things. Maybe that was true. She definitely didn’t feel good about herself, although she put on a good front so nobody knew it.

Being in Carter’s Hollow had been a great escape for her. She only wished she never had to go back to Rhode Island and the memories there. Of course, the bad part was that memories tended to follow you no matter where you went.

Kate finished her workout and walked out of the gym. She hadn’t seen Cooper the last few times she’d gone, and it had kind of disappointed her, if she was honest. No way she’d ever admit that to him, though.

She walked outside and took in a long, deep breath of the mountain air. It was beautiful today, the sky a blue color she couldn’t adequately describe in words, not a cloud to be seem. The blue tinged mountains that surrounded her were starting to provide a sense of peace, and the air was still crisp even for early June.

Vendors were setting up on the square for a spring festival, artisans of every type dotting the area, sharing their wares. Not ready to go back to the B&B, she sat down on her favorite bench and watched them.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Cooper said from behind her.

“Ugh.”

He walked around and sat down beside her, a big smile on his face. “Well, that’s no way to greet a friend.”

“If I see a friend, I’ll be sure to greet them,” she said, dryly.

“Have you missed me?”

“Have you been gone?”

“Aw, come on, Katie. You know I haven’t been to the gym in days.”

“Why do you insist on calling me Katie when I’ve told you over and over that my name is Kate?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I dunno. I guess because Kate seems so formal, and I’m trying to loosen you up.”

She glared at him. “Why are you trying to loosen me up?”

“Because you seem tense.”

“I’m actually not tense, thank you very much. You just make me want to scream, that’s all.”